St. Johns County officials asked the state of Florida to fast-track a major change – adding 5,600 dwelling units and 2,394 acres to a huge residential development called SilverLeaf.
State officials rejected the proposal, saying it exceeded both state and county guidelines.
“…the County should resubmit the amendment package under the state coordinated review process because the proposed development exceeds the statewide guidelines and standards in s. 380.0651, F.S., is not otherwise exempt pursuant to s. 380.0651, F.S., is not consistent with the County’s current comprehensive plan, and goes beyond the boundary of the existing DRI development order,” wrote Tom Thomas, general counsel for the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
Thomas’ Dec. 13 letter added, “The Department is only weighing in at this time on the propriety of the submission process of the amendment package. We have not reviewed, and current have no comment on, the merits of the submission.”
On Jan. 10, the county resubmitted its amendment package, which the county commissioners adopted on Dec. 21.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission analyzed the site and found that it could impact several species, including the gopher tortoise, the bald eagle, the Eastern indigo snake, the Florida pine snake, the Florida sandhill crane, wading birds, the Southeastern American kestrel and the Black Creek crayfish.
The commission said in a Nov. 23, 2021, letter that it has received 46 reports of “human-bear conflicts within a 5-mile radius of the project site since 2000. Florida black bears are common in this area which is within the Central Bear Management Unit identified in the 2019 Bear Management Plan. While black bears tend to shy away from people, they are adaptable and will take advantage of human-provided food sources. This includes sources that are currently available near the site, sources that may be available during construction, and sources available after construction including unsecured garbage, pet food, and bird seed. Once bears become accustomed to finding food around people, their natural wariness is reduced to a point that there can be an increased risk to public safety or private property.”
The county’s proposed changes would:
- Add 2,394 acres to the development.
- Increase office space from 650,000 square feet to 900,000 square feet.
- Increase single-family homes from 6,800 to 9,800.
- Increase multi-family residential units from 3,900 to 4,500.
- Add 2,000 age-restricted residential homes.
- Increase open space from 3,690 acres to 4,350 acres, and boost wetland impact cap from 398 acres to 475 acres.
- Allow use of shallow or intermediate wells for irrigation.
- Increase contribution for regional road improvements from $78.5 million to $108.7 million for the SR 13 Connector and Silver Lake Drive.
Some residents have spoken out against the development. A Sept. 7, 2021, comment by Judith Jackson read:
“We moved to this area in 2008 to get away from all the congestion in Ormond Beach. It was a quiet area with little traffic until you went bonkers with development. If you continue to destroy all of the available land around us, we will be forced to look elsewhere again. A 10,000-home development at SilverLeaf is too much for the commercial facilities and schools to bear. What ever happened to moderation?”
Further reading:
With active citizens, I helped prepare a script and Power Point presentation to argue the density and layout of the project. And with the chair of the William Bartram Scenic Highway, Al Abbatiello, a letter and attachments were prepared and sent to FDOT to aid in their project review. The letter was a factor in FDOT’s recommendation that new construction west of County Road 16A should be delayed. I am happy to share that Power Point, letter and attachments with those assembling background documents for this project. Just let me know who and where to send these.
Hello Joseph – thanks for the comment. feel free to send me the material and I will share it on this website. My email is maninhavana@gmail.com. Thanks, Tracey
Commissioners, the People of our County have had it. 30 minutes to get to downtown from 95 on 207. Can’t even walk and see people you know anymore. If you refuse to tell the Hutsons “No more” then we will find people who will. Try spending what you have, not spending what you count on getting from development. You’re destroying the Natural beauty of our area, and driving wildlife into smaller and smaller sections. We are believers in Private Property Rights, of course and being able to do pretty much whatever you want on your own land. That being said, what developers do on their land effects us all. Not to mention, they have so much more than normal to buy land because you guys have allowed US to bare the burden of the expenses associated with those developments AND the ridiculous prices they house are selling for now because you are giving the rest of the Country a place to drain into.
They need to fix their own States.
You are so right! Traffic has gotten a lot worse. I drive along U.S. 1 every work day and my commute takes longer and longer.
This county is growing too quickly to keep up. Massive impact fees already and now they want a tax increase to cover infrastructure. “Gun Grabbing” Travis Hutson (RINO) is in the FL Senate for this area and just so happens that his family is the largest developer around here!? THEN they (he and his family) push to have thier hand picked, family friend APPOINTED as St. Johns Co Dist 2 Commissioner! Smells fishy…..
I think it was pretty ballsy of St. Johns County to try to get these very significant modifications approved by the state on a fast-track basis. I don’t read too much into the fact that the state rejected that attempt. My guess – and I have no inside information – is that the state will eventually approve most if not all the changes.
I have enjoyed hiking in Guana State Park for many years. It saddens me deeply that this natural resource will be lost to commercial development.