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Board of County Commissioners Regular Meetings are held monthly on the first and third Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m. in the County Auditorium. Agendas | Minutes | Calendar

County Commissioner Invitations – The County Commissioners receive invitations to attend various events and, on occasion, more than one Commissioner may attend and participate. For notices and more information, visit the BOCC’s Invitations webpage

Current Board / Committee Vacancies – Volunteer Opportunities

FEMA Dune Enhancement Project Town Hall Meeting – June 22, 2021 – St. Johns County is hosting a FEMA Dune Enhancement Project town hall meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 22, at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library, 101 Library Blvd. The meeting will provide an overview of the upcoming FEMA Dune Enhancement project, the voluntary temporary easements deadline, and the temporary partial closure of Mickler’s Landing Beachfront Park. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions about the project and provide feedback. For more information, please visit www.sjcfl.us/CoastalProjects/FEMADunes, email coastalprojects@sjcfl.us, or call 904.209.0260.

2021-2022 Florida State Budget Includes Funding for a Variety of St. Johns County Projects – Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed the “Florida Leads” fiscal year 2021-2022 State budget, which totaled $101.5 billion and includes $169 million in tax relief. The “Florida Leads” budget focuses on education, environmental incentives, infrastructure improvements, and support for military and veterans.

The budget contains funding for a variety St. Johns County projects and initiatives including, $3.5 million for Ponte Vedra Beach/North Beach dune restoration, $2 million for County Road 2209 and International Golf Parkway intersection and roadway improvements, and $1.65 million for improvements to the State Road A1A corridor from Mickler Road to Marsh Landing Parkway. In addition, $300,000 was appropriated for the St. Augustine/West Augustine septic-to-sewer program, $694,000 for St. Augustine Beach resiliency improvements, $1.3 million for the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office detox program, and the County has acquired a new County Judge, the first to be allocated to St. Johns County since 1973.

Funding was also allocated to economic development, substance abuse treatment programs, health and human services programming, the St. Augustine Lighthouse, and law enforcement pay increases. For more information on the Governor’s “Florida Leads” State budget, please visit www.boldvisionforabrighterfuture.com/HomeFY22.htm.

St. Johns County Surfside Park Reopens – Surfside Park, 3070 Coastal Highway, is now open after being closed due to a beach renourishment project. For more information on beach access, please visit www.sjcfl.us/Beaches/Access.aspx. For the most up-to-date information on St. Johns County beaches, download the Reach the Beach mobile app, or follow St. Johns County Beaches on Facebook or Twitter (@SJCBeaches).

Ponte Vedra Boulevard Temporary Closure – Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) crews will temporarily close Ponte Vedra Boulevard between Solana Road and Corona Road from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 7, 8, 14, and 15 for the installation of new fire hydrants. JEA recommends that motorists utilize State Road A1A as an alternative route. For more information, please contact JEA Project Outreach at 904.665.7500 or projectoutreach@jea.com.

St. Johns County Hosts Public Meetings on Proposed Hastings Community Center and Library – St. Johns County is hosting three public meetings to obtain public input on a proposed Hastings Community Center and Library project. The meetings will provide an overview of the proposed construction of a two-story, 17,600-square-foot building located in central Hastings which will be serviced by public transportation, assist the County with neighborhood revitalization, and provide ample space for social services as well as partnership opportunities with non-profit agencies. Community members are invited to attend any of the following meetings:

• 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 3, at the Hastings Branch Library, 6195 Main St.
• 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, June 11, in the Kingfisher Conference Room at St. Johns County Health and Human Services, 200 San Sebastian View.
• 3 to 4 p.m. on Friday, June 18, in the Kingfisher Conference Room at St. Johns County Health and Human Services, 200 San Sebastian View.

Participants will have an opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions regarding the proposed project. For more information, please call 904.827.6890 or email housing@sjcfl.us.

St. Johns County Utility Water Conservation Request – Summer temperatures and weather patterns are here and water demands have increased. St. Johns County Utility encourages customers to reduce water usage whenever possible and observe the following mandatory irrigation schedules for St. Johns County properties:

• Homes with odd-numbered or no addresses irrigate on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
• Homes with even-numbered addresses irrigate on Thursdays and Sundays.
• Nonresidential properties irrigate on Tuesdays and Fridays.

For optimal water conservation please refrain from irrigating between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. For more information on water conservation or irrigation regulations, please visit www.sjcfl.us/utilities or call 904.209.2700.

FEMA Emergency Dune Restoration Project – As a result of dune erosion to St. Johns County’s coastline caused by Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Irma, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided a federal funding opportunity for an emergency dune restoration project. It is important to note that the environmental permitting required for the project to proceed has not been granted. In order for the emergency dune restoration project to begin, the following conditions must be met:

• Adequate Participation - An adequate participation level must be achieved in order for the project to be considered economically and environmentally viable. At this time, it is not likely that a project with less than 50% participation would be feasible for dune restoration.
• State Environmental Permitting - Construction is not anticipated to be permitted prior to late summer or early fall of 2021. Responsible agencies include the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Wildlife Commission, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, etc.
• FEMA Completion Deadline - FEMA requires the project to be complete by December 31, 2021, in order to qualify for funding. The resulting construction timeline of less than four months poses significant challenges to a complete project being viable. Environmental permitting delayed beyond September may result in the project being unachievable.

The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to discuss the project during the June 1, 2021, regular meeting. At a later date, if the Board directs staff to move forward with the project, every effort will be made to safely minimize disruptions to public access. Most St. Johns County beaches will remain open for the duration of the project. For additional information, please visit www.sjcfl.us/CoastalProjects/FEMADunes, email coastalprojects@sjcfl.us, or call 904.209.0260.

St. Johns County Public Library Extends Hours and Opens Meeting Rooms to the Public – Beginning Tuesday, May 25, all St. Johns County libraries will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. All libraries will remain closed on Sundays and Mondays. In addition, meeting rooms will be available for public use during business hours, and may be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis by calling the branch library. For more information, please visit www.sjcpls.org.

St. Johns County Job Openings Now Posted on GovernmentJobs.com – St. Johns County is transitioning to a new employee recruitment and selection system that will streamline and expedite the evaluation, interviewing, and selection processes for all job applicants. Beginning May 17, 2021, all St. Johns County job openings will be posted on GovernmentJobs.com. GovernmentJobs.com will allow the County to deploy a strategic recruiting program where applicants will be able to track the hiring process and upload supporting documents, including resumes and cover letters, in a variety of digital file types. All prospective job applicants must create a www.governmentjobs.com account to apply for open St. Johns County positions. For additional information, please contact St. Johns County Human Resources at 904.209.0635 or BCChiring@sjcfl.us.

New St. Johns County Art in Public Spaces Exhibit Features Members of the Foster Care Community – St. Johns County’s Art in Public Spaces program is excited to host the “Experience and Expression” art exhibition through July 5 at the County Administration Building, 500 San Sebastian View. Launching during National Foster Care Month, this exhibition features artwork by youth in St. Johns County’s foster care community and is hosted in partnership with the St. Johns County Cultural Council, the St. Johns County Family Integrity Program, St. Augustine Youth Services, Fostering Connections St. Johns, and the Florida Guardian ad Litem Program. Visitors are invited to view the exhibit from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. To learn more about the St. Johns Cultural Council, please visit www.historiccoastculture.com.

St. Johns County Short Term Vacation Rental Ordinance – The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners approved a new ordnance regarding short term vacation rentals on May 4, 2021. The ordinance addresses a variety of topics including short term vacation rental occupancy, parking, and trash collection. Please review Ordinance 2021-23 for additional information.

Voluntary FEMA Dune Enhancement Project Easements – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved funds to assist St. Johns County with partially restoring and rebuilding the sand dunes along portions of the County's coastline that were damaged by Hurricanes Matthew and Irma. The project is intended to enhance the dune system by adding sand to the seaward side of the existing dunes, planting sea oats and supporting vegetation, and creating a more uniform front to the dune system. If approved, and with adequate voluntary participation of homeowners, sand placement is anticipated to begin this summer and is projected to be completed by the end of the year.

The County is currently in the design phase and a separate firm, Waugh Law, has been recruited to assist owners of eligible oceanfront properties who would like to participate in the project by voluntarily granting a temporary easement. There is no charge to participate and the easements do not allow access to front or side yards. Homeowners who wish to receive additional dune protection at no cost may sign the short-term easement and return it to Waugh Law. The County will be unable to enhance the dunes on properties that do not provide signed easements.

The deadline to submit signed easements is May 31, 2021. For assistance with your easement, please call Waugh Law Firm at 321.800.6008, or email cwaugh@waughpa.com. For additional project information, visit www.sjcfl.us/coastalprojects, email coastalprojects@sjcfl.us, or call 904.209.0260.

Sea Turtle Nesting Season – The beaches of St. Johns County are home to several species of endangered or threatened sea turtles. Residents and visitors have a special opportunity and responsibility to protect these magnificent creatures and their vulnerable nesting sites as they return each season to nest. Nesting season began May 1, and County officials are asking residents, visitors, and businesses to help protect natural habitat by observing all nesting season laws and regulations. All beachfront properties are required to reduce their impact by eliminating interior and exterior lights which may disrupt nesting sea turtles. Volleyball court lights at St. Johns County Pier Park will turn on at sunset and turn off at 9 p.m. Learn Turtle Season rules and ways you can have a positive impact: 2021 Sea Turtle Nesting Season

Are you ready for spring cleaning and yard work? To prepare yard debris for curbside collection, please remember to follow these guidelines. For more information, please call the St. Johns County Solid Waste Division at 904.827.6980 or visit recyclestjohns.com. Prepare Yard Waste for Curbside Collection

Current FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps & Information – Flood Zone Viewer | NFIP Rating Insurance Discounts for Some SJC Property Owners

Projects, Advisories, Status Updates

For right of way projects, advisories, and status updates as well as permitting activity, please visit the St. Johns County Neighborhood Bill of Rights Application