The St. Johns River watershed covers an area of nearly 9,000 square miles and is home to over five million people. That number grows each year. Defending the health of our river requires citizen action and involvement. St. Johns Riverkeeper (SJRK) works to empower citizens to make a difference in their own communities, for their local tributaries and for the river.
In recent months, SJRK has been working closely with residents of Clay County to combat unrestrained, unsustainable development. Key Projects have included:
COMP 26-0002, The Knoll at Black Creek:
- 46-acre project size on the North Fork of Black Creek
- Currently zoned and protected under the Branan Field Primary Conservation Network
- Zoning Law amendments to allow the conversion of Conservation Lands to a Master Planned Community
- Disregards existing binding policy and ignores flood zone dangers
- County Commission meeting date is TBD on this topic
Firefly Riverbend RV Park:
- 250-acre development
- 458-campsite commercial water resort
- Destruction of drainage ditches and construction of force mains, water mains, and gravity storm sewers cause unchecked runoff and flood risk.
- Decreased stormwater retention pond from 52 to 25 acres creates high potential for structural loss during storm events.
- County Commission adopted a rule change for a Rural Event Category and lower buffer requirements
- The USACE is currently reviewing the project for potential violations.
COMP 26-0006 Sunrise Farms Proposal:
- Reconfiguring ~28 acres of Rural / Conservation / Suburbs into a Master Planned Community
- Main threats included flood risk and the impediment of traffic
- After significant community opposition, this project was denied by County Commissioners
COMP 26-0009 G Bar Ranch addition to Governors Park:
- Sought Zoning Law amendments to allow the conversion of Agricultural Lands to Planned Communities
- Adds ~1,300 acres to the existing Governors Park DRI, expanding the total footprint to ~4,500 acres of mixed residential
- Gopher tortoises reside all throughout the property
- The property borders and drains into Governors Creek before outfalling to the St. Johns River
- County Commission approved this project despite community concerns
These are but a few examples of recent attempts to undermine or change existing laws that protect portions of Clay County from the dangers of unsustainable development. SJRK shares the concerns expressed by Clay County citizens, as these projects often pose significant threats due to increased impervious surface area, stormwater runoff, nutrient pollution, habitat degradation, wetland loss, flood risk, storm surge, and more.
SJRK will be hosting a Lunch & Learn webinar in the next few months to educate citizens about the procedural “behind the scenes” of similar projects, and to give practical tools to empower citizens to advocate for the protection of their own treasured places. Keep an eye out for the release date!