Letter: Group formed to protect rural community

Mary S Farr, Board Member
Fatio Grant Community Alliance

Our Switzerland neighborhood has formed the Fatio Grant Community Alliance to oppose the rezoning of 65-acres of open rural land to accommodate new construction of 116 single-family homes.

The proposed “River Crest Planned Unit Development” will straddle idyllic Mill Creek in northwest St Johns County, if approved. Mill Creek, a tributary of the St Johns River, drains a 4.9 square mile area. Mill Creek forms Lake Beluthahatchee; a county park and home to the Stetson Kennedy National Literary Landmark.

Eagles with nearby nests hunt in the area. The lake serves as an active wildlife corridor to deer, turkey, fox, and other wildlife and is a roosting place for great egrets, anhinga, cormorants and Osprey.

The Fatio Grant Community consists of homesteads ranging from 1 acre to 44 acres. There are many 2, 5 and 10 acre home sites. Many have horses and other livestock. Our residents share a fierce sense of independence and a reasonable expectation to maintain their multi-generational, rural life-style.

We have aligned with homeowner’s associations of several existing communities along Roberts Road to seek modification of the River Crest Planned Unit Development. We have grown to approximately 200 members; and together, we have retained Jane West as legal counsel to help us through this process.

Our concerns center on protecting our 50-year-old stable and eclectically diverse neighborhood from the intense development this PUD proposes. On Thursday, June 4th, the St Johns Planning and Zoning Agency will hold the hearing to recommend approval or denial of the PUD to the St. Johns County Board of Commissioners. Please show your support and help us hold on to our irreplaceable community.

For more information contact the Board at FGCA2015@gmail.com