Fleming Island Veterinarian ER voted down

The Clay County Planning Commission voted to recommend against a zoning change that would allow the construction of an emergency veterinarian clinic in Fleming Island. The proposed site is at the corner of Fleming Street and U.S. 17, next door to Harbor Baptist Church and one block north of Corky Bells Seafood and Steaks.

Applicant Anthony Goria told the planning commission he was asking them to recommend rezoning the half-acre parcel from residential to commercial.

“Currently, there isn’t an (emergency veterinarian) clinic in our area,” he said. “If an accident occurred with Lucy or Waffles, or one of my pets, I would have to take them to the clinic on San Jose Boulevard, or the next closest one would be Jacksonville Beach.”

Goria said he partnered with veterinarian Dr. Craig Price on the idea. He said Price has owned and operated Black Creek Veterinary Clinic in Middleburg since 1987.

Price told commissioners that he owned and operated the only emergency veterinarian clinic in Clay County for 25 years on Corporate Way in Orange Park. However, the building that housed his clinic was recently sold. The new owner shut the doors on the operation.

“So, there is not a current veterinary emergency clinic in Clay County,” he said.

Price added that since the clinic would only handle emergency cases, it would generate a fraction of the traffic that a regular clinic would create and that the traffic would occur at night.

Several surrounding neighborhood residents argued against the proposal, saying the additional traffic created by the clinic would endanger children and create tie-ups on Fleming Street, Floyd Street and Hibernia Avenue.

The county’s planning and zoning staff recommended approving the application, but the Fleming Island Citizen’s Advisory Committee recommended denying it.

The board of county commissioners will take up the application on Nov. 22.