ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A new gas station proposal in Fruit Cove is causing some controversy.
Just last week, Action News Jax's Meghan Moriarty told you how the property, near Fruit Cove Estates, is not zoned for that kind of construction project and that neighbors are not happy about the potential change. They said they worry about traffic, noise, and environmental issues.
"This is such a dumb idea," Harry Fairfield said. He has been vocal about not wanting a gas station next to his development. "It makes no business sense. It makes no ecological sense. It makes no environmental sense. It just makes no sense."
On Thursday, Moriarty brought neighbors' concerns to the senior project planner, Lindsay Haga.
She showed us renderings of the 24 fuel pump gas station, 24-hour convenience store and car wash. Haga said she has heard concerns from some neighbors, and she wants to set the record straight. She showed us the 6-foot walls that are meant to block out noise. Haga said they are trying to keep the greenery and not change the look of the neighborhood. She also adds that all lights will face the road.
"Everything has been directed towards State Road 13, and so with that, we hope that we met some of the concerns that they had," Haga said.
One of the biggest concerns from neighbors was the median -- at the front of the neighborhood — being ripped out. On Thursday, we were told that will not happen. Instead, the median will stay and tanker trucks will enter from State Road 13, instead of through the neighborhood, which was mentioned by residents before.
Still, neighbors don't see the benefit.
"What difference does it make if you have two tanker trucks or 50 cars?" Fairfield said. "We don't want anyone screwing with our street. Just leave us alone."
Haga said this will bring 25 jobs and benefit the thousands of cars that pass by Fruit Cove Estates.
Fairfield said it will decrease property value, add to traffic and still bring noise.
"We already can hear cars going up and down the Highway 13, and you can sit out here and listen," Fairfield said. "You can almost tell -- that's a motorcycle, that's a Harley, that's a Honda."
Either way, it is in the hands of the St. Johns Planning and Zoning Advisory. It will meet next Thursday at 1:30 p.m.
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