About face: Port reverses decision on fabric warehouse location

Relay Terminals will put fabric warehouses side-by-side near Dade Street

At the Ocean Highway and Port Authority (OHPA), the adage “try, try again” rang true Wednesday night as commissioners took up the fabric warehouse dispute for the fourth time. By a narrow 3-2 margin, the board approved Relay Terminals’ latest request to relocate the two massive structures to the western end of the port adjacent to Dade Street.

Almost two years ago, OHPA voted to designate the northeast corner of the port complex as the location of a 22,000 square foot warehouse. But the port operator at the time - Savage - erected the tent at the very middle of the port without city building permits and without OHPA approval. That set off a firestorm of pushback from nearby homeowners and port commissioners.

Since then, OHPA has conducted three follow-up votes on where the warehouse should be moved - all of the votes were to place it in the designated location - despite alternatives advanced by the new port operator Relay Terminals.

At Wednesday's OHPA meeting, commissioners reversed their previous commitment to the northeast corner of the port after Relay Terminals again postured for a better location.

Relay Terminals general manager Travis Zittrauer told commissioners the original northeast corner site created “a lot of operational difficulties,” including insufficient truck clearance and tight corners that “increase the risk of collisions with poor infrastructure, other machinery and the building itself.”

He urged approval of Option 2 (the western portion of the port), saying it would allow safer operations: “Moving the smaller fabric building west and putting the larger one beside it gives us the ability to operate safely from both ends of the building… It consolidates our area of breakbulk in one general area, which does not interfere with our container operation and brings cargo closer to the vessel”

Senior operations manager Phil Wojnaroski echoed those concerns, emphasizing safety: “When you have multiple operations in a tight area, you raise your risk factor exponentially… If we put the buildings side by side, you consolidate the operation and reduce risks for both workers and first responders”

Relay Terminals CEO Ted McNair acknowledged past mistakes: “I’m acknowledging that where it’s at now is incorrect — done incorrectly. Huge mistake. I’m trying to fix it in a way that makes sense to all of us”

Not all port commissioners were convinced.

Commissioner Ray Nelson criticized what he called shifting justifications for relocation: “It was designed for a specific purpose and that’s why it was approved… Now we’re told it doesn’t make sense. Are we on a fishing expedition here?”

He argued the board had already approved a workable site.

"All I can give you is my professional four decades worth of experience. If you want to throw it to the wind, that's your choice. You have a vote here. Whether you vote to move it to where they (Relay) want to move it or you say, you know, we've had two votes already. This is where it's going. That choice is yours," he said.

Original Plan: The warehouse unapproved location (red) and the original OHPA approved location.

Commissioner Scott Moore also opposed Option 2, warning about inconsistency. “Different management teams, different groups of people have different thought processes. We need some sort of a guarantee that whatever decision we make, that’s where it’s going to stay,” Moore said.

But Commissioner Mike Cole moved approval, siding with Relay: “Let’s help out the operator. He knows what he needs. They’re incurring a great expense to do this. Let’s make this thing happen and get it done”

Commissioner Miriam Hill, while expressing frustration at the lack of detailed plans, ultimately supported the move.

"It puts this board in a difficult position… but I’m willing to accept your position. We want to move forward; we want to help you be successful,” she said.

After more than an hour of debate, the board voted 3-2 for Option 2, with Cole, Hill, and Chairman Justin Taylor in favor, and Moore and Nelson opposed.

The decision clears the way for Relay Terminals to submit construction permit applications to the City of Fernandina Beach and begin the costly relocation process. McNair told the board the move will likely exceed $2 million, but said, “Why not spend the same out of pocket in a way that makes operational sense?”