Florida’s new Agricultural Enclave Act creates a faster development path for certain agricultural parcels surrounded by existing or planned development. For St. Johns County homebuyers, that means a wooded tract, pine farm or open field near a property should not be assumed to remain undeveloped without first checking its ownership, land-use designation, conservation status and pending applications.

The law does not automatically authorize construction on every agricultural parcel, and an application is not the same as an approved subdivision. It does, however, substantially change the review process for land that qualifies, making surrounding-land research more important before you purchase a home in St. Augustine or elsewhere in St. Johns County.

• Qualifying agricultural land may receive a faster and more predictable path through local development review.
• The county must act on a certification application within 90 days or the land must be certified.
• After certification, qualifying residential plans may be treated as a conforming use even when existing zoning or future land-use designations differ.
• A forest, pasture or timber tract beside a neighborhood is not automatically protected open space.
• Pending applications do not establish the final number of homes, road improvements or construction schedule.
• Buyers should evaluate the land around a property, not just the home and neighborhood as they appear today.

What Florida’s New Agricultural Enclave Law Actually Does

Florida Senate Bill 686 took effect on July 1, 2026. It revised the process through which an owner may ask a local government to certify one or more parcels as an agricultural enclave.

To qualify under the process used by St. Johns County, the property must satisfy several conditions. Among other requirements, it must be unincorporated and undeveloped, be owned or controlled by a single person or entity, and have been continuously used for bona fide agricultural purposes for the required period.

The property must also meet specific surrounding-development criteria. One qualifying route generally requires at least 75% of the property’s perimeter to be surrounded by existing development, land designated for development with the required amount already developed, or a qualifying combination involving an interstate highway and an urban-service area.

An adjacent parcel or development must permit the same density as, or a higher density than, the development being proposed. This means the law does not give every agricultural owner an unrestricted right to build at any density.

After receiving an application, the local government must prepare a written compliance report and conduct a public hearing. The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners may approve or deny certification based on whether the application satisfies the statutory definition and requirements.

The 90-day provision is especially important. If the county does not approve or deny the certification within 90 days after receiving the application, the parcel must be certified. A denial must be supported by detailed written findings, and the applicant may ask a circuit court to review that decision.

Once land is certified, the owner may submit plans for single-family residential development consistent with the use and density permitted by an adjacent parcel or development. Those plans must generally be treated as a conforming use despite conflicting comprehensive-plan, future-land-use or zoning provisions.

That does not mean construction begins immediately. Development plans must still address applicable technical requirements involving matters such as access, utilities, drainage, environmental conditions and site design. The law changes the land-use pathway; it does not eliminate every development requirement.

Why This Matters in a Fast-Growing County

St. Johns County has experienced substantial population growth. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the county’s population at 346,328 in July 2025, compared with 190,039 residents counted in 2010. That represents growth of more than 80% over approximately 15 years.

Continued demand for housing makes undeveloped land economically significant. Large agricultural or timber parcels near existing communities may be especially attractive because roads, schools, utilities, shopping and established neighborhoods are already nearby.

The new law matters because some parcels that previously required a lengthy comprehensive-plan amendment or rezoning process may now qualify for a more structured certification and development process.

St. Johns County’s public application records showed six named agricultural-enclave certification applications entered on July 9, 2026:

• N. Palm Valley Road
• Osceola Lakes
• Adler Creek
• Star IV Investments
• Heritage Development East
• Heritage Development West

These filings show that property owners are already using the new process. They do not, by themselves, tell buyers how many homes will ultimately be approved, when construction may begin or what infrastructure conditions may be required.

That distinction is important. An application should be treated as a reason to investigate—not as proof that thousands of homes are guaranteed to appear.

Do Not Assume That Agricultural Land Will Stay Agricultural

One of the most common relocation mistakes is assuming that land will remain unchanged because it has looked the same for years.

Imagine touring a home with a quiet pine forest behind the backyard. The setting feels private, and the land may currently be used for timber production. Nothing about its appearance tells you whether it is permanently protected, eligible for development or already part of an active application.

The correct question is not, “Has this land always been empty?” The better questions are:

• Who owns the parcel?
• What is its future land-use designation?
• How is it currently zoned?
• Does it receive an agricultural classification?
• Is it covered by a recorded conservation easement?
• Has a development or agricultural-enclave application been submitted?
• What uses and densities are permitted on adjacent parcels?

Those answers can help you understand whether the wooded view is likely to remain, whether development is possible or whether the available information is still inconclusive.

Protected Land and Undeveloped Land Are Not the Same

Green space can describe several very different legal situations.

Publicly owned conservation property and land subject to a recorded conservation easement generally have stronger long-term protections than privately owned agricultural or vacant land. Wetlands may also be regulated, but the presence of wetlands does not necessarily prevent all development on an entire parcel.

Retention ponds, community buffers and wooded common areas may be controlled by plats, permits, homeowners’ association documents or development orders. Each should be evaluated according to the documents that govern that specific property.

Agricultural land is different. A pine farm may look like a preserve, but its primary legal or tax classification may be agricultural rather than conservation. Its current use alone does not promise permanence.

Before relying on a view or natural buffer as part of your buying decision, ask for documentation showing what protects the land and how long that protection lasts.

How Buyers Can Evaluate Neighborhood Stability

No neighborhood is entirely immune from change. Roads can be widened, commercial properties can be redeveloped, homes can be replaced and public projects can alter traffic patterns. The goal is not to find a location where nothing can ever change. The goal is to identify where the largest unknowns are located.

Established parts of St. Augustine east of Interstate 95 may appeal to buyers seeking a more visible and mature development pattern. In many of these locations, surrounding parcels have already been divided into homes, businesses, public facilities and established transportation corridors.

St. Augustine South is one example worth evaluating. It is an established community near the Intracoastal Waterway with mature streets, existing homes and public boat-ramp access. Because much of the immediate area is already divided and developed, buyers can often see more clearly what surrounds a particular property.

Oakbrook is another established St. Augustine community that may fit buyers seeking a gated residential setting in a developed corridor. As with any neighborhood, buyers should still review nearby parcels, traffic plans, flood information, homeowners’ association documents and pending applications.

These communities are not automatically better for every buyer, and being east of I-95 is not a guarantee against change. The broader principle is more useful:

The fewer large, privately owned and undeveloped parcels surrounding a home, the easier it may be to evaluate the neighborhood’s long-term development outlook.

Three Steps to Take Before Making an Offer

1. Review Every Significant Undeveloped Parcel Nearby

Start with the parcels directly behind, beside and across from the property. Then expand the review to a practical radius based on the surrounding road network. A parcel more than half a mile away may still affect your commute if its only access point connects to the same two-lane road.

Check ownership, parcel size, future land use, zoning and current classification. Also determine whether the land is privately owned, publicly owned or subject to a conservation restriction.

2. Search for Current and Pending Applications

Review the St. Johns County application system and development tracker for agricultural-enclave certifications, comprehensive-plan amendments, rezonings, planned-unit developments and major modification applications.

Search by project name, parcel number and nearby road names. Project names may not match the name of the neighborhood or property owner, so relying on only one search term can miss relevant records.

Because applications can be added or revised, repeat this check shortly before making an offer and again during your due-diligence period when appropriate.

3. Evaluate the Possible Real-Life Effects

Development is not automatically negative. New housing can support additional stores, restaurants, services, road improvements and employment. It can also contribute to construction activity, changing views, additional school enrollment and increased traffic.

Consider how sensitive your decision is to each possible effect. A future project may matter more if you work from home beside a potential construction entrance, depend on one congested road or are paying a premium for privacy.

Your decision should reflect both the benefits and risks rather than assuming all development is harmful or harmless.

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