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ALACHUA ‒ At the April 11 Alachua City Commission meeting, the Commission approved return of a $4,104 surety to Duration Builders, Inc. for the construction of sidewalks at Heritage Oaks Phase II. On May 17, 2018 the City Commission accepted the Heritage Oaks Phase II water system, wastewater system, electric system, roadways, and stormwater conveyance system. The City did not accept the sidewalks, which were to be completed during the construction of homes and proposed for acceptance at a later date, which triggered the surety requirement. As the sidewalks have been completed, these funds are being returned to Duration Builders, Inc.

It’s cleanup time in Alachua as the City Commission has proclaimed Saturday, May 14 as the Great American Cleanup Day. The Great American Cleanup is the country’s largest community improvement program in more than 20,000 communities each spring. The program is designed to end littering, improve recycling and beautify the community. This year, volunteers will gather at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall to kick off the project. Each volunteer will be provided with trash bags, safety vests, gloves, maps and instructions for the cleanup. This Saturday’s beautification activities include cleaning up Main Street, planting trees on Peggy Road to strengthen the community's green infrastructure, cleaning up Criswell Park and Hipp Way and the Swick House.

Alachua’s Legacy Park Summer Program, which runs from June 21 to July 30, is actively enrolling youth from ages 5 to 15. To fund the program, the Commission approved amending the Fiscal Year 2021-22 budget for acceptance of unanticipated revenue from the Children's Trust Grant Special Revenue Fund for children’s programs. The Children’s Trust of Alachua County (CTAC) will provide $66,665 for summer programs at Legacy Park. Additional funding of $20,000 is projected to be received from non-CTAC funded enrollment fees for a total of $86,665 to be added to the budget

In other business, students from the Bhaktivedanta Academy have their artwork featured on display in City Hall as part of the Art in City Hall program. Mayor Gib Coerper and the school’s Leela Sikdar presented certificates to the 20 students participating in the art display. After the certificates were presented, the entire City Commission gathered with the students for a group photograph.

The Florida League of Cities recently recognized Coerper with a 2022 Home Rule Hero Award. Home Rule is the ability for a city to address local problems with local solutions with minimal state interference. The Home Rule Hero Award recognizes the efforts of individuals, both elected and non-elected who reach out to members of the legislature to give a local perspective on issues.

“I am greatly humbled to be selected for this honor,” Coerper said. “I’ve always felt the government closest to its community should be the one making decisions based on the best interests of that community.”

The Commission has proclaimed the week of April 10 - 16 as “National Public Safety Telecommunications Week” in Alachua. Each year, the second week in the month of April is dedicated to the men and women who serve as public safety telecommunicators. The City of Alachua Police Department telecommunications section is staffed by seven full-time employees, including a communications supervisor and six communications operators. As the public's first line of contact with the department, they are responsible for handling all incoming emergency calls for service to the department, including 911 transfers from the Alachua County Sheriff's Office; dispatching and monitoring of radio traffic for all officers responding to calls for service, as well as walk-ins at the station.

In other police related news, the Alachua Police Department is partnering with the Alachua County Child Abuse Prevention Taskforce to bring child abuse awareness to Alachua. The National Child Abuse Prevention month campaign, which occurs in April, is an initiative to protect Florida's children from physical and mental abuse.

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HIGH SPRINGS – The High Springs City Commission has approved Comprehensive Plan Amendment CPA-21-01 related to the City’s 10-Year Water Supply Facilities work plan and the City’s Comprehensive Plan and will submit it to the Florida Department of Economic Development for review by various state agencies.

The Commission also adopted Ordinance 2021-06, amending the text and Future Land Use Plan Map of the Comprehensive Plan to reflect changes in state requirement and local conditions. The Comprehensive Plan is statutorily required.

The plan lists the City’s goals for the next 20 years, provides a guide for future land use decisions and is the basis of land use regulations. Within one year of adoption of the Comprehensive Plan the City is also required to update the land development code to bring it into compliance with the Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan must be updated every seven years in order to incorporate state regulation changes. However, this Comprehensive Plan is a full update since it hasn’t been updated every seven years.

There are 12 elements to the plan, nine of which are statutorily required and three others voluntarily included. An economic development study conducted several years ago has been incorporated as one of the elements of the plan. With that included, the City can apply for funding that relates to economic development and can point to that study and element of the plan.

The other two voluntary elements are the Historic Preservation element and the Public School Facilities element.

The nine other elements are Future Land Use, Property Rights, Transportation, Conservation, Utilities, Housing, Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces, Intergovernmental Coordination and Capital Improvements.

General changes to the plan include an updated map series, updates to statutory references and dates and the plan removes language that is better suited to the Land Development Regulations.

Once the plan is reviewed at the state level, the City will hold a public hearing for the Commission to consider adoption. The City must also update the Land Development Code regulations, which is estimated to be completed by summer 2023. City Manager Ashley Stathatos said developers have been using loopholes in the plan, but those loopholes have now been closed during the review process. Stathatos said this version of the Comprehensive Plan is more user-friendly and has been shortened. “It is easier to navigate now,” she said.

The Commission approved the Future Land Use Plan Map of the Comprehensive Plan with little discussion. The 10-year Water Supply Facilities Work Plan also was approved, but concern was voiced that it should have been updated in the plan in 2020. Assistant City Manager Bruce Gillingham said the Suwannee River Water Management District is currently updating the District’s Water Facilities Supply Plan so the Comprehensive Plan being sent to the state is using current information, but about to be outdated, figures. The new plan numbers are estimated to be available in November. At that time, the City’s Comprehensive Plan will also need to be updated with those figures.

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GAINESVILLE – The Alachua County Property Appraiser’s Office is excited to introduce a free monitoring service to help residents protect their property. The office has developed a new software called Property Watch. Property owners can sign up for this service through the Property Appraiser's website.

All owners who register must provide the following information: a name, a date of birth, a Florida Driver’s License/ID number, a property parcel number, and an active email address. For those who are not aware of their parcel number, this information can also be found on our website.

After this registration process, owners can expect this service to continuously monitor their property. The areas that will be monitored for changes include the owner’s name, the mailing address, any change in exemption or agricultural classification status, and splits and combines to parcels. An automated email will be generated to owners only if changes are made in these areas when processed by the Property Appraiser’s Office.

If the changes have been made by the owner, no additional action is required. If the owner did not initiate these changes they should contact the Property Appraiser’s Office immediately to verify why these changes have taken place.

“This service is intended to empower the taxpayer by providing them the means to monitor the status of their property,” Ayesha Solomon said. “This ultimately protects against fraudulent transactions while also alleviating stress on property owners.”

An owner will continue to receive notifications until they unsubscribe or if they have sold the property they signed up to monitor. This service is not a substitute for a title search. Ownership records are changed based on deeds recorded with the Alachua County Records Division. Although the Property Appraiser’s Office office has no legal authority to determine if a deed is fraudulent, this issue is becoming more common.  If an owner believes fraudulent activity has taken place, they should notify local law enforcement.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ High Springs is known for its natural beauty and its rivers. It is also known for its share of creative artists who are drawn to the area. As home to several art galleries and various craft stores, for a number of years High Springs offered Art Walk, an opportunity for the public to see various artists and crafts makers as they set up outside local shops. Over the last decade, Art Walk has been hosted by various galleries, civic organizations and businesses.

This Saturday, April 16 will be the second Art Walk of 2022 with even more activities and organizations involved. The Art Walk booths will again line the downtown area from 12 to 5 p.m. offering a wide variety of arts and crafts. There will be a host of other activities including a gallery reception for 22 plein air artists and the High Springs Chamber of Commerce Easter Parade and Egg Hunt.

The COVID pandemic in 2020 put a halt to many social activities including the downtown Art Walk, gallery openings and public celebrations. In fall 2021 Art Walk returned, but due to continued health concerns both the crowd and number of artists were smaller. This year on the third Saturday in March Art Walk returned in force as 25 artisans set up along storefronts in the downtown area on Main Street and U.S. Highway 27. Residents and tourists browsed at various booths to view and purchase creations featuring art forms such as painting, woodwork, photography and jewelry.

It was also the rebirth of the Good News Arts gallery that had closed earlier. Owner Jessica Caldas hosted a grand opening combined with Art Walk as one of the featured businesses, complete with a four-piece string band, artist Kim Bossons and an opening show by Brittany M. Watkins.

The Good News Arts Gallery will also feature a book arts class, which will cover all aspects of book making process. This is the beginning of an ongoing Saturday workshop series. Each class is $20 although Caldas says that they encourage folks to reach out if they cannot pay to discuss options. All materials are provided and registration for each class in advance is encouraged. This is one of many projects and educational plans Caldas has for the gallery.

“Good News Arts is a community arts space and gallery that collaborates with artists and community to provide contemporary arts and education that is affordable, accessible, and equitable,” said Caldas. “We are a nonprofit and have shown more than 50 international, regional, and local artists through our exhibitions.”

Caldas says that through sales of artworks, the organization has donated more than $400 to various nonprofits, mutual aid funds, and service organizations. Rather than taking a commission of sales, divesting artist from money earned from their work, artists are encouraged to donate 10 percent of their sales to an organization of their choosing.

Good News Arts also offers classes and workshops, including after school youth arts classes for grades K-8 and a summer arts camp May 6 through July 27. For more information visit goodnewsarts.com or visit the gallery at the Art Walk at 18555 High Springs Main Street.

Tina Corbett of Lanza Gallery and Art Supplies is adding an artist’s reception from 4-7p.m. The Santa Fe Springs Plein Air exhibit features the paintings of 22 artists who spent three days painting landscapes of various local rivers. The exhibit opens at 11 a.m. and closes with the artist’s reception.

The Chamber of Commerce Easter Parade and Egg Hunt kicks off at the High Springs Chamber of Commerce Office/Welcome Center located at 23517 N.W. 185^th Road. At 11 a.m. the parade will proceed to the museum, stopping at stores along the way and return with the Easter Bunny to the Welcome Center for an Easter Egg Hunt from 12:15 to 12:30 p.m. Participating stores may have surprises to fill the baskets, and there will be free hot dogs and lemonade as well. Kids in the parade may wear everyday clothing or an Easter outfit and need to bring an Easter basket. All are welcome to join in the parade and to participate in the Easter Egg Hunt.

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PALATKA, Fla., April 11, 2022 — The St. Johns River Water Management District is conducting a 185-acre prescribed burn Monday on the Hatchet Creek tract of the Newnans Lake Conservation Area. The burn will be located in the northeastern portion of the property. During this time the red loop trail will be closed. The purpose of the burn is to maintain fire-dependent ecosystems and reduce wildland fuel loads.

Prescribed fire is the use of carefully planned fire purposefully set under stringent conditions to manage the fire's effects. Before conducting a burn, the district ensures that wind and other weather conditions are correct for managing the fire and minimizing the impacts of smoke to residents and traffic.

Periodic prescribed fires on district lands enhance the land’s environmental quality and protect its neighbors from destructive wildfires, but not without the possibility of temporary nuisances, such as smoke and ash.

Prescribed fires help prevent wildfires by burning off fuels that naturally build up over time, while also helping to manage the growth of woody shrubs.

In fire-dependent ecosystems, fire is nearly as important as rainfall and sunshine. The benefits of prescribed fire include restoring and maintaining natural communities, reducing chances of destructive wildfires, perpetuating fire-adapted plants and animals, cycling nutrients, managing tree diseases and opening scenic vistas.

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