The Agricultural Enclave application count in St. Johns County is now at nine, with the master developer of the Entrada community in southern St. Augustine submitting an application Aug. 12.
The filing seeks certification for about 51 acres on Lightsey Crossing Lane about 5.5 miles southwest of downtown St. Augustine. The county’s application record lists the project name as “Agricultural Enclave Certification (Entrada).”
Florida Senate Bill 686, which took effect July 1, created a streamlined certification process that allows developers of qualifying agricultural properties to bypass traditional comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning procedures, limiting local governments’ ability to deny qualifying applications.
Kimley-Horn, a Jacksonville-based engineering firm, represents the project. The property is owned by Dirt Regr LLC, which has served as the developer entity behind the nearby Entrada development off Florida 207, according to county records. Dirt Regr purchased the site in 2019 from St. Augustine Country Club LLC for an undisclosed amount.
Approved by the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners in 2019, Entrada is a 582-acre planned unit development that includes the Entrada Community Development District, preserved wetlands, and open green and recreational spaces. The enclave application property, which is zoned agricultural and requires certification under SB 686 before it can be developed, is just north of that development’s site.
The nine applications
• Adler Creek: 594 to 610 acres near State Road 16 and Peavys Road. Filed July 1.
• AFI Associates/Hutson Cos.: 310 acres west of Pacetti Road. Filed Aug. 6.
• Entrada: About 51 acres on Lightsey Crossing Lane. Filed Aug. 12.
• Heritage Development East: 615 acres east of Interstate 95 and south of Florida 207, tied to Chris Shee’s Parrish Farms project. Filed July 7.
• Heritage Development West: 550.78 acres west of I-95 and south of Florida 207, also tied to Parrish Farms. Filed July 7.
• North Palm Valley Road: 4,462 acres near Ponte Vedra Beach, connected to the Davis family and BR4700 LLC. Filed July 1.
• Osceola Lakes: Approximately 143 acres in southern St. Johns County. Filed July 1.
• Sandy Lake/I-95 Area: Approximately 379 acres within the Sandy Creek PUD. Filed July 29.
• Star IV Investments: Approximately 176 acres. Filed July 1.
What’s next?
At the direction of county commissioners, staff attorneys are researching legal challenge options to SB 686, including an injunction. Findings are expected Aug. 18 at the commission’s regular meeting. Both Heritage Development and the North Palm Valley Road applications are scheduled to go before the board at a special meeting Aug. 19, where it is expected to take action. The remaining applications, including Entrada, are not yet scheduled for public hearings.
According to state law, once an application is filed, county staff has 30 days to prepare a compliance report evaluating whether the property meets statutory requirements. The commission then has 30 days to approve or deny certification. If no action is taken within 90 days of filing, the application is automatically approved.