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St. Johns County 2070: What’s Next?
January 2021 Update: St. Johns County Reauthorizes LAMP Program
In November of 2019, the Matanzas Riverkeeper, St. Johns County Audubon and others joined with 1000 Friends of Florida for a discussion on growth projections for the county, as well as potential tools to ensure a more sustainable future.
The groups hosted two community workshops in different areas of St. Johns County to present the growth projections for the county and gather resident feedback.
On June 23, 2020, the webinar, St. Johns County 2070: What’s Next?, focused on smart growth policy tools and recommendations shared by 1000 Friends’ Policy & Planning Director Jane West, with a question and answer period at the end.
View Video Segments
St. Johns County Projections for Future Growth and Development – Paul [1:45]
Summary of Citizen Feedback on Pros, Cons, Priorities in St. Johns County – Jane [0:26]
How to Build Better Communities in St. Johns County – Jane [0:26]
Ways to Protect St. Johns County’s Environment – Jane [0:27]
What Can Local Governments Do To Better Manage Growth? – Jane [4:08]
What Else Can St. Johns County Do to Control Growth? – Jane [2:10]
Why Smart Land Use Means a Stronger Tax Base – Jane [1:07]
How to Save Water in St. Johns County – Jane [2:13]
St. John’s County 2070: Planning Today for a Better Tomorrow
As the third fastest growing county in the state, St. Johns County is experiencing its fair share of growing pains. Unsustainable growth threatens our environmental resources, our agricultural heritage, and our way of life. On November 20 and 21, 2019 the Matanzas Bay Riverkeeper, St. Johns County Audubon and others joined with 1000 Friends of Florida for a discussion on growth projections for the county well as potential tools to ensure a more sustainable future. The groups hosted two community workshops in different areas of St. Johns County to present the growth projections for the county as well as gather resident feedback. Then a presentation is being made to St. Johns County County Commission and staff including the results of the SJC 2070 study, smart growth policy tools and recommendations, and feedback gathered from the resident workshops. As St. Johns County grows in population, one of the biggest challenges is to ensure sufficient land and water to meet the needs of people, agriculture, and the environment.
PowerPoint overview of St. Johns County 2070
St. Johns County 2070 Findings
St. Johns has been one of the fastest growing counties in the United States over the past 15 years, roughly doubling its population. As revealed in the Florida 2070 and Water 2070 report projections it also has very sprawling development patterns, making the impacts of this growth even more severe even with a modest decrease in density. Due to the combination of rapid population growth and sprawling development patterns projections for future growth and development, derived from the Florida 2070 and Water 2070 reports, if current patterns of development continue the developed area of the county is on track to expand from 19% in 2010 to 69% by 2070 as population expands from less than 200,000 to nearly 600,000. Development-related water demand in the county is on track to surge by more than 200% from 2010 to 2070. As the 2070 maps reveal, aggressive change in the patterns of development is clearly needed if the county’s natural lands and waters are to be adequately protected from the impacts of growth.
St. Johns County Water 2070
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