Newberry Defers CDD Decision for Further Review

NEWBERRY – The Newberry City Commission approved several significant items on second reading during their Oct. 28, 2024, meeting, while postponing one item for additional review. Key decisions included the re-adoption of ordinances related to residential development and urban planning, as well as preliminary approval of a new community development district.

Westone and Urban Service

Boundary Ordinances

The Commission gave final approval to two re-adopted ordinances. Ordinance 2024-34 confirmed the Westone Planned Residential Development, a large-scale project spanning 258 acres. This development, approved for 850 homes, underwent adjustments to its large-scale land use amendment due to statutory requirements. An extension from the Florida Department of Commerce allowed Newberry until Oct. 31, 2024, to re-adopt the ordinance and ensure compliance with state law. Additionally, adjustments were made to exclude certain areas with pending environmental concerns raised by Alachua County.

Ordinance 2024-35 focused on the Urban Service Boundary, aimed at aligning the city’s comprehensive plan with future development goals. This re-adoption enables boundary amendments to square off the Urban Service Area and supports growth in line with Newberry’s Future Land Use Element.

Community Development Districts (CDDs)

The Westone development’s proposed CDD received preliminary approval on Oct. 14, 2024, with the second reading deferred to Nov. 12 due to Commissioner Monty Farnsworth’s request for additional review. The Westone development is a large-scale residential project approved for 258 acres near Southwest 15^th Avenue and Southwest 266^th Street. This CDD, if fully approved, would allow long-term financing for Westone’s infrastructure through tax-exempt bonds. Discussions highlighted potential city risks in managing the district debt and wastewater capacity reservations, resulting in updated conditions that include a required interlocal agreement to set wastewater capacities and other operational terms.

The Ranch Community Development District, covering a 255-acre property owned by NC Ranch #1, LLC, was also addressed. In its first reading on Oct. 28, the petition to establish a CDD for Phase 1, comprising 300 single-family homes, 125 senior housing units, and 75,000 square feet of storage space, received unanimous approval. This development has a target completion date of 2030 and is now scheduled for a second reading on Nov. 12.

City Initiatives

City Manager Mike New announced upcoming community initiatives, including a Peanut Butter Drive supporting the University of Florida's IFAS program and a canned goods drive benefiting the local organization Blessed Hope. Additionally, Newberry secured a $50,000 grant from the state Division of Historic Resources to conduct ground-penetrating radar surveys of an African American cemetery near Easton, with the goal of preserving historical records.

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