A hearing on this matter is scheduled for 2:15 on Tuesday, December 12 in Circuit Court. It will be conducted via Zoom.
All interested citizens are invited to watch at:
The hearing has been requested by attorneys for Nassau County. They will be asking the judge to take two actions on behalf of the county:
1. Permit Riverstone to join the county, against local homeowners and citizen groups.
On April 24, 2023, the county commissioners (except for Alyson McCullough) approved an agreement with Riverstone. That gave the green light for Riverstone to move forward toward building up to eleven towers, at least 85 feet high, on the beach just north of the state park. This agreement sets aside ordinances passed by the county commission in 2022, prohibiting new buildings over 45 feet high.
The agreement also gives away a long list of valuable rights and benefits requested by
Riverstone. In addition, it includes a payment of $250,000 from our county to Riverstone.
Since then, Citizens Against Runaway Development (“CARD”), Amelia Tree Conservancy, and local homeowners near the Riverstone property have sued the county. The suit asks that the agreement be set aside. It alleges many substantive issues with the agreement itself, and the way it was negotiated outside public view.
In court filings our county’s attorneys have requested that Riverstone be allowed to join it, to work against the citizen groups and homeowners. Riverstone has stated that it would like to join with the county in this matter.
2. Remove Amelia Tree Conservancy and CARD from the suit against Nassau County.
CARD and Amelia Tree Conservancy have been supported by hundreds of citizens, mostly on Amelia Island, who have expressed disapproval of the agreement. Substantial contributions have been received by these 501(c)3 organizations to support the lawsuit and to seek justice from the court.
The county has asked the court to remove both CARD and the Amelia Tree Conservancy from the lawsuit. Riverstone has filed a motion with the court in support of the county’s request.
Needless to say, we will be opposing the request by Nassau County and Riverstone to silence the voices of two large and concerned citizen groups.
We will keep you posted of developments in this matter. Your county government will not do the same.
Corky Hoffman, President CARD
Lyn Pannone, President, Amelia Tree Conservancy