PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLA. — A local developer is working to build a new housing development on private property in Ponte Vedra Beach, known as “The Outpost." Since it would be built on conservation land, it needs approval from St. Johns County.
Initial renderings of the plan includes 66 homes on about 75 acres of land. The private property is surrounded by the Guana Preserve, housing dozens of wildlife species.
Community activists are fighting to preserve land from any housing development. Nicole Crosby is the president and co-founder of Save Guana Now, an organization aimed to preserve and educate the public about this conservation land.
“This situation is uniquely bad because it’s conservation land that we’re talking about and it would be like chopping a hole in the middle of the preserve,” Crosby said.
This campaign has fought for this land for three years. They are asking for their county’s elected officials to property this conservation.
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“We’re concerned about water quality in this very shallow waterway,” Crosby said. “We’re concerned about the decimation of habitat. We’re concerned about impact on wildlife. Then we’re concerned about the ripple effect around it, on the precious preserve.”
Find on their campaign here.
To move forward with the project, developers have asked St. Johns County to amend the comprehensive plan of the county. They need the county’s approval to make this a residential property to build this development.
To address community concerns, developers are hosting their first open house to meet with the public. It will be held at the Ponte Vedra Public Library on June 24 at 6 p.m.
A company spokesperson sent Action News Jax a statement about the public meeting, which reads, “We look forward to the community discussion tonight about the company’s plans to create an environmentally-sensitive, low-density residential development on our private property.”
St. Johns County elected leaders will make the final vote. The next hearing on the issue is scheduled for Aug. 15.
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