What's happening on Shore Drive isn't about a walking trail. It's about who controls 7 miles of Intracoastal waterfront, and who profits when that control is complete.
Over six years, St. Johns County has executed a systematic pattern: remove resident stewardship, create new problems, then use those problems to justify the next intervention. Each step transfers control from homeowners to county officials, and positions the waterfront for eventual commercial development worth $150–500+ million.
Each county action, taken alone, looks routine. A park designation. Road improvements. Drainage work. Boat ramp upgrades. But sequence them together and a clear strategy emerges: establish control first, develop later.
This is how valuable waterfront gets repositioned for commercial use without anyone voting on it directly. You don't announce a waterfront redevelopment plan, you build the preconditions for one, piece by piece, until the transformation feels inevitable.
For decades, Shore Drive residents voluntarily maintained the waterfront at zero cost to taxpayers. The county declared the waterfront a "park," asserted exclusive management authority, and threatened residents with fines for unauthorized maintenance.
Why this matters: This removed the community's strongest argument against intervention, that they had successfully managed the land themselves for generations.
Source: Action News Jax, March 2024
Shore Drive was repaved and a double yellow center line painted, a significant psychological signal. On a road with no center line, drivers naturally slow down and treat it as shared residential space. Painted lines signal "real road" and drivers speed up.
The striping stopped halfway after community pushback. But the damage was done: the county now had a documented "safety problem" to cite in trail justifications.
A neighborhood-wide drainage system was installed for "hurricane preparedness", in a neighborhood with no documented history of drainage problems. Standing water now appears throughout the area, creating new environmental management justifications for further county intervention.
The Douglas C. Crane Boat Ramp, one of the trail's two endpoints, was closed for six months for a $926,000 overhaul: widened/paved entrance, designated parking, ADA accessibility, new docking facilities. The Moultrie Creek Boat Ramp at the other end already has dock, trail network, and parking.
The trail's infrastructure at both endpoints was built before the trail was approved.
While telling residents they could no longer maintain the waterfront, the county's contractor (VerdeGo) has been systematically clearing brush and trees with a backhoe mower, pushing the vegetation line back each pass, physically preparing the trail corridor before any official approval.
The trail is positioned as the "solution" to safety and environmental problems created by Steps 1–5. Once paved, the corridor is permanently transformed from residential waterfront to county-managed public infrastructure, changing the land's use eligibility entirely.
Sources: Jacksonville Today, Jan 28, 2026; Jacksonville Today, Feb 6, 2025; News4Jax, Mar 5, 2024
The playbook is clear: Assert control. Create problems. Solve those problems with infrastructure. Use that infrastructure to justify zoning changes. Develop.
Every comparable waterfront corridor in Florida that has undergone this transformation has eventually attracted commercial dining, rental facilities, event spaces, and increased residential density.
The Shore Drive corridor spans 3.25 miles (trail route) with the full waterfront extent reaching ~7 miles. Current St. Augustine waterfront property values: ~$695,000/acre; $1.2M+ average Intracoastal listings; ~$532/sq ft.
| Investment | Amount |
|---|---|
| Douglas Crane Boat Ramp renovationGeneral Fund + FIND Grant | $926,000 |
| Trail planning and surveysSpent before project killed Feb 2025 | $146,000+ |
| Original trail construction budget$400K from grants | $1,800,000 |
| Road repaving, striping, drainageVerdeGo contracts undisclosed | Undisclosed |
Sources: Jacksonville Today, Feb 6, 2025; SJC Boat Ramp Press Release; News4Jax, Mar 5, 2024
The county has invested $588 million in capital infrastructure since 2021. The parks program alone exceeds $200 million over five years, financed through developer impact fees. The county borrowed ~$97 million for parks construction, betting on future development to generate the impact fees needed to service that debt.
Sources: SJC $588M Infrastructure Report, May 2024; SJC $123M Parks Announcement, Apr 2024
The structural alignment: The developers who stand to benefit from waterfront corridor transformation are the same entities funding the parks infrastructure that enables it. Budget Director Jesse Dunn confirmed publicly that parks expansion is financed through developer-paid impact fees, not property taxes.
These aren't one-time expenses. They are permanent, annual increases to your cost of living, compounding forever.
| Annual Cost to You | Per Year |
|---|---|
| Higher Property TaxesTrail proximity increases your assessment. Florida's "recapture rule" ensures you pay the max increase every year until it catches up. Flagler PA explains | $400–$1,200+ |
| Higher Flood InsuranceLess natural buffer + more impervious surface = higher FEMA risk rating. Premiums already rising 18% annually. FEMA Risk Rating 2.0 | $600–$1,800+ |
| Trail Maintenance AssessmentsFlorida counties use MSBUs to bill adjacent homeowners for "neighborhood-specific" infrastructure. St. Lucie MSBU Program | $200–$500+ |
| Increased Liability InsurancePublic trail adjacent to your property = increased exposure. Your current policy probably doesn't cover it. | $200–$600+ |
| Your Total, Every Single Year | $1,500–$4,700+ |
The county's own recent experience tells the story: in September 2025, the commission approved $511,380 just to repair the Alpine Groves Trail, a single existing trail. Scale that to 3.25 miles of new waterfront path and the long-term maintenance liability is significant.
Source: SJC BOCC Minutes, Sep 2, 2025 (Resolution No. 2025-306)
The Shore Drive Trail didn't happen by accident. Specific people made specific choices. Here's their public record.
Life-long Floridian, part of the Northwest St. Johns County community for over twenty years. Owns and operates Fast Fix Jewelry franchise locations in Northeast Florida. First elected in 2020; re-elected August 2024, defeating challenger Ann-Marie Evans by fewer than 1,000 votes.
Whitehurst has been the commission's most consistent advocate for large-scale development. He championed the $123 million regional parks plan and the $588 million capital infrastructure package. He voted to approve the SilverLeaf DRI expansion in December 2021, a 16,000+ dwelling unit development by The Hutson Companies, the family firm of Florida Senator Travis Hutson.
Whitehurst's campaigns have been substantially funded by development interests. His campaign treasurer, William Stafford Jones, manages hundreds of PACs, including some behind attack mailers labeling slow-growth challengers as "liberal" and "woke." Dream Finders Homes (a major SilverLeaf builder) and its CEO donated to Whitehurst's 2024 campaign.
Whitehurst's former social media manager, James Higbee, ran as one of two suspected "ghost" write-in candidates in 2024, closing Republican primaries and reducing voter participation. Both ghost candidates' websites were registered within 10 minutes of each other using the same template. Neither raised money or campaigned.
Source: Jacksonville Today, "Ghost Candidates," Jul 30, 2024
Voted FOR the trail at every stage. Voted against killing it in February 2025. Seconded the December 2023 motion to censure Commissioner Joseph for urging citizens to vote. A federal judge later ruled Joseph's comments were constitutionally protected. The censure investigation cost taxpayers $110,000+ in legal fees.
Arnold was appointed by Governor DeSantis on December 13, 2021, to fill a vacancy. She had no prior experience in elected office or government. Her father-in-law, a retired judge who administered her oath, has served as an attorney to David Hutson, the patriarch of The Hutson Companies. Arnold is described as a "long time friend" of Senator Travis Hutson.
Sources: Florida NewsLine, Feb 2022; Florida Politics, Jan 6, 2023
Arnold was sworn in on December 21, 2021. At that same meeting, within hours of taking her oath, she made the motion to approve the SilverLeaf DRI expansion, adding 2,394 acres and up to 5,600 additional dwelling units. She refused to meet with opposition prior to the vote, meeting only with two members of the Hutson family and their attorney.
A 2022 election opponent documented that Arnold approved 17 out of 18 new developments in her first five months, stating she "put more undeveloped land under the bulldozer than any other commissioner."
In 2022, Arnold and her predecessor raised a combined $458,468 against $75,817 for five challengers, a 6:1 funding advantage.
Voted FOR the trail at every stage. Voted with Whitehurst to support Murphy's December 2025 takeover of the Board Chair from Joseph.
26-year Florida Highway Patrol veteran (retired 2008). Owns Sonny's BBQ in St. Augustine. Represents District 3, which includes St. Augustine South. Ran in 2024 on an explicitly slow-growth platform.
Murphy's campaign website: "As a law enforcement officer, I fought to keep our citizens safe. As your next County Commissioner, I'll fight even harder to slow the growth and preserve the high quality of life that makes St. Johns County the best place to live."
Sources: Jacksonville Today, Nov 11, 2024
February 2025: Murphy votes to kill the Shore Drive Trail (3–2).
April 2025: Murphy directs county staff to revive the project with a "citizens group." The trail is immediately resurrected, by the same commissioner who voted to kill it two months earlier.
Sources: Jacksonville Today, Jan 28, 2026; Jacksonville Today, Feb 6, 2025
On December 2, 2025, Murphy ousted Joseph as Board Chair in a surprise end-of-meeting vote. Whitehurst and Arnold provided the votes. During the leadership fight, Joseph alleged Murphy had "previously laughed about his wife's approaching a developer with an envelope for a donation." Joseph reported the incident to the FBI. Murphy dismissed it as a "ploy."
Sources: Jacksonville Today, Dec 2, 2025; St. Augustine News, Dec 4, 2025
Kane is the primary county staff member driving the Shore Drive Trail and the broader parks expansion. Under his leadership, the county committed $200M+ in parks investment over five years, including a $123M regional park plan. Kane described this as "unprecedented" and "nothing I have seen."
After the trail was killed in February 2025, Kane defended the project by citing county surveys indicating majority support among nearby residents, a claim disputed by opponents.
Sources: SJC $123M Parks Announcement; Jacksonville Today, Feb 6, 2025
Joseph has been the commission's most consistent voice against overdevelopment. She was the sole dissenting vote on the original Shore Drive Trail in March 2024. She won her 2022 election on a slow-growth message despite being outspent by a wide margin.
In December 2023, Joseph was censured 4–1 for urging citizens to vote. A federal judge later ruled her remarks were constitutionally protected. The censure investigation cost taxpayers $110,000+ in legal fees. Joseph served as Board Chair from November 2024 until December 2025, when Murphy ousted her with Whitehurst and Arnold's support.
Sources: Jacksonville Today, Dec 18, 2024;
Taylor won election in August 2024, defeating incumbent Henry Dean. She campaigned on slowing growth, stating: "I represent the residents first and foremost, and not special interests, and not developers and builders." She voted against the Shore Drive Trail in February 2025 and opposed Murphy's December 2025 takeover.
Taylor questioned whether other commissioners could remain impartial after receiving developer donations and was targeted during her campaign with PAC-funded attack mailers labeling her "liberal" and "woke."
Source: Jacksonville Today, Nov 11, 2024; Vote Ann Taylor Website
The Hutson Companies, the family firm of Florida Senator Travis Hutson, is the dominant development force in St. Johns County. The connections run deep.
Governor DeSantis appointed both Sarah Arnold (December 2021) and Roy Alaimo to the commission. Arnold's father-in-law is an attorney to David Hutson. Alaimo was described as having "complete lack of any experience." Both voted consistently for development, including the original Shore Drive Trail.
Two suspected "ghost" write-in candidates appeared in 2024 races. Neither raised money, neither campaigned. Their effect was to close Republican primaries, benefiting well-funded incumbents. One (Higbee) was Whitehurst's former social media manager; both had previously run against Travis Hutson. PACs connected to Whitehurst's treasurer funneled thousands into the election. Dream Finders Homes donated to all three incumbents.
Source: Jacksonville Today, "Ghost Candidates," Jul 30, 2024 (full investigation)
"Special interests rule the day.", St. Augustine Record guest column on campaign finance imbalance, August 2022
The St. Augustine South Improvement Association (SASIA) has positioned itself as the community's voice on the trail. The county treats SASIA as the go-to venue for public engagement. But does SASIA actually represent this community?
Sources: Jacksonville Today, March 5, 2024; News4Jax, March 5, 2024
In a March 2024 First Coast News report, Justin Miller, now SASIA's president, was featured as a trail opponent:
"We're concerned that the trail will impact the tree's health. We're also concerned that the runoff from the trail will contribute to the erosion problem.", Justin Miller, SASIA's current president, March 2024 (before becoming president)
The same person who publicly opposed the trail now leads the organization that "unanimously" supports it. No one has explained what changed, because there's been no public vote, no published discussion, and no accountability.
SASIA is not simply a community group being consulted by the county. The relationship runs deeper:
Sources: SJC May 2024 announcement; SASIA SJC Information page
This is not a community group being asked for input. This is a pipeline: county staff cultivate support at SASIA meetings, SASIA's board endorses the project, and the county then points to SASIA's support as evidence of community backing.
SASIA explicitly states on its website that it "is not a homeowners' association." Because of this:
When the county points to "SASIA support" as evidence of community backing, it is pointing to the unrecorded, unverified opinion of 9 volunteers who are not legally required to consult anyone.
If the trail is built, the transformation is just beginning. Here's what the playbook looks like, based on comparable Florida waterfront corridors.
The February survey/open house are designed to generate documented "community support." The revised trail neutralizes environmental objections. Expect a commission vote shortly after March 1.
Benches, signage, lighting, kayak launches. Each addition further establishes the corridor as county-managed public infrastructure, and creates new "safety" and "accessibility" justifications.
Finish the double yellow line striping on the remaining half of Shore Drive. The corridor becomes a fully paved, lit, ADA-accessible public path connecting two improved boat ramps.
The transformed corridor becomes eligible for mixed-use overlays, tourism funding, and commercial waterfront zoning. This is where the $150–500 million enters the picture.
Commercial dining. Rental facilities. Event spaces. Increased residential density. Every comparable waterfront corridor in Florida that has undergone this transformation has eventually attracted these uses.
If you don't respond, your silence counts as consent.
5:30–6:30 PM at 709 Royal Road. Bring your neighbors. The county is counting heads. If opponents stay home because they assume the fix is in, the county gets to report broad support.
Before March 1. This is your direct line to the official record. The county has committed to providing survey results to commissioners. Make sure your position is counted.
Shore Drive is in District 3. Murphy campaigned on slowing growth. Tell him to keep his promise, or explain why he flipped.
Photograph the vegetation line every time county contractors clear the waterfront. Date and GPS-stamp everything. Build the record.
Request: the VerdeGo contract/scope, original easement documents, Shore Drive traffic studies, and all communications between county staff and SASIA board members. Submit to SJC Public Records portal.
Print copies. Post to the Friends of St. Augustine South Shore Drive Park Facebook group. Email to every household on Shore Drive. Break the pattern by showing the full picture.
At the next SASIA community meeting (third Wednesday of each month, 7:00 PM, 709 Royal Road), ask the board directly:
Every claim in this report links to its source. Complete list below: