6/24/22 @ 1:15 p.m. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Contact:
Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer
(904) 530-6010
srobertson@nassaucountyfl.com
 
 
NASSAU COUNTY RECEIVES 2022 SUSTAINABILITY AWARD FOR STATE ROAD 200 CORRIDOR MASTER PLAN
 
Nassau County, Florida, June 24, 2022 – Nassau County has received its second award for the State Road 200 Corridor Master Plan. The first award was an Award of Excellence in Planning from the Northeast Florida Regional Council earned in January 2022. This most recent award is the 2022 Sustainability Award from the Florida Planning and Zoning Association (FPZA) which was earned for creating a plan that improves on and harmonizes with the natural environment.
This plan was the result of a two-year planning initiative which consisted of online citizen surveys, interviews and community meetings in which stakeholders were asked to share their thoughts about the State Road 200/A1A Corridor.
 
This process revealed that county residents, young and old, share a desire for a safe, comfortable, and attractive corridor that connects them to the places they are seeking access to. They also desire more trees, sidewalk/bicycle paths, and gathering spaces such as parks and public markets. At the Board of County Commissioner’s meeting held on December 13, 2021, the Board adopted a Resolution approving the SR200/A1A Corridor Master Plan which will serve as the blueprint for plan implementation through upcoming comprehensive plan policies and land development code standards.
 
Joseph Quinn, Senior Project Manager for the Southwest Florida Water Management District and President of the FPZA, stated, “The Nassau County State Road 200/A1A Corridor Master Plan reflects the incredible long-range vision of staff, residents, businesses owners, and others to foster a sense of community and connectivity not traditionally seen in such car-centric corridors. The broad stakeholder engagement in the Master Plan development is a testament to the community’s desire to create a vibrant, connected, and sustainable corridor addressing enhanced livability for both current and future residents. Given the exceptional aspects of the State Road 200/A1A Master Plan, the Florida Planning and Zoning Association was extremely excited to present Nassau County with the 2022 Sustainability Award!”
 
Nassau County recognizes that the current pattern of development along the SR200/A1A Corridor is not fiscally sustainable, nor does it represent the interests of the community. With the recent widening of SR200 to six lanes, its wide vehicle travel ways, unshaded sidewalks, and unprotected bike lanes, automobile transportation is prioritized.
 
Nassau County’s goal is to establish nodes of compact, walkable areas along the corridor, linked by safe routes for bicycling and future transit, while creating a sense of place and historic identity. Five planning priorities identified include:  

• Nurture Nature: Maintain, enhance, and extend the natural environment by creating opportunities for residents to access and enjoy Florida's unique natural areas.
• Grow Sustainably: Help stage vibrant shopping center and neighborhood growth through development that creates places for people, supports local businesses, and generates additional jobs, encourage active lifestyles, and comprises a mix of housing options.
• Connect Communities: Improve linkages between neighborhoods, shopping centers, and amenities through a network of slow, safe and livable primary and secondary streets, trails, bike paths, and pedestrian infrastructure.
• Catalyze Culture: Build on heritage while establishing new cultural assets that celebrate community creativity and identity in the public realm.
• Future Proof: Prepare for a future by looking ahead to build a resilient community in the face of growing climate concern and technological advancement.

 
The State Road 200 Corridor Master Plan outlines Low Impact Design (LID) principles that work with nature to manage stormwater and preserving natural landscape features. It also includes guidelines for maintaining natural areas and protecting viewsheds along the corridor which would be accomplished by strategic acquisition of parcels along the State Road 200 corridor.   
 
County Manager, Taco Pope, stated, “The State Road 200 Corridor Master Plan- The Timber to Tides Project charts a path towards a more resilient and people centric development program that prioritizes quality-of-life and generational sustainability. I am proud to have been part of the planning team that delivered this project to the citizens of Nassau County”.
 
The Master Plan can be located here.

If you have any questions about the SR200/A1A Corridor Master Plan, please contact the Nassau County Planning Department at (904) 530-6300 or email planninginfo@nassaucountyfl.com.
 
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Contact:
Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer
(904) 530-6010
srobertson@nassaucountyfl.com
 

Board to Designate $4 Million in American Rescue Plan Act Funding to Town of Callahan to Expand Water & Sewer Services for Economic Development and Job Growth in Nassau County
 
Nassau County, Florida, June 23, 2022 – The Crawford Diamond Industrial Park is a McCallum Sweeney Certified Industrial Park consisting of 1,814 acres and approved for up to 10.5 million square feet of heavy industrial use. It’s proximity to three ports, two interstates, and two railroad lines makes it a prime location for Economic Development with the opportunity to brings thousands of jobs to Nassau County. However, attracting companies has been difficult due to the site’s lack of water and sewer services.

A coalition consisting of the Board of County Commissioners, the Nassau County Economic Development Board, JaxUSA, and the Town of Callahan have been collaborating efforts to expand the Town’s current water and sewer system to the Crawford Diamond.  
In an attempt to fund the expansion, the Town of Callahan applied for a 21/22 Florida Job Growth Public Infrastructure Grant from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity in the amount of $4 million. In order to qualify for the grant, the Town of Callahan needed support from the Board of County Commissioners. The County’s contribution will be the final financial piece to make this estimated $12 million project a reality.  The investments into these critical infrastructure projects will place the County in a very competitive position to bring significant economic development and job growth within the County. 

On January 4, 2022, County Manager, Taco Pope, sent a letter to the Economic Development Board tentatively committing $4 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding received from the U.S. Department of Treasury following the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding the project is consistent with guidelines set forth by the U.S. Treasury and the Nassau County Prosperity Plan adopted by the Board of County Commissioners in May 2021.

In the January 4th memo, Mr. Pope stated, “The establishment of a public water system to serve the Crawford Diamond Industrial Park supports community goals by creating a more diversified, resilient, sustainable and prosperous local economic ecosystem; improves access to public water; creates high wage jobs; leverages state and federal dollars to build strategic infrastructure; and expands the local tax base”.

We are excited to announce that on Monday, June 20, 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis visited Nassau County and presented the Town of Callahan with a check to assist in funding the project! This funding is in addition to $4 million awarded to the Town during the previous fiscal year.

Following the Governor’s check presentation to the Town of Callahan, County Manager, Taco Pope, stated, “This is a big day for Nassau County! By working together to find solutions, the Coalition has finally found a way to bring water to the Crawford Diamond. The Board of Commissioners will continue to invest in infrastructure and to expanding our County’s workforce to strengthen our local economy”.

Construction of the water plant follows the $9 million Crawford Road improvements project completed by the Board of County Commissioners in November 2021. Later this year, the Board of County Commissioners will commence a $2 million intersection improvements project at US 301 and Crawford Road to allow heavy truck traffic to access the Crawford Diamond Industrial Park.
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Sherri Mitchell, Executive Director for the Nassau County Economic Development Board, stated, “This is such an exciting time for Nassau County and I couldn’t be more thrilled! When we all work together to create planned developments that are diverse, we are truly paving the way for a stronger future. I want to thank the Board of County Commissioners and the Town of Callahan for their commitment to this specific infrastructure project for the Crawford Diamond. Infrastructure is crucially important to foster Nassau County’s economic development and prosperity. This is a game changer and will have a direct effect as it contributes to higher productivity and growth, facilitates connectivity, and promotes economic inclusion”.
 

6/13/22 @ 10:40 a.m. 

In January 2017, the Board of County Commissioners dedicated 40 acres of County-owned property for a Public Safety Training Center to be used by public safety personnel. Long term plans for the center include gun ranges, training rooms, a mock jail, K-9 training area with kennels, an SRT training obstacle course, shoot house, dive-team training pond, Fire/Rescue training area (with classroom, training tower, railcar prop, semi/fuel prop) and other possibilities as future needs develop.

A Groundbreaking Ceremony was held on March 21, 2021, to celebrate the commencement of construction. The first phase of the Public Safety Training Center consisting of gun ranges and temporary parking is now complete. To celebrate, the Board will host a Ribbon Cutting for Phase One and Firing of the First Shot Ceremony on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at the site’s location at 153322 County Road 108, Yulee, FL. The public is invited to attend.

Phase Two of the project will commence in the very near future and will include construction of the classroom building with airnaseum, a storage building, and resurfacing of the parking lot.

If you have any questions, please contact the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office at (904) 225-0331.
 

Nassau County, Florida, May 25, 2022 – On Friday, June 10, 2022, at 2:00 p.m., the Board of County Commissioners will host a Ribbon Cutting in celebration of the completion of the new County Extension Office located at 85831 Miner Road, Yulee, FL 32097.

The Board of County Commissioners broke ground on this project on May 15, 2019.  All construction work has been done in-house by Facilities Maintenance staff consisting of over 1,800 man-hours and resulting in significant savings to the County.

Upon completion, this new 2,000 square foot facility will serve as the administrative office for the County Extension staff and will feature classrooms for horticulture, natural resources, agriculture, 4-H Youth Development, and family consumer classes and training rooms for the master gardener volunteers and extension agents. The property will also feature demonstration gardens, a nature trail with learning stations, an orchard, and an aquatic pond for pond maintenance training.

At the May 15, 2019 groundbreaking event, an announcement was made that the facility would be called the “Rebecca L. Jordi Cooperative Extension Office” in honor of Extension Director Rebecca L. Jordi who spent countless hours advocating for a new facility for Extension services. Unfortunately, Ms. Jordi passed away on July 31, 2020, however having the facility named after her will ensure that she will always be remembered for her great passion for agriculture and horticulture and for all her efforts in bringing this project to fruition.
​
Members of the public are invited to attend and participate in this celebration.

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The Smith Lever Act of 1914 established the Cooperative Extension Service as a partnership between land grant colleges nationwide, including the University of Florida and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in order to provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public through educational programs.  The Nassau County Extension is a joint partnership between the University of Florida and the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners and has been in operation since 1915.

-Sabrina Robertson 
 Public Information Officer
 
 

5/17/22 @ 10:45 a.m. - 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Contact:
Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer
(904) 530-6010
srobertson@nassaucountyfl.com
 
 
The 2020 – A Look Back Photo Exhibit on Display at the James S. Page Governmental Complex

Nassau County, Florida, May 17, 2022 – We are pleased to announce that The 2020-A Look Back photo exhibit is on display now through Monday, November 14, 2022, at the James S. Page Government Complex located at 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL 32097.

2020 was an unprecedented year that caused uncertainty to citizens across the country, including Nassau County. Amelia Island Plantation Artist’s Guild and Gallery members Karen Bowden, Barbara Hopkins, Dickie Anderson and Sarah Edwards thought it would be interesting to put together an exhibit that showed how residents navigated through the trials presented in 2020, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
In January 2021, the group solicited photos from the public that depicted how Nassau County residents faced these new challenges. The community response was outstanding, and they ultimately ended up with an exhibit of approximately 100 photos that exemplify how Nassau County residents persevered during a difficult time.
​
On April 9, 2021, the exhibit opened at the Plantation Artists Guild and Gallery and has been featured at various locations including the Amelia Island Courtyard and Springhill Suites, the Song & Story Bookstore and Bistro, the Council on Aging, and the Fernandina Beach Library.
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The 2020-A Look Back photo exhibit designated Arts Alive as the recipient of any revenues resulting from the project. The organization provides free or low-cost music and arts instruction for Nassau County children who have little or no access to them.
 
Any member of the public wishing to view the Exhibit can do so Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm (except for holidays). If you have any questions, please contact the County Manager’s Office at (904) 530-6010.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
 
Contact:
Nassau County Road & Bridge Department
904 530-6175
e-mail:  jkirkland@nassaucountyfl.com

Nassau County, Florida May 4, 2022 – On behalf of CSX, the Nassau County Road Department is issuing a Notice of Intent to Begin Construction on the following railroad crossings due to urgent repairs needed. The closure times and proposed dates are listed below:

Pratt Siding Road in Callahan, FL – Beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 5th and ending at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10th. Proposed Detour: US1 Henry Smith Road to Pratt Siding Road or Henry Smith to Old Dixie Highway.
 
River Road in Callahan (Brandies Avenue), FL – Beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 7th through 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 11th. Proposed Detour: Old Dixie Hwy to Bypass Road to River Road
 
Please note that any/all dates are subject to change due to weather and/or other conditions
 
For additional information, please contact Erika E. Nickell at Southern Commercial Development 229-262-4394.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

4/8/22 @ 1:15 p.m. - Please see the attached Press Release from the Florida Department of Health-Nassau, regarding a meningococcal outbreak in Florida. If you have any questions, please contact FDOH-Nassau directly at (904) 832-2644 or e-mail Jennifer Bothast at Jennifer.Bothast@flhealth.gov.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

3/31/22 @ 10:15 a.m.

PRESS RELEASE

We are pleased to announce that County Manager, Taco Pope, and the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners have been jointly named as Partner of the Year by the North Florida Land Trust for the Conservation Land Acquisition and Management (CLAM) Plan adopted on January 25, 2021. The CLAM was created to provide guidance in the selection of lands to be acquired by the County and set aside for conservation.

Mr. Pope and the Board were recognized at the North Florida Land Trust’s Annual Meeting on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. North Florida Land Trust President, Jim McCarthy, stated, “Nassau County is being recognized for leading the effort in adopting the strategic Conservation Land Acquisition and Management Plan for Nassau County and for preparing for a local land conservation referendum to the voters in November 2022. The process they are following is exemplary in that they are planning for conservation in a rapidly growing county utilizing a commitment to transparency, equity, fiduciary responsibility and scientific integrity. Due to Nassau County’s efforts, they are preserving as much land as possible for wildlife habitat, environmental sustainability, and community resilience”.

According to Mr. McCarthy, to be considered for the title of Partner of the Year, an agency must advance the North Florida Land Trust’s mission in preserving and enhancing the quality of life by protecting North Florida’s irreplaceable natural environment.
 
County Manager, Taco Pope, stated, “Adopting the CLAM was a monumental step forward for Nassau County. We’ve had great partners to help us get to this point. With the support of the North Florida Land Trust Board of Directors and staff, we were able to successfully create a program that will guide the County in identifying properties for conservation, planning for acquisition of those properties, and ensuring that the properties are managed sustainably and with appropriate recreational opportunities for the public. We appreciate the guidance they provided us and are honored to have been selected as Partner of the Year”.

To view the adopted CLAM Program, please visit our website.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

3/21/22 @ 9:45 a.m. - Please see the below Press Release issued by Keep Nassau Beautiful following their Adopt-a-Tree Event in Callahan last week.

More than 140 Free Trees were distributed in Callahan During Adopt A Tree Drive-Thru Event

** Jonah Blutcher was recognized for his video project: Save The Trees **

Nassau County, Florida, March 16, 2022. Keep Nassau Beautiful (KNB) kicked off its spring 2022 Adopt A Tree drive-thru by hosting an event at the NE FL Fairgrounds in Callahan. Nassau County residents reserved one or two trees from a list of five available Florida friendly species.

13 volunteers, including Nassau County Commissioner Klynt Farmer, OHPA Commissioner and KNB BOD Chair Mike Cole, and Nassau County Arborist Garner Cox, were on hand to help residents load their reserved trees in vehicles. The 1-to-3-gallon trees were 4 to 6 feet in height.

During the event KNB recognized Yulee High School student Jonah Blutcher with a gift card for his TSIC scholarship video project titled, Save The Trees. Blutcher’s video highlights the benefits of trees and his volunteer work with KNB during Adopt A Tree events. The video is posted on YouTube https://youtu.be/Y1bQ2YRHAf8 or from a link on the KNB website: https://keepnassaubeautiful.org/programs/planting-nassaus-future/

Adopt A Tree Drive-thru events are funded through dedicated grants, fundraising activities and private donations. In partnership, the City of Fernandina Beach provides free trees for residents of the City of Fernandina Beach. Liberty Landscape Supply sponsors the supply of trees. UF/IFAS Nassau County Extension provides the educational component. Residents are asked to help the tree get its best chance at a healthy long life by following the UF/IFAS Nassau County Extension recommendations for proper planting and maintenance including a watering schedule until the tree gets established.

For more information KNB@KeepNassauBeautiful.org or 904-261-0165.
Keep Nassau Beautiful, Inc. is working to inspire, educate, and equip individuals, groups, businesses and governments to take action to make Nassau County a place where residents, visitors and wildlife can thrive and experience the beauty of Nassau County. www.keepnassaubeautiful.org