Orange Park Housing/Schools -- Fleming Island, Eagle Harbor, Middleburg (apartment, HOA fees)

[Jacqueline27]

Good Morning! We lived in Jax from 2005-2008 while my husband was in the military. He has gotten out of the military and is now on a contractor and has accepted a job at Nas Jax. When we lived in OP before we lived at the Lighthouse in Fleming Island appartments, that area was very nice, safe & the people seemed friendly & respectable. I'm looking for opinions on that area now, is anybody currently living there? We are working with a realtor and are planning to buy in either Fleming Island, Eagle Harbor and possilby Middleburg (you get more for your money in Middleburg). Please let me know what you think. Also we 2 children, 1 will be in school so an excellent school is a must! We looked at Annunciation Catholic school however they do not provide bus transportation which is a down fall for us. Any and all informatin is appreciated!

[jwolfer]

Originally Posted by Jacqueline27

Good Morning! We lived in Jax from 2005-2008 while my husband was in the military. He has gotten out of the military and is now on a contractor and has accepted a job at Nas Jax. When we lived in OP before we lived at the Lighthouse in Fleming Island appartments, that area was very nice, safe & the people seemed friendly & respectable. I'm looking for opinions on that area now, is anybody currently living there? We are working with a realtor and are planning to buy in either Fleming Island, Eagle Harbor and possilby Middleburg (you get more for your money in Middleburg). Please let me know what you think. Also we 2 children, 1 will be in school so an excellent school is a must! We looked at Annunciation Catholic school however they do not provide bus transportation which is a down fall for us. Any and all information is appreciated!

We just moved from Avondale to Middleburg, definatley more for your money. Our kids were in Episcopal and Catholic Schools in Jax and it is nice not having tuition. The schools in Middleburg have been fine so far. We have kids in 6th and 9th. In Clay County 6th grade is in Elementary Schools which is nice.

Middleburg is nicer on the east side of Blanding Blvd. Our neighborhood has no trailers, over 1 acre lots and not cookie cutter. We don't have the "ammenities" such as a community pool etc but the HOA is low to reflect that. Eagle Harbor has really high HOA fees especially if you dont use the pools etc.

It is very quiet and private but not in the middle of nowhere we have grocery and drug stores near by and the Oakleaf Town Center and Fleming Island shopping aren't far. Getting into Jax can be a pain though

[DavieJ89]

I normally do not post in this forum but since I saw a topic about orange park I could not ignore it. when I lived in orlando I used to visit my aunt and uncle who currently live in orange park, they lived in the heritage hills area of of blanding and my uncle operates a chiropractic office in middleburg called 'spring chiropractic'

my impression of orange park and fleming island is that it is a very nice and suburban area of the jacksonville metro, my grandmother has an apartment in fleming island and it is very nice, the people in orange park in fleming island are usually very friendly and respectable just like you had mentioned OP

the only downside in my opinion to orange park is the heavy traffic along blanding boulevard

otherwise I do not think you can go wrong orange park is a wonderful place to raise a family

[AmericanBosnian]

What??????? Of course Flemming Island and Orange Park are great. Nothing will change that, its perfect for raising a family but the bad side is all the teens and young adults are strung out on drugs. You would live in a safe area, but heavy drug activity, just look at all the DEA monthly busts. Its trouble in suburban paradise, I find it hilarious. Parents work so hard to build a great life, and their kids throw it all away.

Enjoy it there, toodles!

[mawipafl]

Jacqueline27 ...

I live in Fleming Island, specifically in Eagle Harbor, and I take issue with the opinions of jwolfer (some of) and AmericanBosnian (all of).

Eagle Harbor's HOA fee is $50/year -- I think what jwolfer means is that there's a CDD fee here that's high. However, we pay it gladly for not just all the amenities (pools (3), tennis courts (11), golf course and driving range (extra fees to use of course, but cheap -- I think $35 for 18 holes for residents), playgrounds in every neighborhood, basketball courts), but also because the entire community is well-kept with landscaping, lots of sidewalks, ponds, no pot holes in streets, and for all the community activities that are held throughout the year. A master-planned community is not for everyone, but it certainly works for us.

I believe you'll find Fleming Island to be exactly as you remembered -- still safe and friendly. Our daughter lives at Lighthouse and enjoys it immensely.

As for drug-infested, that's so far from the truth it's hilarious. I have no idea where that notion came from.

Blanding Blvd.'s traffic can be very congested, specifically near the Orange Park Mall, Wells Rd., at the intersection with I-295. However, the DOT is working on I-295 to open a new exchange at Collins Road, west of Blanding, and that might start to relieve some of the congestion. But if you live in Fleming Island and are heading to NAS, Hwy 17 would be your route. That also can be congested during commuter hours, but it's completely do-able. If living in Middleburg, there would be the option of going up Blanding or cutting over to Hwy 17 and heading to NAS that way.

[AmericanBosnian]

Originally Posted by mawipafl

Jacqueline27 ...

I live in Fleming Island, specifically in Eagle Harbor, and I take issue with the opinions of jwolfer (some of) and AmericanBosnian (all of).

Eagle Harbor's HOA fee is $50/year -- I think what jwolfer means is that there's a CDD fee here that's high. However, we pay it gladly for not just all the amenities (pools (3), tennis courts (11), golf course and driving range (extra fees to use of course, but cheap -- I think $35 for 18 holes for residents), playgrounds in every neighborhood, basketball courts), but also because the entire community is well-kept with landscaping, lots of sidewalks, ponds, no pot holes in streets, and for all the community activities that are held throughout the year. A master-planned community is not for everyone, but it certainly works for us.

I believe you'll find Fleming Island to be exactly as you remembered -- still safe and friendly. Our daughter lives at Lighthouse and enjoys it immensely.

As for drug-infested, that's so far from the truth it's hilarious. I have no idea where that notion came from.

Blanding Blvd.'s traffic can be very congested, specifically near the Orange Park Mall, Wells Rd., at the intersection with I-295. However, the DOT is working on I-295 to open a new exchange at Collins Road, west of Blanding, and that might start to relieve some of the congestion. But if you live in Fleming Island and are heading to NAS, Hwy 17 would be your route. That also can be congested during commuter hours, but it's completely do-able. If living in Middleburg, there would be the option of going up Blanding or cutting over to Hwy 17 and heading to NAS that way.

Google it! All the teens and young adults are strung out on Cocaine, crystal meth, pain pills. I went to high school in the area, and I had many friends over dose and die. You can look up clay county arrests, everything. The older home owners just don't want to believe its going on, and when they find out their adult kid is a crack head, they go off the wall! Oh & the DEA just busted over 300 people in a drug ring in the area. Just because you don't SEE it doesn't mean its not going on.

[Barristan67]

Originally Posted by AmericanBosnian

Google it! All the teens and young adults are strung out on Cocaine, crystal meth, pain pills. I went to high school in the area, and I had many friends over dose and die. You can look up clay county arrests, everything. The older home owners just don't want to believe its going on, and when they find out their adult kid is a crack head, they go off the wall! Oh & the DEA just busted over 300 people in a drug ring in the area. Just because you don't SEE it doesn't mean its not going on.

Welcome to America 2012. It's a problem nearly everywhere.