Big News for The Outlook

The Ponte Vedra Corporation (PVC) has proposed developing 66 homes on nearly one hundred acres of land that is more commonly known as the Outpost. This area abuts the GTM Research Reserve, an area of conservation land, and the potential development is not favored by local environmental groups. Environmentalist fear that development of this land would greatly damage the Reserve, since it surrounds nearly all of the property in question.

PVC has claimed that their interest in taking this matter to court was to force a decision about how the property could be used. However, environmental groups feared that PVC chose their path to avoid a public hearing on the land usage. PVC’s Outlook property was designated as conservation land after the original purchase as part of the St. Johns County Comprehensive Plan for Future Land Use. For nearly two decades, PVC did not protest this decision and has been paying taxes based on conservation valuation for the land.

In August 2019, PVC proposed a development delay for three years, giving environmental groups the opportunity to raise funds to try and acquire the property as preservation lands, although a value for the land has not been released.

In the meantime, PVC is still moving forward with the request to change the land use designation away from conservation. The outcome appears to be headed in their favor as the Planning and Zoning members recommended approval to the St. Johns Board of County Commissioners after a 3-2 vote in their August 2019 hearing. This issue was originally scheduled for discussion on the September 17th agenda, but has been withdrawn by PVC.

Stay tuned to the St. Johns Board of County Commissioners and/or Save Guana Now websites and communications for further action on this issue.