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ALACHUA – The City of Alachua Commission voted 3-1 Monday night to approve the first reading of Ordinance 25-05, a comprehensive amendment to the city’s Land Development Regulations that lays the groundwork for more mixed-use development. Commissioner Jacob Fletcher cast the only dissenting vote, while the rest of the commission agreed to advance the measure to a second and final reading on Sept. 8. Commissioner Jennifer Ringersen was not present.

Mixed-use development combines housing, businesses, and sometimes offices or recreational spaces within the same project or district, creating walkable areas where people can live, work, and shop in closer proximity. Planning Director Carson Crockett explained that the ordinance is designed to entice developers to pursue infill opportunities within the city rather than pushing outward onto greenspace and undeveloped tracts. The changes align with the city’s 2025 Strategic Plan and last year’s Comprehensive Plan update, both of which identified mixed-use zoning as a key growth management strategy.

The amendments modify multiple articles of the Land Development Regulations, adding standards for density and intensity in business districts, creating new definitions for mixed-use projects, reducing parking requirements by 25 percent in certain zones, and establishing new landscaping, buffering, and orientation rules to help commercial and residential uses coexist within the same development.

While city staff framed the ordinance as a carefully calibrated tool for managing growth, the vote drew criticism from residents who said the commission had acted too quickly and without sufficient public understanding. Alachua resident Tamara Robbins argued that commissioners themselves did not fully understand the ordinance they approved and insisted that greenspace should remain untouched regardless of infill strategies.

Several residents of High Springs added their voices in opposition, contending that the city should be more cautious before opening the door to broader residential uses in commercial zones. Alachua resident Rudy Rothseiden told the commission that too many unanswered questions remained and warned that mixed-use projects could easily overwhelm commercial corridors with parking problems and congestion.

Despite these objections, the majority of commissioners endorsed the ordinance as consistent with the city’s adopted planning policies and noted that it represents the continuation of work begun last year when the city created mixed-use future land use categories.

The new standards spell out what qualifies as mixed-use development and what protections are required when such projects are placed alongside existing single-family neighborhoods. City staff emphasized that the changes were researched with examples from peer communities across Florida and were intended to give Alachua flexibility to shape growth in a way that balances new housing opportunities with commercial vitality.

The ordinance does not impose any new fees or compliance costs on businesses, according to a state-mandated Business Impact Estimate. The report concluded there would be no financial burden on private, for-profit businesses, and no new regulatory costs for the city.

Supporters argue that the changes will provide additional housing choices, especially in areas like downtown Main Street and the U.S. 441 corridor, while protecting residential neighborhoods through buffers and landscaping standards. Opponents remain unconvinced, warning that parking and compatibility concerns will surface as soon as developers take advantage of the new rules.

With the first reading now complete, the ordinance returns to the City Commission on Sept. 8 for a final vote. If approved, the changes will take effect later this year.

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