Commissioners deny the Inman Road business park 4-1, with State Road 16 already over capacity

What happened

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, commissioners denied a major modification for a business park at 3960 Inman Road, 4-1. They reopened the hearing so attorney Brad Wester could answer public comment, then denied it 4-1 again. The Jacksonville Daily Record reported that Commissioner Ann Taylor made the motion, citing traffic, and that Commissioner Sarah Arnold voted against the denial.

The 58.74-acre site is north of State Road 16 and east of Interstate 95. Six buildings would have totaled up to 250,000 square feet of light industrial and flex warehouse space, double the 125,000 already approved, at 35 feet, down from 50, preserving 32.38 acres of wetlands, about 55% of the site. Staff said the earlier approval had expired. Amazon's January 2021 permit expired in October 2022. The site is vacant. Wester said Amazon left because of the adjoining Fraternal Order of Police range.

The St. Johns Citizen reported that buyer Michael McNaughton said the sale depended on approval, estimated annual taxes would rise from about $22,000 to nearly $600,000, and described space for local trades. The Daily Record attributed that tax estimate to Wester and said McNaughton, of RealtyLink, had the land under contract. Taylor said she had at least 40 emails against the plan. Ron Faircloth, president of the local Fraternal Order of Police at the adjoining range, opposed it over 400 to 600 worker commutes.

Staff put rush-hour traffic on State Road 16 there at 126% of capacity, and at 184% with approved-but-unbuilt development, before this project. They estimated about 1,318 weekday trips. The applicant's engineer said the signals could handle the turns. The Daily Record reported the left turn onto Inman Road cleared about half of afternoon-peak cycles, and that the project was exempt from concurrency because it was nonresidential and would have paid impact fees. On Oct. 15 the Planning and Zoning Agency's approval motion failed 3-4, which stood as a recommendation to deny.

Where the congestion sits

Inman Road is east of Interstate 95. The Grand Oaks widening is west of it.

On Oct. 20 the board took up Grand Oaks, south of State Road 16, about two miles east of International Golf Parkway and two miles west of I-95. The Citizen called both votes unanimous. The Tattler, from draft minutes, reported Ordinance 2026-36 and the $20 million agreement each passed 5-0. We noted that in our Oct. 30 enclave story. The 2018 deal required Southeast Development Partners to four-lane about three miles of State Road 16 from San Giacomo Road to the entrance. The county declared Southeast in default on Feb. 21, 2023. Pulte Home Company was not a party to that deal. The agreement sets a $20 million payment for the remaining 512 homes, 145 of them age-restricted, and the cap falls from 999 homes to 954. Staff's share is $12,850,449, and the $20 million is $7,149,551 above it. The applicant's draft put the required share at $2,471,306. The county has received $5,040,000 for 442 platted lots. Payments are $13,800,000 within 90 days of the effective date and $6,200,000 within 12 months after. The Record said the new money had not been reported as received. On Oct. 6, Dick D'Souza put the three miles at $80 million to $90 million. The staff report also lists State Road 16 from I-95 to Inman Road as over capacity on committed traffic.

The county is widening a different piece, from International Golf Parkway to just past County Road 2209. News4JAX reported Sept. 9 that work began July 26, 2025, was about 70% complete, and was expected to finish in early spring 2027. Grand Oaks sits about two miles east of International Golf Parkway, on the stretch FDOT is designing.

On Jan. 26, 2026, FDOT accepted a four-lane divided concept from International Golf Parkway to I-95, with a 12-foot path on each side and a new Turnbull Creek bridge. The outlet mall to I-95 is already four lanes. The roadway stays in about 200 feet of right-of-way. Ponds need more land. The July 2025 draft total is $225.1 million: $189 million construction, $18.9 million inspection, $17.2 million right-of-way. The report funds engineering and right-of-way. It does not list construction. In 2023, daily traffic was 19,600 to 24,700. The stretch to the outlet mall was level of service E. The mall to I-95 was level of service C.

On Jan. 20, 2026, the consent agenda asked the board to apply for up to $25 million in BUILD funds for each of two projects, with a 20% non-federal match: State Road 16 from the future County Road 2209 alignment to the outlet mall, and the County Road 210 and County Road 2209 intersection. The Citizen reported Sept. 23 that a BUILD application had failed this year, without naming it.

The numbers that matter

• 126% of rush-hour capacity at Inman Road today, and 184% with approved-but-unbuilt traffic. The Daily Record rounded the second figure to about 180%.
• About 1,318 weekday trips. The left turn onto Inman cleared about half of afternoon cycles.
• 4-1, twice. Taylor moved to deny. Arnold voted against the denial.
• A speaker, via automatic captions, said the county spreadsheet tracks 240 segments, about 35% deficient and almost another 10% nearing deficiency, with State Road 16 near 250%, County Road 2209 onto St. Johns Parkway and up to County Road 210 near 200%, and I-95 to Inman Road at 184%, counting approved-but-unbuilt traffic.
• $20 million from Pulte, a staff share of $12,850,449, and an $80 million to $90 million estimate for the three-mile widening.
• $225.1 million draft cost. Engineering and right-of-way are the phases funded in the July 2025 report.
• $42.5 million and about three miles of County Road 210, from Greenbriar and Old County Road 210 to Cimarrone Boulevard, widened from two lanes to four with bridges and sidewalks, opened Sept. 30. Work began June 30, 2023, paid by impact fees and the Transportation Trust Fund.

What it means if you're moving here

• World Golf Village and Grand Oaks: 512 more homes are cleared to proceed, 145 age-restricted, with $20 million in place of the three-mile widening. Windward Ranch and Whisper Ridge sit to the southeast. The county job that was about 70% done on Sept. 9 is the west end, aimed at early spring 2027. Grand Oaks fronts the state project farther east. See our traffic note.
• St. Augustine and the east side of I-95: staff already have the Inman segment at 126% at rush hour and 184% with approved-but-unbuilt traffic. The mall to I-95 is already four lanes.
• Northwest St. Johns has the new lanes from Greenbriar Road to Cimarrone, tying into four lanes east of the interstate. County Engineer Duane Kent told First Coast News the county has no current plan to widen the rest to State Road 13, that the St. Johns Parkway intersection is set for late next year, and that most of the drive from near State Road 13 to U.S. 1 is four lanes now. New signals are at Stillwater and South Hampton, Shearwater, and Greenbriar Road.
• Nocatee shares County Road 210 toward U.S. 1. The Sept. 30 project is the northwest segment. Kent said the remainder to State Road 13 is off the current widening list.
• As we reported on Nov. 4, the county has paused about $100 million in capital projects. A State Road 16 construction phase still needs a funding source.
• Homes near these roads are listed on the World Golf Village, northwest St. Johns, and St. Augustine pages at ancientcitystays.com.

Our take

This is our opinion, based on the sources below.

Within two weeks the commission stopped a warehouse park on an over-capacity segment and cleared 512 more homes whose road payment is $7,149,551 above the staff share and well below D'Souza's $80 million to $90 million estimate for the three miles. The Daily Record reported the Inman project was exempt from concurrency and would have paid impact fees.

Match the house to the segment. International Golf Parkway is the job under construction. The stretch toward the outlet mall has an accepted design, with engineering and right-of-way funded in the July 2025 report. County Road 210 is already open. Grand Oaks fronts the piece still waiting on construction money.

What to watch next

• Any new plan for 3960 Inman Road. This modification is denied, and the earlier 125,000-square-foot approval had expired.
• Grand Oaks payments: $13,800,000 within 90 days of the effective date, then $6,200,000 within 12 months.
• The county widening from International Golf Parkway to just past County Road 2209, expected in early spring 2027 as of Sept. 9.
• A state work program entry for construction money on State Road 16 from International Golf Parkway to I-95.
• The County Road 210 intersection at St. Johns Parkway, which Kent placed in late next year, and any BUILD award. The Citizen reported one failed application this year. The January items are applications.