Citizen’s Guide to PZA Hearings
Answers to Your Questions on Participating in the Planning and Zoning Agency (PZA) Public Hearings
All planning agency and board meeting schedules can be found in the calendar.
The calendar serves as Public Noticing of Overlay Hearings.
Planning and Zoning Agency (PZA)
The Planning and Zoning Agency serves as St. Johns County’s Local Planning Agency in accordance with Article VIII Section 8.01.00 of the land development code. The primary responsibility of the Planning and Zoning Agency is to serve in an advisory capacity and recommending body to the Board of County Commissioners on matters relating to land use planning, zoning of land, Comprehensive Plan Amendments, amendment of Land Development Regulations, and Major Modifications to PUDs.
How Do I Locate a Public Hearing Agenda?
County Calendar: The County Calendar allows you to filter meetings according to date and Board / Agency scheduled for hearing. Once a hearing agenda is published, a link to it can be found within the public hearing date. As a general rule the public hearing agenda should be posted within a week of the hearing.
Attending a Public Hearing? Agendas are printed for the public and placed at the entrance to the PZA Hearing.
Contact Growth Management (904) 209-0675 Menu Option 2
How Do I Attend a Public Hearing?
IN PERSON ATTENDANCE
The PZA meets every first and third Thursday of the month with the exception of January each year. In person attendance provides for the opportunity for the public to comment on general topics or agenda items. The Growth Management Calendar will provide the specific dates for each hearing.
The meetings start promptly at 1:30 pm and take place in the St Johns County Auditorium located at 500 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine, FL 32084
CANNOT ATTEND IN PERSON?
Watch it live on St Johns County GOV TV.
How Do I Learn About an Application?
St Johns County Development Tracker: Track development in and around St. Johns County neighborhoods, including rezoning applications and special use permits. The Development Tracker is a map of the County with permitting activity mapped by color-coded dots. Click the dots to view project descriptions and status.
Application Submittal Management Portal: Application Submittal Management Portal provides generalized information regarding applications for development within St Johns County and is useful if you know the application number and name you are interested in (ex. ZVAR 2025-00 Smith Residence).
Contact Growth Management (904) 209-0675 Menu Option 2
How Do I Provide Feedback Regarding An Application?
Please Note: Any correspondence will be included in the public record, staff packet and provided to the applicant.
- Electronic Communication via Email to the Growth Management Department at plandept@sjcfl.us
- Written Communication mailed to St Johns County Growth Management, 4040 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine FL 32084
- In Person during the public hearing: General Public Comment (items not on the agenda) is allowed at the start of the hearing and speakers are allotted three (3) minutes.
- For specific Agenda Items, Public Comment occurs during the scheduled item and speakers are allotted three (3) minutes.
- Planning and Zoning Agency members can be contacted via County Emails found under Agency Members Contact Emails
How are Development Applications Publicly Noticed?
Land Use Applications are publicly noticed in accordance with Florida Statutes and the St Johns County Land Development Code utilizing four methods described below.
IMPORTANT: Per LDC Section 9.06.04(A), Failure to receive notice by one of the methods provided shall not constitute a jurisdictional defect or be grounds to invalidate a public hearing if a good faith attempt was made.
Published Legal Notice: No less than 15 days prior to the Public Hearing, a legal notice will be printed in the St. Augustine Record Newspaper.
Adjacent Property Owner Notice: No less than 15 business days prior to the scheduled public hearing, Adjacent Property Owner Notices will be postmarked and mailed through the USPS to real property owners with 300 feet of the application subject property.
Orange Public Hearing Signs: No less than 15 days prior to the scheduled public hearing, at least one orange sign will be placed on the subject property.
Neighborhood Bill of Rights: No less than 15 days prior to the scheduled public hearing, an electronic notification of the item scheduled is published on the Neighborhood Bill of Rights website.
Designated Representative
A designated representative is also known as a designated speaker. This specified individual is allotted an increased amount of time to provide public comment based on the number of individuals the designated representative represents. Designated representatives have a specific process to follow in order to increase their allotted time.
Can Someone Speak On My Behalf?
Each member of the public shall be limited to comments during the public comment period to three (3) minutes. There shall be no sharing or assigning of time to other members of the public not meeting the requirements of a Designated Respresentative.
What is a Designated Representative?
Groups of members of the public who wish to communicate the same message (e.g., support or opposition to a proposition) to the Agency may designate a representative to speak for the group present at the public meeting of the Agency by filling out a form and submitting it to the designated staff member present at the hearing.
Individuals who provide signatures for a Designated Representative cede their three (3) minutes of public comment regarding the proposition.
What is the Designated Representative Process?
- Designated Representatives must submit a form which indicates the general message of the group and the name and address of each person in the group and may include a signature from each person in the group in support of the group’s message.
- There is a form available for collecting names and addresses. Designated representatives may also provide a visual presentation to accompany their speaking time if desired.
- Each hearing will have deadlines for visual presentations specific to hearing dates.
- Certain application types will have multiple hearing dates; in this case each hearing requires its own form.
- For questions regarding the Designated Representative process or to submit forms or visual presentations contact Jen Gutt via email jgutt@sjcfl.us
Designated Representative Time Allocations PZA Hearings
Please note speaking times vary between PZA and the Board of County Commissioner Public Hearings and are subject to the respective Chair’s discretion.
- Representatives with less than four (4) signatures shall limit their presentation to five (5) minutes.
- Representatives with five (5) to nineteen (19) signatures shall limit their presentation to ten (10) minutes.
- Representatives with more than twenty (20) signatures shall limit their presentation to fifteen (15) minutes.
Designated Representative Time Allocations BOCC Hearings
Please note speaking times vary between PZA and the Board of County Commissioner Public Hearings and are subject to the respective Chair’s discretion.
- Designated representatives of groups of twenty (20) or fewer persons present shall limit their comments to the Board to five (5) minutes
- Designated representatives of groups of more than twenty (20) persons present shall limit their comments to the Board to ten (10) minutes.