By Tracy McCormick-Dishman
A significant step in the long-running controversy over the Tringali property in downtown Fernandina Beach was taken this week when the Board of Adjustment (BOA) voted to overturn building permits issued for a multi-family development on the site.
In a decisive 5-0 vote on Wednesday night, the BOA formally invalidated the permits, effectively placing a stop order on the project. The action resolves an administrative appeal filed by local resident Taina Christner, who argued that the permits were improperly issued by the city’s building official.
The ruling forces the developer, Worthy Investment Group, to cease all construction activities and pursue a new path forward, likely requiring compliance with specific land development code (LDC) sections or a successful appeal in the courts.
The Legal Process Defined
The appeal before the BOA was centered on whether the permits could be legally issued following two prior court defeats for the developer. The core dispute hinges on the LDC’s regulations regarding the construction of multiple units on lots that were previously combined.
The LDC contends that once single-family homes were built on the property—which was the case for the site of the historic Tringali family homes built by the shrimping industry pioneers—the site becomes legally defined as one building site. Constructing multiple units, such as the proposed triplexes, on that site requires a supermajority variance from the BOA itself.
Appellant Taina Christner argued that the city bypassed this process. “Let’s be honest: That is not a different project, it’s the same violation in a tighter outfit,” Christner has previously stated, referring to the developer’s redesign that was seemingly intended to circumvent previous rulings.
Controversy Rooted in History and Code
Opposition to the triplex plan dates back several years and centers on the property’s unique history. The land, located on South Third and Fourth streets, was the site of homes built by Italian immigrants, revered as pioneers of the local shrimping industry.
The advocacy group Stop the Domino Effect first filed suit against the city in 2023, arguing that allowing the high-density townhomes would irrevocably change the character of the historic neighborhood.
The legal dispute hinges on the contention that once structures were built on the lots, the property became legally defined as one building site under the LDC, requiring a variance—and supermajority approval from the BOA—to divide the lots for multi-unit construction.
Impact and Community Sentiment
For downtown residents who have long opposed the scale and density of the triplex plan, the 5-0 vote is viewed as a major victory for preserving the Historic District’s character.
A strong voice in the community concern came from resident Joan Cory, who previously expressed the sentiment driving the opposition: “The main reason is you like an area to have a personality and this downtown had and still has pretty much a personality but when things get knocked down and things get built that aren’t compatible with what’s there it begins to lose it’s identity.”
The ruling forces the developer to halt all construction activities on the site immediately. Worthy Investment Group now faces limited options, which likely include seeking a variance from the BOA, challenging the BOA’s recent decision in court, or developing a plan that strictly adheres to the LDC’s single-family requirements.
tdishman@nassaunewsline.net
