Commissioners Act on Brownfields and IDA Vacancy

In rapid succession earlier this month, St. Johns County commissioners took action on a pair of items to advance economic development and growth in the region.

The first item was designation of a 39.6-acre site off of Agricultural Center Drive as a brownfield from a request by developer SJC Acquisitions. The company plans on creating a flexible warehouse industrial space on the property.

A brownfields designation by the county opens up the property for redevelopment under the state’s brownfields program. The program is designed to provide tax credits and cleanup liability for companies seeking to redevelop land that is contaminated from previous uses or is suspected of being contaminated.

Trey Mills, an attorney with Driver, McAfee, Hawthorne and Diebenow representing the property owners, reiterated the likelihood contamination on the former Ancient City Shooting Range.

“The berms at the gun range are likely full with lead contamination,” he said. “Your resolution (to designate the site a brownfield) would enable us to go through the process and provide us with some liability protection.”

At the first public hearing on the request in October, Dean asked senior assistant county attorney West if the county would have any possible liability if the brownfields request were to be approved.

“We specifically wrote into the resolution the county accepts no liability,” West said at the October hearing. “The liability remains with the property owner.”

The second item was to fill an open seat on the St. Johns County Industrial Development Authority to replace departing member Viv Helwig. Commissioners unanimously selected Boris Lyubomirsky from the eight applications reviewed for the position.

“I would like to join this committee to facilitate business growth,” Lyubomirsky said. “I have extensive industrial experience that will allow me to build relationships.”

Commissioner Christian Whitehurst said Lyubomirsky would be “a perfect fit” on the IDA board.

Commissioner Roy Alaimo also expressed support for Lyubomirsky.

“Boris, you have a great background, and I think you’ll do a great job on this board,” he said.

The Industrial Development Authority works to finance and refinance projects to foster economic development in the county under the terms of the Florida Industrial Development Financing Act.

Lyubomirsky’s term expires in 2028.