St. Johns County commissioners will take another look at the controversial “Agrihood” proposal, months after rejecting the 3,300-home development in a unanimous vote.
The decision came after a special magistrate ruled last week that the board’s 5-0 denial infringed on the landowner’s property rights.
The discussion towards the end of Tuesday’s meeting revealed sharp differences over how to proceed.
Board Chair Krista Joseph asserted that the commission should not be compelled to reconsider a matter it had resoundingly decided.
County Attorney Rich Komando counseled against that approach from a legal standpoint.
“You have to take action on it,” he said of the ruling. “You have to either accept or reject the report.”
Joseph rejected that position, arguing that the board could opt not to officially reintroduce the Robinson Improvement Co.’s proposal as an agenda item.
Commissioner Christian Whitehurst reiterated his opposition to the development but said the magistrate’s ruling altered the stakes.
“I feel good about the decision I made when I voted no,” he said. “That said I respect the process, I respect the special magistrate, and I want to make sure I fully digest the reasons that the magistrate sided with the Robinson company.”
Commissioner Clay Murphy, who also cast a not vote on Agrihood, agreed with that assessment.
“I think there is a legal path forward that we have to follow,” he said. “So I don’t think we can avoid the issue,”
The case involves Robinson Improvement Co.’s effort to rezone 2,673 acres between County Road 208 and County Road 214, south of the St. Augustine Outlets.
Last fall, commissioners denied the project after residents voiced concerns over traffic, the loss of rural character and impacts to wildlife.
Former Circuit Court Judge J. Michael Traynor, acting under the Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution Act, issued a ruling last week siding with the landowner.
Traynor said the county flouted property rights by denying rezoning despite a 2019 comprehensive plan amendment that designated the land for residential use and anticipated a rezoning request by 2026.
His recommendations are non-binding but carry legal implications.
The Agrihood concept, promoted by developer Freehold Communities, calls for blending traditional subdivisions with agricultural elements such as barns, event spaces and working farms.
