Local Advocacy Agenda

2025 Legislative Priorities

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, the Tourism Development Council, the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and the Beaches 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 Tourism Development Council, the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and the Beaches 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 that will enhance St. Johns County’s economic competitiveness.
Actively engage with the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, Northeast Florida Regional Council 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.

Through the 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 educational institutions to 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 District, St. Johns River State College, First Coast Technical College, Flagler College and other regional education institutions to provide focused educational instruction to support St. Johns County’s targeted sectors.

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.
Weigh in on upcoming major issues including the city’s comprehensive mobility plan, multi-modal transportation hub at US 1 and King Street and the potential for a passenger light rail line between St. Augustine and Jacksonville, quality of nightlife/noise regulations, and ongoing efforts to combat sea level rise in the Historic District.