Residents of a small Fruit Cove community are again mobilizing ahead of a public meeting on a proposed gas near their neighborhood.
The rescheduled meeting, hosted by First Coast Energy—the parent company of Daily’s—is set for 6 p.m. on April 14 at Fruit Cove Middle School, 3180 Race Track Road.
Currently, the parcel is designated for residential-commercial use. The developer is seeking to change the zoning to community commercial, which would allow construction of a gas station.
Residents of the small community, which includes 44 homes, have voiced opposition to the plan. They say the current zoning exists to prevent intensive commercial development near their homes.
“The proposed gas station and car wash would be located adjacent to single-family homes and private backyards,” a statement on the community’s website reads. “It is currently zoned Residential B for a reason!”
A major concern for residents is traffic. They fear that vehicles accessing the new development would use the neighborhood’s sole entrance and exit road.
Homeowners warn that routing additional traffic through their streets could cause congestion and create safety hazards.
This marks the third attempt by First Coast Energy to gain approval for a gas station at this location.
Previous efforts also faced community pushback.
In 2019, the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners unanimously rejected a similar request, citing concerns about traffic and the project’s incompatibility with the surrounding residential area.
Some residents plan to wear red at the gathering to demonstrate their opposition.
