ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – St. Johns County’s Land Acquisition and Management Program — known as LAMP — is moving forward with a new list of five priority conservation properties. But the program’s renewed momentum comes with a hard lesson learned.
Last year’s top priority, a 195-acre waterfront property along Shores Boulevard adjacent to the Moses Creek Conservation Area, slipped away according to Commissioner Ann Taylor and Jen Lombert, executive director and riverkeeper with Matanzas Riverkeeper.
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“The number one from last year wasn’t on there, and they didn’t really discuss that the reason it wasn’t there wasn’t because it was purchased — it was because we lost it,” Lombert said. “And I think that that’s a really important cautionary tale.”
The LAMP account currently sits at $5,482,526. St. Johns County added $500,000 from the general fund and transferred $1.5 million from the Tree Bank Fund in January, bringing total fiscal year 2026 funding to $2 million.
Commissioner Ann Taylor, the county’s liaison to the LAMP Board, spoke at the March 3 commission meeting about the program and its future. She is hopeful to see it grow. Even with additional funding she says it makes it hard to purse some of the properties.
“Five hundred thousand dollars, when we look at these amazing properties, doesn’t put a dent in it,” Taylor said. “I’ve had a number of meetings with the Florida Land Trust. It is clear we do not have enough funding for this.”
“These are amazing properties we want to protect and preserve,” she added. “Preservation and conservation is number one for so many of our residents. It is a priority and we need to likewise make it a priority.”
The LAMP Board, led by new chair Wayne Flowers, brought five properties before the commission for the 2025 priority list:
- Bailey Family Property — Bishop Estates Road, northeast St. Johns County — 67 acres
- Adams Family Property — County Road 13 South — 94.4 acres
- Christina Drive Shores Parcels — St. Augustine Shores PUD — 2.8 acres (three lots)
- Arnold House — 10690 County Road 13 North, Picolata
- McCullough Creek Property — County Road 13 South — 25.45 acres (two phases)
Topping the list is the Bailey Family Property, a working ranch in northeast St. Johns County.
Commissioner Christian Whitehurst signaled where he believes the county can act now.
“I think we have a great chance to get items 2, 3, 4 and 5,” Whitehurst said. “We have spent years building this up. We have a chance to grab some conservation land and we can only do that if we have adequate funding.”
Lombert said the stakes go beyond any single property.
“Once land is developed, that’s it. You cannot turn back the clock,” she said. “One of the best ways to protect water is to protect the land.”
“There is definitely still a lot of opportunities,” Lombert added. “And one of the great things about the LAMP program is that it’s a willing seller program. These are all people who want their land to be conserved. It’s just a matter of whether St. Johns County has enough funding to buy it.”