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Residents urge county to sue, seek injunction over new state agricultural-enclave law
Summary
Multiple residents told the Board that Senate Bill 686 threatens local planning authority and asked the county attorney to file for an injunction; commissioners and staff discussed timing and legal options as applications arrived under the new law.
A steady stream of public commenters urged St. Johns County officials to legally challenge a recent state law that streamlines development approval for designated agricultural enclaves. Multiple residents said the statute (referred to during public comment as "SB 686") preempts local review and could immediately expose parcels the county had previously denied to expedited certification.
Speakers described rapidly filed applications and said the county's planning authority and infrastructure-planning processes faced a 90- to 180-day clock under the new law. Several speakers asked the board to direct the county attorney to seek injunctive relief to pause enforcement while the law's legality is litigated.
Commissioners acknowledged the urgency and discussed options including hiring outside counsel, preparing for expedited public hearings, and possibly filing suit. Staff noted statutory timelines for the county's review and said they would present options and legal analyses to the board. The board later scheduled a special meeting in August to hear enclave-certification applications and asked staff to coordinate legal and procedural next steps.
Next steps: staff will develop options for litigation or administrative responses and present them to the board for direction. The board set a special meeting to hear the enclave applications on Aug. 19.
