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St. Johns County commissioners deny developer’s US‑1 expansion, approve coffee shop signage and clear private K–8 school appeal
Summary
At a meeting the previous day the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners denied a request to expand a US‑1 commercial project from 19,000 to 49,000 sq ft after neighbors raised traffic and stormwater concerns, approved signage for Badass Coffee of Hawaii, and denied residents’ appeal opposing a new 78,000‑sq‑ft private K–8 school in Palm Valley; a 6,000‑sq‑ft medical examiner office design also advanced.
The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners at a meeting the previous day rejected a developer’s request to increase a previously approved U.S. 1 commercial project from about 19,000 square feet to roughly 49,000 square feet, citing neighbor concerns about traffic, stormwater and lack of site‑plan specificity. Wayne Larson, St. Johns County director of public affairs, said residents presented detailed comments and the board denied the major modification request, leaving the project at its earlier approved scale.
The board also heard an appeal concerning signage for Badass Coffee of Hawaii in the Anastasia area. After hearing from the applicant and local residents, commissioners voted to allow the proposed signage, clearing the coffee shop to proceed. Wayne Larson described the business as a popular chain and said the board decided to move forward with the request.
In a separate appeal, commissioners denied a petition from some local residents who sought to prevent a new private K–8 school in Palm Valley. The proposed school would be a roughly 78,000‑square‑foot facility serving about 850 students with approximately 75 full‑time and 15 part‑time staff. Larson said residents raised traffic and logistical concerns, but the board voted to permit the project to advance.
On the consent agenda, the board advanced design work for a new 6,000‑square‑foot medical examiner’s office that will serve St. Johns County and partner counties (Larson cited Putnam and Clay counties). The county described the expansion as necessary to increase capacity for regional medical‑examiner services.
The meeting records quoted by county staff did not include roll‑call tallies or named vote counts in the radio recap; the board’s decisions were reported as motions approved or denied. The transcript summary provided by county staff did not specify the exact vote tallies for the development, signage or school appeal items.
Next steps: the developer whose request was denied can return with revised plans, and the approved signage and school proposals will proceed to any remaining permitting and site‑plan steps required by county review.
