Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in St. Johns County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
12 issues in zoning with low priority
Pavilion rear setback variance at 228 Gnarled Oaks Drive
A homeowner needed relief from the 40-foot rear setback to cover his outdoor kitchen with a pavilion on a shallow, narrow lot near A1A. The board found the cul-de-sac lot's shape justified the hardship and approved it.
Charles Street garage variance denied again
Third denial of a four-foot setback for a two-story garage on a narrow lot; neighbors called it self-imposed hardship out of character with the historic one-lane beach neighborhood.
Setback relief for residential additions
Five homeowner variance cases tested setback, fence-height and accessory-unit rules in St. Johns County neighborhoods — from a staircase five feet from a property line to a pool on a through lot and an oversized accessory apartment.
Shoppes at Mill Creek Forest retail conversion
A traffic-neutral swap of 120,000 square feet of office entitlement for 41,500 square feet of retail in the northwest sector was recommended for approval.
Atlantic View setback variance
A homeowner needs a small variance — 23 feet instead of 25 — to cover an existing third-floor deck with an aluminum patio cover at 5349 Atlantic View.
Elevation Pointe PUD signage variances (Chase Bank and Circle K)
Two businesses along State Road 16 want more wall signs than the Elevation Pointe Planned Unit Development allows. The cases test how flexible the county will be with sign rules in a master-planned commercial center.
Deck variance at 103 Sandcastle Lane
Homeowners on a 0.09-acre townhome lot in Ponte Vedra Shores West want to build a deck just 2 feet from the side property line, far below normal setback and lot-size rules. It's a common Coastal-lot squeeze between homeowner plans and neighborhood spacing standards.
A1A South residential setback variances
The third in a row of similar variances letting a homeowner put a pool 10 feet from an unopened right-of-way; approved 6-1.
Front yard setback variance at 507 Third Street
A builder asked for a variance to build a single-family home with a 15-foot front setback instead of the required 25 feet.
203 Canal Boulevard Variance Appeal
A homeowner appealed the Planning and Zoning Agency's unanimous denial of a variance to let an accessory structure's eave stand taller than the main house at 203 Canal Boulevard.
E. Ashland Avenue residential rezoning
A little over half an acre on E. Ashland Avenue was slated for rezoning to allow one single-family home — a small change with neighborhood-level effect.
Setback variance for Beachcomber Way home addition
A homeowner on a non-conforming lot wants to build an addition with a 7'6" second front yard setback instead of the required 15 feet. It's a property-rights question on a lot that predates current rules.