News Summary
St. Johns County is moving forward with the Tidal 210 development, featuring 297 townhomes along County Road 210. An environmental permit application has been submitted, while civil plans are under review. The project, marketed as a high-end, gated community, aims to address concerns regarding traffic and environmental impact raised by local residents. Developers plan to prepay road impact fees to mitigate traffic issues. The development, which spans 65.3 acres, has seen both support and opposition, particularly regarding its potential impact on local ecosystems.
St. Johns County is set to move forward with the Tidal 210 townhome development, which will consist of 297 townhomes located along County Road 210, approximately one-half mile east of Interstate 95. An application for an environmental resource permit was submitted to the St. Johns River Water Management District on July 25, which has initiated a technical review process. This review grants the district a 30-day period to request additional details from the applicant, Mattamy Jacksonville LLC, who will have 90 days to respond to any such inquiries.
The civil plans for Tidal 210 began county review on the same day the environmental application was submitted, and the development will be presented to the St. Johns County Development Review Committee on August 20. The project aims to secure approvals from both reviews, enabling the developers to apply for a building permit. Tidal 210 is marketed as a high-end, gated townhome project, situated in a northern area of St. Johns County with access to various existing amenities, including a hospital, medical offices, restaurants, and a Publix pharmaceutical production facility.
The proposed development is noteworthy as it does not impose age restrictions on its housing units. The site for Tidal 210 spans 65.3 acres and was sold by Gate Petroleum Co. for $13 million on July 1, with the transaction facilitated through Durbin Creek National LLC to Mattamy Homes. In May, the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners officially voted to rezone the property from Commercial Highway Tourist to Planned Unit Development, with a narrow vote of 3-2 in favor of the change. The commissioners favoring the shift included Sarah Arnold, Christian Whitehurst, and Clay Murphy, while Krista Joseph and Ann Taylor opposed it. A previous attempt at rezoning in March failed to secure a majority, resulting in a split 3-3 vote within the Planning and Zoning Agency.
Opposition to the development has surfaced from nearby residents, who express concerns over the potential increase in traffic brought about by the project. In response, the project’s attorney has pointed out that the old zoning classification could have allowed for developments that would generate significantly more traffic—up to 16,000 daily car trips—compared to the estimated 1,900 trips expected from the Tidal 210 development. To mitigate these transportation issues, the developer has agreed to prepay approximately $2.7 million in road impact fees. The funds could potentially be used by St. Johns County as matching funds for future Florida Department of Transportation projects, which may include the addition of a fifth lane on County Road 210 near I-95.
Current traffic conditions on County Road 210 are a concern as the road operates at 171% capacity, revealing the pre-existing congestion issues in the area. In addition to traffic objections, residents raised apprehensions regarding the project’s environmental impact, particularly concerning sensitive wetlands nearby. However, the project’s legal representative has assured that Tidal 210 is designed to preserve most on-site wetlands that are connected to Twelve Mile Swamp.
Furthermore, the development plan includes connectivity improvements to Moon Bay Parkway, which are intended to enhance traffic flow using the existing right-of-way without requiring additional property acquisitions. The feedback from surrounding residents during multiple meetings emphasized the essential need for careful evaluation of traffic implications and the preservation of local ecosystems. As the planning and approval processes continue, both supporters and detractors of the Tidal 210 development will be closely monitoring the proceedings moving forward.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
St. Augustine Board Approves Tidal 210 Town Home Development
St. Johns County Approves Tidal 210 Townhome Development
Additional Resources
- Jax Daily Record: Plans Advance for St. Johns County Tidal 210 Town Home Project
- Wikipedia: Real Estate Development
- News4Jax: St. Johns County Commission Approves Townhome Development
- Google Search: St. Johns County Townhome Development
- St. Augustine Record: St. Johns Commission Approves Townhomes
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Townhouse
- Jax Daily Record: St. Johns County Land Sold for Tidal 210 Townhomes
- Google News: Tidal 210 Townhome Project St. Johns County
Author: STAFF HERE JACKSONVILLE WRITER
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