Government & Politics

Local government meetings, elections, policy and civic updates

County's Top Conservation Target Sold to a Homebuilder for $12 Million. Now All New Land Buys Are Frozen.

St. Johns County's LAMP program offered about $7 million for 50 acres of Matanzas River marsh coast. Ashley Homes paid $12 million on July 30, and the county has since been told to stop buying land while it waits on property tax reform.

Aug 114 min read

Government & Politics

County Staff Clears 4,462-Acre Davis Tract Next to Nocatee for Fast-Track Housing; One Hearing Left, Aug. 19

St. Johns County staff has found the Davis family's land between Nocatee and the Intracoastal qualifies as an "Agricultural Enclave" under a new state law, opening the door to as many as 4,462 homes. Commissioners, who voted 5-0 this week to price out a legal challenge, have almost no power to say no.

Aug 74 min read

Government & Politics

Clerk's Everyday Services Move to New Lewis Speedway Service Center on Monday

Passports, marriage licenses, official records and records searches shift out of the courthouse on Aug. 3 and into St. Johns County's new Public Service Center at 4040 Lewis Speedway. Here's what moved, what didn't, and the hours.

Aug 13 min read

Government & Politics

One and Done: IRONMAN's Bike Course Will Skip St. Johns County in 2027

After hours-long backups in Ponte Vedra Beach and Nocatee during May's inaugural race, IRONMAN has confirmed the 112-mile bike route won't return to St. Johns County when the event comes back on May 16, 2027.

Jul 294 min read

Government & Politics

County Hall in Your Earbuds: St. Johns Launches Three Official Podcasts and Radio Shows

St. Johns County has rolled out three free podcasts and radio programs, including next-day recaps of every Board of County Commissioners meeting, so residents can keep up with decisions on roads, parks, and libraries without ever attending in person.

Jul 263 min read

Government & Politics

New State Law Could Fast-Track Development on 4,400+ Acres in St. Johns County — Without a Rezoning Hearing

A new Florida law lets certain agricultural landowners skip the county's traditional rezoning process, and officials say it could open more than 4,400 acres in St. Johns County to development while removing a key public-hearing step.

Jul 194 min read

Government & Politics

County Leaders Warn of $113M Budget Hit as St. Johns Voters Face DeSantis Property-Tax Cut in November

A DeSantis-backed constitutional amendment on November's ballot could cut a typical St. Johns County homeowner's bill by roughly $1,454 a year — but county officials warn it could also strip $113 million from local services by 2029.

Jul 134 min read

Government & Politics

For the Third Time, Fruit Cove Neighbors Beat Back a Daily's Gas Station on State Road 13

The St. Johns County Planning and Zoning Board voted unanimously Thursday to deny First Coast Energy's proposed Daily's gas station and car wash next to Fruit Cove Estates, after residents in red packed the county complex to fight roughly 5,500 projected daily vehicle trips near their only entrance and a school bus stop.

Jul 114 min read

Government & Politics

Two Sitting St. Johns County Commissioners Charged in Fake Voter Guide Scheme; Vice Chair Demands Resignations

Commissioners Christian Whitehurst and Sarah Arnold are among five people criminally charged over a counterfeit Republican voter guide sent during the 2024 primary — and one colleague is calling on them to step down immediately.

Jul 85 min read