By a vote of 4-0, the St. Johns County Commission on Oct. 19 approved a request to rezone 4.3 acres of land in Ponte Vedra Beach, allowing a mixed-use development that would include a 120-room hotel and commercial or office uses.
Commissioner Paul Waldron was absent.
Sleiman Enterprises requested the change from single family residential to planned unit development. Plans call for two buildings to be constructed onsite. The land sits west of State Road A1A about 200 feet south of the Duval County line.
Sleiman also requested nine waivers, later reduced to seven, where its plans did not meet the county’s restrictions.
Objections raised by the public involved an expected increase in traffic and noise from the site.
At its Sept. 13 meeting, the Ponte Vedra Zoning and Adjustment Board had recommended the commission deny the rezoning request.
Waivers requested by Sleiman included construction of more than 10,000 square feet of building per acre, construction of a building longer than 120 feet (the hotel is expected to be 270 feet long), a reduction of the rear setback, addition of fill to the property, installation of an 80-square-foot sign, construction of a three-story building and installation of a flat roof.
Michael Herzberg, vice president of development for Sleiman Enterprises, predicted that the project would generate $614,660 in impact fees and $514,699 in tax revenue for the county. It would generate $209,007 for the school district.
