Local

NEWBERRY ‒ The Florida League of Cities (FLC) recently announced that two staff members of the City of Newberry have been appointed to the League’s Legislative Policy Committee.

Director of Finance and Administration Dallas Lee was appointed to the Municipal Administration Committee and will join Newberry City Clerk Judy Rice, who was reappointed to the Utilities, Natural Resources and Public Works Committee.

As a Legislative Policy Committee member, Rice and Lee will help develop the League’s Legislative Action Agenda, which details priority issues that are most likely to affect daily municipal governance and local decision-making during the upcoming legislative session, as well as help League staff, understand the real-world implications of proposed legislation. Committee members are also asked to serve as advocates for local decision-making throughout the legislative process.

“It’s an honor and privilege to serve as a legislative policy committee member,” said Rice on learning of her re-appointment. “As a public servant, I look forward to discussing with the committee the many issues facing our cities and deciding on a policy direction for the Florida League of Cities legislative efforts,” she said.

Lee echoed Rice’s sentiments stating, “I am pleased and excited to serve on this committee to offer a local voice to these important topics at the state level.”

In announcing these appointments, FLC explained their purpose and philosophy. “The Florida League of Cities is the united voice for Florida’s municipal governments. Its goals are to promote local self-government and serve the needs of Florida’s cities, which are formed and governed by their citizens. The League believes in ‘Local Voices Making Local Choices,’ which focuses on the impact citizens and city leaders have in improving Florida’s communities.”

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NEWBERRY ‒ The City of Newberry’s Historic Architectural Review and Planning and Zoning boards met Monday, June 7 to consider various proposed changes affecting the city.

City Manager Mike New presented streetlight options for the Historic Architectural Review Board’s consideration. The lights will be installed in conjunction with the Florida Department of Transportation’s State Road -26 One-Way Pairs project. The new streetlights will run the length of the project from approximately State Road 45 on the east to County Road 337 to the west, a portion of which is located within the Newberry Historic District.

Board members expressed concern that whatever design was adopted, it must provide the capacity to support Christmas lights and decorations and other items. New assured the Board that the four options presented for consideration would accommodate those concerns.

The Board settled on a style called Domia, with daylight white lighting, banner arms, and finished in black. Board members were satisfied that the clear white lights would be aimed downward and would not negatively impact homeowners on their property.

In other Board action, a Quasi-Judicial public hearing was held on a request by Lee and Casey Mason, owners of Arch Angel Gunsmithing and Outfitters, 25720 W. Newberry Road.

The request was to alter the exterior of their building, which is located within the Newberry Historic District. The owners asked for permission to add a storage room onto the rear of the building.

Drawings and specifications were included with the owners’ application and indicated the addition would be 31 ft. long by 10 ft. wide and would be located to the rear of the eastern portion of the building. Board members agreed to the request.

Planning & Zoning

Three Quasi-Judicial public hearings were conducted during the Planning and Zoning Board meeting and all received approval by Board members.

The first item was a request to change the City’s Future Land Use Map from Low Density Residential to Medium Density Residential. The property in question consists of 2.08 +/- acres and is owned by Herb and Jeanie Marlowe. The requested change will change the number of dwelling units per acre from one to four units to less than or equal to eight dwelling units per acre. The property encompasses three address locations beginning with 24916 S.W. 4^th Avenue and including 24928 and 24902.

Once the change to the Future Land Use Map was approved the property owner requested a rezoning from Residential, Single Family (RSF-1) to Residential, Multiple-Family (RMF-1) on the same property. Both the change to the Future Land Use Map and the rezoning request will be heard by the City Commission at the July 12 meeting.

The third Quasi-Judicial public hearing was an application to allow for a fence and shed to remain in the front and side yard of property located at 25881 N.W. 4^th Lane. The petition was brought by Donald Long, owner.

According to Newberry Principal Planner Wendy Kinser-Maxwell, the way the builder sited the building did not allow room for the shed to be placed in the back of the home. Long said he had applied for a permit with the City previously and was told that he could go ahead with his plans unless he heard back from the City.

Hearing nothing, he proceeded thinking the City had approved his previous application. However, City Codes Enforcement Officers contacted him recently to let him know he was not properly permitted, which led to his current application.

Board members reviewed Long’s application and voted to recommend approval to the Board of Adjustment, which will meet June 14.

In other Board business, New formally presented the long-awaited Community Redevelopment (CRA) Plan to the Board for their approval. Following a brief question and answer period, Board members approved the plan, which will go next before the City Commission at the June 14 meeting for consideration.

If approved by the City Commission, the plan will be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) for review. City Commissioners and the BoCC are scheduled to meet jointly at Newberry-Easton Sports Complex on June 28.

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ALACHUA ‒ A new mixed-use research community within the City of Alachua is on the drawing board. San Felasco Research Ventures has announced the 420-acre development. Anchored by Momentum Labs, the project, which is adjacent to the established and thriving Progress Park, will be home to a major research community for science and technology companies. The strategic location neighboring the globally renowned Sid Martin Biotech will include research and development facilities, commercial space, advanced manufacturing and residential.  

Designed for a mix of diverse companies and much-needed housing opportunities in the City of Alachua market, the project will create a place where the best science, research, and technology can co-exist and thrive as a true mixed-use development. The project aims to create a holistic community to support existing City of Alachua residents and provide future residents with the opportunity to live within the community where they work, enjoy miles of adjacent nature trails, numerous sports facilities and adjacent community recreation amenities throughout Alachua.

“The addition of this project within Alachua will strengthen research and business activity in our biotechnology sector,” said City of Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper. “With the combination of this new project and existing assets, our region is poised to become the epicenter of science, research and technology in Florida.”

Concept Companies will act as master-developer for the research community in close collaboration with The Roberts Companies. The two companies have been leaders throughout the region as strategic development partners for facilities utilized by the biotech community and, through this monumental collaboration, are building expanded momentum for science and technology incubation and growth in the region.

Concept Companies, a full-service real estate investment and development firm headquartered in Gainesville, both on its own and as part of San Felasco Research Ventures, is developing the key infrastructure to serve these important economic sectors that ultimately help people live better lives while expanding the employment opportunities in the community.

“It's been a pleasure and an honor working with the City of Alachua on several critical projects in the region, including Copeland Park and Foundation Park,” said Brian Crawford, founder, owner and CEO, Concept Companies and Co-Manager, San Felasco Research Ventures.

“Together with Concept Companies, we are proud to have created a tremendous partnership with Alachua that will continue to generate exceptional results for the city's residents and the region,” said Austen Roberts, President, The Roberts Companies and Co-Manager, San Felasco Research Ventures.

Other recently announced Alachua projects supporting science and technology include Momentum Labs, a state-of-the-art facility providing turnkey and tailored services to best fit recent incubator graduates moving toward commercialization.

Additionally, the new laboratory facility for Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation (AGTC) will include quality control labs and a manufacturing suite, expanding AGTC's existing footprint in Alachua and signaling further growth in the life sciences arena. Concept Companies, is coordinating with the City of Alachua on both developments.

The Roberts Companies, founded by Avery C. Roberts, has been in the real estate development, horizontal construction, and timber industries since 1980 and currently owns and operates a diverse portfolio of large land holdings throughout 12 counties across North Florida. They were instrumental in the creation of Copeland Park in Alachua, Florida, bringing tremendous and much needed economic growth and positive impact to the region by successfully completing the land sale to Nanotherapeutics, Inc. (now known as Ology Bioservices, Inc.) in late 2013.

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GAINESVILLE—The Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention has made its way across the Pond! The Institute of Imagination (iOi), a London based charity, is hosting The Big Build from May 31-July 8 featuring the Cade’s PolyCade Project.

PolyCade utilizes paper polyhedrons, three-dimensional figures made of various flat faces, lines and sharp edges commonly used in art, design and architecture. Visitors can build these paper sculptures up to towering heights and then tear them down to start again.

“Innovation and invention are not possible without first pushing the limits of imagination,” said Stephanie Bailes, President and Executive Director of the Cade Museum. “The PolyCade Project encourages individual exploration and a community-wide shared experience. It provides an important opportunity to fuse imagination with the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) learning process.” 

The PolyCade Project was designed exclusively for the Cade Museum by renowned Dutch artist Noa Haim of Collective Paper Aesthetics and is available to be licensed by museums around the world.

The Institute of Imagination licensed PolyCade to be a part of their Big Build initiative. The Big Build is a public art sculpture installation that was imagined by thousands of primary school students from Newham using the PolyCade polyhedrons. In May, 14 schools explored how to transform ideas into 3D models, creating polyhedron sculptures that represent hope, celebration and community in the wake of the pandemic. The children’s vision was then brought to life on a large scale across the district by Danish-born East Ham artist Anne Harild.

The Institute of Imagination writes “This exciting initiative brings much needed creativity to the heart of Newham, one of the London districts hardest hit by the pandemic. Inspired by the district’s 2021 Year of the Young Person, the sculptures aim to celebrate the extraordinary contributions of young people across Newham. Each sculpture provides an opportunity for children and young people to design and build together in a symbol of collaboration and hope.”

The Big Build has been and is on display in the following locations on the following dates:

1. Thames Barrier Park | 31st May – 17th June

2. London Design & Engineering UTC | 1st June – 1st July

3. Queen’s Market | 2nd June – 2nd July

4. Beckton Globe Library | 3rd June – 5th July

5. Westfield Stratford City | 4th June – 6th July

6. East Ham Library | 5th June – 7th July

7. Olympic Park – Pontoon Cafe | 6th June – 8th July

About the Cade Museum
 
In 2004, Dr. James Robert Cade and his family established the Cade Museum Foundation to build the Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention in Gainesville, Florida. The Cade’s mission is to transform communities by inspiring and equipping future inventors, entrepreneurs, and visionaries. Dr. Cade, a physician at the University of Florida, was best known as the leader of a research team that invented Gatorade in 1965. The Cade Museum is open to the public and located at 811 South Main Street, Gainesville, FL 32601. An independent 501(c)(3) public foundation, the museum receives no operational funding from federal, state, or local governments, or the University of Florida.

About the Institute of Imagination (iOi)
The Institute of Imagination is a London based charity with international reach. Through dynamic hands-on events with partners, such as TATE and Lego, the organization champions opportunities for children and young people to develop their imaginations, a quality that is vital to creativity and the next generation’s ability to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world. Our goal is to spark imaginations everywhere and encourage creative learning through our events, training, partnerships, and research.

In 2020, the iOi launched iOi at Home: a digital event space providing engaging creative programs for children and young people to support skills development and wellbeing.

www.ioi.london

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ALACHUA ‒ The City of Alachua and Alachua County discussed the proposed purchase of the Fellowship Baptist Church at its June 14 joint meeting held at Alachua City Hall. Located in High Springs, the church property had been suggested as a location for a satellite county office to provide resources closer to residents in that area of the county. Proposed uses include office space for the tax collector, property appraiser, Department of Motor Vehicles and social services.

Although the County is interested in creating a satellite office for the Alachua/High Springs area, County Commissioners decided not to purchase the property, which was listed for $3.3 million and appraised at some $2.2 million. In considering other locations, it was suggested that some of the cost could be absorbed by renting out part of the property to other social service organizations.

Several organizations such as The Partnership for Strong Families, Peaceful Paths, Meridian Behavioral Healthcare and the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County have all expressed interest in using part of the space. Currently plans are on hold to see if the church property owner will sell for the appraised value.

In other business, both bodies discussed the creation of an Infrastructure Surtax Ballot Initiative in 2022. The County is suggesting adding a one-half to one-cent tax for general infrastructure such as road repair and construction. No action was taken on the issue Monday night, and the tax will be discussed with other towns in the county before a decision is made to include it on the 2022 ballot.

The County Commission also discussed a renter’s rights initiative to provide funds for repairs and new construction for low-income affordable housing, primarily in Gainesville. The City of Alachua already has received grants to invest in renovations and street repair in neighborhoods within the city and has already invested in multiple projects. City of Alachua Commissioners suggested that the County hold off until Gainesville provides plans in order to reduce duplicate work and expenses, especially since the City of Alachua has already done much of the work in their community.

The final item discussed during the two-hour joint meeting was the status of the Trunked Radio System, which provides a combined radio system to all the county first responder services. The City of Alachua joined the system this year and made monthly payments of $10,000 a month for three months.

Recently, Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU), who provides the system, announced increasing and changing payments to a full year’s cost to be paid now by each municipality. The City of Alachua expressed that the amount was too much at one time and that they had already signed a monthly contract. Additionally, Alachua City Commissioners suggested that the County should pay the extra cost since it covers all municipalities. The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners indicated they would consider the proposal.

“Although the meeting was long and at times spirited, it was productive,” said City of Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper. “It was good to see the Alachua County Commission wanting to work with the outlying cities to address important local issues and establish better communications between the towns.”

Following the combined County-City meeting, the City of Alachua Commission convened to consider several budgetary issues. The Commission approved acceptance of funds for the summer programs to be held at Legacy Park and Santa Fe High School. In March 2021, The Children's Trust of Alachua County approved $100,060 for the summer programs. Additional funding of $29,600 is projected to be received from enrollment fees for a total of $129,660 to cover the programs.

The other budget agenda item involved the transfer of funds from the General Fund Budget to the City Attorney and Facilities Maintenance Budget of $110,000. The City Attorney office will receive $35,000 primarily for anticipated litigation expenses related to the 2020 Alachua County Charter Amendment lawsuit in addition to the current fiscal year contractual increase. The additional $75,000 to Facilities Maintenance will provide for additional current fiscal year costs related to the City Hall buildout and Hal Brady Recreation Center maintenance shed projects.

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