February 21 St. Johns County Commissioners Meeting

What you should know

What’s on the Agenda for the Commissioners next week?

Consent Agenda Items of Interest

There are two items on the Consent Agenda that are worth highlighting. Item 8 is authorization to execute the agreement between St. Johns County and the Florida Department of Transportation related to the construction and construction engineering inspection of four lanes connecting the end of County Road 2209 to State Road 16, approximately 3.26 miles of four lane construction.

Item 10 is awarding a bid and executing a contract to perform construction of the widening of Longleaf Pine Parkway to four lanes from Veteran Parkway to Greenbriar Road. Only Phase 1 can begin. The remainder must wait until payment from development agreements 2022-01 and 2022-02, due March 31, 2023.

Item 8:

The Florida Legislature allocated $8,000,000 in FDOT Grant Funds to St. Johns County for a portion of the construction of CR 2209. The funding supports construction and construction engineering inspection (CEI) oversight of four lanes connecting the existing terminus of CR 2209 to SR 16 approximately 3.26 miles. This item requests authorization to execute the Agreement between St. Johns County and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and to recognize the grant revenue and appropriate the funds for expenditure. No match is required by St. Johns County

Item 10:

SJC Purchasing issued an Invitation for Bids (“IFB”) for the widening of Longleaf Pine Parkway to four lanes from Veterans Parkway to Greenbriar Road. The project scope generally includes clearing, earthwork, paving, signing, pavement marking, drainage, and utility adjustments. All work is to be completed in accordance with St. Johns County, JEA, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), Army Core of Engineers (ACOE) and Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Standard Specifications and Permits. The IFB was advertised in accordance with County Purchasing Policy. Three (3) bids were received, with the lowest, responsive, responsible bid being from Baker Constructors, Inc. for a Total Lump Sum Amount of $14,899,000.00 for Phases I, II, and III. County Staff recommends Board approval to award Bid 23-35 to Baker Constructors, Inc., and to execute a contract for completion of the work as specified in Bid 23-35. However, only Phase I is authorized to begin work, until such time as the County receives payment of funds required under Development Agreements No: 2022-01 and 2022-02, at which point County intends to authorize Contractor to proceed with Phases II and III. The County is due payment from Development Agreements No: 2022-01 and 2022-02 by March 31, 2023. Due to their size, Exhibits are available upon request.

Public Comment Time Certain continues at 11:30 – 12:00 PM or at conclusion of the Regular Agenda, whichever comes first.

Regular Agenda Items of Interest

Agenda Item 1 – Presentation of the St. Johns County Surplus and OPEB Investment Portfolios

The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners Investment Policy, Section XVII Reporting, and OPEB Trust Investment Policy, Section XV, requires the Clerk, or designee, to prepare and submit a written report annually on all invested funds to the Board. Included in the report shall be a complete list of all invested funds, the name or type of security in which the funds are invested, the amount invested, the maturity date, earned income, the book value, the market value and the yield on each investment. PFM Asset Management, LLC, is the County’s investment advisor and has prepared the annual reports for the quarter ended September 30, 2022.

Presentation can be found at this link: Agenda Item 1

Agenda Item 2 – Amendment to the Concurrency and Impact Fee Credit Agreement for Grand Oaks PUD revising required transportation mitigation and road impact fee credit amounts. Details below:

Southeast Development Partners, LLC (Applicant) has proposed an Amendment to the Concurrency and Impact Fee Credit Agreement (PFS AGREE 2018-03) for the Grand Oaks PUD to revise the required transportation mitigation and road impact fee credit amount (Amendment). The Grand Oaks Comprehensive Plan Amendment (COMPAMD 2016-08), PUD (PUD 2017-02), and Proportionate Fair Share Agreement (PFS AGREE 2018-03) were approved by the BCC on July 17, 2018, for the development of 999 single family units (maximum 674 non-age restricted and 325 agerestricted), 100,000 sq. ft. of commercial space and 50,000 sq. ft. of office space. PFS AGREE 2018-03 included the requirement to construct the 4-lane widening of SR 16 from San Giacomo to the eastern (main) entrance to the Grand Oaks development, approximately 3.1 miles. The estimated cost of the widening was approximately $15,000,000. The required proportionate share was calculated to be $10,132,643. The applicant proposed in the companion comprehensive plan amendment (COMPAMD 2016-08) to contribute an additional $4,867,357 as public benefit with no impact fee credit for a total of $15,000,000 for transportation mitigation. Payments for each plat were required until the widening of SR 16 was designed (no more than 442 lots can be platted) and construction commenced (no more then 580 lots can be platted). Plats have been approved for 442 lots and mitigation totaling $5,040,000 has been paid and is being held in escrow. The Applicant is requesting to amend PFS AGREE 2018-03 to remove the requirement to construct the widening of SR 16 and instead pay the remaining transportation mitigation to the County. The total transportation contribution of $15,000,000 is being revised to include pre-construction costs/pond acquisitions of $2,100,000; therefore, the total funds to be paid would be $12,900,000. The Applicant is also requesting that the road impact fee credit amount be increased from $10,132,643 to $15,000,000. The Applicant is further requesting that the platting triggers associated with the design and commencement of construction of the widening of SR 16 be deleted.

Agenda Item 3 – ICI Middlebourne PUD – Major Modification to add a car wash facility in the Gate Property within the PUD and add landscaping requirements. This is specific to a parcel on the north side of Longleaf Pine Parkway and south of Veterans Parkway.

Request for a Major Modification to the ICI Middlebourne PUD (Ord. 2018-29, as amended) to (i) add one land use, a Car Wash Facility, to the permitted uses within the PUD solely for the Gate Property; and (ii) add landscaping requirements and a related waiver for commercial and office parcels within the PUD property. The subject property is on an unaddressed parcel located on the north side of Longleaf Pine Parkway, approximately 650 feet south of Veterans Parkway. This item was recommended for approval by the Planning and Zoning Agency at their regularly scheduled public hearing on 10/06/2022 with a vote of 4 to 1. The Agency discussed the wetlands, trees on site, and the reduced buffer. This item was heard at the 11/01/2022 BCC meeting, where a Denial vote failed; the item was continued to a date uncertain and until a 5-member Board was seated. The Board discussed the existing wetlands, proximity to the residential neighborhood, noise, and landscaping.

TRANSPARENCY – I will be speaking on behalf of the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce in response to Agenda items 7 and 8 below.

Agenda Item 7 – Workforce Housing Units – Proposal from the Northeast Florida Builders Association to modify the numeric percentage of dedicated workforce housing units in the Workforce Housing Zoning designation.

This Comprehensive Plan amendment is a companion to an LDC amendment initiated by the Board at its regular meeting on October 18, 2022, and scheduled for first hearing at the February 21, 2023, BCC meeting. This Comprehensive Plan amendment changes two references in Policy A.1.11.1(m) to the numeric percentage of minimum required dedicated workforce housing units in the Workforce Housing Zoning designation and is required to maintain consistency between land code regulations. This CP amendment transmittal was heard by the Planning and Zoning Agency on February 2, 2023, and was recommended for approval with a vote of 6-0. Included in the motion was a recommendation of the proposed changes to the LDC Section 5.11.00 presented by NEFBA.

Agenda Item 8 Workforce Housing Zoning Designation – Modification to the Land Development Code increasing the Maximum Initial Sales Price to $260,00 and decreasing the minimum percentage of overall units to 30%.

The proposed amendment to the Workforce Housing element of Land Development Code, Section 5.11.00 increases the Maximum Initial Sales Price to $260,000 and decreases the minimum percentage of overall units to 30%. The Board of County Commissioners directed Growth Management to draft the amendment on October 18, 2022. The Planning and Zoning Agency recommended approval of the amendment with a 4-2 vote at its December 1, 2022 meeting.

Agenda Item 9 – Update on FEMA Category B Emergency Beach Berm for Hurricanes Ian and Nicole

Hurricanes Ian and Nicole inflicted severe impacts on Florida, resulting in a presidential declaration for federal assistance. FEMA’s Public Assistance program is a Federal grant to aid State and Local governments in returning a disaster area to pre-disaster conditions. The grant is provided to primarily address the repair and restoration of public facilities and infrastructure damaged or destroyed or the restoration of services that were negatively impacted. This update is focused on FEMA’s Category B Emergency Beach Berms. Specifically, eligible locations and volumes, resident easements, project cost, project funding, and project execution.

Agenda Item 10 – FY 2024 Board of County Commissioners Budget Calendar and Initial Budget Guidelines

Agenda Items 11 – 14 – Consideration of appointments to the Health & Human Services Advisory Council (HHSAC), the Tourist Development Council (TDC), the Housing Finance Authority, and the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC).

Agenda Item 15 – Time Certain to be heard at 5:01 PM

Second Reading of the Land Development Code Amendments for Veterinary Office, Animal Hospital in Office and Professional Services Use Category.