St. Johns County, Fla. — St. Johns County Commissioners are still deciding whether or not to challenge a new state law that has opened the door for major developments with little to no input from local leaders and citizens.
Applications for six properties seeking to be designated as so-called “agricultural enclaves” will soon be voted on by the St. Johns County Commission - potentially fast-tracking the development of as many as 47,500 new homes on 6,500 acres in the county.
“I think it’s going to ruin the future of St. Johns County if these things go through,” said St. Johns County Commissioner Krista Joseph (R-District 4).
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Joseph argued since a new state law gives the commission very little wiggle room in denying those applications, the only way to pump the brakes is to sue the state and try to block the law itself.
“What we’re looking at is fighting the law because it’s taking away home rule,” said Joseph.
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But during this week’s commission meeting, other commissioners asked for more information about the potential costs of a lawsuit and whether such a suit would even be likely to succeed.
In the end, the commission moved to delay the decision on whether to sue until August 18 - one day before the six applications will be voted on.
St. Johns County resident Sarah Strohminger helped lead a successful campaign against the Blue Ribbon Project bill this past session, which was another developer-friendly bill that stood to impact St. Johns County.
Strohminger said she also tried raising the alarm about the agricultural enclave bill during that time, but local leaders failed to listen.
“For the county government to say they had no idea is embarrassing a little bit,” said Strohminger.
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Strohminger said she’s doubtful the county would be successful if it were to file a lawsuit, given the new law didn’t invent the concept of an agricultural enclave, rather, it just made it easier to become one.
Instead, she said she believes the only way to put the genie back in the bottle is for state lawmakers to reverse course next year.
“There is a chance the paperwork and bureaucracy of an injunction, whether or not grounds actually exist, could slow things down,” said Strohminger. ”Whether or not they can slow things down long enough or permanently enough is really the question.”
A seventh agricultural enclave application has been filed in St. Johns County, but the details of that parcel were not immediately available as the county has not completed a review of it.
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