NewsLine staff
Q: What resiliency award did the city recently win?
A: At the annual Regional Awards for Excellence on Jan. 8, the Northeast Florida Regional Council awarded Fernandina Beach the 2025 Resiliency Award for our Flood Adaptation Plan.
Q: How was the plan funded and where can residents read it?
A: The Flood Adaptation Plan was funded by a Resilient Florida Program grant with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. It was prepared by Halff consultants working closely with city staff and community outreach. The plan aligns with state regulations to integrate resilience planning and goes one step further with development of actionable strategies. We are now positioned to apply for further funding with the Resilient Florida Program, which supports local projects aimed at mitigating flood risks, protecting critical infrastructure and enhancing natural resilience. Residents can read the plan at fbfl.us/975/resiliency. It contains 17 priorities with 76 actionable items that the city can implement to protect our assets.
Q: Why is the Flood Adaptation Plan necessary?
A: Since the Industrial Revolution, sea levels have risen nine inches in Fernandina. According to the 2022 NOAA Sea Level Rise Technical Report, the city will see another 10-12 inches of sea level rise by 2050 and then at least two more feet of sea level rise by 2100. Storm surge poses an additional threat. The city is a low-lying community on a barrier island, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Amelia River, the St. Marys River and Egans Creek. We have significant vulnerabilities.
Q: What is the focus of the Flood Adaptation Plan?
A: The plan identifies key vulnerabilities, assesses adaptation strategies and prioritizes actions. Our historic downtown is an especially high-risk area of critical importance to our historic, economic and cultural identity. Strategy 1 prioritizes completion of the seawall along Front Street.
Q: How will the city implement the Flood Adaptation Plan?
A: The plan identifies immediate, midterm and long-term needs. The plan identifies the city department to serve as implementation lead for each strategy, and each strategy is broken down into actionable steps. It is a practical, forward-looking framework for responding to increasing flood risks. It won’t be easy and it will require years of sustained support and funding. But we must protect our assets now and for future generations. This proactive work is far more efficient than reacting to catastrophes as they come.
Joyce Tuten is a City Commissioner for Fernandina Beach. Questions or comments can be directed to her at jtuten@fbfl.city.
