Mandarin is starting an initiative to preserve its unique history and identity while planning for growth. The Mandarin Area Preservation Project aims to achieve consensus among neighborhoods on how to preserve the community’s character.

Project Goals

The project will explore issues like balanced growth, citizen engagement during rezoning, and area beautification. Workshops will be held to inform the public and gather input on what makes Mandarin special.

City Council member Michael Boylan, representing the community, said the project arose from discussions over seven years. The goal is to create a vehicle for the community to come together and build consensus on issues like rezoning and preserving quality and character.

The workshops will try to find residents, business owners, and community leaders to be part of the project. A steering committee will be formed to set up the organization’s structure, with the city retaining Halff Associates as a consultant to lead the process.

Mandarin’s border includes communities between Sunbeam Road to the north, Julington Creek to the south, and Interstate 95 to the east, with the St. Johns River on the west. The area was named in 1830 for the Mandarin oranges that grew in its groves along the St. Johns River.

Original reporting: Jacksonville Today — read the source article.