ST JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A new neighborhood could bring thousands of new students to St. Johns County, prompting a need for more schools.
The Silverleaf community would be built on thousands of acres of land along County Road 210 and County Road 16A. It would bring about 11,000 homes and as many as 5,000 students to the St. Johns County School District.
The development will be about 8,500 acres, which is equivalent to about 6,400 football fields or 41 St. Johns Town Centers.
Beverly Slough, vice chair of the St. Johns County School Board, said the developer is required to provide land for three schools. Two would be K-8 schools and one would be a high school.
The original plan called for all three schools to be built within the community, but the developer wants the high school to be outside the community and suggested building a thruway for students to access the school.
The community could break ground as soon as spring. County commissioners will vote May 21 on a decision for the schools.