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NEWBERRY ‒ One local business will be receiving a $13,872 refund from the City of Newberry. The action was taken at the March 27 City Commission meeting to reimburse Newberry Town Center Fitness Center (Because It Matters). A resolution approved in 2019 provided a method that for development fees to be refunded to Commercial developers. The resolution approved at that time (Resolution 2020-29) provided criteria for refunds of commercial development fees up to a maximum of $30,000 per project, based on meeting three primary criteria. This action was taken in an effort to encourage commercial economic development in the city.

“The City has received a qualified development fee refund application that is complete and ready for evaluation and award,” said Newberry Planning and Economic Development Director Bryan Thomas.

In order to meet the criteria, the applicant must build in the Florida Vernacular Architectural Style, create new jobs and create capital investment. According to Thomas the NTC Fitness Center is designed substantially in the Florida Vernacular Style, has created a total of 14 full and part time jobs and provided capital investment in the project at $800,000.

The current budgeted amount per year for this program is $50,000, but Mayor Jordan Marlowe said he believes the Commission should increase that amount during this year’s budget cycle.

In other City business, the Commission approved the final plat for Lakota subdivision. The site consists of 45 +/- acres and is located at the northwest corner of Southwest 15th Avenue and Southwest 170th Street. Planned are 15 lots at an average density of one dwelling unit per three acres which is consistent with the special exception approval of a small-scale rural subdivision. Construction plans were approved by the City Commission on Feb. 27.

In other business, the mayor will assume duties of chair of the Board of Adjustment (BOA) as Ordinance 2023-19 was approved on first reading. Previously, the BOA members elected their chair and Pro-Tempore. Between this hearing of the ordinance and second reading, the Commission asked that the Pro-Tempore designation be changed in the ordinance to be the same person as the City Commission’s Pro-Tempore.

In other matters, the Commission changed the appointment schedule for the Planning & Zoning (PZ) and Historic Architectural Review Boards (HARB) to mirror the election cycle of the City Commission to a two-year cycle and to assign the ex officio (nonvoting) mayor position to act as the chair of each board.

Unchanged from the current practice, each PZ Board member will automatically also serve as a member of the HARB and two additional HARB members may be appointed by the Commission to fill the need for a specific area of expertise. Under this plan, the current PZ and HARB members would serve the balance of their current appointments without interruption.

Turning to other business, the Commission considered establishing a Newberry Historic Society to help property owners maintain their historic properties so they don’t fall into disrepair as the recently considered house on church property across from City Hall. Mayor Jordan Marlowe said he believes the group should have some affiliation with the City. Commissioner Tim Marden said he would like to see one person from the Commission and one person from staff involved in the group. Peggy Loy said she has had requests for a walking tour and believes this aspect could be part of the Historic Society. Marlowe said he would work with Thomas on a suggested program for Commission consideration.

Items not on the agenda were briefly mentioned at the end of the meeting. Those items included establishing the most efficient way to get roads paved, requesting School Board members consider additional schools for the Jonesville area residents, April 1 Newberry High School Prom and Spring Festival, lowering speed limits or establishing speed bumps to slow traffic, consideration of lowering impact fee amounts and adding to solar farm buffer zones.

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Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com

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