BY DAN HILDEBRAN
The assistant county manager who oversees Clay County’s economic development efforts spoke to the Clay Chamber’s Lake Region Prosperity Partners on Wednesday, September 25, at the Keystone Beach pavilion.
Chereese Stewart briefed the group on county growth trends, the board of County Commissioners’ strategic plan, property taxes, current infrastructure projects, and the county’s efforts to spare large tracts of land from development.
‘You are out of luck’
The county official also warned people considering a move to Clay County to check who owns the roads that will lead to their houses. She said a significant number of dirt roads in the county are privately owned.
“If it’s a public road, that means the county will come approximately every three weeks and grade it, improve it, and make it better when there are potholes, etc.,” she said. “If it’s a private road…you are out of luck.”
Stewart said homeowners who live on bad, private roads can ask the county to create a special taxing district that will pay for the county to maintain the road, but added that most property owners are not willing to pay the additional assessment on their property tax bills that come with the special taxing district.
226,000 new people
Stewart, who represented Keystone Heights on the county commission from 2006 to 2014, told the group that when she was born, only 30,000 people inhabited her home county. The county’s population is expected to exceed 256,000 by 2045, an addition of 226,000 residents over her lifetime.
The official stressed that population growth has not been, nor will it be, evenly distributed. One of her slides revealed that from 2015 through 2045, the Lake Region is expected to experience a growth rate of 5.7%, while the 2045 population in the Lake Asbury-Penny Farms area is projected to be more than four times its 2015 head count.
Another growth hotspot will be the Green Cove Springs area, which is expected to have doubled in size by 2045 compared to the previous 30 years.
Stewart said three massive developments will account for the population explosion around the county seat. Saratoga Springs, Governor’s Park, and Agricola are expected to bring over 16,000 new homes to Green Cove Springs.
She added that some of the county’s current and previous hotspots are still growing, with Fleming Island essentially built out, Oakleaf Plantation having room for 10,000 more homes, and the Lake Asbury-Penny Farms area projected to see over 28,000 more homes in the next 20 years.
Stewart noted that the county is holding steady at about 2,000 new single-family homes being built per year. She explained that impact and mobility fees paid by builders on every new home help fund services like libraries, parks, and roads.
Investing in Infrastructure
Stewart said that to accommodate the growth, Clay County is undertaking numerous road and infrastructure projects, backed by a $180 million bond issue secured in 2020.
Recently completed projects include the new Cathedral Oak Parkway, described by Stewart as a “game changer” and a crucial east-west connector, as well as resurfacing work on State Road 21 between Keystone Heights and Middleburg, and County Road 215 between Camp Blanding and Middleburg.
The First Coast Expressway is also having a significant impact, with Stewart sharing that she was able to travel from downtown Green Cove Springs to Oakleaf in just 25 minutes.
Ongoing work includes projects on U.S. 17 from Green Cove Springs to Orange Park and County Road 218, which stretches from U.S. 301 through Middleburg to Penny Farms. The county has also budgeted $11 million for road resurfacing and paving dirt roads this fiscal year.
In addition to roads, the county is upgrading its public facilities. A new, state-of-the-art Animal Control facility is currently under construction, and several new fire stations are being built to be larger and more hurricane-resilient.
Balancing Growth with Conservation
The county official said a key component of the county’s strategy is a new conservation land program, which voters approved in the last election.
Starting in November, the county will accept applications from landowners who wish to sell their property for conservation or sell their development rights.
The option to sell development rights allows ranchers, farmers, and other property owners to retain ownership and continue using their land while ensuring it can never be developed.
“It’s a great way to save the property,” Stewart said, encouraging residents to nominate land for the program.
New Jobs on the Horizon
Stewart also shared news of a major economic development. A new business park is planned for the Green Cove Springs area that is expected to employ at least 500 people. The first building alone will be 457,000 square feet, signaling a significant commercial investment in the county. The project aims to provide more local job opportunities, as roughly 70% of the county’s population currently commutes elsewhere for work.
