Residents Succeed in Shooting Down Development Along 315

Push Back Against More CongestIon, Traffic

The area outlined in orange marks the unofficial "urban service area," the area of Clay County which developers have targeted for urbanization due to the upcoming First Coast Expressway which will be passing through. The orange star was where this unsuccessful development was planned. 

By SHELBIE GRAHAM

On Tuesday, Clay News & Views informed you of a grassroots campaign to protest a development which was planned in the area between County Road 315 and 315A, extending all the way south to Knowles Road.

And later on Tuesday, the Clay County Board of County Commissioners listened.

During the meeting, residents in the adjacent area voiced their concerns about what one more development would mean for their farms and livelihoods. The proposed 214 homes were feared to overwhelm the already strained infrastructure in the area.

Flooding, a side effect of any development in Florida, was a serious concern. Many of the small family farms, which sell and donate produce in the community, would have been inundated with water runoff.

Residents Asked To Rally Against Yet Another Development Along 315

The county’s receding rural character was another concern. Developments are often a zero-sum game—home for humans at nature’s expense.

“Clay County is loaded with wetlands, which are vitally important. We need wetlands for clean water, flood erosion control and to protect many living species. We human beings are not the only residents in this county and we need to be more respectful of that,” said one resident during the meeting.

Blair Knighting represented the developers. During the meeting, she noted understatedly, “We have heard from residents there are concerns with infrastructure.”

She requested a continuance from the BCC, which would have postponed the decision to October. The stated reason was to allow time for a traffic study along 315 and 315A. The more probable reason was to stall by kicking the can down a few months. Developers routinely attempt to simmer down community pushback by using this tactic.

Knighting’s presentation dangled a few carrots for the commissioners: More than $4 million in impact fees, ownership of Knowles Road and a new public park (Although, these would merely be baby carrots).

The actual property owners—who applied to rezone their land for the development—were noticeably absent from the meeting, and a resident was wise to point that out. He made the point, saying: if they wanted to be here, they would’ve.

Commissioner Kristen Burke cited the development along Sandridge Road, similarly unpopular but already approved, as a sign that Clay is already building at capacity. During the meeting, she took a stance against the development, brandishing her vote to deny it outright—no continuance and no approval.

Commissioner Betsy Condon agreed and seconded her motion. In fact, Condon had a killer performance at the dais, as she rebutted many embellished claims by developers.

Commissioner Mike Cella was leaning toward granting the continuance but ultimately decided against it.

The BCC voted 3-2, with Commissioners Jim Renninger and Alexandra Compere dissenting, to deny the continuance. Subsequently, the representative of the developers withdrew the rezoning application.

It was a win for Clay’s rural residents, riding the coattails of a previous win which stopped a development on Shedd Road.

However, the lesson should be understood by all Clay residents—you have a voice. If you think an upcoming development is going to burden your roads with traffic or slash your property values, meet up with your neighbors and let the commissioners know. Because once a development is rezoned and approved, it’s too late. Nothing can be done.