Taco Bell is eyeing a site for what would be its sixth location in St. Johns County.
Less than a week after the county started reviewing an application for a Taco Bell at World Commerce Center, St. Johns River Water Management District received a preapplication for an environmental resource permit for a location at Sembler Drive off County Road 207 in south St. Augustine about 2 miles east of Interstate 95.
The land is owned by Silvercreek Group LLC, a Whataburger franchisee.
The county has three open Taco Bell locations. Counting the World Commerce Center site and a third proposed location off County Road 210, the Sembler Drive project would bring the county’s total to six.
An environmental resource permit is required for new construction to ensure developers have a plan to prevent flooding, manage stormwater runoff and protect nearby wetlands and water quality.
The World Commerce Center Taco Bell also has an ERP preapplication with the water management district.
It is planned on a portion of 93 acres of developable land at the World Commerce Center bought Feb. 19 by Fort Lauderdale-based developer Stiles Retail Group. The address listed for the proposed project is 3709 International Golf Parkway.
Stiles purchased 487 acres for $45 million, but not all of that property can be developed.
Elsewhere in St. Johns County about 7 miles north, Taco Bell is moving forward with plans for a location near the Fountains at St. Johns mixed-use development.
It is proposed at 1549 County Road 210, just east of Interstate 95, about 2 miles west of the master-planned Beachwalk community.
That property is owned by 210 East LLC, whose managers are Reekee Patel and Jonathan Heldenbrand.
Jacksonville-based GPD Group is listed as the civil engineer for all three proposed Taco Bells.
According to tacobell.com, the other St. Johns County Taco Bell locations are at 335 Harper Lane in Saint Johns and at 1820 U.S. 1 S. and 2453 Florida 16 in St. Augustine.