Zip Line Park May Be in Newberry’s Future, Proposed Zoning Changes Could Give Boost to Newberry

NEWBERRY ‒ Members of Newberry’s Planning and Zoning Board heard and approved 12 items following quasi-judicial public hearings on Monday, Oct. 4. Once approved by the Planning Board, the items will be forwarded to the City Commission with their recommendation for consideration.

Ordinance 2021-29/CPA 21-13 involves three contiguous parcels of land totaling approximately 237.92 acres, applying to change the Future Land Use classification from Alachua County Rural/Agriculture to City of Newberry Agriculture—the first step in the process of bringing the annexed property into the City. This property was voluntarily annexed into the City of Newberry on June 14 and is located on the west side of Northwest 202^nd Street, approximately half a mile south of Northwest 46^th Avenue.

If approved by the City Commission, due to the size of the property, the item will be transmitted to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and other state agencies for review and approval.

The second step is LDR 21-21 to bring the property into compliance with City zoning by amending the City’s Official Zoning Atlas by changing the zoning on the same 237.92 acres from Alachua County Agriculture (A) to City of Newberry Agricultural (A).

If all requested changes are approved on these 237.92 acres, the property owner is considering installing a zip line park over the mining pits on Northwest 202nd Street.

This item as well as all additional items recommended by the Planning and Zoning Board for approval by the City Commission will be heard on first reading by Commissioners at their Oct. 25 meeting.

Ordinance No. 2021-31/CPA 21-11 is an application by Andrew Fuller, Agent, for Intellectual Partners LLC, owners to amend the Land Use Plan Map by changing the Future Land Use classification from Agriculture to Commercial on approximately 3.67 acres located on Alachua County Tax Parcel Number 01924-002-000. The property is located on the south side of West Newberry Road and to the east of Southwest 218^th Street.

The Planning Board also considered a development agreement proposed on the same parcel of land. City of Newberry Planner Wendy Kinser-Maxwell introduced this item and explained that consideration of the development agreement would enable the owners to move forward to develop the property now rather than wait for the design and landscaping requirements, which resulted from the Community Visioning process, to be adopted by the City. She said the development plan would put into effect the same requirements which were determined during that process. “The proposed Development Agreement provides that necessary infrastructure improvements are in place at the appropriate time,” said Kinser-Maxwell.

In a third action relating to the same 3.67 acres, Board members heard an application to change the zoning from Agricultural (A) to Commercial Intensive (CI). Although the Board voted to recommend approval of this request, this application is contingent upon approval of Ordinance 2021-31/CPA 21-11 by the Newberry City Commission.

Also approved for recommendation was an application by Joseph J. and Teresa L. Hoffman to change the Future Land Use classification from Agriculture to Commercial on approximately 18.48 acres. The properties are located at 20785 and 20737 W. Newberry Road.

In a separate hearing, a development agreement brought by the Hoffmans was approved to amend the existing zoning from Agricultural (A) to Commercial, General (CG). The CG zoning classification limits building intensity to a maximum 40 percent lot coverage with maximum floor area rations of 0.75 and 0.50 for properties between five and 20 acres. No portion of any structure can exceed 72 feet in height. “The Development Agreement addresses compliance with design and landscaping requirements resulting from the Community Visioning process,” said Kinser-Maxwell.

During the presentation, property owner Joseph Hoffman said he had received interest in the property for use for medical offices and a hotel, but that nothing was firm. He also said he had been planning to take this action earlier but that the City asked him to wait until after the Community Visioning process was complete, which he did.

In a third action on the same Hoffman properties, an application by the City was heard to change the zoning from Alachua County Agriculture (A) to City of Newberry Agriculture (A).

An application to change the Future Land Use Map classification from Alachua County Rural/Agriculture to City of Newberry Agriculture on approximately 6.77 acres referred to as Tax Parcel No. 04265-007-000 also received approval as part of the hearing on Ordinance 2021-54/CPA 21-17. This property was annexed into the City in July.

During the final quasi-judicial public hearing, Ordinance 2021-55/LDR 21-25 was approved to be recommended to the City Commission. This action, if approved by the Commission, will change the zoning from Alachua County Agriculture (A) to City of Newberry Agriculture (A) on the same 6.77.

Following the business of the meeting Plan Board members briefly discussed the existing sign ordinance and possible future modifications that might be made.

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