Local Advocacy Agenda

Maximize the Chamber’s relationships with St. Johns County, the City of St. Augustine, and the City of St. Augustine Beach through regular contact with elected Commissioners and professional staff.
Enhance the strong partnerships with St. Johns County, Northeast Florida Regional Airport Authority, St. Johns County Industrial Development Authority, Tourism Development Council, Visitors and Convention Bureau and other partners to further cooperative economic development efforts in the County.

Support continued interaction with the regional economic development and marketing partnerships including JAXUSA, the Northeast Florida Regional Council and the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization.
Maximize the working partnerships with FloridaCommerce and its economic development agencies including Visit Florida to bring additional economic activity to St. Johns County.

Support the prioritization of state legislative funding for local economic development initiatives.
Work with the County’s Tourist Development Council, Visitors and Convention Bureau, and the Board of County Commissioners to promote and manage the burgeoning tourism sector.
Support funding for the enhancement of tourism natural assets in the Ponte Vedra region such as PonteVedraNaturally.com.

Support the prioritization of local transportation funding requests for completion of Strategic Infrastructure Corridors which will enhance St. Johns County’s economic competitiveness. Actively engage with the NFTPO, NEFRC, and the County’s state legislative delegation to support local efforts to solicit state and/or federal transportation funding.
Support long-term federal, state, and local funding sources for beach restoration and replenishment and actively support efforts to obtain state and federal matching funds.
Support the ongoing North Florida TPO transportation studies.

Through the 2023/2024 St. Johns County Comprehensive Plan Review process, support the continued examination of St. Johns County’s Land Use regulations and building codes to promote the creation of additional attainable and affordable housing units for our growing workforce.
Support St. Johns County’s public and private educational institutions which enhance the County’s attractiveness to new businesses and foster an educated, ready-to-work employment base. Special emphasis should be placed on career, technical, and adult education.
Collaborate with the St. Johns County School Board, St. Johns River State College, and the First Coast Technical College to provide focused educational instruction to support St. Johns County’s important manufacturing sector.

Maintain and strengthen the relationship between the city government/City Commission and the Chamber’s Historic St. Augustine Area Council to ensure that the unique needs and concerns of the local business community are understood and addressed in a timely manner.
Upcoming major issues including the City’s comprehensive mobility plan, multimodal transportation hub at US1 and King Street and the potential for a passenger commuter light rail line between St. Augustine and Jacksonville; the City’s proposed affordable housing development in St. Johns County, quality of nightlife regulations, and ongoing efforts to combat sea level rise in the Historic District.
Continue our work with St. Johns County and City of St. Augustine officials to develop comprehensive, county-wide aggressive panhandling ordinances. Participate in the county-wide Continuum of Care Program to seek long-term solutions to end homelessness.
Engage with regional non-profits, private investors, and city government to explore plans for a new cultural performing arts center in St. Augustine.