Local

Today Staff Photo / Newberry City Hall

NEWBERRY – The Newberry City Commission has cleared the way for 850 homesites on 258 acres at the intersection of Southwest 15^th Avenue and Southwest 266^th Street. The unanimous approval by the Commission to change the property’s land use classification and zoning came at the Oct. 9 City Commission meeting.

The Commission unanimously approved on second reading a request by property owners Jason, Mary, James, Connie, Paul, Tammy and Lewis Coleman and Austin, Emma and David Mattox, for a large-scale amendment to the Future Land Use Map classification on 250 +/- acres from Agriculture to Residential Low Density. The property at the intersection of Southwest 15th Avenue and Southwest 266th Street is known as Westone. The subdivision is located within the Urban Services Area and will include 850 detached and attached single-family dwelling units.

The change in the Future Land Use Map and the rezoning request were both initially heard at the Oct. 3, 2022, Planning and Zoning Board and both were approved in a of 3-1 vote to recommend approval of both petitions to the City Commission.

At the Oct. 24, 2022, City Commission meeting, the Commission voted 4-0 to approve the land use change and the rezoning on first reading. The large-scale amendment application was forwarded to the Florida Department of Commerce. That body returned the application to the City of Newberry with comments that resulted in areas affected by the former Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) cleanup site to remain open space.

Also, a traffic impact analysis and an updated Preliminary Development Plan were provided.

Westone Rezoning

The Commission unanimously approved the ordinance on second reading to rezone the same 250 +/- acres plus the additional 8.3 +/- acres from Agricultural (A) and Residential (Mixed) Single-Family/Mobile Home (RSF/MH-2) to Planned Residential Development (PRD).

The City of Newberry’s Principal Planner Jean-Paul Perez said the purpose of the PRD zoning category is to encourage flexible and creative site planning concepts, to preserve natural amenities and efficient use of land.

The 850 single-family residential units are proposed to be located on lot sizes at a minimum area of 5,000 square feet and with a minimum width of 50 feet. The townhouse lot sizes will be built on a minimum area of 2,000 square feet with a 20-foot-width.

Legislative Priorities

The Commission selected six projects out of a list of 25 prepared by staff to request at the upcoming Legislative Session. City Manager Mike New said that last year the City was successful in several areas including receiving two legislative appropriations totaling $2.5 million for the wastewater treatment plant expansion and construction of an elevated water storage tank. In 2022, the legislature appropriated $2.5 million for the wastewater treatment plant expansion. In total, the Commission approved requesting six appropriations projects totaling $23.7 million in the upcoming Legislative Session that starts Jan. 9, 2024 and an additional $4 million through the Florida Jobs Growth Grant Fund.

The Commission will be requesting a $20 million appropriation for construction of a regional wastewater treatment facility in western Alachua County at an estimated cost of $55 million.

Another request will be for $1 million in funding a $5 million elevated water storage tank construction project to support an economic corridor in eastern Newberry. The City has the balance of funding necessary to complete the $5 million project.

The third request is to provide $285,000 in funding to construct a $825,000 memorial for Veterans. Newberry has funded $350,000 and is fundraising for the balance.

A fourth request is for the appropriation of $1.7 million in funding for Newberry’s electric resiliency project to provide redundancy and an underground electric circuit in the downtown district. The project estimate is $5 million with the City funding the balance through its rates and reserves.

The Commission will also request $500,000 for an emergency responder training facility in western Alachua County and a $200,000 request to construct tennis and pickleball courts.

In non-legislative appropriations, the City will be requesting through the Florida Jobs Growth Grant Fund program an additional $4 million for Phase One infrastructure in the Newberry Ag-tech Innovation Park.

Local Business Impact Estimates

In other business, the Commission approved on first reading a local business impact estimate ordinance in compliance with Florida Statutes. If enacted on second reading, the measure will require municipalities to prepare business impact estimates prior to adopting ordinances that impact business owners.

The ordinance will become effective retroactively as of Oct. 1, 2023 and is intended to make local government more transparent. Local governments are required to prepare and publish impact statements on ordinances prior to their adoption. The law increases staff’s level of effort in preparing these impact statements, which may require outside consultants.

Approval of this ordinance authorizes the City to hire a consultant and to charge for the expense, if there is a challenge to an action.

The law also provides a procedure to challenge ordinances that are adopted by local government, while also setting challenge and waiting periods.

Three items listed on the agenda were tabled until all five Commissioners could be in attendance; Commissioner Tim Marden was not at the Oct. 9 meeting. Those items included a discussion of the solid waste collection services agreement with Waste Pro, legal services provided by the city attorney and charter officer annual evaluations. These three items will be discussed at the Oct. 23 meeting.

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Today File Photo / High Springs City Hall

HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The City of High Springs received welcome news as the City has been awarded a $700,000 grant for stormwater and drainage improvements. Those improvements include the new construction of drainage swales, the installation of culvert pipes and a new pump station with six-inch stormwater force main piping.

Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded more than $8.7 million to nine small and rural Florida communities through the Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for housing and community development activities. This builds upon more than $87 million invested in 123 community development projects for Florida communities since 2019.

“I am happy to announce these awards for nine small and rural communities — four of which are actively recovering from the impacts of Hurricane Idalia,” said DeSantis. “Strategic investments like this help expand economic opportunities for families and strengthen our rural communities.”

Florida Commerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly said, “Governor DeSantis continues to champion community revitalization and economic development initiatives in small and rural communities across the state. Florida Commerce is proud to partner with the communities receiving awards today to help them offer their residents the brightest future possible.”

Allocated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Florida Commerce administers Florida’s Small Cities CDBG program, which provides funding for economic development initiatives through neighborhood revitalization, housing rehabilitation and commercial revitalization.

Other cities receiving grants through this program include the cities of Williston ($700,000), Blountstown ($440,764), Bristol ($649,881), Gretna ($700,000), and the towns of Mayo ($650,000), Monticello ($700,000) and Hillard ($700,000).

The only county receiving grant funding is Washington County at $3,482,300.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ A 35-year-old High Springs man was shot in the stomach at approximately 1:40 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 6. The incident occurred in the vicinity of 25200 N.W. U.S. Highway 27.

According to the High Springs Police Department (HSPD), the homeowner thought the man was attempting to break into the back door of the home and shot the victim through the back door striking the victim in the stomach with a small caliber handgun.

When officers reported to the home, they found the gunshot victim, who was subsequently transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Initially, the shooting incident appears to be accidental. HSPD reports that all parties are cooperating with the investigation, which is ongoing as of late Monday, Oct. 9.

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Alachua City Commissioner Shirley Green Brown (left) along with current and former members of Alachua’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) accepted the 2023 Florida League of Cities Community Service Award from Chirs Holley (back right), Director of External Services, of the Florida League of Cities. Alachua’s YAC received the award for its initiative in creating a quilt in partnership with the Alachua County Quilt Remembrance Project through the Equal Justice Initiative. The quilt is intended to remember lynching victims from Newnansville, just north of Alachua. In addition to a trophy, Alachua’s YAC received a $250 award. Well-established area quilters assisted the young council members with the project.

ALACHUA - Alachua City Commissioner Shirley Green Brown (left) along with current and former members of Alachua’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) accepted the 2023 Florida League of Cities Community Service Award from Chirs Holley (back right), Director of External Services, of the Florida League of Cities. Alachua’s YAC received the award for its initiative in creating a quilt in partnership with the Alachua County Quilt Remembrance Project through the Equal Justice Initiative. The quilt is intended to remember lynching victims from Newnansville, just north of Alachua. In addition to a trophy, Alachua’s YAC received a $250 award. Well-established area quilters assisted the young council members with the project.

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WALDO ‒ The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Project Manager David Tyler is calling for two public meetings to discuss the revised improvements for the resurfacing project on State Road 24 (Waldo Road) from west of Northeast 141^st Drive to U.S. Highway 301.

“This meeting will inform the public of the proposed alternative and serves as an official forum providing an opportunity for the public to express their opinions and concerns regarding the project,” said Tyler. Along with resurfacing the existing SR 24, it also calls for safety improvement for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The first of two meetings will take place virtually on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. An in-person meeting will take place on Thursday, Oct. 19, at Waldo City Square, 14450 N.E. 148^th Avenue, Waldo. The Oct. 19 meeting includes an open house from 4:30 – 6 p.m. and a presentation and public comment period beginning at 6 p.m.

There are several ways in which the public can participate in these meetings including the in-person option on Oct. 19.

A virtual online option and a “Listen Only” option are available for the Oct. 17 meeting. Interested citizens may register at www.nflroads.com/vph or at attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8689769582249772376. The Phone Option (Listen Only), also on Oct. 17, will begin at 6 p.m. Interested citizens may dial 1-213-493-0005; Audio Access Code 182-614-426.

All participants will receive the same information on the proposed project and all comments received in-person, virtually or electronically, will be given equal weight.

Persons wishing to submit written comments may do so at the public meeting, by mail at Florida Department of Transportation, District Two Office, 1109 S. Marion Avenue, Lake City, Florida 32025-5874 or by email to david.tyler@dot.state.fl.us no later than Oct. 30, to be documented as part of the Public Meeting record.

For more information regarding the project visit the project website at www.nflroads.com/Waldo.

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Staff Photo / With so many pumpkins to choose from, two inquisitive youngsters find that selecting just one pumpkin is a hard task.

ALACHUA ‒ What has become a 23-year annual event to fund mission work for Alachua Methodist Church is in full swing. Every year the church sells pumpkins of countless sizes and colors during the month of October at a field fronting U.S. Highway 441 on the west side of Alachua.

Through social media, the church announced that this year there are Swan Gourds, Gizmo Gourds, Winged Gourds, Snowballs, Snowflakes, and Elf Houses. And if you are looking for that unique pumpkin, just check out the colors. They say they have orange, white, green, black, yellow and peach pumpkins.

And those pumpkins and gourds of all shapes are skillfully stacked in colorful displays that fairly entice visitors to take a photo or two. There are also three photo opportunities staged, including one with a vintage tractor. And youngsters will love the open-air activity areas that are largely directed toward children's entertainment. This year tractor rides are offered every Saturday and Sunday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The month-long event has become a tradition for many families to celebrate the fall season, returning year after year, often taking advantage of the photo area to mark growth of their families over time. Each year the church sells around 20,000 pumpkins as well as homemade pumpkin bread. Setting up the pumpkin patch and all the displays is a group effort for the church with everyone pitching in on unloading, making displays or manning the pumpkin patch.

Hours for this year’s Pumpkin Patch are Monday through Friday 2 p.m. - 8 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. - 8 p.m. The pumpkin patch is located at 15710 N.W. U.S. Highway 441 in Alachua.

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