Newberry Moves To Align Park Zoning, Explores Future Gym At Champions Park

NEWBERRY – Newberry city commissioners took steps to align park properties with their current use while also discussing long-term recreation improvements during the March 9, 2026, City Commission meeting.

Much of the meeting focused on land use changes affecting several city-owned parks, as commissioners unanimously approved two ordinances intended to better reflect the properties’ existing use and support future recreational planning.

Park Land Use Changes Approved

During a legislative public hearing, commissioners approved Ordinance No. 2026-19/CPA 26-08 on second reading. The city-initiated ordinance amends the Future Land Use Map for several municipal parks, including Barry Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Lois Forte Park and Jimmy Durden Park.

The amendment changes the land use classification of those properties from Commercial, Recreation and Residential Low Density to Public Facilities and Land, a designation intended to better match how the sites are currently used.

City officials said the change will help guide long-term planning for park expansion and improvements. The objective of the amendment is to allow the city to expand parks where possible, preserve and acquire additional greenspace, coordinate park growth with the city’s comprehensive plan and improve accessibility at existing facilities.

Commissioners also approved Ordinance No. 2026-20/LDR 26-10 on second reading following a quasi-judicial public hearing. The ordinance rezones the same park properties to the Public Facilities zoning district.

The rezoning changes the parks’ zoning classifications from Commercial Central Business District, Residential (Mixed) Single Family/Mobile Home-2 and Residential Single Family-2 to Public Facilities. Officials said the zoning change supports the same goal of expanding and enhancing recreational space throughout the city.

Annexed Parcel Ordinances Move Forward

The commission also approved two additional ordinances related to a privately owned parcel previously annexed into the city.

Commissioners unanimously approved Ordinance No. 2025-43/CPA 25-13, a small-scale Future Land Use Map amendment that changes the designation of parcel number 04377-011-000 from Alachua County Rural/Agriculture to City of Newberry Agriculture.

The item had previously been removed from consideration at the request of the property owner due to concerns about the size limitations for accessory dwelling units. City officials said that after the city revised its regulations regarding accessory dwelling unit size, the owner requested the item return for a second hearing so a building permit application could proceed.

Following a quasi-judicial hearing, commissioners also approved Ordinance No. 2025-58/Petition LDR 25-21, which rezones the same parcel from Alachua County Agriculture to City of Newberry Agricultural.

Recreation Projects Discussed

In addition to the ordinance approvals, commissioners discussed future recreation projects as Parks and Recreation Director Rod Clark sought direction on updates to the city’s Recreation Master Plan for Champions Park South and Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

Champions Park South was discussed as the preferred location for a future gymnasium. Commissioners indicated the facility should be designed to accommodate four courts to support long-term community growth and recreational demand.

Commissioner Mark Clark suggested the building should also be designed so it can be expanded in future years if additional space is needed. The potential project was discussed as a $3 million investment.

Commissioners agreed staff should move forward with planning for the gymnasium concept.

Clark also requested guidance on the master plan for Martin Luther King Jr. Park, where several proposed improvements were discussed.

All three concepts presented included relocating the basketball court to the east side of the park. Commissioners also discussed increasing parking capacity, with Clark suggesting that closing a road within the park could allow for additional parking space.

Additional recreational features were also discussed, including the possibility of adding adult fitness opportunities such as pickleball courts. A covered court was also mentioned as a potential future improvement.

City Manager Jordan Marlowe noted that covering a court would likely need to wait until a later phase of the project so the city could apply for a Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) grant to help fund the improvement.

Commissioners unanimously directed staff to proceed with planning based on the concepts discussed, with Clark expected to return with additional information as the planning process continues.

The Newberry City Commission will meet again at 7 p.m. on March 23, with a Board of Adjustment meeting scheduled immediately afterward.

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