County to consider plan that would keep hundreds of manufacturing jobs in St. Johns (Courtesy of the Jacksonville Business Journal) — After seeing a previous deal for a new location run up against too much opposition, the developer of a distribution center tailored for food distributor KeHE seems to have come up with a new location to suit the company — and St. Johns County.
Stotan Industrial, a developer based in Chicago, has a deal in place to keep KeHE and its hundreds of jobs in St. Johns County near its current site.
What it needs is approval from the county government to modify the current development agreement — a Planned Unit Development zoning — on a parcel right by Interstate 95.
The property of approximately 46 acres is in Deerpark Commerce Center near the current KeHE distribution center. Almost 37 acres of the land would be developed into a light industrial facility of 545,000 square feet.
Although the property is vacant and unimproved, the PUD zoning agreement has been amended several times over the years.
The current PUD language says the site can accommodate 501,000 square feet of industrial space in two buildings.
But Stotan says KeHE needs the extra 44,000 square feet of space in just one building. It also needs a 4-foot increase in building height to 53 feet.
At a recent Planning and Zoning Agency meeting, the members of the board voted unanimously to recommend approval of the modification of the PUD text in order to accommodate KeHE. The County Commission will make the deciding vote on the item, which is scheduled for the June 20 meeting.
It was a turnaround from a previous proposal that did not get much support from the PZA and was eventually rejected by the Commission.
That deal called for the rezoning of 92 acres of farmland almost 4 miles from I-95 on State Road 207. While it was also fairly close to KeHE’s current location, several prominent members of the farming community spoke out against the proposal.
But the new location is nestled in among other industrial/warehouse properties and deemed more compatible.
At the time of the last meeting, it was stated that KeHE had about 300 employees with plans to add more as it expanded. There was talk that it would have to move operations to Jacksonville if a new location could not be found near the current site, which it is vacating at the end of 2024.
“We showed them different options … but they really wanted to stay,” said Jim McGill, president and principal at Stotan. “Keeping their employees was very important to them.
“I was very disappointed when we didn’t get the zoning done at the original site. I hope we now have an option so we can keep them in the community.”
PZA member Richard Hilsenbeck, who was not a fan of the previous proposal for KeHE, said he was glad the developer came up with a suitable alternative.
“You’re keeping KeHE jobs in the county,” he said. “They are a good employer, so I am happy to see them stay here.
“I think it’s a good economic boast for the county, and I’m glad they’re not moving out.”
Photo courtesy of Supermarket News