St. Johns County Commissioners will hold a public hearing Aug. 18 for a proposed rezoning that could permit thousands of new homes to be built in a wooded swath of land north of Nocatee Parkway and west of the Intracoastal. The item was added to the agenda shortly before noon on July 9. The owner of the 4,462-acre property, the Jacksonville-based Sonoc Company, is requesting the property be rezoned from Rural/Silviculture to allow for one residential unit per acre. The landowner has ties to Nocatee developer The PARC Group.
The Sonoc property is one of six proposals submitted in St. Johns County by developers on July 1, the same day the legislature’s developer-friendly SB 686 took effect. Other proposals include:
- A 615-acre property near Mason Manatee Way with a requested density of 13 units per acre.
- A 610-acre property east of Pacetti Road and Grand Lakes with a requested density of six units per acre.
- A 551-acre property near LE Parrish Road, density not yet available.
- A 176-acre property west of State Road 16, south of Grand Oaks and north of Windward Ranch, density not yet available.
- A 143-acre property off Wildwood Drive with a requested density of six units per acre.
SB 686 streamlines the approval process for developing certain agricultural properties that are largely surrounded by existing development by creating a certification process for “agricultural enclaves.” The six new proposals hope to use this new certification to expedite the process.
Supporters say SB 686 will help address housing shortages and encourage infill development, but critics argue it ties the hands of local governments and will create a runaway “leapfrog” effect.
The bill passed the Senate 34-2 and the House 90-20 earlier this year, with all legislators whose districts include St. Johns County voting in favor. Sen. Tom Leek and Reps. Sam Greco and Kim Kendall did not return requests for comment.
According to County Planning Division Manager Jacob Smith, SB 686 gives the county just 30 days to determine if an agricultural enclave application meets state requirements and another 30 days to hold a public hearing, meaning the item had to be added to the Aug. 18 agenda to comply with the law.
“The rezoning request will not go before the Planning and Zoning Agency,” Smith said.
If the board votes to deny the agricultural enclave designation, it must provide a written decision explaining why the property does not meet the statutory criteria. The developer may then challenge the decision in circuit court through a petition for writ of certiorari, which could expose the county to potential liability.
Local Officials Weigh In
Commissioner Krista Joseph, who has also sought to tap the brakes on St. Johns County’s growth, argued that protecting agricultural lands is a national security and food security issue as much as it is an issue of preserving the county’s character.
“We’re losing our food source — if something major happens with Iran or anywhere, this is our food source we are messing with,” said Joseph, who is currently defending her seat against two Republican primary challengers.
Joseph added that she had confidence in the board’s attorneys, and felt the county could withstand a legal challenge from developers.
“This is our one shot,” Joseph said of the Aug. 18 hearing.
County Commissioner Ann Taylor, who was elected in 2024 on a “slow the growth” platform, said she “shares the deep frustration and serious concerns of the many constituents who have contacted me about these proposals.”
“The scale of these proposals is an unsustainable infrastructure burden that our current roads and resources are not equipped to handle. It creates unsustainable sprawl outside of our planned development corridors, placing an immense financial burden on the taxpayers to extend services to meet the need,” Taylor said.
She pledged to conduct a “rigorous audit” of the proposed developments and use the full extent of the board’s remaining powers.
“If the developers have not met the absolute letter of the law—from the required boundary measurements to verified commercial business receipts—I will do everything within my power to see they are denied.”
Meanwhile, Commissioner Clay Murphy said he was “disturbed” by what SB 686 could mean for the county and added that he needed more time to understand the exact effects on St. Johns County.
Murphy was also elected in 2024 on a slow-growth platform, but drew criticism earlier this year from some slow-growth proponents for breaking with Joseph and Taylor on a comprehensive plan vote.
Commissioners Christian Whitehurst and Sarah Arnold did not respond to requests for comment. None of the developers involved in the proposals responded either.
