ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – Plans are in the works to build up to four new fire stations, among some other new facilities, in St. Johns County.
On Tuesday, the Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved moving forward with the five-year public safety plan and exploring financing options.
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The plan is to use money the county already has to build these facilities along with state and possibly federal dollars.
The plan is also to build a new Regional Fire Training Facility and a new $11.7 million tri-county Medical Examiner’s Office to serve Putnam, Flager and St. Johns counties, as well as the construction of a new St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office headquarters.
Fire Chief Sean McGee said there is also a need for renovations and upgrades to current facilities, which will be addressed in a three-year, $9 million program that will be finished by 2027.
Officials said the new facilities will help lower insurance rates for people in the area.
Fire Station 21 ($4 million), which will have a sheriff’s office substation, will be located in the Flager Estates region and will be finished around the end of 2025. Fire Station 22 ($18.2 million), which will also have a substation, will be in the Silverleaf development, will get $7.5 million from the state and will be done by 2027.
Fire Station 23 ($9.9 million), which will house 30 firefighters, will be in the Beachwalk/Twin Creeks region and be done by 2028.
Fire Station 24 ($10.8 million) will be in the Long-Leaf Pine/Roberts Road region and will be done by 2030.
The Regional Fire Training Facility could cost at least $15 million and could be located in the area of State Road 16 and South Francis Road near World Golf Village, but there is also a proposal to build the facility at the FCTC Driving track, a plan that would save millions. It’s unclear when it will be completed.
The $18 million plan for the sheriff’s office would move the current headquarters from U.S. 1 to an area near State Road 16 and Interstate 95, where the current training center is. It would be completed by 2027 to bring everyone under one roof and move away from flood zones.
The plan calls for the county to borrow at least $44.1 million.