St. Johns County Land Conservation Referendum 2026: What It Means for Residents

On November 3, St. Johns County voters will decide whether to authorize up to $100 million in bonds to acquire and manage conservation land. If it passes, the program would be paid for with a small property tax, capped at 0.15 mills.

Here is what you need to know before heading to the polls.

How much would the conservation bond cost homeowners?

The maximum tax rate would be 0.15 mills. That equals no more than $15 per year for every $100,000 of taxable property value.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Taxable value is not the same as market value. Homestead exemptions and assessment limits may reduce the value used to calculate the tax.
• The County would not have to borrow the entire $100 million. Bonds could be issued in stages, and the tax would support only the amount borrowed. Each bond issue would be repaid over up to 20 years.
• The money could be used only for acquiring and managing conservation land. Individual purchases would still require approval from the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners.

Why does land conservation matter in St. Johns County?

St. Johns County is growing fast. Once important natural land is developed, the chance to protect it is gone for good.

Conservation funding could help the County:

• Protect drinking water resources, rivers, and wetlands
• Keep development out of flood-prone areas and let natural lands absorb and store water
• Preserve wildlife habitat, forests, farms, and coastal lands
• Create places for hiking, paddling, wildlife viewing, and other outdoor recreation
• Preserve some of the natural places that make St. Johns County a great place to live
• Compete for state, federal, and private matching funds, stretching every local dollar further

Not every protected property would become a public park. Depending on the land and the agreement, the County could buy property outright or protect it through a conservation easement with a willing landowner.

Who would decide which land to protect?

The County could not simply buy any property it wanted. Potential projects would be reviewed and ranked through the County's Land Acquisition and Management Program, known as LAMP, using established conservation criteria. LAMP was created in 2021 but currently receives about $500,000 a year, which limits what it can buy.

Landowners would take part voluntarily. No one would be forced to sell. The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners would make the final decisions about which properties to protect, how much to borrow, and how the money is spent.

Are other Florida counties doing this?

Yes. Nassau, Clay and other Florida counties have set up local conservation programs or dedicated funding based on the needs of their communities. Those programs help counties identify important land, work with willing landowners, and attract state, federal, and private funding.

Having money set aside for conservation also means a county can act when an important property comes up for sale. Without funding in place, the property may be gone before the county can pull together the partners and money it needs.

The decision belongs to St. Johns County voters on November 3.