The first public hearing on the proposed St. Joe/Arvida SummerCamp development was held last night. As requested by APTA, APECO, and ABARK, the County Commissioners voted to amend the land use change request submitted by St. Joe/Arvida to prohibit a marina on the property in connection with this land use change request and in connection with any development orders which result from this land use change request.
In order for a marina to be later considered by the Franklin County Board of County Commissioners, St Joe/Arvida would have to request a specific land use change for a marina on the property. Whether or not this may happen is unknown; however, St Joe/Arvida reiterated that they still desire a marina on the property but do not plan to take any further action until they obtain the results from a yet-to-be formed "blue ribbon panel" on the effects a marina would have on the sea grass beds and other sensitive marine areas in the vicinity of their desired marina site next to the FSU Marine Lab.
The County will now transmit the land use change request, with the marina prohibition, to the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) for comments. DCA will coordinate with other State agencies on the request and within 120 days submit to the County their concerns, recommendations, and objections. The County will then hold an "approval" public hearing to decide whether to approve St Joe/Arvida's land use change request. It is expected that at the approval hearing St Joe/Arvida will also request the approval of their Planned Unit Development (PUD) application for this property which sets forth the details of the development with specific commercial and residential zoning districts identified.
