ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — The St. Johns County Board of Commissioners weighed in on some controversial land development applications on Wednesday.
Two developers are seeking Agricultural Enclave certifications. It’s a new Florida law that accelerates the timeline for developers looking to convert rural areas into residential or commercial spaces.
The certification allows builders to quicken land development by skipping the county’s typical rezoning process.
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Commissioners approved two applications from the Heritage Development Group. It’s looking to develop about 615 acres east of I-95 and south of State Road 207. And another 550 acres on the west side of the interstate, east of Cypress Lakes.
Commissioners didn’t decide on a 4000+ acre parcel of land owned by the Davis family in North Palm Valley. They wanted to take a closer look at the property’s boundaries and requested more time before making a decision.
Both development plans garnered criticism from the public. Many people spoke during the commission meeting in opposition.
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District 1 Commissioner Christian Whitehurst argued that board members failed to show why the Heritage building plans did not qualify as an agricultural enclave. He feared opposition wouldn’t hold up in court.
It led to a testy exchange with District 4 Commissioner Krista Joseph, who was vehemently opposed to the development.
The North Palm Valley application will be discussed again on September 1.
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