Judge orders Riverstone opponents to pay $291,000 legal fees in Amelia Island condo fight

The following article was published in the Fernandina Observer on April 28, 2026.

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By Mike Lednovich

A Nassau County Circuit Court judge has ordered a key opponents group in the long-running Riverstone condominium dispute to pay nearly $300,000 in attorney fees and costs, delivering a significant financial setback to residents who fought one of the most controversial development proposals on Amelia Island.

In a final judgment issued April 24, Circuit Judge Marianne Aho ruled in favor of Riverstone Properties, LLC, awarding $291,187.53 against the Amelia Island Sanctuary Property Owners Association.

The award includes $277,356 in attorney fees, $10,365.57 in prejudgment interest, and $3,465.96 in costs, with additional post-judgment interest to accrue under Florida law.

At the heart of the dispute was the Riverstone project itself — a large-scale condominium development approved by Nassau County that calls for 11 mid-rise towers, each reaching approximately 85 feet in height and 150 luxury residential units.

The project site sits on the south end of Amelia Island along the Amelia Island Parkway corridor, near Amelia Island State Park and adjacent to the Sanctuary — a low-density, environmentally sensitive residential enclave within the Omni Amelia Island Resort area.

The scale of the project — particularly the height and number of towers — became the defining issue in the years-long battle. Residents argued the development would introduce urban-style density into an area characterized by maritime forest, wetlands, and tightly controlled residential uses.

Concerns raised by opponents included increased traffic along the already constrained Amelia Island Parkway, stormwater runoff into nearby marsh systems, and impacts to wildlife habitat in one of the island’s most ecologically sensitive corridors.

The lawsuit was filed by Citizens Against Runaway Development, the Amelia Island Sanctuary Property Owners Association, and the Amelia Tree Conservancy, all of which have been active in opposing large-scale development projects on the island.

The groups challenged Nassau County’s approval of Riverstone, arguing the project was inconsistent with the county’s comprehensive plan and incompatible with surrounding land uses.

County officials and Riverstone, however, maintained the development complied with zoning and land-use regulations and had been properly vetted through the approval process.

The case became a flashpoint in the broader debate over growth on Amelia Island — balancing development rights against environmental protection and neighborhood character.

The financial judgment follows an earlier court ruling in November 2025 that found Riverstone was entitled to recover attorney fees and costs under Florida law.

According to court filings, the parties later reached an agreement on the amount, avoiding a scheduled evidentiary hearing on fees.

“Plaintiffs and Riverstone have entered into a settlement agreement to resolve the amount of the attorneys’ fees and costs in order to avoid the additional expense of litigating those amounts,” Riverstone’s attorneys wrote in an April 23 filing.

The plaintiffs did not contest the final amount, allowing the court to enter judgment.

Under the order, the Sanctuary Property Owners Association must complete a sworn financial disclosure within 45 days, detailing assets and financial information to assist in collection if the judgment is not paid.

The court also retained jurisdiction to pursue enforcement actions, including garnishment and other collection proceedings.

The Riverstone dispute had become one of the most closely watched land-use battles in Nassau County in recent years, illustrating the intensifying conflict between development pressures and community resistance on Amelia Island.

For residents of the Sanctuary and surrounding areas, the fight was about preserving the character and environmental integrity of the island’s south end. For Riverstone and county officials, it centered on property rights and adherence to existing development regulations.