Commissioners approve PUD rezoning for Henry Orthodontics near SR 16

The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners voted to enact an ordinance approving the rezoning to Planned Unit Development (PUD 2025-05) for the Henry Orthodontics project near State Road 16.

Mark Shelton, speaking for the applicant, said the site is currently zoned open rural and that the request would allow neighborhood commercial medical-office uses limited by the PUD's conditions. Shelton said the applicant agreed to reduce Monument sign height from 30 feet to 15 feet after a Planning and Zoning Agency recommendation. He described wetlands on the rear of the site to remain undisturbed and said the conceptual plan included enhanced landscaping.

Public commenters who live nearby raised concerns about the loss of rural character and the proposed 30,000-square-foot facility size, questioning whether the roadway can safely accommodate anticipated traffic. Growth-management staff later described the project's impact analysis and noted mitigation and fee obligations consistent with the land-development code.

The motion to enact the ordinance cited nine findings of fact in the staff report and passed on a recorded vote.

Next steps: The PUD approval carries conditions outlined in the ordinance and the applicant must comply with development-review steps, wetland protection measures and any mitigation or roadway-improvement contributions as required by the county.