Christian Whitehurst Vice-Chair, District 1 Board of County Commissioners P: 904.209.0301 C: 904.584.5348 bcc1cwhitehurst@sjcfl.us

Hello Thank you for registering for the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners District 1 newsletter. Inside you will find an update regarding projects and events in District 1, and timely information about St. Johns County programs, services, and initiatives.

Fireworks Over the Matanzas Schedule of Events for July 4 6 p.m. - The All-Star Orchestra will provide two hours of Big Band Music with a patriotic flair in the Plaza de la Constitución Gazebo, in the heart of downtown St. Augustine. 9:30 p.m. - Fireworks Over the Matanzas, a stunning fireworks display with a stirring soundtrack. See it all from the downtown Bayfront, the Bridge of Lions, Vilano Beach, and more!  Click here to read more about parking, shuttle services, and street closures during the event.

Hurricane Evacuation Zone Changes St. Johns County hurricane evacuation zones changed this year due to data improvements by the National Hurricane Center. The new zones are effective immediately. Those living in coastal, waterfront, and low-lying areas will see the most significant changes. The Atlantic Hurricane Season began June 1. Residents and business owners are encouraged to review the updated map to determine changes to their evacuation zones by visiting the County’s “My Evacuation Zone website” which provides evacuation zone information for St. Johns County addresses. Residents should take this opportunity to familiarize themselves with appropriate evacuation routes. Please note, there’s a difference between evacuation zones and evacuation routes, and the new zone changes do not affect your evacuation route. Your evacuation zone does not impact FEMA Flood Zones or FEMA Flood Insurance rates. St. Johns County also encourages residents and business owners to prepare for hurricane season by visiting Florida’s “Get a Plan” website and making a hurricane supply kit. More information is available at the St. Johns County Emergency Management website.

St. Johns County Parks & Recreation Celebrates 50 Years July 11, 2022, marks the 50th anniversary of St. Johns County Parks & Recreation! To celebrate this milestone, Parks & Rec will host several community-wide events throughout the summer. The events are free and open to the public. The family-friendly events will include opportunities to learn about the history of Parks & Rec, discover new parks and playgrounds, and check out new programs hosted by the department.  Click here to check out the complete list of events.

Nease High School’s Navy Junior ROTC takes top honor, named most outstanding in nation The following story is from an article published by ActionNewsJax.com. To read the full story, please click here. Nease High School’s Navy Junior ROTC has been named the most outstanding NJROTC unit in the nation. The program was selected from over 583 NJROTC programs worldwide. The selection is based on an evaluation of academic achievements, competitions, orientation activities, summer training programs, school service projects, community service activities, extracurricular activities, and annual inspection results. This isn’t the first time the unit has taken top honors. They were selected as the Most Outstanding NJROTC unit back in 2015, and they placed second in 2021. “They say it takes a village to feed a child, well in the JROTC world, it takes a community of cadets, parents, school administrators and instructors pulling in the same direction to ascend a program to this height,” said senior naval science instructor Captain Scott LaRochelle who is retiring after eight years leading the program. “Nease NJROTC epitomized a ‘one team, one fight’ unified effort.”

North Florida Transporation Planning Organization presents updated Transportation Improvement Program to Board of County Commissioners Each spring the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) updates the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) list of road, transit, airport, seaport, bicycle, and pedestrian projects for the next five years. The TIP schedules federal and state funding for environmental studies, design, right-of-way, utility work, and construction. On June 7, the North Florida TPO presented its proposed TIP to the Board of County Commissioners for the fiscal years 2022/2023 through 2026/2027. The presentation outlined 15 projects in St. Johns County. Anastasia State Park from Pope Road to Red Cox Drive - Bike Path/Trail First Coast Expressway (SR-23) from I-95 to the east of CR-16 - New Road I-95 (SR-9) - Additional Lanes I-95 (SR-9) from the south of International Golf Parkway to the south of SR-23 - Additional Lanes I-95 St. Johns Northbound - New Rest Area I-95 St. Johns Southbound - New Rest Area King Street (US-1/SR-5A) Over San Sebastian Bridge - Bridge Replacement SR-16 from the west of Toms Road to the east of CR-208 - Intersection Improvement SR-206 at Matanzas River Intracoastal Waterway Crescent Beach Bridge - Bridge Repair SR-206 from SR-207 to I-95 - Resurfacing SR-207 from I-95 to SR-312 - Resurfacing SR-A1A from San Marco to the north of Frank Butler County Park entrance - Bike Path/Trail US-1 (SR-5) from SR-206 to Moultrie Creek - Resurfacing Race Track Road at US-1 (SR-5) - Intersection Improvement SR-A1A from Marineland to Fort Matanzas Inlet - Bike Path/Trail No action was taken on this presentation on June 7. To view the current TIP and past TIPs, please visit the North Florida TPO website.

St. Johns County Holds Open House for Future Public Library near World Golf Village  On April 7, St. Johns County hosted an open house regarding the planned public library in World Golf Village. Staff from St. Johns County Public Works and the St. Johns County Public Library System attended to answer questions and share details about this future asset to our community. The new library is anticipated to open in winter 2023.

Update from the St. Johns Golf Club Work on the St. Johns Golf Club continues with the following updates: Grassing the course is underway. Tees, cart paths, fairways, drainage, bunkers, and greens shaping is complete. Irrigation is complete. Exterior clubhouse door framing is complete. Clubhouse lighting is complete. Clubhouse drywall is complete. Cart barn lighting is complete. Click here to receive more updates from the St. Johns Golf Club.

Borland Groover Building New Medical Facility in St. Johns County The new facility will provide current and future patients with easier access to digestive health specialists as well as the most advanced technology and procedures available. A 35,000-square-foot building will be constructed at the corner of Longleaf Pine Parkway and St. Johns Parkway. The proposed two-story building will have an ambulatory surgical center on the first floor and medical offices and clinic on the second floor. On June 7, the Board of County Commissioners voted 5-0 to provide Borland Groover with an Economic Development Grant, worth $669,555, to assist in the construction of the new facility. The facility is expected to be completed by April 2024.

Veterans Council of St. Johns County The Veterans Council of St. Johns County meets at 7 p.m. on the last Thursday of the month (excluding November and December) in the Veterans Services Office, located at 200 San Sebastian View. Each council meeting will feature keynote speakers who address various topics relevant to veterans and military causes. June 30: Officer Kelly Kemp, Chaplain, SJSO, “Community Involvement” Kathy Church, MIAP Update July 28: Andrew Stack, FL State Coord for DoD Program “Building Healthy Military Communities”  August 25: Carmalita Gaines, Jacksonville Veterans Center

St. Johns County Beach Safety  When you visit St. Johns County's beautiful beaches, remember that beach safety is everyone's concern. Marine Rescue personnel provide lifeguard coverage along several miles of coastline from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., weather permitting. The National Weather Service reports that rip currents are the deadliest weather-related event in Florida, claiming more than 25 lives each year. In a typical year, rip currents are deadlier than hurricanes, lightning, and tornadoes combined. You can easily spot a rip current by its foamy, choppy surface. Water in a rip current can be dirty brown from the sand being turned up and carried rapidly out to sea. Marine Rescue lifeguards watch over various stretches of the shoreline for your protection. You can help make your stay safe and enjoyable by checking with them on local conditions and by swimming with a buddy in front of a staffed lifeguard tower.

Volunteer Opportunities with SJC Boards and Committees The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners provides residents interested in serving their community and participating in local government with a variety of board and committee opportunities. The volunteer positions consider and make recommendations regarding planning and zoning issues, development projects, libraries, parks, recreation facilities and programs, and arts, culture, and tourism matters. Please visit the Boards and Committees Webpage to view the current openings and the requirements and duties of each board and committee, download an application, or contact the Board of County Commissioners office at 904-209-0300 or jspencer@sjcfl.us for more information.

Sign Up for Alert St. Johns Emergency Notification System St. Johns County encourages all residents to sign up for Alert St. Johns, an emergency notification system that provides critical information during emergency situations. Sign up here.

Upcoming Holiday Office Closures Monday, July 4, 2022 - Independence Day Monday, Sept. 5, 2022 - Labor Day

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‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ This newsletter was written and produced by the St. Johns County Office of Public Affairs.

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