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Resident warns county the Oakleaf library project could bring traffic and safety problems
Summary
A long-time Oakleaf resident told the Clay County commission she opposes the planned Oakleaf Center library, citing what she said are $8 million in local costs and $7.5 million in state money, concerns about drugs, prostitution and children’s safety, and a lack of available design plans for neighbors.
During the Jan. 27, 2026 meeting of the Clay County Board of County Commissioners, resident Nanette Otheer addressed the board during the public-comment period to oppose the planned library at Oakleaf Center.
Otheer, who identified herself as a retired U.S. Navy service member living in Orange Park, said she and neighbors are worried about the development and its effects. She told the board she understands taxpayers will fund roughly $8,000,000 with an additional $7,500,000 in state money. She said libraries do not generate revenue, that nearby properties experienced problems in the past and that the project site sits near four schools and a two-lane road with heavy traffic. "We have 300 children that cross that street every day of school," she said, adding that nearby streets are deteriorating and that her foundation is cracking.
Otheer also raised public-safety concerns, saying the neighborhood once struggled with drug activity and prostitution and that an office building in California had become a source of fentanyl production. She told commissioners she has not seen design plans for the Oakleaf library and urged the board to "wake up" to potential harms and protect children.
Commissioners did not debate Otheer during public comment; the chair thanked her and moved to the next speaker. County staff later noted a community workshop on the project; commissioners also referenced an upcoming Oakleaf community library workshop (design/furniture layouts) scheduled for Jan. 29 and encouraged resident participation.
The transcript does not include staff responses that change the project’s scope or funding; details Otheer cited about dollar amounts and criminal incidents are her reported assertions on the record. County staff previously signaled ongoing design work and community engagement; the board did not take a formal vote on the project during this meeting.
