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Board approves Central Sportsplex variance, requires concrete wall and 9 p.m. light cutoff near residences
Summary
The Board approved NZVAR 2025-05 for the St. Johns County Central Sportsplex with conditions that changed a proposed six-foot fence to an eight-foot concrete or concrete block wall and require adjacent field lights be extinguished by 9:00 p.m.
St. Johns County commissioners on June 3 approved a non‑zoning variance for the St. Johns County Central Sportsplex, NZVAR 2025-05, with conditions requested by an adjacent property owner. The Board’s approval, recorded 5-0, allows the county park to use scenic edge standards consistent with certain commercial properties and permits reduced performance standards and overflow parking within the scenic edge for the site at County Road 16A and Timberwolf Trail.
Ryan Kane, Parks and Recreation Director, reviewed the park’s history and schedule, saying the park is planned to open in early 2027. Dan Kelbach, director of sports fields at OSPORTS, presented the master plan and landscaping details. An adjacent owner, Roger Zeigler, testified during public comment that noise and light intrusion were concerns and requested stronger fencing and an earlier lights-out time for the field nearest his property. Zeigler asked that the proposed six-foot vinyl fence be replaced with an eight-foot concrete or concrete block wall and that lights on the soccer field adjacent to his residence be turned off by 9:00 p.m.
Commissioners and staff discussed fencing options and relocating a maintenance shed. The Board approved the variance subject to seven findings of fact and six conditions in the staff report and accepted two amendments requested by Mr. Ziegler: 1) convert the proposed six-foot fence to an eight-foot concrete or concrete-block wall; and 2) require the lights on the soccer field adjacent to the residential property on the west property line to be extinguished no later than 9:00 p.m. daily while the property remains in residential use. The motion was recorded as: “Motion by Arnold, seconded by Whitehurst, carried 5/0, to approve NZVAR 2025-05...and the amendments requested by Mr. Ziegler.”
The variance approval moves the Sportsplex project forward under the revised conditions; the transcript indicates construction planning and landscaping details will proceed under those conditions but does not record funding sources or construction contracts at the June 3 hearing.
