Alachua’s Wilford departs, Property Rights Element Added to City Comp Plan

ALACHUA ‒ The Alachua City Commission met to a packed house on March 28. Part of the crowd was in attendance to honor Commissioner Robert Wilford who resigned his seat after 12 years. Wilford was elected to the City Commission in April 2010 and served as City Commissioner and Vice Mayor. Interim City Manager Mike DaRoza presented Wilford with a plaque citing the City's gratitude for Wilford's dedication to the city and citizens. Wilford made a short speech to thank them and tell them Alachua will always be in his heart. As Wilford and his wife left the meeting, they were given a standing ovation.

The Commission recognized local business Mi Apá Latin Café in Alachua for their support of the Alachua Dream Team as they raised funds for Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society. The Dream Team consists of local officials serving food to customers for a charitable cause. Each year, Mi Apa has invited the Dream Team to come in and serve tables during lunch and dinner. The restaurant donates 25 percent of the entire day’s proceeds. This year, the servers were DaRoza, Mayor Gib Coerper, Commissioners Jennifer Blalock and Dayna Miller, and Mitch Glaeser from San Felasco Tech City.The Alachua Dream Team raised $1,356 this year.

In other City business, the Commission approved an amendment to the City's Comprehensive Plan to bring it into compliance with state law by adding a Property Rights Element. A key component is the right of a property owner to physically possess and control their interests in the property, including easements, leases and mineral rights. Additional components are the right of a property owner to use, maintain, develop, and improve their property for personal use or for the use of any person and the right of the property owner to privacy and to exclude others from the property to protect the owner's possessions and property.

In other business, the Commission approved the final plat of two lots at the Oak Ridge Crossings subdivision. The action proposes replating a five-acre property into two lots to modify an existing lot line to address encroachment. Interior lots are permitted to be 2.0 acres in size. The property, which has an existing single-family residence, is located at 13018 N.W. 148^th Terrace.

The Commission approved a request by San Felasco Research Ventures, LLC, to amend the City’s Future Land Use Map (FLUM) on a 160.2-acre property from Commercial (25.4 acres), Community Commercial (16.3 acres), High Density Residential (16.1 acres), and Moderate Density Residential (102.5 acres) to Corporate Park (CP) Designation This would allow for a range of research and development, technology and life sciences/biotechnology industries, office, and supporting retail. Residential uses are also permitted within the CP District By allowing a range of permitted uses, the CP District is intended to accommodate the development of “flex space” arrangements.

The property is located south of the intersection of Northwest U.S. Highway 441 and Southern Precast Drive and east of Cellon Creek Boulevard. It is across U.S. Highway from San Felasco Tech City and backs up to the San Felasco Hammock State Park.

Waco Properties, Inc., requested the rezoning of property from Agricultural (“A”) to Planned Development – Residential (“PD-R”) on a 118.2-acre property located east of CR 235, north of Northwest 110^th Avenue, and south of the Pilot Forest Subdivision. The proposed PD-R zoning district would permit a maximum of 472 residential units.

Development would consist primarily of single-family houses, but approximately 22.5 percent of the units could be developed as single family attached units, with up to eight units in a single building. Two ingress/egresses are proposed to connect to CR 235, a County maintained road under the jurisdiction of Alachua County Public Works, which is responsible for permitting the connections to the property. Commercial uses may be allowed in the PD-R District to serve the needs of the residents in the development.

DM Alachua Investments, LLC requested to change the FLUM Designation from Commercial (48.4 acres) and Agriculture (72.7 acres) to Commercial (14.4 acres), High Density Residential (17.8 acres), Moderate Density Residential (53.2 acres), and Conservation (35.7 acres) on the 121.1-acre property. The property is located southeast of the intersection of U.S. Highway 441 and Northwest 43^rd Street. The current Future Land Use maps (FLUM) lists the property as Agricultural with some Commercial designation near the intersection. Currently the property has three principal structures that include two vacant commercial buildings and one residential building. There are also several accessory structures related to the previous agricultural uses.

The Moderate Density Residential FLUM Designation permits a density of 0 – 4 dwelling units per acre with a maximum of 212 dwelling units for the property, while the High-Density Residential designation permits a density of 8-15 dwelling units per acre adding a potential additional 267 dwelling units for a total of 479 residential dwellings. The Commercial designations allow for a maximum of 627,264 square feet of non-residential development mainly close to the main roads. The 35.7 acres for conservation are to compensate for the swamp land that is fed by several creeks.

Several individuals from the surrounding area voiced their concerns about the development, referencing flooding, traffic, privacy and increased noise and light pollution that may affect property values.

While the Commission approved the ordinance on first reading, there will be a second reading before final approval. Mayor Coerper suggested that the developer and individuals communicate directly to address concerns before the next hearing on the ordinance.

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