ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – St. Johns County is in the midst of evaluating its comprehensive plan, a critical document that will guide the county’s growth and development through 2050.
The plan, developed by Inspire Placemaking, was presented to the county commissioners this week and highlighted key concerns and strategies for managing future growth.
(Watch the first 24 minutes of the presentation in the video player below, or the entire thing on the county’s website)
Chris Dougherty, a representative from Inspire Placemaking, evaluated the prediction for land use in St. Johns County.
“That’s in the future land use element, we run the carrying capacity that shows there will be a future deficit,” Dougherty explained. “There will be a deficit if we use the medium projection too. So either way, we will be at a deficit of land to accommodate future growth.”
One of the major concerns raised by Commissioner Christian Whitehurst was the adequacy of recreational facilities.
“[If] the population is to be 497,000 permanent residents by 2050, then there is no way the current active recreational facilities in St. Johns County will be able to serve the needs of 500,000 residents by 2050,” he said.
Right now, the population of St. Johns County is estimated to be 306,000.
Joe McInerny, a regular at commission meetings, expressed concerns about relying on historical population trends, which have led to overcrowded roads and schools.
“We do not need those historic trends, we need new thinking based on slow the growth reality,” McInerny stated.
Commissioner Krista Joseph also shared her perspective, expressing skepticism about the prediction of running out of land.
“It just didn’t sound right to me. And I hope that’s not the case,” she said.
Joseph emphasized the importance of maintaining the development boundary line.
“If you don’t move the development line, maybe there’s more density within that line, in certain areas that are, you know, common sense,” she said.
Joseph also highlighted the community’s desire to preserve agricultural lands and the county’s natural beauty.
The plan will be revisited by Inspire and the community at the March 18 commission meeting. There will be an opportunity to incorporate feedback from the community and commissioners. This meeting will provide an opportunity for further public input before the final version of the plan is presented.
For more information and to view the plan update, visit Inspire Engagement’s website.