Fernandina Beach Commissioners were being asked Tuesday to choose concrete over trees on three acres of airport land a Southern California developer sought to lease in order to build a luxury garage/condo complex.
Following a sales presentation by Paddock Club Vice President Chase Edwards, the commissioners chose the trees.
Edwards pitched the idea of a $11.5 million project that would include 44 garage/condo units, a clubhouse, a covered exterior event space and two covered wash areas. The units would be storage of luxury automobiles or RVs.
"A lot of people don't have this access (to garage units) at their homes. They don't want to purchase a piece of land and build a structure. We're offering a storage component but actually a lot more than this," Edwards said. "We're offering a community. Because this is gated and has a clubhouse and a covered area, you can have communal events."
The parcel, a little more than three acres totally covered by trees, is located on airport property off the Jamestown Road Extension.
Edwards said Paddock would be seeking a 40-year lease which would bring in revenue to the city "for a very long time."
But City Commissioner Genece Minshew quickly cut to the chase.
"You're going to cut down three acres of trees?" Minshew asked. "Three acres of trees completely gone."
"Correct, understood" Edwards answered.
"While it is certainly an interesting project, I just don't see how this is of value to the airport or the city at this point in time," Minshew said.
Commissioner Tim Poynter supported Minshew's position.
"Our airport does very well (financially) and I just don't see the value of cutting down three acres of trees for adult toys," Poynter said referring to the luxury cars that likely would be stored at the proposed project.
Commissioner Joyce Tuten told Edwards there were other commercial properties available for redevelopment in the city.
"On Eighth Street and on Sadler, we've love to see redevelopment," Tuten said. "This project would benefit about 100 people (potential users), but there are 13,000 people in the city who are benefiting from those trees for free, so I'm not in favor of this."
Mayor James Antun asked if the developer had identified alternative parcels for the project and agreed clear cutting the trees was not an option. Edwards said there were no properties he was aware of.
With four commissioners in opposition, Antun told Edwards "I think you have your direction. We would challenge you to find a better parcel of land."
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