St Johns County has three Commissioner seats up for reelection, and the campaigning is already lively. It appears that there is a particular campaign focus – overdevelopment. The current Commissioners are being blamed for too much development which has put stress on our schools, our roads and our infrastructure.
As I read statements from the candidates, the question that keeps coming to mind is, “What will you do differently, if elected?”
That is a very important question. Some candidates running for commissioner say that they will vote less frequently for proposed developments that come before the Board of Commissioners. Indeed, one newly elected Commissioner has routinely been the lone vote against various developments, both residential and commercial.
That Commissioner has endorsed two current candidates. If those candidates are elected to the five-member board, they will have a majority of 3-2. That same commissioner has inferred, with a question posed at a Board of Commissioners meeting, that with a majority on the Commission, they may look to bring in different staff leadership.
And I keep coming back to the same question, “What will that new team do differently?”
Their campaign strategy is to link current commissioners to developer money, claiming that because they accepted campaign contributions from developers, they vote in favor of development as an obligation. And that claim resonates because so many County residents agree that development is happening too fast. So they believe that it is as simple as voting “No.”
Back in 2017, newly elected Commissioner Dean responded to a resident in The St Augustine Record about the concern of over-development. That resident cited case law from another state about how they were able to slow growth.
In Commissioner Dean’s response in The Record, he reminded readers that “the county [SJC], over the past 20 years or so, has granted entitlements to over 70,000 lots. All that is needed is a building permit, which cannot be denied.” Seven years later, as he continues to remind the County of that history, he is ridiculed and charged with being in developers’ pocket. The inference again, is that a simple “No” vote will change the direction of development in the County.
We have a real challenge in St Johns County. We have been rocked by economic shifts and attempts to balance the economy by making decisions about development that remain part of our code today. Over-development IS a problem.
The forces at play are overwhelmingly significant and varied. Let’s face it – we live in paradise and others visit, see it and want to live here. Our economic engine is telling the world how great it is to live, work and play in St Johns County. The secret is out.
Folks are coming. I suppose we could put up a fence with signs saying, “Visitors not welcome” but that might not be practical. And it’s important to remember that we have, some time ago, granted entitlements to huge amounts of acreage. Florida is a development-friendly state. Building and development will happen.
So, we have to find a different way to deal with the rapid growth. Indeed, perhaps we need to embrace the growth and channel it in the right way for the benefit of everyone.
That has to start with residents being open to learning about the County, the opportunities and the obstacles, and being willing to engage in respectful and productive dialogue. It will also require residents being committed to the good of the County as a whole, as opposed to self-interest.
If these candidates are allowing their campaign to proceed by fueling anger in residents and placing blame on the current Commissioners for all the woes of St Johns County, my question is still:
“What will you do differently?”
How are you going to bring a divisive group of residents together with the trust necessary to solve the problems for the good of the entire County? I’m not getting good vibes about your ability to bring people together.
I hope that you have a plan that is grounded in a thorough knowledge and understanding of how the State and County work, and that it is somehow uniquely going to fulfill the promise of slowed development. Remember, what goes around comes around. If you don’t, you’ll be in the crosshairs of hateful social media.
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