Keep it at 35' and Resilient,Jacksonville Beach!
The First Coast Chapter is asking the City of Jacksonville Beach to remove the request to open the 35'height restriction and vote on development on the barrier island. Increased structural height is not in alignment with resiliency measures on a barrier island with the visible negative impacts of sea level rise, salt water intrusion, stormwater increase, and taxation upon infrastructure particularly groundwater and the aquifer.
The First Coast Surfrider Foundation Chapter and volunteers are highly concerned about considerations to open up the 35' building restriction on their shores to 55' in the Commercial District.
In a time when barrier islands are already struggling up and down the coast with structural and inspection failures of high rise developments and resident evacuations, the decision to add these larger structures to the community is nothing most residents understand.
In 2004, residents voted to cap the height at 35' for all structures including commercial zones as did Neptune, Atlantic, and St. Augustine, and that is still what residents want despite the push from outside monetary interests. This must pass via a citizen and not council vote, but the citizens have not requested it be put on the ballot. The question is then, who is it for…developers?
Throughout the community there are significant concerns to protect water quality by limiting the location and growth levels and areas that are consistent with the capacity of the areas' soils and water to absorb new development. Barrier islands are particularly vulnerable and so the First Coast Chapter is asking that the city instead consider nature based solutions to help further protect rather than tax the soils and infrastructure by building large structures that neither benefit the coast, wildlife, nor residents. This should not be a 2022 ballot priority put forth by anyone other than by petition by the citizens.
Keep it at 35', Jacksonville Beach!