More growth coming St. Johns County

More growth is coming to an already busy area of southern St. Johns County.

It’s located close to the flea market at the St. Augustine Market Place on State Road 207 near Interstate 95 where 300 acres are being cleared for commercial development.

“I’m not so concerned about traffic in that area, more concerned about what are they going to put there,” said neighbor Debe Thompson, who lives near this project, which will join the  recent additions of a Burger King, Dunkin’ Donuts and RaceTrac gas station.

“When  I saw construction a few weeks ago, friends and I were joking we don’t care as long as it’s a grocery store because we have to go so far to Publix and Winn Dixie,” Thompson said.

The area was rezoned from residential to business in 2014.

“We are less than 50 percent developed throughout the county,” said Melissa Glasgow, who is the director of economic development in St. Johns County.

Glasgow said more than 5,200 business permits have been issued for new construction in St. Johns in the past 18 months, with the heaviest concentration not only along 207, but also 210 and International Golf Parkway.

“We try to balance the growth the best we can, but we are an enormously popular county so we want to embrace that,” Glasgow said.

Thompson said growth is good as long as it’s the right kind. “I don’t think we need more houses right now, we need more businesses to support the houses that are already here.”

There’s no word yet on what will be built in the development.

Cox Media Group