Special protections could be in store for the St. Johns River watershed in Orange County, an ecologically sensitive area spanning some 120,000 acres along the county’s eastern edge. Working ranchlands account for just under a third of that land, but otherwise, the watershed remains largely undeveloped.
Only 4% of the St. Johns watershed in Orange County is developed, setting it starkly apart from the 69% of developed land in sister watershed Shingle Creek, farther west. The county is in the process of proposing Special Protections Areas for both watersheds, with new development policies that would be specifically tailored for each.
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There are several existing Special Protections Areas in Orange County. For example, the county’s existing Econlockhatchee River SPA requires that landscaping be done using native plants, and limits the clearing of vegetation to protect wildlife habitat.
The goal of a St. Johns River SPA would be to protect the watershed’s natural resources while ensuring sustainable development patterns in the area, according to Environmental Policy Coordinator Alan Marshall.
“We need development. We just need to make sure that we have the most thoughtful development that we can,” Marshall said. “Our natural resources add the value to Central Florida … and so you have to have that balance.”
The St. Johns watershed is the most wetland-rich part of Florida north of the Everglades, according to a technical study of the area's natural resources commissioned by the county. The watershed used historically by the Mayaca Tribe is home to more than 140 plant and wildlife species of concern.
Robert Whatley, president of the Christmas Civic Association where the county held a public workshop Tuesday evening, is an eighth-generation Floridian who said his family first arrived in 1867. In Whatley’s view, the area in East Orange Country is precious and should remain as natural as possible. But he said Tuesday he has doubts about whether the county is truly dedicated to protecting it.
“What I see is they're not wanting to stop development,” Whatley said. “They're just wanting to charge people more to develop what they want to do. It's a money-maker.”
A small group of about 10 people other than county staff were at Tuesday night’s workshop. Following a brief presentation, attendees were invited to weigh in on various policy ideas for the watershed, such as requiring that development proposals include designated wildlife corridors, or simply offering incentives to developers who choose to include them.
More people filled the room at a parallel public workshop held for the Shingle Creek watershed last month, county staff said. Most of that watershed has been developed already, according to its technical study, but natural lands still make up about 22% of total area.
One potential barrier that could halt the county’s SPA proposal process in its tracks is Senate Bill 180, which Governor Ron DeSantis has received from the legislature but not yet signed. Advocates with the nonprofit 1000 Friends of Florida are pushing for the governor to veto the bill.
The legislation, aimed at helping communities rebuild quickly following natural disasters, would block local governments from making “more restrictive or burdensome” changes to their comprehensive plans or land development codes.
“It essentially stops all growth management standards in the state of Florida,” Marshall said. “It will throw a lot of uncertainty into the planning for growth and development, especially for an area [like] Orange County … that is growing so rapidly.”
As the county grows and development impacts change, Marshall said, “we need to be able to modernize these codes appropriately. And if every year, we have to wonder whether we can approve it this year, you know, that's just bad planning.”
In the St. Johns watershed, more so than in the Shingle Creek watershed and other already-urbanized parts of the county, there is still opportunity to address rising development pressures proactively, Marshall said.
“One [watershed] is more about redevelopment, and one is about future development,” Marshall said.
Now, following the county’s public workshops held for each watershed, staff will consider community feedback with the goal of returning more formal proposals to the board of county commissioners later this year. In the meantime, residents can weigh in on both proposed Special Protections Areas, and subscribe to receive future updates on the process from the county.
