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GAINESVILLE – As April starts this week, Florida enters blueberry season and brings with it the sweet taste that comes with the fruit. You can pick them yourself or buy them from the store or market. Recently, the University of Florida developed and released another tasty blueberry variety.

When Patricio Muñoz developed the newest UF/IFAS variety, he wanted to name the fruit in honor of Alto Straughn, a longtime, strong supporter of UF’s blueberry breeding program.

“A ‘sentinel’ is a watcher or guardian,” said Muñoz, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of horticultural sciences. “It is symbolic. We came up with the idea to name the blueberry after Alto because he ‘watched and guarded’ the blueberry breeding program for many years.”

For years, Straughn, an alumnus of the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and a former UF/IFAS Extension administrator, owned blueberry farms near Waldo, Florida, northeast of the main UF campus in Gainesville.

Now in his 80s, Straughn still meets regularly with the UF/IFAS blueberry breeder.

“Since I arrived at the program, Alto and I have discussed much about blueberries: cultivars, production, packing, marketing and more,” said Muñoz. “Alto has seen the industry from the beginning, and I am glad he has shared all that information with me and the blueberry breeding program team.”

Scientists first tested the new UF/IFAS variety on Straughn’s farm in Waldo, and later in fields stretching as far south as Arcadia, Florida.

“So, we have determined that the best area for its production is the central and northern parts of Florida,” Muñoz said.

Blueberries are about a $60 million-a-year industry in Florida. To put the impact of blueberries into further economic perspective, Florida’s blueberry farmers produce about 10 to 12 million tons annually in Florida, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

It’s a higher quality fruit than previous UF/IFAS cultivars. It also gives the grower fruit at the best market window, Muñoz said.

And, it tastes good. This variety was tested in multiple flavor panels at UF, and they rated ‘Sentinel’ “high” regarding flavor, Muñoz said.

“Some good things are still happening, including a new blueberry that farmers and consumers will both enjoy,” Muñoz said.

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NEWBERRY – An upscale RV park that is planned for Newberry received considerable attention at the March 22 City Commission meeting. At issue was a proposed change to the City’s Land Development Regulations (LDRs) that would allow longer stays for visitors to Recreational Vehicle Parks and commercial campgrounds. In addition, proponents of the change asked for an increase in the number of Park Model RVs from 10 percent to 40 percent of permitted units.

M3 Development, LLC requested the LDR modifications to accommodate Treehouse Village RV Resort, an upscale RV park/commercial campground, which they are developing in Newberry.

The facility is being touted in part as a remedy for the lack of hotel accommodations in Newberry, especially for recreational events hosted by the City. The longer stay times would more completely accommodate those people who travel south in the fall and return north in the spring, developers say.

The current LDRs allow a stay of up to 90 days. The proposed change would allow visitors to stay for 270 days. Not only would the increased length of stay accommodate seasonal visitors, it would also be useful for people who travel for work where they may stay in an area for a few months at a time.

The applicant, who has an RV resort currently under development in Newberry, contends that the current limitations on length of stay and total number of park models are prohibitive relative to trends in the luxury RV customer market.

Newberry Planning and Economic Development Director Bryan Thomas reported that after speaking with other cities about the matter, most had no limitations on length of stay.

At the March 1, Planning & Zoning Board hearing, the Board voted 3-2 to recommend approval of the changes to the City Commission. The Board also requested an estimate of the property taxes that may be generated by the resort.

Thomas said staff did a cursory review of a similar existing local RV resort and derived an estimate of the appraised value per RV spot. Applying that figure to the number of spaces proposed at build-out of the Treehouse Village RV Resort yielded an estimated valuation of $9.8 million, which would equate to some $59,000 annually in ad valorem taxes to the City. In addition to ad valorem taxes, the City will also receive revenue from the electric franchise fees, utility taxes, fire assessment fees and shared sales tax revenues generated by the development of the resort and use by its patrons.

Commissioners raised concerns that approving a change to 40 percent would be too much density, referencing the City’s recently approved tiny homes ordinance, which allowed tiny homes at 30 percent density. The Commission voiced no concerns about length of stay, but wanted a limit of 30 percent.

A motion to approve the ordinance on first reading received unanimous approval.

In other business, a resolution approving construction plans for Phase Five of the Country Way at Newberry Town Center subdivision received unanimous approval. Commissioner Paul Norfleet recused himself from voting on this issue.

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GAINESVILLE – Mobile hotspots to go will soon be on the menu of area libraries. Alachua County residents can check out mobile hotspots from the Alachua County Library District starting Thursday, April 1 with the new WiFi2Go pilot program.

One hundred hotspots will be available for checkout. Hotspots check out for seven days and can connect up to five devices to the Internet. Service depends on the availability of the T-Mobile network where the hotspot is used.

“The Library District created this program to help bridge the digital divide in Alachua County,” said Library District Director Shaney T. Livingston. “We thank the Alachua County Library District Foundation for generously supporting this pilot program to increase Internet access.”

The Alachua County Library District Foundation contributed $36,000 to pay for the WiFi2Go project with funding from an anonymous donor.

While Internet access is critical to education, employment, and community connection, many residents still lack reliable service, particularly in rural areas. About 91 percent of urban Alachua County residents have access to three or more broadband providers, but only 70 percent of rural residents do, according to Federal Communications Commission. Nationwide, minorities, rural residents, seniors, and people with lower levels of income and education are less likely to have broadband service at home, according to the Pew Research Center.

“We know the need for this service is great. We are starting WiFi2Go with 100 devices but hope to expand the program,” Livingston said.

Alachua County library cardholders can reserve hotspots starting April 1 using the online catalog or by calling any branch. Search the catalog for “WiFi2Go” to save a hotspot online. Patrons can check out one hotspot per library card. Student Library Cardholders cannot check out hotspots.

Patrons can return WiFi2Go hotspots to any library branch. Overdue hotspots will be deactivated after 24 hours. Overdue hotspots will be marked as lost after 30 days, and patrons may be charged up to $85 for lost or damaged devices.

In addition to WiFi2Go, the Library District offers computers with Internet access for public use for free at all 12 locations. Free WiFi is available at all library locations.

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ALACHUA – The hunt was on this past Saturday as excited children and their parents gathered at the Hal Brady Recreation Complex for the annual Easter Egg Hunt hosted by the City of Alachua. Each year on the Saturday closest to Easter, the City hosts the event to carry on the tradition of a hunt for hard boiled and candy filled plastic eggs.

For many families and children Easter just isn’t the same without the annual egg hunt. It is an adventure and a tradition that has been part of American culture for over 100 years. But it dates back much farther than that. In some pre-Christian societies, eggs held associations with spring and new life. Early Christians adapted these beliefs, making the egg a symbol of the resurrection and the empty shell a metaphor for Jesus’ tomb.

In Alachua, it has become an annual event that attracts hundreds of people. While the City sponsors the event, others contribute as well. Dollar General provided over 200 baskets to give away with toys and candy, while CVS, Hitchcock’s and Walgreens donated the candy that filled over 1,000 plastic eggs.

Recreation staff and volunteers spread the plastic eggs across four sports fields, with each location designated for a specific age group so all children would have a chance to gather eggs. At 10 a.m., the gates opened on each field and the children rushed in to gather as many eggs as possible. In a matter of minutes each field was cleared of eggs as the parents helped their kids organize their prizes.

Inside the Hal Brady Center, staff members distributed the donated gift baskets as the families waited patiently in line for either a girl’s or boy’s basket containing age and gender appropriate gifts and even more candy. A recreation department employee dressed as a pink bunny circulated among the crowd and offered photos with the kids.

By 11 a.m. the event began to wind down as families left with baskets filled with candy and toys, while others decided to make it a day at the park for the children to play to burn off the energy and excitement caused by the hunt and candy already consumed.

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HIGH SPRINGS – High Springs may soon be home to a new food truck park. The High Springs City Commission heard details about the proposed food truck park at the March 25 City Commission meeting. The proposed park would be located at 18274 Main Street.

Developer Karl Spain, agent for Radiant Life Ecoville, LLC, submitted a site and landscape plan application for the food truck park that would be located at 18274 Main Street.

“The site plan has not been reviewed by staff because there are no regulations for food truck parks in the Land Development Code,” said City Manager Ashley Stathatos, “and they are not listed in the allowable uses table. They do not qualify to be considered as a restaurant, either.” Therefore,” she said, “staff cannot adequately review and approve the site plan for the food truck park submitted by the applicant.”

Spain’s plan has the food truck park on one lot and a parking area across the street on another lot. Concern about the safety of pedestrians crossing Main Street was raised as well as concern for other restaurants in the city. Spain’s contention is that this park, which would only be available on high traffic days as people go to and from the springs, will benefit all of the businesses in town.

Commissioner Linda Jones expressed concern that some of the smaller businesses may not agree with Spain that the park will be a benefit to them. Jones intends to talk to some of those restaurants as well as other business owners to get a sense of how they feel about the proposed food truck park.

A City ordinance governing food truck parks has been written and will be presented to the High Springs Plan Board in April and the City Commission in May. In the Ordinance, staff recommends that food truck parks be put in the allowable uses table as a conditional use, which means the City Commission would make the determination if they are allowed at a specific time when developers want to bring them into the City.

Spain’s application will run concurrently with the food truck park ordinance through the Plan Board in April and City Commission in May.

Water System Master Plan Study

In other business, Lewis Bryant and Cara Keller from Kimley Horn presented a proposed water sewer utility system master plan study for High Springs. The proposal includes preparation of system demand projections for 5, 10 and 20-year time horizons, preparation of water, wastewater and reclaimed water collection/distribution system master plans, a capital improvements plan, a water treatment facility plan and wastewater treatment facility plan.

A revenue sufficiency analysis is part of the project as well as identification of project funding sources. “Having an updated Water Sewer Utility System Master Plan helps to prepare the City for future growth and puts the City in a better position to apply for and compete for grants,” said the Kimley Horn representatives. The proposed cost for the Water Sewer Utility System Master Plan is $187,400. The City is evaluating potential funding sources to pay for it.

Impact Fee Study

In the third presentation of the evening, Clancy Mullen, Duncan Associates, discussed a proposed impact fee study to develop a method to fairly assess fees that would generate revenue to fund capital projects. He stressed that an impact fee is a one-time fee assessed at the time of construction and is not recurring.

The impact fee study proposed by Duncan Associates would specifically consider the potential impact of fees for transportation, parks, fire, police, administration and public works facilities.

Transportation would be one fee since it is based off trip generation. Parks would be a second fee based on residential uses only. A third fee would be a general government fee for fire, police, administration and public works facilities based on both residential and commercial uses.

Although the City is aware that the water and sewer impact fees need to be increased, this study does not address these potential fee increases. Mullen said City staff recommends that this be done on completion of a water and sewer master plan since an updated capital improvement project list is needed for calculation of the water and sewer master fees.

Mullen said the basic study would cost $29,750 with an additional fee of $2,500 for the impact fee study and another $3,500 to draft an ordinance for the City to consider. The total cost for the impact fee study would be $35,750. Mullen provided a timeline of approximately six months, which would include three public meetings. Mullen said the study would be necessary in order to establish that the fee could be defensible if challenged.

Stathatos is meeting with department heads to see if spending reductions could be made which would enable the City to take the funds from the general fund to fund the study.

Rails to Trails

In another presentation, Parks and Recreation Director Damon Messina and local resident Tom Hewlett delivered a presentation on how the Rails to Trails project would impact the community. Interest has peaked to resurrect the rails to trails project along the CSX rail line. The rail line stretches 13 miles (approximately 182 acres) through High Springs and south of Newberry.

Hewlett talked about the environmental impact of the CSX line saying that the trail links fragmented habitats and has been protecting native plants and animals and is providing a corridor for animal movement. “Since the 1800s, this line has been a wildlife refuge,” said Hewlett. “We can’t lose this to someone who might buy it and develop it or use it for agriculture,” he said.

Hewlett spoke about the different types of contaminants associated with rail lines and reviewed the methods by which railway pollution can be managed. Capping of the land, removal of the soil and landscaping over the pollution are the only ways of dealing with it, he said.

By capping it, the property can be used as a destination and will provide recreation opportunities for citizens and visitors while maintaining the corridor environmentally. Hewlett maintains that the costs associated with land acquisition, trail construction and trail maintenance are far outweighed by the economic benefits of the trail. Hewlett said if the City owns that land, mitigation can occur to protect the citizens and create a rail trail to benefit High Springs’ tourism-based economy.

City staff has had preliminary discussions with Alachua County regarding the project and potential funding. Previous funding for the project from the County is no longer available but appears amenable to exploring the project again and looking into funding possibilities. City staff is in the process of setting up a meeting with CSX to explore their willingness to provide easements for the trail or sell the property.

Messina said, “The rail line is in the center of our town and will provide a significant economic impact to our City.” “High Springs is the corridor to the springs, and I believe establishing this trail will greatly impact tourism.”

The City plans to bring up the possibility of re-establishing the rails to trails project when they meet with Alachua County Commissioners in a joint meeting on April 8.

Annual Police Report

The final presentation by High Springs Police Chief Antoine Sheppard was the detailed 2020 Annual Police Report.

The report is an overview of the police department’s statistical data involving crime, objectives, goals, staffing patterns and community outreach projects for the 2020 year. The presentation included crime data information from the last eight years concerning non-violent and violent crime. Non-violent crimes decreased by 61.2 percent and violent crime by 21.4 percent. “The overall crime rate has been reduced by 55 percent,” Sheppard said.

Calls for service data indicate status quo level of service calls for the last four years with a range of 6,000 – 6,500 service calls.

The agency’s objectives are centered on increased training in implicit bias, de-escalation training, accreditation and the procurement of body-worn cameras. “Proposed budgeting and solicitation of grants should be adequate to accomplish those goals,” said Sheppard.

The department is comprised of 18 sworn full-time police officers, three sworn reserve police officers and three civilian staff members, with no vacancies since 2017. Full-time officer positions are filled by 89 percent male officers and 11 percent female officers. Racial demographics indicate 67 percent Caucasian officers, five percent Hispanic Officers and 28 percent African American Officers.

Sheppard pointed out that the department had only two days to prepare for the Black Lives Matter protest in which to formulate an operational plan to support the protestors’ First Amendment rights and balance concerns of citizens’ property and safety. He reported that the event was peaceful.

Sheppard said that the HSPD continues to lead the area in community involvement. He pointed to Operation Holiday Cheer, involvement in Farm Share food distribution and some of the community cookouts and events the department conducts annually to help keep in touch with citizens.

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ALACHUA – Alachua city leaders gathered Tuesday morning at the new Legacy Park Electrical substation for a ribbon cutting ceremony. Joining in was an assembled crowd of government dignitaries, representatives from Jacobs Electrical Engineering and Duke Energy and city employees, including the members of the city’s electric department who will maintain the substation. The facility comes online just one year after the project’s groundbreaking in 2020.

The new electric substation expands the electrical grid to supply power to the growing city and improve reliability. The substation is in line with the city’s long-range capital plan, which for a number of years, has been exploring expanding the electrical grid in anticipation of growth.

City Manager Adam Boukari said that the substation brings a more efficient power system for residents, acknowledging the work of predecessors who had the foresight to pursue this project and determination to see it accomplished. He specifically referenced outgoing City Commissioner Gary Hardacre, who is not seeking reelection this April. Boukari said that Hardacre pressed to see the substation a reality.

The new substation in the southwestern part of the city expands the supply of power and lessens outages by creating a looped system between two stations. By looping the two, power can be transferred from one station to the other and isolate outages and shorten the time to get customers back on line. The system also creates a wider power grid to compensate for increased demand due to commercial and residential development.

The Alachua City Commission adopted the substation as a high priority strategic initiative in June 2018 and solicited formal proposals from qualified vendors to provide engineering inspection services and design to assist in the expansion of the City’s electric system.

The winning bid went to electrical engineering firm Jacobs to provide construction engineering inspection services for the expansion of electrical infrastructure with construction of the Legacy Substation.

The Legacy Park location was selected for the site of the new substation with design and construction accomplished and coordinated with Duke Energy. The City constructed the substation with Duke agreeing to purchase the non-real property substation assets of equipment to transfer power from its transmission line to the substation and convert that power for distribution throughout the city and to city utility customers. Duke paid $1,039,857 of the total project cost of $5.7 million.

Duke Energy’s Dan Smith said that having the substation operational just a year after groundbreaking was quite an accomplishment and would greatly increase reliability of the electric grid. City of Alachua Public Services Director Rudolfo Valladares thanked City electric department workers for their efforts in getting the station ready. Mayor Gib Coerper also spoke, thanking city official s and reflecting on the people that had the determination to see the project to completion.

Boukari said that despite the cost of the project the City’s electric utility is still debt free and that the project would pay for itself multiple times.

“It’s all about investing in the future and improving the quality of life and City services to the community,” Boukari said.

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