A major St. Johns County development clash has taken a sharp turn.
The firm behind a proposed 3,332-home “Agrihood” wants a federal judge to compel a private citizen who opposed the project to turn over his communications with local officials, The Citizen has learned.
Robinson Improvement Company, which is suing St. Johns County after the Board of County Commissioners denied its rezoning request last fall, has subpoenaed retired architect Joseph McAnarney — a critic of the project — seeking his correspondence related to his opposition efforts.
Robinson wants to see whether the county’s denial was driven by political pressure and failed to adhere to zoning considerations, federal court papers reveal.
In addition to speaking at public meetings, the company states that McAnarney met privately with commissioners and presented arguments about traffic and planning policy.
RIC asserts that the commission relied on reasoning similar to his in unanimously nixing the plan.
By reviewing his communications, Robinson hopes to determine who he coordinated with and whether elected officials were influenced behind the scenes.
McAnarney has asked the court to block the subpoena, arguing that it is unduly burdensome and constitutes a violation his First Amendment rights.
The clash adds a new dimension to an already contentious dispute over 2,673 acres between County Road 208 and County Road 214, south of the St. Augustine Outlets.
The land has been owned by the Robinson family for more than a century and was designated Residential-B in a 2019 comprehensive plan amendment that anticipated a rezoning request by 2026.
The proposed project, promoted by Freehold Communities, would blend residential neighborhoods with agricultural features such as barns, working farms and event spaces — a concept it brands as an “Agrihood.”
County commissioners unanimously denied the rezoning in November after residents raised concerns about traffic congestion, wildlife impacts and the loss of rural character.
Robinson has since filed a federal lawsuit alleging the county violated its constitutional rights, claiming commissioners acted arbitrarily and bowed to public pressure despite long-range planning documents signaling residential development on the property.
The dispute comes as Robinson has gained support from former Circuit Court Judge J. Michael Traynor, who recently ruled under the Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution Act that the county “impinged” on the company’s property rights.
While nonbinding, that recommendation could bolster Robinson’s position in court.
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