Officials must consider residents’ health, safety and welfare when voting on SilverLeaf

The first duty of all government is to afford protection to its citizens. This protection covers civil, criminal, self-defense and prevention of injury.

If the proposed “C” density major expansion of the SilverLeaf development is approved by our county as presently proposed, I’m concerned our state and local governments are failing their duty to protect St. Johns County. The expansion, if approved, will further pack already congested two-lane roads with large numbers of vehicles in a rural area and endanger the health, safety and welfare of county residents.

Previous coverage: SilverLeaf's request for 5,600 additional homes in St. Johns County development advances to state

The developer wants to add 2,394 acres to its existing development. In the added acreage, they want to add 5,600 new housing units (a 58% increase) to the already approved 10,700 units for a whopping total of 16,300 new residential units. When is enough enough?

The great majority of the expansion area is in rural Orangedale zoned for rural silvaculture (R/S) land uses but Silverleaf wants a density of up to six units per acre (read: multifamily homes) in the area bounded by CR16A, SR13 (Wm. Bartram Scenic Highway), and SR16. These narrow two-lane roads are incapable of being widened at any time in the foreseeable future and already classified by the county as either critical or deficient. The school district has also approved a high school site on CR16A, creating a bigger potential traffic hazard for area travelers.

Along each side of the Wm. Bartram Scenic Highway, the plan calls for a minimum 101 lots, not to exceed 190 lots. This creates an average of more than 400 vehicle trips at peak times in this highly congested area, directly contradicting our county’s Master Plan for the scenic highway.

The requested new homes include single-family, age-restricted and multifamily units for families with an average 2.3 automobiles per unit, or up to 12,000 more vehicles. Can these narrow roads with a high school handle this added volume safely on already congested county roads and interstates? Obviously NOT.

Further, the developer wants a “connector road” from the SR13 Scenic Highway stretching all the way to and across CR16A, through the center of Silverleaf and connecting to virtually all major roadways, including the new toll road and I-95. The “plan” also suggests traffic signals on CR16A and SR13 where none exist now. This connector, if built, will be the death knell for this portion of the Bartram Scenic Highway as we know it.

Finally, one must consider emergency evacuation in the event of storms or other natural emergencies. Evacuation is extremely difficult now. What happens in the future? Standstill!

The Wm. Bartram Scenic and Historic Highway Group together with many other residents oppose this huge expansion simply because of its immense density in an area where existing roads are not adequate to handle the increased traffic putting the public safety at risk.

Our county government needs to look at the long-term effects of narrow roads, major increases in traffic, and the probable effects of school buses and teen drivers on the health, safety and welfare of every person living in St. Johns County before approving the scope and density of this type of project.

The developer claims there’s a demand for new homes in our county; however, everyone knows homes are being built virtually everywhere in this county and the inventory of approved but unbuilt homes is quite large. In my opinion, the bigger need is to understand the safety consequences of congested roads and highways in this rural area of St. Johns County.

The issue at present is the attempt by the developer and St. Johns County to expedite this project through PZA and BCC hearings in the weeks before the Christmas and New Year holidays. PZA is scheduled for Dec. 2 and BCC scheduled for Dec. 21 of Christmas week.

The Bartram Scenic Highway Group has already asked the Board of County Commissioners to extend hearings dates into January 2022 so the citizens can properly and adequately be heard. Commissioners, please extend the hearing dates so we can better review the effects on the health, safety and welfare of the public. Thank you.

Albert J. Abbatiello is the chairman of the Wm. Bartram Scenic Highway Corridor Management Group.

This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: St. Johns County must focus on health, welfare before SilverLeaf vote