The northern part of St. Johns County, just south of Jacksonville, has experienced an insane level of growth over the past few decades.
The county’s northern region was for many years utilized mostly for timber or farming, but as demands changed, land has been sold off to develop sprawling, luxurious master-planned communities.
These communities – such as Nocatee, Julington Creek Plantation, and Bartram Park – have grown so large that many of them have their own schools, gyms, grocery stores, and other amenities. Residents of these self-contained communities rarely have to venture outside their immediate vicinity – to the point that they feel like small towns.
But they’re not towns. They don’t have individual governments, instead being overseen by St. Johns County’s board of commissioners. Despite these communities’ individual identities, they’re all still considered part of “unincorporated St. Johns County.”
And while these communities all start out with their own niches and amenities, springing up on seemingly remote stretches of land, the area’s out-of-control development pace means that they will start butting up against each other sooner rather than later.
The county will soon become unable to provide adequate resources – fire rescue, police officers, and other vital community needs – to all of the residents of these communities. It’s the same problem Duval County faced prior to the Duval-Jacksonville consolidation efforts.
