Planning agency recommends denial of Daley’s Place land‑use change after residents, engineers raise traffic and environmental concerns

The St. Johns County Planning and Zoning Agency on July 8 recommended denial of a proposed small‑scale comprehensive plan amendment that would have allowed a Dailies 24/7 gas station, convenience store and car wash at 600 State Road 13 North.

The recommendation followed more than four hours of public testimony, expert presentations and board questions about traffic, safety, and environmental compatibility. The agency’s motion to deny was made by Ms. Spiegel and approved by a unanimous voice vote; the chair announced the agency would forward its recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners.

Neighbors and community leaders told the agency the proposal was incompatible with the residential community directly behind the site, Fruit Cove Estates. Michael Dunlop, president of the Fruit Cove Estates Homeowners Association, said the application “is a 24/7 high‑intensity regional gas station” and asked the board not to accept a late request to continue the item. Multiple residents described time and expense spent preparing to attend and argued the late traffic and environmental reports disadvantaged the public.

Traffic engineers presented sharply divergent views. Jeff Buchholz, who said he is not advocating either way but was retained to analyze the intersection, told the board his study shows the Oto’s Place/State Road 13 approach would operate at a failing level of service without a signal and estimated only about a 10% chance FDOT would approve the signal the applicant proposes. “Without a traffic signal, the intersection is gonna be very bad,” Buchholz said. He added he found technical deficiencies and a lack of signed, sealed documentation in what residents received from the applicant.

The applicant’s traffic engineer and counsel argued the project produces fewer net new peak‑hour trips than a previously approved 52,100‑square‑foot retail/office project entitled for the site, and that a warranted FDOT signal would restore the intersection to acceptable operations. Jason Gabriel, counsel for the applicant and owner, said the amendment would bind the site to a 20,000‑square‑foot cap and restrict the north parcel to passive uses, describing the change as “recognizing the commercial character of the county’s own zoning map” while proposing limits to reduce impacts.

Environmental and public‑health concerns were raised as well. Residents and a technical witness said the neighborhood relies on private wells over a shallow aquifer, citing Florida DEP records that show petroleum remediation can be prolonged and arguing proximity to fuel operations merits caution. Questions also focused on stormwater management, chemical runoff from a car wash, and whether canopies and nightly operations would generate light, noise and safety nuisances.

Board members said they were troubled by the combination of the community opposition, unanswered infrastructure questions and the late timing of key reports. Chair concluded that the amendment failed to demonstrate the level of compatibility and public‑interest justification the comp plan requires, and the agency voted to recommend denial.

Next steps: the planning agency’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners for its consideration as part of the formal amendment process.