test test.
>> chair: good evening, it's
5:00 and we are going to go
ahead and open up for public
hearing.
I think mary and chuck will be
joining us shortsly.
MADAM Clerk, first item or only
item.
>> first and only item, z26-0000
z26-00005, transmittal hearing
for everlee farmstead community
large scale comprehensive plan
amendment.
>> chair: okay, thank you.
And the recommended action is to
transmit the application z26-05
with policies for the state for
review and comment.
And MR. Dawson, you are
recognized.
>> good evening, MR. Chair.
Chris dawson, principal planner
for development services of
alachua county growth management
department.
You have my resume.
Tonight as the clerk mentioned,
this is the transmittal hearing
for the everlee farmstead
community which is a large scale
comprehensive plan amendment.
>> chair: and I presume we will
do your presentation and then we
will break for public comment at
5:30.
>> I'm going to try to not talk
for half an hour, MR. Chair.
>> chair: then we will turn it
over to the applicant.
>> we'll see where you are and
you tell me when to sit down and
let other people speak.
>> chair: right on.
Thank you, sir.
>> MR. Chair, this is a future
land use map amendment for about
996 acres, 820 of which are
inside the hickory sink special
area plan and 176 are outside.
it would change the future land
use designation from rural
agriculture to everlee farmstead
community.
And it would also create
policies implementing the
everlee farmstead community
future land use designation.
This application is really
considered a part of the hickory
sink special area plan.
Even though there is some land
outside the limits of the
special area study that's
included, the majority of the
property is inside.
That special area study was
accepted by the board in
NOVEMBER 2023.
It included a number of
conditions which had been
addressed in the application
before us today.
It allowed for a phase 1 U.F.
Golf development and you saw
that comprehensive plan
amendment and pd before you
earlier this year.
It identified conservation areas
within the limits of the special
area study and it also
identified areas for potential
future development.
And there was specific direction
included on the protection of
natural resources within the
limits of the special area
study.
So the sas now has really three
sort of distinct.
There's 580 acres you saw
earlier owned by the U.F.
Foundation.
That's where the U.F. Golf
course is.
There are all the lands west of
parker road that are owned by
U.F. Ifas and managed by U.F.
Ifas.
And then there are the lands
sort of south of the golf course
on the east side of parker road
that are subject to this
application.
The ones within the sas are
still under the ownership of the
lee family or associated
entities.
There's some additional
properties outside of the sas
that are in private ownership.
And generally, it's located
south of oakmont and west of
haile plantation.
That's sort of a location map
there.
Oakmont is up here.
Haile plantation is here.
The legonna development is here
sort of in the center of the
screen to the east.
Parker road on the west side and
archer road there running to the
south.
Again, an aerial of the --
recent aerial of the project
site.
Most of this property has been
historically used for
agriculture of different kinds.
It's been ranchland at times.
It's been active farming.
And it's been in silviculture
again at different times.
And even the properties that are
outside of the special area
study have had sort of similar
historic agricultural uses.
And again, the proposal is to
change the future land use
designation for these properties
from rural agriculture to the
everlee farmstead community
future land use designation.
And on this map, you can see
that's the sort of I'm going to
call it brown for sake of
discussion color on the map.
And then the blue line shows the
properties that were part of the
special area study.
You can see the U.F. Golf
institutional to the north.
Again, this is a request for
properties both within and
outside the hickory sink special
area study.
And we have proposed policies
that are included in the staff
report.
We're going to go through some
of them, not necessarily in
detail, but we certainly can
that create the everlee
farmstead community future land
use designation.
And that's applied to about
996a.
Again, just say we sort of in
the special area planning
process, that we have identified
in our comprehensive plan, there
was a special area study scope
of work that y'all approved.
The study itself which included
significant stakeholder public
participation and your
acceptance of a resolution for
the special area study, that was
in NOVEMBER 2023.
And now we're really at that
sort of implementing special
area plan.
So that's kind of zoomed out a
little bit more.
Just so you can see the extent
of the hickory sink on the west
side of parker road.
You can see all these -- this
actually goes all the way up to
tioga south, up here on the
northern end.
And then again, you can see the
limits of the everlee farmstead
community future land use
designation down here in the
south.
So again, proposed changes.
The first one is a map change to
change that future land use
designation from rural
agriculture to everlee farmstead
community.
And that also will include an
update of the map f-17 that we
adopted as part of the U.F. Golf
application to reflect the new
future land use designation on
these properties.
So it will look something like
that, the map at 17.
And again, you can see there
that's the everlee farmstead%
community that we have sort of
designated on that special area
plan map.
So the second part is a lot of
text amendments.
And as I mentioned, we're going
to go through them.
These are adopted in or proposed
in policies 8.6.1 through 8.6.4.
Those have already been adopted.
Those would still, to some
extent, apply within the everlee
farmstead community.
That includes the designation of
the conservation management
areas, those kinds of policies.
There is also a whole new set of
policies in 8.6.6 that we'll go
through.
Those apply to all of the
everlee farmstead community.
So not just the area within the
special area plan, those apply
to all of the properties for
this future land use
designation.
So I'm going to talk about some
of the policies that we're
adopting and the sort of
framework in the sort of view of
the conditions that you all
adopted as part of the
acceptance of the special area
study.
So, for example, on this first
one, condition 8 related to
prioritizing protection of
conservation management areas
and clustering development close
to the urban cluster, it
required any application to
address requirements of policy
7.1. 3 which is related to the
companion of the urban cluster.
It had a requirement that it be
served by urban infrastructure
and do an analysis that
demonstrates that's possible.
Required an analysis of the
potable water and sanitary sewer
facilities element, policy 3.1.5
which deals with the extension
of potable water and sanitary
sewer outside the urban cluster.
It required transportation
connections consistent with our
urban mobility districts,
including connectivity to
surrounding development.
Required urban design concepts
that support non-automotive
modes of transportation.
And it included a requirement
for affordable housing
consistent with policies adopted
in our comprehensive plan.
So I say that there's a lot of
things there in condition 8.
Each of those is addressed sort
of somewhere in the policies
that we're proposing for
adoption.
Condition 9 dealt again more
with the extension of central
water and sanitary sewer and the
analysis of 3.1.5 and 3.1.6 from
the potable water and sanitary
sewer element.
And condition 10 dealt
specifically with conservation
and low water use landscaping
and it included some such ases
up here on the screen but
certainly didn't limit it to
those sort of individual topics.
And then condition 13 dealt with
stormwater treatment, the use of
low-impact design ideas and
engineered soils for
de-nitrofication.
And some of those are addressed
specifically in policies we are
proposing for adoption.
Some MAY have more specific
elimination later on in the
process if the board decides to
move forward with this comp plan
amendment.
So at this point, I'm going to
sort of dive into the proposed
policies that we have written.
And sort of talk about what the
policies do in terms of the
everlee farmstead community
future land use designation.
And the first is proposed policy
8.6.6.
And this is the additional%
development entitlements that
the project that we are
proposing be granted to the
project.
So under the current future land
use designation for the
property, staff estimated
loosely, it's sometimes hard to
do it more specifically, but
about 275 units would be a
reasonable number of units that
could be developed in a
clustered subdivision on the
property.
So that's based on the acreage
of the property that allows one
dwelling unit per 5 acres as
well as bonus units that would
be available through the
clustering provisions of our
plan.
Policy 8.6.6 proposes 2,500
residential units, market rate
residential units, plus an
additional 250 affordable units
and 200,000 square feet of
non-residential development.
So that's the sort of total of
what would be allowed on the
property.
And the proposed policies
require that 5,000 acres be the
basis for transfer of
development rights either
through acquisition or fee
in lieu.
That's where those residential
units really come from.
So I'm going to go through that
here in just a second, about how
we arrived at those numbers a
little bit more.
>> chair: okay.
>> I did want to just point out
that's really -- it's not that
the units are just being created
out of nowhere.
We are really looking for them
to be moved from one place to
here.
Policy 7.1.3 of the future land
use element is a policy that
requires the analysis of need
for expansion of the urban
cluster.
So two parts to that.
The applicant is not proposing
to expand the urban cluster.
And the staff policies that
we're proposing also would not
change the location of the urban
cluster line.
So the everlee farmstead
community would continue to be
located outside of the urban
cluster, even though it would be
served by central sanitary sewer
and potable water.
The applicant did not find that
analysis that is part of the
evaluation and proposal which we
are considering right now was
wrong or invalid.
And really didn't identify sort
of in the way that our
comprehensive plan requires the
identification of need.
There isn't really a methodology
to get there.
i think what I would say about
that is sort of as staff, we
focused on the policy outcomes
for this particular piece of
property.
That is the build-out through
the future land use designation
as compared to the build-out
under the proposed policies.
And given those two, we think
that the option as we propose
today is a better outcome for
several reasons than what might
be allowed with 275 units on the
site today.
Policy 7.1.3e of the
comprehensive plan deals with
what you have to do if you are
expanding the cluster.
And there's a bunch of stuff in
there, like that's the analysis
of need part.
But there's also okay, if you
are going to expand it, you have
to do one of these two things.
And one of those is that 25% of
any new units have to be
affordable at 80% of area median
income.
And the other sort of option is
that you have to have a transfer
of development rights for any
new units authorized by the
amendment.
So those are sort of the two
ends of the spectrum.
And what we have sort of done is
mashed those together.
And so what we have said is that
there has to be a purchase or
pay a fee in lieu of for
5,000 acres of other land where
those units could come from.
That's 55% of the full tdr
requirement.
And that the development has to
provide 250 affordable housing
units, that's at the 80% ami, at
or below 80% ami.
And that's about 45% of that
full requirement.
We have kind of mixed that and
said you get some of this and
some of that but together they
add up to that full 100%.
Just graphically because some
people MAY think better, you can
kind of think of the top arrow
going zero to 8,900.
8,900 would be the total number
of acres required to offset the
additional entitlements.
On the bottom you could look at
that 25% and say it would be 557
units if it were all affordable
housing.
So you might say, well, like if
you were right in the middle,
it's 4,450 of tdr, 279 of
affordable units.
You could slide that bar over to
one side and do less tdr and
more affordable units.
You could slide the bar the
other direction and do more tdr,
fewer affordable units.
And in discussion with the
applicant, this is sort of the
place that we arrive, which is
5,000 acres, 250 affordable
units.
So that's kind of how we got
there.
There isn't a policy specific to
that in the comprehensive plan
today.
And those policies that are in
there about tdr and affordable
housing are related specifically
to the expansion of the cluster.
Again, we're not expanding the
cluster, so this is sort of an
in-between where we are taking
those policies that we have in
the comprehensive plan and
adapting them to how this site
might function.
>> chair: any questions on that,
commissioners?
Okay.
i'd love to go through it.
>> yeah, let's go through it
first.
>> chair: okay.
>> MR. Chair, the policies 3.1.5
and 3.1.6 provide some options
to the board about expanding or
expending potable water and
sanitary sewer lines into
outside the cluster.
There's an a, b, c and d.
And one of those is sort of the
health, safety, welfare, you
know, if we don't do that,
people are going to -- wells are
going to go bad or, you know,
there's too many septic tanks,
something like that.
So those are sort of a and b,
those two.
C is that the board finds --
makes a finding and that's what
we're doing here tonight -- that
the extension of those
facilities would meet the goals
of the comprehensive plan in
some other way.
And so we have really said --
and in here, it talks about the
retention and expansion of
business and industry or the
attraction of new business.
What we have said instead is
that really that protection of
land through the tdr and the
provision of affordable housing
units are goals that the
commission has identified in its
comprehensive plan.
And so that this plan really
does support those other goals
that are identified in the
comprehensive plan.
That's why we think it's okay
for the extension of potable
water and sanitary sewer.
In addition to having that many
units would really require it
anyway.
So again, it is supportive of
the 250 affordable units, the
5,000 acres of conservation or
ag preservation and the urban
form of development that will be
underan as part of this.
And then really, at that point,
policy 3.1.6 doesn't apply
because that specifically
applies to the expansion of the
urban cluster.
So that's sort of how we went
through that analysis of those
two policies that were required
in the conditions of the sas
resolution.
For transportation mobility,
there's really a couple of
policies that support that, that
deal with the transportation
mobility aspect.
Proposed policy 8.6.6.3 require
the development consistent with
tnd standards.
So the development itself sets
up the idea of character areas
which are different parts of the
development and would have
different kinds of
characteristics.
So there's both the village core
and village edge that would
function much like our village
center and transit supportive
area for TNDs function.
And then the hamlet portion of
the development, which would
function like our outside the
transit supportive area.
And although the standards
aren't necessarily specifically
implemented in the comp plan
here, we make reference to those
sections of our comp plan being
the guiding factor for how those
areas will develop.
The fourth character area is the
farmstead character area.
That's more rural and isn't
appropriate to have those same
urban design standards.
we'll talk about that here in
just a second as well.
And then proposed policy 8.6
8.6.6.13 writers the
implementation of a mobility
district which is what we have
for our other mobility fee.
We have three mobility districts
in the county and it would
require the implementation for a
mobility district specific to
this development with a fee that
is intended to support projects
that are related directly to
this everlee farmstead
community.
And that includes a requirement
to construct internal
infrastructure that enhances
mobility within the development
and also a limitation on
development, the amount of
development prior to the
programming of four-laning of
state road 24 to parker road.
I mentioned the character areas.
So the farmstead generally
allows density up to one
dwelling unit per 3 acres which
is a little higher than our
current rural ag designation.
There are some areas that
require clustering and that are
calculated at the one dwelling
unit per 5 acres so it's not
directly 1-to-3 over the whole
thing, but generally that's
where we started.
The hamlet is I'll just say more
suburban in nature and allows
densities up to five dwelling
units per acre but again would
be very similar in design
outside the transit supportive
area and design standards,
sidewalks, pedestrian, bike,
transportation infrastructure.
The village edge, which would be
mixed use with up to 10 dwelling
units per acre and a minimum of
300 units.
And then the village core which
is mixed use with up to 16
dwelling units per acre and
minimum of 600 units.
So those are both a little bit
the maximum density of those two
are a little bit higher than
what is allowed in our tnd.
So our tnd maxes out on I think
10 dwelling units per acre in
the village center and goes down
in the transit supportive area.
So these would be a little bit
higher, on the high end.
And rather than having a minimum
density on the low end, it's a
minimum number of units.
It's a little bit different, but
accomplishes a similar kind of
goal.
And then the five dwelling units
per acre is one dwelling unit
per acre more intense than our
low density future land use
designation, but really sits in
the same sort of area in terms
of intensity.
The farmstead character area
under the proposed policies is
required to be a minimum of
400 acres, so 400 acres out of
the 996 acres.
And a minimum of 50% of that is
set aside for uses consistent
with policy 6.2.12c which is the
policies in our rural clustered
subdivisions related to open
space.
And this would include all of
the CMAs that are designated
as part of the special area
study.
Those are CMAs and they only
get to be CMAs.
You don't do development or
stormwater in there.
It would also include areas
where the strategic ecosystem
standards apply, either as a
clustered subdivision or as
complete set aside as, you know,
potentially ag lands or
something like that.
There would be more property in
the farmstead, so the sort of
remaining homestead area from
the lee family, which is sort of
centrally east located in the
project would be included in
this.
And then there would be
additional open space areas that
would be included as well.
Policy 8.6.611 would require a
working farm as part of the
development, which would be a
minimum of 20 acres in size.
It has to be located outside of
any cma or any of the other
areas that are identified with
the additional development
standards as part of the special
area study.
And this would generally support
agricultural and community-based
agriculture related activities.
So you can think of this as
farm-to-table type of things,
farmers' markets, actual farm,
producing farm.
There's a range of activities
that could be considered as part
of that.
Policy 8.6.6.15 requires a pd.
It requires the implementing pd.
So all of this will be
implemented by a planned
development zoning district.
We don't have any current zoning
districts that would be
appropriate for it.
And it requires the planned
development to include
disturbance limitations so that
means the actual areas of land
where you are disturbing the
property as you're developing.
So it would require a
minimization of that and
provides for some selective
clearly in the CMAs where that
is consistent with the
restoration of the cma itself.
Policy 8.6.16 requires
geophysical testing prior to
stormwater management facility
design.
The specifics of that are still
being sort of worked out as part
of the planned development.
But I'll just note that as part
of the U.F. Golf pd, there was
some pretty stringent
requirements about testing,
subsurface testing prior to
implementation of stormwater
management system.
We would anticipate similar
kinds of requirements on the pd.
And then it also requires a
stormwater best management
practices document as part of
the planned development.
And you will see all of that in
the future if you decide to
transmit.
Water conservation policy
8.6.6.17 establishes a maximum
landscape irrigation limit,
requires florida native or
florida-friendly landscaping,
sets limits on fertilizer and
provides for soil limits and
lots and common areas.
I'm going through this very
broadly right now.
Establishes irrigation water
sources and rules and introduces
the idea of an irrigation
utility within the development.
So all of these are things that
there are some pretty solid
language already in the plan on
these.
But there will be more
implementing language at the
planned development.
Suffice it to say nearly all of
these are things that we don't
get in our normal developments
here in alachua county.
So even with the policy language
that we have in the plan, we are
sort of already a leap ahead of
where our existing development
patterns are today.
And as part of the analysis, we
did review public facilities
availability.
Gru has sufficient capacity in
both its water and wastewater
systems to serve the
development.
There are likely to be
improvements both on the site
and potentially off-site and
further up the distribution
system in order to support the
development with the capacity
available in the plants.
Fire rescue reviewed the
application and has indicated
there would be no issues
providing services to the site
at our urban level of service
guidelines.
So similar to how we provide
service within the cluster.
And alachua county public
schools reviewed the proposal
and found capacity exists either
within the current school
concurrency service area for the
project or an adjacent school
concurrency service area.
I will say that analysis was
done prior to the rezoning, that
the district has not adopted new
school concurrency service areas
yet.
They are working on that.
But in terms of what's available
today in the system, it's
available.
It has to be available to serve
the development.
The planning commission heard
this item on JULY 15th and
they recommended the board of
county commissioners transmit
the item.
I will say that they provided a
comment and this is in the staff
report.
That there were concerns and
discussion about the potential
for transportation impacts in
the southwest portion of the
county related to this
development.
There were not any specific
recommendations from the
planning commission about that.
Just a request to let you know
that they had concerns and there
was discussion among the
planning commission members on
that.
The board, you guys are holding
a public hearing tonight to
decide whether to transmit this
item.
This is a large scale
comprehensive plan amendment.
It would be transmitted to the
state for state review, both at
the florida commerce which is
the state planning agency as
well as other state agencies
that would have an interest in
the application.
If you transmit it, once
received, florida commerce and
those other organizations would
have 30 days to respond and
provide comments to us.
And then if there are comments,
county staff would work with the
applicant to solve any of those
and schedule a final adoption
hearing.
So that's a tbd date.
So, MR. Chair, that is the end
of my presentation.
I'll just say staff recommends
that the board of county
commissioners find the
application z26-000005 with
staff's proposed policies
consistent with the
comprehensive plan and transmit
the proposed comprehensive plan
amendment to florida commerce
and other agencies for their
review and comments.
>> chair: okay.
Right on time.
I think what we're going to do
is pause the public hearing.%
we will open it up for public
comment, not related to this
item.
And then we'll bring you back
up, chris, we'll ask questions
and then we'll hear from the
applicant.
Sound good?
Sound good, commissioners?
MR. Konish, welcome.
>> jim konish.
I'd like to thank commissioner
chestnut and wheeler for
speaking with me on JULY 12th
and sending county environmental
protection out to poe springs to
protect the public from a toxic
dead spring.
As you know, sunday I walked
down.
Our spring is closed for human
occupation.
Your lavish six-stall pump-out
toilets are not being used.
Poe springs flow is zero.
It's a putrid pond.
This incredible runout to the
river where I have spent
hundreds of hours, the spring
does not even return to the
river, sir.
I'd like to change the subject.
Under the trim notices that went
out, taxpayers need to be aware
that stormwater and solid waste
assessments in the city of
gainesville have moved from gru
bills to tax bills.
And the notices aren't crystal
clear.
You have 20 days to object to
your non-ad valorem assessments
or to apply for a hardship
exemption.
The city of gainesville has a
hardship exemption forms on
their website.
The county does not.
The county is refusing to give
me a copy.
They say they will only give it
to a homestead owner.
I have done the public records
law.
I have had a lot of problems
with public records.
And I will sue the county to get
whatever I need under the law.
And there will be other things
that I'll be suing them for,
other violations.
To its credit, gru looked at
anomalous water bills and has
discovered a lot of serious
leaks.
And I had one in front of my
residence.
In the duckpond across from
thomas center they put the water
meter off my property.
Someone most have drove over it,
ups or amazon.
They broke the connection.
And I leaked for a year and a
half massive amounts of water,
billed to my house with
wastewater fees.
And there was no visible
evidence because a live oak tree
drank the water as fast as it
leaked and got really big.
Now, this is just old
infrastructure.
But alachua general hospital had
a water leak in the basement for
the entire life of the hospital.
It was a broken line in front of
the water meter.
They thought it was a spring.
[Tone]
Citizens need to know every leak
is different.
And there's large amounts of
money owed to customers.
>> chair: thank you, jim.
>> such as myself.
>> chair: thank you, MR. Konish.
>> thank you.
>> chair: thank you.
Next speaker, please, public
comment.
Anyone?
Going once, going twice.
Okay.
Come on in.
Oh, hey, sam.
That's my nephew.
>> and that's my uncle.
[Laughter]
It's the first time I have
spoken in a forum like this.
I understand it's three minutes,
right?
>> chair: yeah.
You've got a green light and the
green light means go.
Red light means stop.
>> thank you all.
Good evening, commissioners, and
thank you for the work you do
for this county.
My name is sam cornell.
For years I reviewed the license
plate camera program.
Of course, this is something a
lot of counties have been
talking about nat news.
I'm not here to criticize the
county or compliment the county.
What I did do three the freedom
of information requests, I
published my findings and I have
a document here if you are
interested in that.
I have a one page printout if
you are interested in brevity
that I can get to you at the
end.
What I found is why I'm here.
and pardon me, I just walked in
the door and I was getting my
paperwork together.
As we speak, alachua county's
unique and expensive with flock
and exxon companies extend to
1540 organizations.
That's not 1540 neighboring
police departments.
Their roster includes some
faraway agencies I'm just going
to name a few.
We share or police information
captured by flock and axon
cameras with the tupelo regional
airport police, wallace state
community college police, the
missouri department of
conservation, national park
services natchez trace parkway
and, of course, the university
of north texas at denton police.
Ask yourself why the nebraska
state patrol needs a photo of
your car, or actually 12 photos
of your car on newberry road
taken today.
Don't get me wrong.
I broadly trust the government.
But the data in alachua's
agreement can also be shared
with lowe's corporate, private
HOAs and dozens of landlords
from what I found inside.
What are we doing, you know?
Think about that for a minute.
There are many such examples
showing misuse and abuse of
these cameras in florida and
nationwide.
That is not me alleging anything
against aso or its brave men and
women.
But it does underscore what
becomes possible when local
governments connect themselves
to a national data-sharing
infrastructure.
I'm asking that this commission
act locally against national
spillover.
What bothers me in this county,
if you want a left turning lane
or if you want a fire station or
you want street party, you have
to have public speech about
that.
You have to have debate about
that and open forum and the
public speaks first.
That's how it works here.
A system that photographs all of
us every day and ships that data
across the country, that arrived
with no hearing, no comment, no
vote.
At least not one that I could
find.
And that's okay, I don't expect
you to know every dollar the
sheriff is spending money on.
I also don't expect anything to
necessarily be done about this
right away.
But I want to call it into
attention.
This isn't free.
The newest contract we just
signed with axon for 10 years
from now is $935,000.
Tha's real money, that's a
deputy or two.
That's filling overtime gaps.
That's retention bonuses.
I'd rather fund officers than
this camera technology.
Here's my ask and I'll wrap it
up here.
I'm asking alachua county
considers changing the 30-day
data retention that these
cameras collect to 7 days.
Often it's cited if a person
goes missing or a car gets
stolen we can use these cameras
to find them.
[Tone]
That's a great thing.
I don't call in my car being
stolen 30 days after it
happened.
I have other asks but I'm happy
to share with you at another
time.
The paper that I published or
the one-page printout.
>> you can leave it.
>> chair: sam, if clerk, we'll get
copies of those.
Isn't he great?
>> he is great.
>> well, look, you know, I was
trying to warm up here but I
just walked in the door.
>> chair: that's my new port newark.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K. Time.
He didn't tell me he was coming
either which is even greater.
That's what I love about it.
>> he looks good in a coat and
tie, too.
>> chair: I know.
He wears a tie and I don't.
Look at this guy.
We're going to go ahead and
close public comment.
Did you have a comment to public
comment?
>> I did.
>> chair: commissioner prizzia.
>> I guess I have a question
regarding this.
I'm not sure if he's speaking
specifically about security
cameras hat the sheriff's
office is deploying that are
separate from the cameras that
we did vote on regarding school
zone enforcement.
But during that conversation
that we did deliberate about, we
were very clear -- or I was very
clear and it was part of the
motion that we retain that data
and control over that data and
that we not share it or sell it
to anybody outside of the
county.
So if those cameras are included
in what he's reporting to us, I
would like information back.
and I would like to know, you
know, what is the extent of
those contracts.
>> chair: you want to ask him?
>> do you know?
I'm looking at our staff because
they helped draft that contract.
>> no worries.
Those are different cameras.
And they are doing speed zone
enforcement only.
They are not retaining license
plate data.
And they have a different scope
of agreement.
The companies that I'm referring
to are flock and axon.
>> yeah.
And I didn't know what -- I have
the same concerns that you have
about rights to privacy, access
to our data and had expressed
that during those meetings and
sort of like tried to rein in
what was possible so we could
still enforce school zones
efficiently but also protect
people's rights and safety and
privacy.
But now you've got me concerned.
So thank you for bringing this
to my attention.
I will certainly read your
report and I would be interested
to understand if any of those
contracts are county contracts
or if they are only sheriff's
office contracts.
>> chair: sam, do you know the
answer to that?
>> the last thing I'll say to
that because I do -- that is
part of a project with lawton
chiles on 24th.
It would be a subsidiary
agreement because they are their
own thing.
>> chair: and flock and axon get
access to the right-of-way how?
>> alachua county has 250 50
installed right now and 40 are
coming.
I'm not asking that we remove
but oversight.
There are 50 scattered about
alachua county primarily on
state and county roads and the
data is interchangeably shared.
>> chair: I had someone contact
me, one right outside of haile
plantation outside of lawton
chiles.
>> that actually is a school
zone camera.
There's not a flock camera on
that road oddly enough.
>> chair: we'll read the report.
>> no worries.
>> I would ask our staff let us
give that report also to the
sheriff's office and ask if they
could give us a report back
about what the data sharing is
in their contracts and
agreements.
And, you know, that there is a
concern at least for me, if you
guys are okay with that, there's
a concern from this board about
how our data in alachua county
is being shared outside the
confines of public safety within
our county.
And if that is the case, we'd
like to have a conversation.
>> well, there is from the
community, too.
We're getting emails from folks.
>> chair: does anybody object to
that request?
>> no.
>> chair: thank you.
So missy, did you have anything
to comment on that or you'll get
back to us?
>> no, I can send out a request
tonight.
>> chair: all right.
>> thank you.
>> I feel very heard.
>> chair: thank you, sam.
Isn't he great?
Behalf laugh I think I've
already said that a couple of
times.
That's my brother's son.
That's my new port
nephew.
>> who is that, ken?
>> chair: that's sam.
My mom had two sons.
[Laughter]
I had two sons.
My brother had two sons, that's
one of them.
And then both my sons had sons.
>> all right.
>> chair: that's kind of a
thing.
Yeah, okay.
We're going to close public
comment and stop talking about
ken and his family.
And we're going to go back to
MR. Dawson, your presentation
before we hear from the
applicant, any commissioners
that have questions for
MR. Dawson.
We have commissioner prizzia.
>> I would point out we have
lots of staff here from our
other review departments and
they can also answer some of
those questions.
>> chair: so you are ready to
pass that microphone.
>> I MAY pass that buck if
needed, MR. Chair.
>> chair: they are over there
laughing thinking you can
handle.
Go ahead.
Commissioner prizzia, start us
off.
>> I have a whole like, you
know, marked up document here,
lots of questions.
I tried to summarize them in a
sheet for myself.
Would you mind pulling up the
presentation?
And maybe I'll try to go in the
order that you brought them up.
>> sure.
>> and then, you know, I guess I
don't know if you want me to
just do a couple and then
pass --
>> chair: no, no.
Go ahead.
He might answer a lot of ours.
>> here we go.
I guess first and foremost, I
want to understand, are all
strategic ecosystem areas within
the strategic area study being
protected with the current
strategic area plan?
>> MR. Chair, I'm going to ask
one of our epd folks, steve
hofstetter.
>> chair: you're already kicking
it off.
Hey, steve.
Welcome.
>> good evening, steve
hofstetter, environmental
protection department.
All the areas identified through
the special area study isn't
being protected through this
application.
Is that accurate?
To kind of split it up into two
parts, every part that was
identified within their project
area for protection is being
protected.
So the areas within the lands
that they own in the 996 acres
is being protected as identified
in the plan.
The plan study recognized lands
on the east side of the road
that are currently, you know,
owned by the state that also
required protection.
That aspect is separated from
this project area and this
applicant is not involved in the
protection of that area.
That's maybe the first step of
answering your question.
>> okay.
Well, I guess I'll speak to my
colleagues and the applicant in
that regard.
So, you know, when we started
down this pathway -- and this is
a long time ago.
This is before the applicant was
even the applicant, right.
The conversation about this area
was about the entire
4,000 acres.
At that time, it was about 4,000 acres.
It was under single ownership by
the lee family and their subsidy
companies that they had
developed.
And the plan was that they were
going to do the strategic area
study because it was their
property.
Sometimes the county will
undertake a strategic area study
and talk to all the landowners
and get consensus around what
we're going to do with that
property.
It was a single landowner so it
made sense for them to undertake
the strategic area study because
they wanted to do it now because
they wanted to get moving with
some projects, right.
So they did that.
And when that work and that
world, they said, okay, we
recognize that we would like to
donate this piece of property to
U.F. For their golf course.
We would like to retain our
homestead.
And we would like to develop the
rest.
And we were like, whoa, what?
Like that's a huge amount of
development outside of the urban
cluster.
That would be disastrous for the
water quality.
Can we have a conversation about
that?
The conversation went, long
story short, at the end of the
day, the conversation landed on
the fact that if they protected
the 2,000 acres on the west side
of parker road, that we would be -- and in particular the
conservation management areas
across that entire 4,000 acres,
that we would be interested and
willing to entertain the
development of the remaining
acreage.
And that was the deal.
And we also agreed that phase 1
would be the golf course because
they wanted to get that golf
course moving quickly because
U.F. Had some urgency around
that property.
And so we did our part and we
said okay.
And we gave U.F. The right to
move forward with our golf
course quickly, like they
wanted.
And now we're here with part 2.
And from my perspective, part 2
is protecting all of the CMAs
in that area and, therefore,
getting the development rights
and entitlements to be able to
develop in a huge way beyond
what the original entitlements
are.
So I understand that property
isn't under the ownership of the
current owners any more, right?
They sold it to the university
of florida.
And I understand that they can't
necessarily control the
decisions of the university of
florida.
However, they clearly have a
tied relationship to the
university of florida.
They are donating them the golf
course.
They are in conversations about
how trails might connect in
their development.
And so, you know, for me to be
able to feel comfortable moving
forward with this, I really need
to see some sort of
documentation what the
protections are for that cma
area on the west side of the
property.
I know that ifas is working on
management plans for that area.
>> chair: I don't think they are
here tonight.
>> well, I know they are not
here tonight.
I'm telling them before final
development plan, before this
thing gets any kind of stamp of
approval to move forward on it
in a serious way with digging
that first shovel of dirt, I
need to see written evidence
that there is protections and a
restoration and management plan
for that western side cma.
Because this is -- that was the
deal.
That was the deal that we all
struck.
We've got a lot of sensitive
areas that need protection and
those need to be protected in
order for them to develop.
And now it's-like at the last
minute because the state saw
what they wanted the golf course
path, they struck a deal and
sold that property to U.F.
Instead of doing the longer,
harder process of a conservation
easement with like rural and
family lands which was the
original plan.
And I don't fault them for that
and I don't blame them for that.
But I also --
>> chair: that's part of this
application.
>> well, then I'm not really
interested in this application.
I mean did we
we have to protect those
areas.
That was the deal.
And I think that they can.
There are management plans.
There's a contract that they
have with the owners for the
sale of that property and what
they are and aren't allowed to
do on that property that they
could provide to us.
U.F. Is planning a restoration
plan for that property.
They are planning a management
plan for that property.
They are talking about it being
like austin cary or broadway
swisher.
I want to see them written and
documented and I think our
community deserve that.
They deserve the right to have
that information in writing what
U.F. Is going to do with that
conservation land on the western
side of the property.
I understand it's not a subject
of this specific application but
it's part of the strategic area
study.
In order for the strategic area
study to implement a strategic
area plan, I don't think we can
move forward until we have that
with an actual development,
until we have that information.
That's my 2 cents.
I don't know how my other
colleagues feel about it.
>> chair: I feel differently but
we'll get to it.
>> I do too.
>> I will -- my questions then
are if that's not being
protected, like what can the
applicant provide us around that
with regards to what ifas is
doing with their protections or
conservation?
I have reached out to ifas and
asked them to do a walking tour
of the property and talk to them
about the management plans so I
could get some comfort myself
with it.
I think for the public, they
should also have that
information.
It shouldn't just be something I
know because I walked the
property.
Question, the 260 acres that's
referenced in policy 3.1.5 for
the farmstead area, it says --
it's on page 10 of the staff
report.
And it says the extension of
potable water and wastewater are
great than densities and will
participate in the stormwater
and the set aside of 260 acres
of the development site.
Can you talk to me about those
260 acres of set aside?
>> thank you, MR. Chair, yes.
So, as I mentioned in the
farmstead area, we have required
that to be a minimum of
400 acres.
And then 200 of that has to be
in uses that are consistent with
the clustered subdivision
policies.
So those are generally ag uses,
conservation uses.
Just depending on those
properties.
And then we have an additional
policy that requires another
60 acres specifically of open
space set aside.
>> gotcha.
Thank you for that.
thank you.
That answers that question.
You had the study about the
impacts to archer road and
parker road.
And in the report, it talks
about the potential of failure
of service provision at 39% of
the development.
But currently, as it stands, I
believe we have the development
allowing to go forward with 50%
before it has to have met the
provisions.
Is there a reason why we didn't
stick with the 40%, 39 -- I'll
round it up to 40%.
That is the --
>> MR. Chair, I'm going to call
up another colleague.
>> chair: okay.
MR. Hays, transportation guy.
>> well, no.
In terms of that specific
number, I wanted to step up
because that was a decision that
I made.
Generally speaking, so we don't
do concurrency really anywhere
in the county, but that policy
is a concurrency-like policy.
And to be quite frank, the 39% I
thought 50% was a reasonable
number in terms of the
entitlements for getting the
project off of the ground.
And also allowing the county the
surety that we were not going to
let something get out of hand on
archer road.
Ultimately, you know, that is
modeling.
That is a transportation impact
analysis.
It could be that, it could be
something more.
It could be something less.
But in terms of the regulatory
approach, I thought 50% was a
good rule of thumb number for
that policy.
>> okay.
And do we have a similar thing
for when the bike trail
connections to archer braid need
to be done or any of the
internal trail networks that
would serve that community?
>> MR. Chair, so what we are
working on, we do not have a
policy in the grandparent
amendment.
I know because we are
concurrently working on the
planned development and allison,
MS. Moss and myself are working
`on it today, looking at the
conditions that will accompany
the planned development.
And there will be a condition to
that effect with the number of
units.
>> that will be great.
>> chair: you are workin on a
condition for that.
>> yes.
In the planned development.
>> chair: in the pd.
>> in a couple of months.
>> that's great.
I think that's really important.
I think we have had a lot of
challenges with some of the
other developments that we're
committed to doing trail network
connections.
And, you know, then it's like,
oh, well, that's too expensive,
all of a sudden, and, you know,
then we're kind of struggling to
kind of make it work.
So just knowing that it's
committed and that it's an
expectation it's going to get
done --
>> chair: that's in the pd.
>> it's really important.
Okay.
Let's see.
Also in the pd, we're going to
be having more specificity how
we will limit the phases and
work on that limiting of lot
clearing and/or like -- you
talked about limiting -- you go
down your slides and you talk
about the limiting of --
>> keep going.
>> what is the word he used?
There, to limit -- there go
back.
Include disturbance limitations.
>> so, MR. Chair, I have people
who can talk a little bit more
specifically about the types of
implementation tools we're
talking about at the pd, just
generally without biasing you
towards the overcome of this.
I would say generally those are
sort of specific standards that
we're identifying at the pd
stage.
They MAY not necessarily be
phasing related in the
traditional sense where we talk
about a number of units or
something like that.
I'm guessing that they will take
a different form, like on the
golf course we talked about how
far outside of the greenways you
could go with heavy machinery
and those kind of things.
I would anticipate they are more
in that range.
I think stacy or mary could talk
a little more in detail about
those if you have specific
questions about how they are
approaching that.
>> I guess I would like to hear
how they are approaching them.
I think it was one of the key
things in some of our conditions
for the --
>> chair: mary, stacy, you want
to take it?
She said no, you take it.
Again, this is a pd thing.
>> but it was part of the
conditions in our strategic area
study that we limit that we have
L.I.D. And have a disturbance.
>> chair: it's going to be
handled in the comp plan.
Mary, welcome.
>> mary szoka, stormwater
quality with epd.
Do you have a specific question
or overarching what you think?
>> my question is how are we
ensuring that they are going to
limit disturbance of the natural
areas to the greatest extent
possible as they are doing their
development practices.
>> so as mentioned, that will be
further like defined in the pd.
Preliminarily, we provided
feedback on setting limits of
disturbance setbacks.
Similar language was recommended
and implemented for the golf
course portion of the project.
>> thank you.
>> chair: thanks, mary.
That wasn't so bad.
Stacy is like ha ha.
`
>> chris, you mentioned this was
supposed to follow or tnd and
tod policy as best as it can,
given that it has some
differences in its densities.
And that includes sort of them
following our -- it looked like
there might have been different
policies regarding setbacks and
street escapes and blocks.
To my mind, it looked like their
goal was to make those even more
refined, which in our mind -- to
my mind would be a good thing if
we're trying to do more dense
and more compact development.
I want to check in that is the
case.
>> MR. Chair, you know, when we
adopted our tnd design
standards, both in the comp plan
and then the sort of
implementing language in our
land development regulations, it
was pretty early days.
And we weren't necessarily
trying to be as aggressive as
one could possibly be about
getting those forms.
I think we really -- our goal
was to sort of manage that level
of urbanness within the context
of our pretty suburban cluster.
I don't think that anybody would
look at our tnd standards and be
like that gets you the most
urban form ever.
Like I don't think any of us
would say that.
So I think there is room for the
applicant to propose some
additional tighter standards,
one, the pd.
Meaning smaller setbacks,
smaller lots, like tighter.
>> tighter, yeah.
>> as well as sort of those
additional pieces of policy
language that are in the comp
plan as proposed that are
supportive of additional
standards at the pd level, that
we MAY not necessarily implement
in all of our other TNDs or
TODs but MAY meet what the
applicant's goal is for the form
of that development.
Does that answer your question?
I don't think there is -- this
is me being honest and this is
how I intended the policies to
be, which is that at the
minimum, they would have to meet
those design standards that we
have in a tnd.
>> chair: in the tnd.
>> when you get to the pd.
But at pd, when you look at
that, we MAY be pointing out to
you, hey, here's something
that's different than what we
strictly do in our TNDs.
>> right.
Maybe there will be things we
can adopt.
Okay.
Excellent.
Under the stuff about low impact
development and all of that --
again, I MAY be getting to the
pd.
I'm probably more interested in
the details.
>> chair: you are nailing the pd
for sure.
We'll stop there.
>> all the things I need to talk
about, they are already in
process.
Let's get it out there.
The public hears about these
things, emails that we have
gotten regarding concerns and
the conversations that I have
had with concerns about this,
these are the things that people
are concerned about.
>> chair: sure.
>> and that is the water and
amount of water for irrigation,
I think staff have done an
amazing job of having the water
budget and working generally
speaking on this idea that it's
mainly reclaimed water, but that
it is also going to be, you
know -- there's going to be a
water budget and there has to be%
a maximum amount of water they
can use and try to limit
irrigation on their individual
propertie and things like that.
But I guess I'm interested to
understand how we are monitoring
that.
Like is that right of inspection
by the county?
Is that with -- how is that
going to work?
>> I'm going to ask I think
stacie greco to come and talk
about that.
>> chair: mary says I'm not
taking it.
Hey, stacie.
>> stacie greco, epd water
resources.
So the question is how will we
monitor that.
So as lots are developed, so way
down the road if they are
developed, you know, we have
written in it does have to
follow chapter 77.
So any irrigation would have to
go through our approval process.
So that's already set up for
anywhere irrigation is going on
in the county.
So then we would look at this
differently because it has
stricter requirements than our
chapter 77.
So we would look, okay, you can
only irrigate 40% of the lot
instead of 50%.
And there are additional things
that we would have to keep track
of, so I think we have written
it in.
There's a certain percentage of
the lots that would have no
permanent irrigation.
So we would definitely have to
keep track of, you know, those
types of things.
And, you know, that would be in
the pd, potentially some of the
stuff would go in the covenants
and restrictions for the
neighborhood depending on, you
know, what exactly we're talking
about.
>> will there be like
requirements?
Or are we talking about the idea
of having soil moisture sensors
and ensuring they shut off rain
gauges and using technologies
like that to ensure water isn't
being wasted in the development?
>> yes.
So already our code requires
soil moisture sensors or smart
E.T. Controllers.
So those would have to be used.
I imagine when we get to the pd,
we will also have in larger
scale water conservation
technologies
technologies built in to that,
also.
>> we had a farmer come today
who is downstream of the
development that's very
concerned about the impacts of
runoff to their wells and the
amount of nitrogen that's going
to come from using reclaimed
water that has additional
nitrogen load plus the farm on
site, things like that.
Is there any plan to have a
monitoring well for water
quality on site?
>> that's a great question.
We did build in a monitoring
plan for the golf course
neighborhood which is nearby or
the golf course property.
We have not discussed doing
groundwater monitoring.
We could definitely talk to the
applicant as we move through
these and it could be integrated
in other properties in that
area.
There's the wetland going in and
a lot happening in that area
that perhaps taking a broader
approach makes sense.
>> okay, thank you.
You might want -- well, steve
might want -- I guess is steve,
not really stacie because it's a
question about the tdr.
I'm really excited -- I'm
actually really excited about
this part of this application.
I think it's a great way to use
TDRs to the advantage of
protection of actual natural
resources rather than just
buying some development rights
here and some development rights
there and actually moving this
money to buy conservation land
that's meaningful and going to
make an impact.
And so for me, this seems like a
win-win for us.
And I know that, you know, some
of the folks in our community
are less than excited about
seeing this kind of urban
density outside of the urban
cluster.
But given it's surrounded by
development and given the
proposals that they have put
together and all the work that
staff have done to get the kind
of provisions that we have, I
actually think this is the best
potential outcome for this piece
of property with the protection
of the cma on the west side and
this tdr program.
Because I think that we
MR. Ultimately protect a lot
more important resources,
natural resources and lands to
this county than a lot of the
farmland that's there,
especially with the amount of
sustainable decision making that
the developer is already
committed to.
It sounds like they are going to
continue to be pushed towards
with the prd.
My question is, how are we
establishing the fee in lee for
this and are we going to be sure
we have a number we all agree on
prior to preliminary development
plan being approved.
>> MR. Chair, steve hofstetter
again, environmental protection.
The way it's going to work, we
are going to come up with a
development or developer's
agreement that will outline the
agreements of how that program
`is going to function.
We're in the early talks now
about what that value might be
per tdr as well as, you know,
where, how, you know, all those
details are going to be in an
agreement that will come back to
the board.
I understand it's before
preliminary, is that correct?
Somewhere --
>> chair: part of the pd or
after the pd prior to
preliminary?
>> yes, probably after pd, but
before preliminary.
Maybe during the pd there's a
little more information that's
coming out about strategies of
how we're moving toward that
final agreement.
>> okay.
I guess my one request is that
as we work towards that, that
there is definitely an interest
in the county being able to
enforce any of the easements
that are purchased and like that
we have enforcement authority on
those easements.
Because I think, you know, they
are going to -- you don't know
who they are going to buy them
from.
If they decide to buy them
themselves, if it's fee in lieu,
it's no big deal.
>> chair: we'll make that
decision.
>> if they are negotiating
TDRs for individuals with
easements, we are on there with
having right of enforcement on
those easements is my only
request in addition to a good
approach for the TDRs that is
fair and equitable and uses
appraisal processes that make
sense, so that it's transparent
how we're getting to that
number.
Okay.
The farm, for me, I think it's
really important -- there's some
talk in there about the farm.
And it talks about it as if it's
bona fide ag.
I have to say it.
>> it's the last --
>> yeah.
From my perspective -- and I
have had this conversation
before with staff and with the
applicant.
I think this farm really should
be considered institutional use
or some other land use.
While it might be ag, it is an
amenity for the development.
It is much like -- I consider it
much like a pool or tennis court
or something like that.
It's going to be agriculture.
And in that way, it's going to
be sharing important values
around our local food system and
around what it should look like
I think.
And what I have seen of their
plans, it's going to be really
amazing for people to learn
about what local food systems
are, how they work, how local
farms work and being able to
connect people to their food,
which I am really excited about.
I do think because this is part
of a development system and a
system that we're really
concerned about in regards to
water quality and water quantity
and those sorts of things I
really would like to see that
this farm have some of the same
requirements to develop a
nutrient -- like to do soil
testing and develop a nutrient
management plan and a crop plan
-
and to develop irrigation and
water budget plan for the farm
and to submit those to us, you
know, the same way they are
doing with some of the
irrigation structures.
And so that it's not just okay,
this little piece is set aside,
so it can do whatever it wants.
I think that it should be part
of the overall development plan
structure in compliance and
enforcement that we are doing
with our other water quality and
quantity concerns about the
development.
>> MR. Chair, I will just point
out, if the board is deciding to
make that change, obviously, the
applicant will want to maybe
address that.
That's condition m talks about
that bona fide ag has that
ability to follow best
management practices.
If we are going down that way,
that would probably be the
policy you want to adjust.
>> okay, thank you.
>> moving forward.
>> and then my last question is
do by know if the farm -- I
guess this is a question for the
applicant.
I'll wait until the applicant
comes up.
I think I have had all of my
questions addressed, so I will
pass the mic to mary.
>> chair: okay.
Commissioner alford and then
commissioner wheeler.
>> okay.
Of course, that's right in my
tablet here decides to go to
sleep.
>> sorry about that.
[Laughter]
>> oh, he wants to be charged.
That's where all my questions
are, so excuse me for like 2
seconds until I plug this guy
in.
>> I can come up with more.
[Laughter]
Just kidding.
>> while that's restarting, just
one thing.
Originally, MR. Lee had 4,000
something acres.
And if he had decided to just
develop that all into 5-acre
lots he could have done that by
right and had quite a few lots,
800 I think.
Is that about right?
>> MR. Chair, we could probably
have discussions all day long
about that very particular
question.
I'll give you sort of --
>> yeah.
>> the basics of that which is
that the future land use
designation for this property is
one dwelling unit per 5 acres.
So I think you can kind of start
there.
But we do have additional
limitations in our comprehensive
plan.
One about the number of plots
that are not part of a clustered
subdivision that can be created
outside of the urban cluster in
any given year.
And that number is 100.
So I think it's important to
sort of keep that perspective.
And we have lots being created
in the unincorporated area that
sort of qualify for that.
They are not part of a clustered
subdivision that take up some
part of that.
So I think you could say -- I
don't think there would ever be
5-acre lots as far as the eye
can see.
Yes, there are parts of the
county that are like that before
we had our subdivision
regulations today.
It would be nearly impossible to
do that going forward.
So I don't think we would say
there would be 5-acre lots as
far as the eye can see.
I think you could say there
would be 3-acre lots and a less
than sustainable development
form.
>> right.
And that's all.
I don't need too much detail.
It was just the point was there
could have been something a lot
worse here.
And I think that by protecting
the land on the west side and
by, you know, creating this, you
know, and the deal that you
talked about, I feel good about
this.
Even though some of my most
favorite people in the county
have sent me emails talking and
asking us not to transmit this.
We have been talking about this
a long time and I feel really
good about it.
I wanted to start by saying
that.
My computer came up and here it
is.
Now I will ask my questions.
So we had the discussion -- it's
always great to follow anna.
>> chair: she gets a lot of it
out of the way.
>> she gets a lot out of the
way.
When we get to that 50%
development part, is there any
provision that there has to be
any sort of public transit -- or
not public transit, but any sort
of transit relief part of the
neighborhood?
I know they have talked about
doing a park and ride lot and
things like that.
Anything that could relieve some
of the impact to archer road and
other roads in the area.
>> yeah.
So I think the way that I would
answer that is that there's
detail to follow.
But that, you know, one of the
things that we say about our
mobility plan is that it
considers development within the
cluster and not development
outside the cluster.
That's one of the sort of
hallmarks of a mobility plan.
And because this is a
development that we wouldn't
have anticipated as part of our
mobility plan, we would think
there would be additional
projects that are necessary to
support it.
Because this is a pretty big
piece of property.
We're not talking about 20 units
on a little piece of property.
It is pretty significant.
So we do have a policy that, as
I mentioned, establishes or will
establish a mobility district
specifically for this property.
And we would anticipate that
there is at the very least a
transit project that is tied to
that.
We propose that in our policies
today, a table that's related
specifically to that.
Exactly what that transit
service looks like, we don't
have that spelled out.
Is it going to run through the
project?
Is it going to run around the
project?
what are the headways going to
be?
Does it run all week?
I don't have the answer to all
of those.
And all of those will sort of
contribute to the cost.
But I think yes, we have
considered that just like with
the cluster, transit is an
important component of mobility.
We would anticipate that to be
the case here as well.
>> okay.
And I do appreciate the fact
that the developer has talked
about putting in a park and ride
lot.
Because given the number of
people that commute, that would
make sense whether we get
transit like we want it there or
not, we could at least have car
pooling that could work better.
Let's see.
Just a comment.
I would love to see no
irrigation to any residential
lots and a soil amendment as
well.
I know soil amendments are part
of what you guys are discussing
in terms of minimizing the need
for irrigation.
I also wanted to talk about --
you mentioned a well for water
quality monitoring.
I always hate that because by
the time you see it in the well,
we already have an issue.
So I'm curious if we might think
about as we're going forward
something like a nitrogen budget
instead because we know how much
nitrogen is in the reuse water.
We know what's necessary for a
farm.
I know that's asking a lot.
>> chair: MS. Greco.
>> yeah.
so for the non-agriculture
portion, we have written into
this no fertilizers.
So they will be doing soil
amendments prior to installing
landscaping.
And then, you know, they can do
soil amendments, compost and
stuff after that.
But no, you know, traditional
fertilizers with nitrogen and
phosphorus in it.
That is most of the property.
So we think that will have a big
impact.
>> we just talked about a
monitoring well.
In lieu of a monitoring well for
the rest of it, a nitrogen
budget -- I worked on one like
that on another project.
>> it's something we can discuss
with the applicant.
You're talking about for the
agricultural area?
>> for the agricultural areas,
yeah.
And for any place using the
reuse water.
You know how much nitrogen
you're putting on the water with
the calculation.
I just thought it was something
to look at.
I don't know if it's something
doable but I thought I would
suggest it for discussion.
>> thank you.
>> let's see.
When we get to the -- what do
you call it?
The 5,000 acres that we're
looking at for the conservation,
we are looking at doing multiple
tracts and multiple areas
probably because we're probably
not going to get a 5,000-acre
tract we do buy or they could
buy.
>> MR. Chair, that's a good
question.
I asked our lands people, are
there 5,000-acre tracts and
but there's not very many of
them.
>> and we have a lot of small
tracts that are on our, you
know, want list.
>> so the way that our policy is
written today, it references the
transfer of development rights
policies that we already have in
our plan for expansion of the
cluster.
And there are already some
requirements in those policies.
So for conservation properties,
they have to be on our -- is it
the active acquisition list?
>> yes.
>> that's right.
They have to be on the active
acquisition list.
Generally, the default is not
smaller than 160 acres, but
there's some exceptions to that.
And there are similar
requirements for the purchase of
agricultural lands.
So I think that the short answer
is we're not likely going to go
find a 5,000-acre tract, either
the applicant or us unless they
know something that we don't
about acquiring land.
So I would anticipate the county
would be using this along with
its other funds for acquisition
to acquire lands as they become
available to us.
>> just like we would normally
try to find the best quality
lands.
>> if the applicant is paying a
fee in lieu, yes.
>> that answers that question.
And one more comment.
Is there a -- well, maybe a
comment.
Is there a provision at all for
livestock or poultry in the area
as part of the agricultural
nature of the development?
And, you know, I feel like
people are going to live in an
agricultural hamlet, they should
get the full experience.
[Laughter]
>> so, MR. Chair, for those
areas that are within the
farmstead, where agricultural
uses are allowed, I would
anticipate there might be some
of that.
And potentially, within some of
the subdivisions that are in
that portion of the property --
I don't know exactly how that
would play out.
We don't currently have anything
addressing that in the planned
development specifically.
I don't know on the working farm
if they intend to have any
animals.
I think they have the allowance
for that, but I don't know if
that's something that they would
normally do.
>> chair: you can ask them to
address that during their
presentation.
>> I was going to ask them to
address that with the comment
that I really like the
regenerative agricultural model
and animals are part of that in
terms of creating, you know, a
healthy, you know, healthy
environment for regenerative
agriculture.
So anyway, that's all I've got
right now.
>> chair: thank you,
commissioner alford.
Commissioner wheeler.
>> just a couple of things.
Was this property ever on the
acquisition list for us?
Was it offered to the county for
purchase?
>> yes.
>> I just remember serving with
a commissioner here who one time
said, you know, if you are going
to restrict the use of this
property, are you willing to buy
it?
You know, so that kind of sticks
in my head.
[Laughter]
>> chair: that's good.
>> I'm trying to understand, was
it offered?
>> MR. Chair, steve hofstetter,
I don't want to get this wrong.
My memory was that there was
discussion of putting it on the
list and it did come in front of
the commission to be put on the
list.
I don't know -- I don't believe
it got put on the list.
>> is that right?
>> yeah.
But it was nominated.
>> it didn't rank high enough.
>> it was nominated.
>> because when I first came on
this board, I walked that
property with thal lee.
And I remember him sitting in
the audience where that pretty
young lady is when he came here
with th people from the
university of florida.
And he took it on the chin big
time from the community about
even thinking about working with
the university.
And to talk about, you know,
them making deals with the
university, that was so badly
entangled legally that there was
a lot of strong arming that was
going on there, too.
I think the lee family deserves
the respect from this community
that they have worked really
hard over the eight years I have
been on this board, you know, to
make sure it got into the right
hands or it got, you know, to
the best use of the property and
the best way that they could
actually do the dealing for
their family.
So, you know, when the time
comes, MR. Chair, I would have
the honor of recommending that
this be transmitted.
>> chair: okay, thank you.
>> thank you, steve.
>> chair: let me go through the
slides.
That's the easiest way for me to
do it.
Why don't we start with the
transportation mobility slide?
This kind of deals with what
mary was asking earlier.
>> no one likes my slides.
>> I liked that slide.
>> that was clever.
>> chair: I thought that was
very creative, not something in
the comp plan.
>> I haven't been called
creative in a long time,
MR. Chair.
>> chair: that was creative.
What we're talking about here is
actually creating a mobility
district specific with a fee
included for transit, ultimately
when and if we get to that
point.
And it would require an internal
infrastructure that enhances
mobility, limitation on
development prior to programming
of state road 24.
So are we saying they don't turn
any dirt until archer road is
four-laned?
>> no, MR. Chair, the way that
policy is written is that the
limitation is 50% of the
entitlements.
>> chair: right.
so halfway.
Before they go anywhere past
hooj, we have to four-lane
archer road.
>> yeah.
It has to be in the five-year
work program.
And that's typical because the
state sometimes moves things
around so the goal is to get it
into the work program.
>> chair: yeah, which I know
this board has supported and I
think we can work with the
applicant on that.
I know the applicant has worked
on that.
Next slide.
So farmstead property, okay.
400 of the acres of the 997 will
be farmstead?
>> yes.
So you could think of the
character areas.
You'll see them on the planned
development.
And they are almost like
separate zoning districts within
the sort of pd itself.
So each of them will have its
own sort of development
standards.
So you will see graphically that
there will be 400 acres of
farmstead on the planned
development.
>> chair: yes.
40% of the entire development
will be one unit per 3 acres.
>> a little more than 40%.
40%, right, right.
Then on the hamlet side, there
will be 5 units per acre up to 5
units village and 10 units in
the village core up to 16 unit.
>> that's correct.
>> chair: with those minimums of
900 of the 2700 units would
basically be very dense.
And those densities.
and what I had heard in the
planning commission, there was a
commissioner who objected
because he actually wanted more
density than that.
Is that right?
>> yeah, MR. Chair, first of
all, the 300 and 600 wouldn't
get you to 10 and 16 dwelling
units per acre.
So they would be less than that.
But even using that, you still
end up, you know, if you used up
all of your density in the
farmstead and used up your 300
and your 900, with the acreage
limitations that we have set,
you get pretty close to four
units an acre in the hamlet
area.
So I just want to keep in
perspective that becomes really
consistent with our low density
residential and the development
that we have seen in it over the
last several years.
It's not as -- it would likely
be more dense than oakmont, for
example.
>> chair: right.
All four of those would be
connected to sewer and
wastewater?
>> all of the development, any
new development would be
connected to sewer and water,
yes, MR. Chair.
>> chair: next slide.
The working farm slide.
Yeah, right there.
So must be at least 20 acres
outside of the 200 cma acres.
>> so it wouldn't be 200 acres
that are in a conservation
management area.
So that's worth some sort of
discussion, I suppose.
What we said is that half of
that farmstead -- so 200 acres
if it's 400, have to be in uses
that are consistent with the
rural cluster open space
policies.
So that includes the
conservation management area,
but it also could include other
uses that might not be
conservation management.
So it could potentially be some
stormwater.
It could be -- there's a set of
recreational uses, for example.
So no, I wouldn't say that there
would be 200 acres of
conservation management area.
There would be 200 acres of what
I would broadly call undeveloped -- it's not going to
have houses sitting on it area.
>> can I ask a question on that?
>> chair: sure.
>> would that then -- could it
in a theoretical framework -- I
don't imagine it could because
of the scale of the development.
But theoretically speaking,
could all the stormwater be in
that 200 A.I.
200 acres and then call
that part of their open space
requirement and check the box
with stormwater ponds?
>> so, MR. Chair, the
commissioner said theoretically
so I'll say theoretically, I
suppose.
I think that is incredibly
unlikely from an infrastructure
standpoint.
>> okay.
>> chair: next slide on the land
disturbance.
So policy 8.6.6.16 writing
geophysical testing prior to
stormwater management, have we
ever required that?
>> yes, we have one other time
and that was on the U.F. Golf
property.
We have in limited instances
also required it on specific
developments where we are either
aware of particular geologic
features that might impair that
or we have also used it at times
where we know there's a property
that maybe had a former landfill
or something on it.
>> chair: no, I think it's
great.
And I appreciate that the
developer wanted to do it.
This is what we were asking save
alachua to require for the terra
property.
So the fact that they are
agreeing to do that I think is
really, really super.
Next slide, water conservation.
So have we ever required these?
`it seems like we are setting a
whole new bar.
>> I would love to espouse I
could say which of these we
require currently or have
required in the past, but
probably stacie would be better
at answering that question.
>> stacie greco.
Looking at these, we have some
florida-friendly language in our
code.
>> chair: sure.
>> but most of these I would say
are new and above current code.
Especially on the fertilizer,
that is big.
And then it is further
implementing the irrigated area.
You know, our design code
already does that, but it's
taking it further.
And limiting irrigation to
reclaimed water.
Ther not going to have
irrigation wells.
>> most of this was also the
result of the sas requiring it.
Those were some of the
conditions we set so forth.
>> chair: this is a great new
standard that we are setting
here and the developer is
setting here unless I'm missing
something.
>> chair: those are the majority
of my questions I have one
question for staff.
And that's the anna issue she
first brought up.
How would staff require the
applicant to enforce U.F. To do
their conservation management
plan?
>> that isn't what I asked.
>> chair: it isn't?
>> I asked for proof that U.F.
Has a plan.
>> chair: how would the
applicant -- how would staff
require that the applicant
require that U.F. Have a plan?
>> MR. Chair, I can think of
ways that the board can enforce
that kind of request.
So you could choose to not
approve this application with
that as a reasoning.
I'm not suggesting that as
staff, but you're asking me a
hypothetical.
So I'm going to try and provide
that.
What we typically say is that
where you have an application
for a particular piece of
property, you can't use the
setting of another property as a
reasoning for denying it.
Where you have like a cell tower
maybe and someone says why don't
you put it on that piece of
property, that's not the subject
of the application.
So if you have a reason to deny
an application, that's in front
of you, you could do that and
you can state your reasoning for
it.
So I think I would say that.
Ultimately, I think in this
case, that's the way you could
do it.
The application that was
submitted to us is for a
particular piece of property.
And enforcing conditions on
properties that are outside of
that would be questionable or
probably at best although the
board can adopt its own policies
in the comprehensive plan.
>> chair: right.
So we would essentially be
saying ifas, do your plan.
Submit it to us or we're not
going to submit next-door.
>> no.
What I was saying is that we
have a strategic area study.
And in all the other instances
where we have strategic area
studies, we have conservation
management areas within those
strategic areas.
And those are sensitive
ecological areas that require
protection.
It's why we created the
strategic ecosystems to begin
with, right.
So in this instance, it just
happened that it was the lees
who have stewarded that land for
generations.
They have own it.
And they owned the entire thing.
>> chair: I understand your
point.
My point, because it is --
>> let me finish, please.
>> chair: well, but it's my --
it's actually my point is that
if we were to do that, the time
to do that was when U.F. Was
standing there asking us
something.
That was the time to do that.
If this was your issue, U.F. Is
standing right there.
They are asking for a golf
course.
They are asking for an approval.
And if that was your issue, that
was the time to bring it up.
That was never -- this is the
first time I'm hearing this is
your position.
And U.F. Isn't here.
Like they are literally not
here.
And to ask this applicant to
bring U.F. Here or to require
U.F. To do that seems a month
late.
Two months late.
>> well, okay, fine.
But it's still my position.
>> chair: okay, that's fine.
>> the applicant who is
ultimately the landowner who is
the lees, like they agreed to
the strategic area study.
And that included the protection
of the entire cma within that
strategic area.
And they have a responsibility
to uphold that protection.
>> chair: understood.
I hear your point.
>> that's what I'm saying.
>> chair: and I think for the
land that they own, they are
certainly upholding that.
But what you're talking about is
land that they no longer own.
And I hear your point.
And I understand your point.
>> they keep telling us -- they
told us in that meeting with
u.F -- they told us that it was
being protected.
When they came, they told us it
was being protected.
When the same came, they told us
it was being protected.
And they keep promising up that
ifas is protecting it.
If all those things are true,
then it should be no problem for
them to provide us the contract,
the sale agreement that includes
what they are doing to protect
it.
The management plans or
restoration plans that ifas is
developing to protect that land.
Like if what they keep telling
us, ifas and U.F. Did stand up
there.
I did ask that question and they
told us that they had plans to
restore and protect it.
>> chair: and I believe them.
I believe ifas.
>> where are those?
Show us.
>> chair: I love that question.
I just think that question is
being asked of the wrong people.
I love the question.
>> it's the landowner.
It's the landowner, they chose
to sell that property.
Show me they protected that
conservation management area.
>> chair: we'll see if we can
address that issue I think right
now.
I think now it's time for the
applicant to present.
After the applicant presents,
then we'll ask their questions
the board.
We'll ask the board for a motion
or not.
And then we'll have a discussion
and then we'll open it up to the
public who is here that wants to
speak to the motion.
Okay.
Welcome.
>> great, thank you.
Good evening, commissioners, for
the record lindsey hagua.
I'm a community planner with
england, timms and miller, old
st. Augustine road.
This has been healthy debate
just to get to our presentation.
With our team, we will try to
hit on some of the questions
that you have raised and that
staff has addressed as well just
to help move through our
presentation.
Here is your full team.
Most of us you know.
We have been in front of your
commission before.
You have worked with us
individually.
We have worked with your staff
over these last year and years
we are all here.
Some of us will present to you
at different slides in the
presentation, but we are all
here to answer and pull up
anybody during some questions or
after public comment.
We have gone through this
process and different changes in
land ownership, the mixture of
where we've been.
Different actions.
And then with us when we got
involved for everlee farms in
2026, a ton of engagement as a
community planner, let's invite
people over.
And I wanted to give thanks to
principal bell over at
terwilliger and made it a
convenient location for us to
meet to kind of have that school
engagement and go and learn from
our neighbors what are some of
their concerns, what are the
things that they appreciate
about their areas, how do we
reflect those character areas
and how we can give them more
information.
So some of that resulted in
policy changes that's before you
for transmittal tonight.
And some of that found a home in
our planned development rezoning
and these commitments that our
team has offered.
the highlighted box here today
is where we are at for
transmittal.
Do we have enough information to
give this out for state and
regional review?
Continue to work with the
community and staff on your pd
and then come back before you
with that whole bundle of
entitlements that gives us this
plan that we want to see here
for everlee farms.
This map helped frame out some
of the discussion and just
remind us of all the things that
MAY get lost in the details or
the policies.
So on the left hand of the
screen, trying to just frame out
for us the 4,000 acres that we
know.
During your special area study
process, we had different
scenarios.
Your regulations tell us, give
us a built scenario,
conservation scenario.
Here the scenario we have in
front of us is a third iteration
of it and how we achieve.
And really when we think through
it of how we are clustered or
honed in development to what's
represented as this 997 acres
that has gotten through the
transfer development rights over
into that.
So additional conservation lands
will be had beyond what you see
here in your special area study.
I'd like to invite up austin
because he's one of our members
to discuss what is the project
vision.
He'll then walk it over to
victor dover.
I'll come back again and give
you a little bit of preview and
then we'll clean up withdrew
holly and our engineers to
answer those public
infrastructure issues and go
into rebuttal.
Thank you.
>> chair: austin, welcome.
>> good evening.
I'm humbled to be here,
appreciate you guys bearing with
us through this.
I am austin roberts, PRESIDENT
Of the roberts companies,
landowner and applicant.
I'm a 7th generation north
floridian.
My
my family live here in alachua
county and my kids go to school
right around the corner of this
property.
It has become near and dear to
our hearts.
>> we're probably distantly
related.
>> yes.
Well, you wouldn't be the only
one, I sure you.
[Laughter]
Everlee farms represents the
remaining 996 acres ever a once
larger over 4,000-acre farm
owned by the lee family.
As has been stated here tonight,
over 26 acres, almost 27 acres
have already been conveyed and
under the stewardship of ifas.
580 acres were donated to the
university of florida for their
new golf course which you all
voted on a couple of months ago.
This is the evolution of this
process.
We are here at the finish line
of what we set forward to do and
a great plan.
I think you'll see tonight
through the experts that I have
here that we will answer a lot
of your questions and concerns.
From the beginning, our goal has
been to create something
special, something that
preserves meaningful agriculture
and open space, creates a
walkable connected community.
My family has a long history of
being passionately involved in
agriculture.
I had the privilege of growing
up here in north florida.
I have fond memories as a kid
walking through the woods many
times and picking blackberries
and enjoying the outdoors.
My intention with this project
is to bring some of that to the
people of this community and the
people that will be able to live
here.
To build a special place where
you can leave your front porch,
walk miles of trails, experience
nature and wildlife all along
the way and to have our kids
grow up and know where their
food comes from.
And to have the opportunity to
get their hands dirty and have
the opportunity to do that in
the community in which they live
in.
So I've been blessed to have
that exposure and that
opportunity, but bringing it to
the place where people live is a
new alternative and really I
think the path forward for that
sort of exposure and education,
that part we're excited about
and is a primary pillar of what
set us on this path.
And, you know, I think that the
vision for this place is built
around blending a walkable
traditional neighborhood with a
large working farm set within
over 200 acres of agriculture.
You'll hear us talk about the
working farm tonight and we can
give you a lot more detail on
the BMPs of the neighborhood
itself.
That working farm component, the
nuance of that being a minimum
of 20 acres, don't let that take
away from the fact that we also
have agreed and set aside
200 acres of agriculture and
open space.
It could be a variety of uses.
I know you had some questions on
that earlier.
We'll walk you through that.
I think looking at it from a
master plan perspective, with
the long view, was important on
how we actually introduced these
ideas and put them into practice
versus, you know, the
alternative of dirt dobbing 100
lot or 200 lot that bring no
community value.
You have heard me say this
before.
But the opportunity and the
reason I got passionate is
because it gave us a chance to
have a master plan approach to a
15, 20-year vision and a
solution.
And how that through that
opportunity, you can bring value
to the greater community.
Not only the people that live
here, but the people who are in
this community.
I live here and value the people
of this community.
We spent a tremendous amount of
time engaging with nearby
residents and the broader
community.
Those conversations have helped
inform this vision.
We have been able to take some
of that feedback and, you know,
effectively make it something
that we can build and be proud
of.
I'll tell you, you know, the
county requires one public
workshop.
We have done five.
The requirement for notices, we
doubled.
If it split a street, we sent it
to the other side of the street
just to be careful.
There is nothing about this
project that's been a shortcut.
We have been here for months and
months and years to get here.
So you all know that and have
felt that.
So bear with us through this
long presentation.
Again nothing about this has
been short.
You know, we are grateful for
the opportunity to work closely
with the county staff.
I will say I know you guys are
probably pretty proud of them.
This is a very sophisticated
staff.
Give them their due.
It has been a joy working with
them.
It has not been easy which is a
good thing for the county, but
it has been a joy and very
professional.
I can tell you, we have been
very impressed.
We have worked tirelessly with
them throughout this project.
And to build a project that we
can all be proud of.
We and you and them and the
community at large.
Their questions, requirements,
guidance and careful review have
helped us strengthen the
proposal and bring this vision
together and what's in front of
you now and really what will be
in front of you at the pd.
So keep in mind obviously we are
able to walk through that detail
tonight.
a lot of that will live in the
pd and we will be back to you in
a month or so, two months.
That's where a lot of that will
live.
We are actively working with
staff now on how we implement
those practices and procedures
and BMPs, best management
practices.
We have invested significant
time and resources in studying
the property and working with
this experienced planning team
to balance future housing needs
with agriculture, environmental
stewardship and infrastructure
and quality of life.
As a community, with the
approval of this project, we can
really set the bar and become a
leader in the region with this
resilient community that
integrates both agriculture,
nature, along with
with the growing
need for housing opportunities.
So that our kids, my kids, your
kids and families can continue
to afford to live here and work
here and build businesses here.
And that is our goal.
I have three kids and I sure
hope that we continue to keep up
with the availability for them
to afford to be able to stay
here, you know, live here and
work here.
We will address some of the
outstanding questions you guys
have, bear with us and a lot of
our presentation MAY get through
some of that for you.
We are obviously happy to answer
any questions you guys have at
the end if we have not touched
on it.
At this time, I would pass the
microphone off to victor dover
with dover cole and partners to
take the next step.
>> chair: thank you, austin.
MR. Dover, welcome.
>> good evening.
I actually have the fun part.
[Laughter]
I'm victor dover, town planner
and neighborhood designer.
Y'all all know design is not
something to be added on at the
end after all the big decisions
are already made.
It's something that has to be
there from the beginning.
It's been a pleasure to work on
this.
There are four fundamentals that
the lees and austin roberts and
ryan frankel set out for us.
It's historic.
And our job has been to test all
the policies that you are
considering transmitting tonight
against real-world streets and
blocks and building footprints
and the way the farm would work.
Like.
Although we will get in much
more of that detail when we come
back with a pd.
I'll give you a preview of that
tonight.
Just quickly, nature, that's
reminding us of the idea that
you have heard a lot about
tonight about how thousands of
acres have already been placed
under conservation stewardship.
And we like the idea that green
florida will be at your
doorstep, this place.
So in the neighborhood design
job, it is part of our
application to design the
doorstep.
To design that connection.
And not to just have the big
protected green florida nature
be something across a road, but
have it be something that can
come into the community and come
and weave and integrate with the
design of the neighborhoods.
And so I will show you some maps
to get across that idea.
Legacy is about taking the long
view in both senses of the word.
Designing since we have a big
canvas and phenomenal for
preserving long views across
open space, that's the obvious
one.
Obviously, the long view across
the horizon in terms of
stewardship and the business
plan, the very definition of
sustainable.
You will hear from justin myers
and just the idea that you go
with your neighbors and get
ahold of what's in season and
your children would have that
awareness that austin indicated.
On one hand, it means freedom
and connection because the
walkable community will be set
up so that you have lots of
choices about how to move about
and go from here to there,
including walking, biking,
transit, making short trips even
if you drive.
It's also about something else
which is lining those paths,
those sidewalks and those trails
with front porch culture, so you
can get to know your neighbors
and you can have healthier,
happier families.
Now, I won't read all this to
you, but we were making notes to
ourselves about all the things
that have been accumulating over
the last 30 years in county
policies.
You have been eding us to this
point.
Basically saying bring alachua
county what it really deserves
in terms of the neighborhood
form.
I think we have an example in
the making sure.
I will try to describe to you a
little bit why we believe that's
the case.
First, this word farmstead
deserves a little bit of
explanation.
In some ways the inspiration
truck austin when he visited new
field which is a community we
designed in martin county, also
known as the first time martin
county approved anything nearly
that big in 45 years.
It's part of the plan into and
connect with the human habitat,
the settlement and to put the
farm at the center of community
life.
We didn't have the opportunity
in new field to design it with
the farmer in the room.
But here, we have.
Justin myers who runs the farm
at newfield inherited shapes and
geometries we put on the land
before he was on the job.
But here for everlee, we have
had justin working right beside
us actually thinking about how
the farm would operate.
Just to give you a little bit of
a window on what the design
process of this has been like,
it's been about starting with
the green parts which I have
said several times.
And then thinking about how the
networks, the green network, the
network of streets and the
network of trails and greenways
and the neighborhoods would go
together.
And so that's been kind of going
through a process of getting
more and more defined.
Our job at this point has been
to test the policies that are in
front of you to see whether we
have them right to be able to
design the ultimate thing that
austin has described.
This is the latest plan.
Of course, this MARCH draft
because it is subject to lots of
change.
But this is illustrating, for
example, the large lee family
farmstead at the center of the
property and then how the
neighborhoods and hamlets are
arranged around it.
And it's quite large and so
there's a lot of details.
We are happy to bring these back
up and talk to any of the
crucial ones you have questions
about.
The fun part is thinking about
the what if, the vision of this.
And our favorite part of this is
the idea that nature at your
doorstep, you could take that
walk in the woods that austin
described and keep going on that
trail and arrive at your
friend's house or at the heart
of the community or back to your
home.
And that reweaving of things, so
that you don't have to have the
situation found in so many of
our florida metropolitan areas
where nature is a thing you
drive your kids to see instead
of a thing that they can walk
out their door and see.
So that was the first kind of
big picture what if.
And just for fun, that
illustration that I've got on
the screen is actually a real
place in the plan.
It's imagining our extension,
voluntary extension of the
conservation management area
deep into the land and how long
views will be created as you
exit one and enter the other
parts of it.
The other one of ideas shown in
one of the images that austin
showed is housing variety.
Of course, we will have houses,
detached houses of various
sizes, large and small on their
own lots but attached houses.
We will have multi-family
housing and a whole range, the
whole range of prices and sizes
to own and to rent, including
not putting them off into their
own areas by housing type, but
mixing them together so the
attached houses will be on the
same street facing the front
porches of the same green
tree-lined street that their
neighbors have.
The farm is similar.
We see this is not something
that is walled off or fenced off
from the community but rather
something that's across the
street from people's front
porches.
It's really, of course, meant to
be more than just food.
It's also a social condenser,
meant to bring people together.
We will have a couple of areas
where we get full-blown next use
main streets.
Here's one of those village core
ideas.
And this particular case, we're
looking at a place in the main
street we already saw and you
can see in the image, the
opportunity to bring it north
from archer road for a few
blocks and then bend it so that
your view is focused on
something important at the end
of the street in that little
white arrow you see on the map
shows the sort of directional
view of the sketch.
so you get the idea we do these
pictures as design because we
are age to hold them up to
austin and his team and say is
this what you meant, is this
what you intend and compare it
to other places.
You'll pick up in this image,
for example, showing one of the
neighborhood centers a very
deliberate attempt to achieve
something as charming and
similar in scale to haile
village center.
The edges are the most important
parts.
And so here's a spot where one
of the two large farm parcels
and the orchard and teaching
forest are adjacent to a
large-scale area that will be
preserved.
Adjacent to some of our
sensitive neighbors.
So to put that on a map, from
the green and protected areas
that are between their homes and
the new ones that we build, this
is the kind of thing you'll be
able to look across open space
and see.
So I've given you an idea of
kind of what the human habitat
parts of it are meant to be like
and what the edges are like.
I'd like to ask justin myers to
talk to you about the farm
itself.
>> chair: okay.
MR. Myers, welcome.
>> good evening.
My name is justin myers and I
work with agomennity.
We design and manage community
farms and farm amenities.
One of the questions that often
arises is what is a community
farm.
I think a farm can be a lot of
different things to different
people.
For us, when we think about a
farmstead community each as
everlee, it is taking authentic
agriculture and integrating into
the holistic design of the
neighborhood and community.
That's a lot of what victor just
shared with you.
How do you use the farm as this
dynamic resource that both for
the residents who live there,
but also the broader public can
participate and engage and
really get this resource that
can really approve their
day-to-day quality of life.
So on a simple level, that's
kind of like how we view this
farm can kind of benefit and
kind of be woven in.
And so during this talk, I'll
just kind of really state at
pretty high level.
Some of y'all's questions I'll
slightly address and then happy
to chat more in-depth as well
afterwards.
Because there is -- I think the
farm is probably not like the
mystery box, but it can go in a
lot of different directions so
we want to kind of paint what
that picture is, as genuine and
authentically as possible.
So for everlee, 20-acre working
farm.
Really with the goal of growing
year-round diversified
vegetables, fruits and flowers,
potentially some like pasture
poultry or other livestock.
I think how you like choose to
integrate that into the land,
there's a lot of possibilities
around that.
All utilizing sustainable and
organic practices, as well as
like that best management
practices for like ecosystem and
community health.
I think oftentimes when you are
growing right in front of your
neighbors and we have farms in
both texas and florida and
there's literally -- one of our
projects in texas is a front
forge like 30 feet from where
the farm starts.
At newfield that victor shared,
they are right across the way
and watching what is happening.
It's literally like their front
yard.
What we are utilizing in terms
of growing practices or from
soil amendments or potentially
pest control, it's not only to
grow really healthy food, but
it's also like part of that
person's daily life.
So there's a lot of intention
and care that goes into that.
And then from the kind of
like -- I think when you get
into the farm, like the growing
of the food and like the
agricultural side is really like
the heart and the driver and
that's kind of like speaks to
that authenticity and then
layered on top of that is the
community programming and
community engagement piece.
But the food is a core part.
So that food access of how
people get connected to food,
whether that's through a csa
which is essentially like a
weekly membership program, like
a veggie share, farm box, like a
farm stand, farm store, that
would be not only for the
everlee farm products but also
from potentially other local
farms and local food purveyors,
like being able to sell their
goods that we're not producing
on site.
Which then expands the offerings
for both residents as well as
the general public around there,
being able to find local food
that's supporting alachua
county, supporting gainesville
and also supporting the small
businesses of farmers and food
purveyors.
And then from that, the reality
with farms there are many people
excited about local food and
literally people come up to us
and say I bought a house here
because of the farm and they
sign up for the csa, they join
the farm club.
But there's also folks who, you
know --
>> chair: what's a csa?
>> it stands for community
supported agriculture.
And it's basically -- oftentimes
you'll hear it now described as
like a farm share or veggie box
or harvest box and it can be a
weekly or biweekly.
Where you are essentially
getting four to eight items from
the farm each week.
Sometimes it can include other
products as well.
>> chair: yeah.
>> yeah.
But there's other people who are
less interested in like the
vegetable side.
But that farm can really still
be a resource for their life.
And that's everything from a
beautiful green space that they
are walking by in the morning or
they are taking and going on a
run, as well as kind of like
that connection to nature that
victor had mentioned.
Through education, doing like
targeted classes and workshops,
as well as like farm tours and
volunteer programs, spring break
day camp for kids, there's like
a full range of education that
can be woven in.
And then just that social hub,
that social connection.
I mean I think when we think
historically, food is part of
culture and brings people
together.
When you have a beautiful green
space at the farm, having
whether a pizza night or
farm-to-table dinner or a movie
night, some of our farms, really
the farm is used as the space
and not necessary about a
farm-specific program but a farm
as a beautiful space to exist
in.
I think when you layer on like
the true like agricultural
prduction and the food
production that's happening,
intoxication in addition
-- in addition to
this beautiful community
oriented space to bring people
together, a dynamic opportunity
to bring people together.
For everlee, it's both as a
benefit to the residents who
live there and the broader
public is invited into that.
Lastly as we go more broad, you
know, gainesville and alachua
county has a really great
agricultural network already.
So I think we really see everlee
as being like a node in the
local food system.
And how can we support and be
part of that?
Whether through working with
local nonprofits, other local
farms, U.F. Ifas.
I think there's a lot of
opportunities of how everlee can
help strengthen that resiliency
and expand the surface area of
what the local food is here.
That's just kind of like a
high-level snapshot.
Happy to answer more questions
as well.
Lindsay is going to chat a
little bit more and then we can
chat again.
>> chair: okay, thank you,
justin.
>> thanks, justin.
Okay.
I'm going to walk you through a
couple of slides that really
fall into the pd preview element
and begin with kind of summary
of all of our community
meetings.
This follows that consumer
reports style of capturing what
did the community share with us
as their important aspects.
And then what did we do about
that.
And so some of them are, hey, we
want land use and character to
be reduced densities along the
edges.
You'll see that both in the
density assignment for our
farmstead character area as well
as when the pd rezoning is
presented to you, lot sizes
around and perimeter buffering
so they can maintain the
character and familiarity that
they are used to seeing on our
adjacent neighbors.
Some of it was more trails,
making sure that they have
connections both to outside
along parker, out to archer, but
also to lagonno and up to the
golf property.
Right now tracking on 16 miles
of trail with internal and
external connections.
We'll see that again in our pd.
Some of this is about preserving
the east-west connections on how
they see and utilize southwest
73rd and want to have that
connection and then how they do
not want connection through
vehicular traffic into haile.
We heard that loud and clear
coming out of our resolution at
the special area study.
And then following on justin's
line, inviting the neighbors to
be part of the working farm.
Part of that was this wasn't an
exclusive amenity or farm only
to the residents of everlee but
really community engagement.
Folks are welcome to come and
visit and see and be a part of
that.
Some elements, this plan is a
glamorized version if you will
of what will be the zoning
master plan that will come
before you and really want to
hit home what our character
areas are as far as clustering
development within the project
area and following some of the
guidelines that you have within
your policies already as far as
transitioning from the area to
the east, over moving to the
west to parker.
Some of the areas you see
highlighted are very specific
elements that the community
provided for us as areas they
want to see and commitments that
we have agreed to.
We have met with the carrollton
folks there and they want to see
this expanded buffer that's more
manicured that they can see as
they exit out of their
neighborhood and enter.
And expanding and not averaging,
but having a 100-foot buffer
undisturbed in that area around
that nook into the southern
area.
Again, this is like character
maintenance, mitigation of
things that would be new and
seeing areas for clearing that
you would see within our pd
rezoning application.
These are best practices that
either are a policy that's
before you tonight to transmit
out or will be part of our best
management plans that are
attached to our pd.
And they generally hit on things
that are already given to us,
that recipe out of the special
area study resolution.
We have talked about open space,
how that's provided on site and
then off-site to gain our
density, our water resources.
You walk through with staff what
we will see covering all those
elements.
And then affordability as far as
meeting in some of that policy
through transfer of development
rights and provision of
affordability and a mixture of
units that we see on our
project.
Again, we're here for policies,
transmit out for state and
regional review.
A lot of our questions are of
interest and our pd and just a
sneak peek and preview into that
I think helps round out the
policies that are
I would like to invite up
drew.
Heel complete our presentation
for you and then we can go into
public comment or any comments
you MAY have, and we thank you
for your time.
>> thank you.
Thank you, lindsey.
All right, drew.
>> thank you, lindsey.
Commissioners, drew holly,
england, tims, and miller.
Just want to say staff did such
a wonderful job this evening.
they stole a lot of my thunder,
so I will make it as brief as I
possibly can.
Thank you all for having us here
this evening.
I wanted to hit on some of the
key tenants on the comp plan
before you this evening.
And really given you some
numbers associated with some of
the benefits that we see.
So looking at the transportation
and mobility fees we're looking
and estimating $20 million in
mobility fees to be paid over
time base on current rates and
based on the development
program.
And those mobility fees of
course as you know are used for
a number of things but moat leas
within the -- mostly within the
mobility district to improve
roadway segments and level of
service.
Chris hit earlier on utilities.
We do have capacity as evidenced
by gru's letter to us.
We've talked a lot about our
irrigation policies and water
use.
We see that as a core tenant of
this proposal in front ofia
of
you this evening.
We have had conversations with
the fire chief about doimation
of a proposed fire site.
We have looked and as evidenced
bide
by chris' presentation
earlier there is currently
school capacity and we estimate
$7 million average in ad valorem
school taxes.
Lindsey mentioned earlier the
miles and miles of improved and
unimproved trails to serve both
residents and neighbors alike.
And really the innovative tdr
and affordability matrix that we
worked very hard and diligently
with staff to address two key
components of the county's
goals.
So lindsey kind of gave the
precursor to this timeline which
was the lead up to where we are
this evening, and I wanted to
kind of finish the timeline at
least to the next couple of
years.
So we stand here before you
tonight asking for transmitting
to the state and ultimately look
to be before you in OCTOBER for
an adoption hearing.
But during the next several
years, there is still a long
road to hoe as we move forward
with this project to finalize
preliminary development plans,
engineering and permitting,
geophysical testing we talked
about, all to make sure we get
the plan right, and that
ultimately culminates in final
development plan, permit
approvals, and construction.
We see, you know, homes going up
and families moving in, really
in the next three years or so.
As a part of that obviously
there is a component there that
I talked ability about earlier
with the impact and mobility
fees paid at certificate of
occupancy to make sure that the
infrastructure that's needed to
support these homes and families
is paid for and in place to be
able to support the proposed
development.
So one of the things we heard at
plan commission and we wanted to
address head on waw this
transportation component.
So I have many of my colleagues
here tonight who are much more
well versed in transportation
than I am but I will take the
first crack at it.
So our current analysis looked
at an internal capture rate of
only about 10%.
When compared to the region and
areas like the town of tioga and
haile plantation we believe that
MAY be a bit understated.
We see internal capture of
greater than 30% in those
areas.
Based on the development plan
that we have, the mix of uses
and the attractiveness of the
nonresidential elements we feel
certain that we are going to
create that internal capture
which keeps traffic volumes off
of local adjacent roadways and
inside of the development as
much as possible.
We talked earlier this evening
about a phasing threshold.
Limiting development to 50%
until the state road widening is
in the work plan.
We also talked about the
creation of an everlee specific
mobility district, and that
mobility district would be to
use to fund transit element
within the district including
circulator, a potential park and
ride side, bus stops, all of
those elements to be really
figured out in the future as we
work with staff.
I wanted to hit on something we
heard from you all this evening
and
evening and also from staff,
the slides that up are next is a
preview of what's to come with
the pd but wanted to address
them here as well.
We are certainly focused on
nutrient management, and water
quality.
Our water resources in florida
are of significant importance to
all of us that that starts on
the improvement side when we
talk about water quality that's
limiting nutrients.
Well we have had discussion
tonight with mary and other
-
members of staff who have talked
about our commitment to no
fertilizer on any of the
residential lots.
We've committed to a water
policy round an irrigation
budget.
We've committed to using the
lowest quality source of water
available to us and reuse
water.
We've committed to lot of
different things that are above
and beyond.
We've committed to the areas we
can actually irrigate within the
project.
So that's where it starts.
We talked a lot about limiting
the level of disturbance on the
site.
This is just an -- graphical
example of some lots potentially
backing up to the cma, and our
desire obviously to maintain
existing vegetation to not clear
trees where it's not necessary.
And to make sure that we
preserve the character and the
community that makes this place
special as it is today.
I want to talk a little bit
about our landscape best
management plan, again you heard
from staff this evening that
this plan really goes above and
beyond and you will see this
again in the pd, but really
using florida friendly, florida
native plants, setting an
irrigation budget, making sure
that we limit the amount of turf
grass which we know is a
constant driver of water use,
creating an irrigation utility
that will limit the amount of
irrigation that individual
residents are able to apply on
the landscape.
And so on and so forth.
This is something that we
believe strongly in, are really
committed to seeing this through
throughout in the enforcement of
this through the b mp process.
You know, I've had the pleasure
of working with austin and the
team behind me this evening, and
it is not lost on me that this
is a generational land.
And with generational land comes
very unique responsibilities.
This team behind you has one
opportunity to get it right, and
through working with staff, I
believe we have gotten it to a
point where we are getting it
right.
So with that in mind, I would
kindly ask you all to consider
transmitting this to the state,
and would be happy to take any
further questions.
>> okay.
Commissioners, any questions for
the applicant?
Commissioner prizzia, then
commissioner alford.
>> yeah, I guess a
quickly, how
do you anticipate the phasing of
the affordable housing going?
We currently don't have the
requirement, you know, for in
this anywhere of policy around
the affordable housing being at
the front end of the
development, but I do think, you
know, it's one of those things
that if it gets left to the end
it MAY never happen, if certain
phases don't go through or we
see it's 30 years or 40 years
before they happen so can you
just talk more for the community
to understand what you think of
in terms of how that affordable
-
housing will --
>> sure, yeah, we're working
with staff currently and I think
a lot of that will be in the pd
and the development agreement
that we're working in now.
So I think you'll see, you know,
sorry to continue --
>> no, that's fine.
>> but you know that is a part
of the process that we are in
now, and so our intent with that
is that that is not a, an after
thought or to come at the end
hat it's integrating
throughout.
I will tell you I don't think
it's economical to say that
there is some sort of one for
one or some sort of specific you
know ratio but I do think
that'll be integrated and there
is some language we can come up
with with staff to be integrated
into development agreement that
can, you know, say, you know, at
certain stages right that there
has to be those some sort of
criteria.
So we're committed to that.
>> slept, thank
-- slept, thank
-- excellent, thank you.
I did want to say
congratulations, I will tell you
you know we have had a few other
really big development type
projects happen in alachua
county and we've never had one
where there's an empty room or
very few people here that have
comments on the development.
And so I will say as a testament
to that five meetings that you
had in the community and
listening to your neighbors and
hearing what they have to say,
and listening to us and what we
have to say through the sas
process and being willing to
work with our staff, so thank
you for at least coming, you
know, for coming to the table
with all of that work alread
being done.
And making sure that the
neighbors are excited about
having you as a neighbor.
I emean I've never had so many
letters of support from
neighborhoods who actually live
directly next to a development
that they are excited about a
development coming.
Usually it's the opposite.
It's all the reason why they
think it's an awful idea.
>> I appreciate that.
That's important for us.
As you know I'm a community
member.
>> something to be proud of for
sure and it's evident the work
has been done and I really
appreciate our staff.
I know that they worked really,
really hard to, you know, get to
yes on this and to find those
balances with protecting our
natural resources.
And allowing for the developer
to build something that's going
to be -- and the family to build
something that's going to be a
legacy that's going to be more
dense, more urban in nature and
make more sense if we're going
to develop a piece of property,
let's do it the right way and
let's put that kind of density
so that we're building
affordable housing so that we're
allowing for mobility and people
to live, work, and play in the
same area.
And you know, of course I'm
excited about the farm.
That's what I do but I do think
you know one of the things I
mentioned was the idea that you
know from my perspective, that
farm is an amenity to the
development, and I think leaving
it to bona fide agriculture is a
mistake, I think that it needs
the kind of controls through the
hoa, through the agreement with
the county, to protect the
residents of that neighborhood
and the future of that land to
make sure that it has the same
types of regulations and
requirements for the management
of that property as the rest of
the development.
>> I agree, I think you'll find
that as a part of the b mp
conditions that we plan on
implementing into the pd so that
we do, we do plan to implement
and so while there MAY not be a
ton of detail if the comp plan
application, I think you will
see that come along into some of
the bmp criteria that you'll see
in the pd just like some of our
landscape -- you know landscape
irrigation will be addressed so
we are happy to address that
specific point even within the
confines of the comp plan
amendment and the pd proposal
that we are, we are we have in
front you've also presenting
criteria and bmp practices that
have to be abide by.
>> well I would -- I guess I
would like for staff to let me
know what they think the
appropriate edits are to m in
the comprehensive plan
transmittals as we have it to
address that at this stage as
well as at the stages moving
forward just so that.
>> yeah, I'm happy to pass the
microphone off.
I think we're, where we have
come to it from this perspective
is we
we were asking for
transmittal and then you will
get back the pd with those
conditions on which you would
vote on its own merits within
that pd document.
You know with that criteria but
happy to pass the microphone off
if you want --
>> MR. Chair, I don't know.
So I would say from staff we
find ourselves in a little bit
of a quandary because the state
really takes control of defining
what ag is, and it preempts us
from regulating that.
>> this isn't -- this isn't ag.
Into the traditional sense I
mean yes they are going to be
growing food but it's first and
foremost it's going to be an
open space, a park for the
neighbors who live right next
door, you know and so while it
is a farm, I guess my, my sense
of the story that they're
telling and my experience of
these developments in the past
is that it's, it's not a
traditional farm in the sense
that it's operating on its own
in a rural area outside of the
impacts that it would have on
residences rights next door or
stormwater ponds that are right
next door to it.
And therefore, it's actually a
different type of land use than
bona fide ag.
It's going to be subsidized by
the development.
>> corbin?
>>> I don't know if there is
something you wanted to add to
that before I jump in.
>> it's true, I was just going
to say that as a part of the pd
there is a mix of -- or as a
part of the comp plan there is a
mix of uses obviously and to be
categorized in each one and that
was why we addressed it via
character areas, and addressing
that farm and that location and
the criteria and the guidelines
of which it has to abide, we're
offering above and beyond maybe
just bona fide ag, we're happy
to offer in the form of that pd
in which obviously you would
have all of the detail in front
of you to support or obviously
not support but that would just
be my only comment is that I
think as we see it, we see
character areas and individual
categorization of what is where,
and what that has to abide by so
we plan on having that for you
in the future.
>> correct and I appreciate that
and I believe you I mean the
conversations that I've had with
you about what you all plan to
do and listening to justin talk
about and see you know these
types of developments, I
absolutely 100% believe you and
agree with you, but I think if
we call it bona fide ag then our
ability to actually do those
enforcements of that pd are
actually pritted
pretty limited
to his point because we cannot
regulate agriculture in
somestances so I want to be
mindful of that and make sure we
you to come up with those --
>> wouldn't we have that has
as
part of the pd, we can put the
conditions in the pd?
Corbin?
>> so ultimately as far as the
land use perspective goes, eyes,
I get the point that this is
different than your traditional
ag but if there is a commercial
component to this agriculture,
there is nothing we could do
that would potentially stop
getting an ag cloiks and --
classification and coming in an
at a later time, we're doing
bona fide ag selling vegetables
and then preempted.
>> for tax classification.
>>> yeah they could come in and
say on this particular portion,
this is ag classified.
Therefore, you know because we
are, we are using this for bona
fide ag we have a commercial
output the county is then
preempted from coming and in
regulating it no matter what we
call it on this end.
>> so how would the pd
requirements be upheld in a
situation where there was bona
fide ag?
>> chris?
>> yeah, so I mean, it's a walks
like a duck quacks like a duck
kind of thing, MR. Chair.
>> on a farm.
[Laughter]
Yeah, I guess there will be
animals there.
I think that the problem is we
can -- we can call it something
else in our comp plan, but if
it's on a piece of property and
the property appraiser says it's
bona fide ag, we're, we're
preempted from it.
>> I guess I just --
>> so if the, if the applicants,
I would just say you know from
my perspective, so one thing we
could do is, I'll wait on that.
I think from, from my
perspective, trying to say that
the working farm that might
potentially, this is, this sort
of what happens in the future,
it's a what if, but if it is ag,
and it gets an ag
classification, regardless of
what we adopt, the state says we
can't enforce it.
Because it's ag.
>> I mean reading --
>> so, so the only, I don't -- I
don't know if the applicant is
willing to stand up here and
commit and say I agree that it's
never going to get an ag
classification, yes, it's an
institutional use, and I agree
to these regulations.
But the applicant would sort of
have to make that explicitly
clear.
>> they're saying that they're
going to have these BMPs to
further defined in the kinds of
things they're binding
themselves to in terms of
operating that farm with
sustainable practice, organic
practices, water management
practice and I'm saying you're
telling me today that we
couldn't actually enforce that.
>> yeah, I mean, they MAY do
some of those things, and we can
have them in the pd, but if it
comes to that point where the
state says or the property
appraiser says no, they, they
apply for an ag classification,
they have a commercial purpose,
they do one of the activities
that is generally considered
agricultural, we, we can't
regulate it anymore.
So I think that's sort of the
challenge that we've found
because we talked about I know
stacy sat in a conference room
with me and we talked about that
possibility.
Can we apply these irrigation
policies or fertilizer policies
or whatever to the working farm
portion and I think where we
always sort of ran into the wall
was what happens when it become
bona fide ag.
>> I mean, I think if I could
step in here, 8.6.6.10 and
8.6.6.11 hammers home and is
exact point and it's in the
policy.
I mean it basically says working
farm is a community anchor that
required planned development
zoning shall include a
professionally managed year
round working farm as a
centrally organized element of
the community.
That's like the first sentence.
And then whu r when you get into
policy 8.6.6.11 it says context,
agriculture compatibility and
best management practice context
sensitivity buffers, best
management practices, including
the landscape best management
plan, and right to farm
disclosures shall be required to
ensure long-term compatibility
between ag operations and the
residential or mixed use.
I mean you guys have addressed
this I think I don't understand
like we're going to hear all of
your concerns be put into the pd
and it's actually part of the
comp plan policy.
Like it's got to be consistent.
The pd can't be inconsistent
with the comp plan policy, it
must be consistent with the comp
plan policy.
>> what they're saying is it
doesn't matter if the comp plan
policies or pd policies are
applied too bona fide ag because
at the end of the day we can't
regulate the bona fide ag.
>> it's literally going to be
regulated.
>> my concern isn't now.
My concern is 12, 30 years --
20, 30 years from now when the
developer isn't there and the
hoa has taken --
>> well 40 years -- yes, they
will, believe me.
>> I don't disagree with your
concern.
My point is let's address that
concern at the pd.
Because the policy it has to be
consistent with what staff has
put into the comp plan policy.
>> but what I'm being told by
our attorney is that it doesn't
matter what we put in the pd.
If it's land use is ag then its,
and its bona fide agriculture
then we have no ability to
regulate it.
>> so we don't want an ag
component to this neighborhood?
>> no I'm not say that.
>> you are.
You are saying that.
>> no I was saying that I was
hoping that the land use would
not be ag, that it would be
something else and it's actually
part of the development rather
than an agricultural farm
because it's even thoughit is a
technically a farm, it's an
amenity to the neighborhood and
my only concern is long-term the
residents and with this gets
turned over to somebody other
thanking amenity for management
that they understand they need
to hup
uphold the values the
amenities is bringing to the
farm.
It's down the road.
We're the ones -- not me but
some other commissioner up here
is going to be the one who gets
the whiny neighbor who's like
this farm is stinky and it looks
bad and they're not doing their
job the right way.
And you know, they're not using
organic materials and.
>> put their for sale sign in
the yard and someone else is
going to buy that house.
Because that's the central to
the neighborhood.
Like if you don't want a farm in
your neighborhood, probably
don't go to everlee.
>> correct, this is not the
place for you.
But to that point, as a part of
the later staidgesz, we
--
stages we will have a cdd
creation and there willby an
hoa, and so just to be clear,
the working farm is not a land
holding that there would be any
incentive to be held privately.
So there will be confines of
obligation right in that whether
the hoa owns it or kdd what have
you.
I mean, there would be no
benefit of privately holding
that liability if that makes
sense.
So I think that in reality,
probably addresses a lot of the
ongoing concerns that you have,
and the way we get there is
through that scale that we're
asking for.
>> you conclude?
>> yeah.
>> commissioner alford and then
commissioner wheeler.
>> okay.
I have a few things.
First, I want to say thank you
for the extensive community
outreach.
This is in my district basically
and I've had calls from many of
my former neighbos and friends
that live in the hale rr area
and they've all said, you know,
we thought we weren't going to
like this but we really love
it.
And it's, it's they, they've
said that you guys are just
great to talk to, to negotiate
with, to share information,
that's the first thing I wanted
to say.
Second thing, I need to disclose
that I've known victor dover for
a very long time.
He's my favorite new urbanest
and I haven't seen a project of
victor's that I haven't liked.
So he's really, well, I mien, I
can't not say that.
So I, I'm very excited to have
you do, you know potentially do
work in our town, and provide
something that, you know, I
just, like your approach to
things and I like how you
integrate the new urbanist
principles in a, in a practical
and approachable way you don't
talk about transects and all
this other stuff.
You just tell people how it
works and so I like that.
And then and I really like this
whole idea of growing healthy
food and growing healthy people
and growing healthy community
because it all fits together,
and, and I just, you know, I
really tried hard to not like
this project because it isn't
what we should be doing we
should be developing, outside of
our urban cluster but I just
love it.
I can't help it.
I really do like it and I, and I
have to admit that.
So a few concerns that I do have
are so I live for a number of
years in the hale village
center, and I got very familiar
with a lot of people that did a
lot of work in the haile village
center because they're my
business partner and one of the
things that I learned is that
gru has stated on multiple
occasions that they would never
allow another village center to
get built in their district.
Because it everything's too
close together, it was too hard
to provide the utilities, too
hard to go in and fix.
Just too hard.
So I hope that we are working
hard to make a good relationship
with at early on in this project
while we're in the planning
phase so can you talk a little
bit about what -- how you've
worked with gru and low you
how
you're planning on managing
that.
>> MR. Holly.
>> yes, of course, specifically
commissioner alford we have been
working with gru for the better
course of the rast nine months.
So we engaged them prior to
actually filing any applications
with the county.
We have concerns obviously
around their ability to serve
and how that would work with the
urban cluster.
We work with them and actually
have been having biweekly
meetings really over the course
of the last six months or so.
To discuss their ability to
serve the utilities that would
be necessary, the extensions
that are required to get to the
property, and we have gone so
far as to really start looking
at sizing of lines and how do we
provide infrastructure, for this
specific property at specific
locations.
And so that's something that we
have been intentionally working
with gru towards really
alignment for the last six to
nine months.
>> so are they going to allow
their urban setback standards
and your more urban areas and
not try to impose their all you
have to do is drive through
butler and see what they like to
have so.
>> yeah, and certainly I mean we
want to be a accommodating as we
can be as we look --
>>no, you don't.
[Laughter]
>> as we think through street
sections and streetscapes and
building frontage and how we
accommodate trees, how we
accommodate sidewalks,
pedestrian facilities,
utilities, you know we're
providing, we've submitted very
narrow streetscape sections
purposefully to really slow
design speeds, narrow
right-of-ways, that creates a
challenges for utilities and
it's something that's not lost
on us as engineers and planners
and designers.
So we look forward to having
these conversations with gru
specifically on how we can
address that as we move towards
construction documents.
>> okay I just -- you know that
just really wordy me because I
have heard that quote so many
times and I just, but I also
know that you know there was
probably not the same level of
planning at the beginning of
that, and so you know there were
utilities run under buildings
and things that were a challenge
so hopefully we're at a little
better place than that so thank
you for that on the, I would
love to they
think that the
whole agriculture thing would be
self-regulating, but again,
living in the hale village
center I've watched that
slippery slope of a natural
landscape that everybody
embraced and loved being slowly
chopped down and replaced with
more formal landscaping along
some of the streets in areas
even though residents didn't
want it it's what the homeowners
association did because I don't
know somebody knew somebody.
But I really do feel like we
need something there.
I don't know what it would look
like, but I think expecting it
to be self-regulating is, is
going to be a challenge because
things, things do change, and
managers do change, and
sometimes it just all boils down
to money and I hate to say
that.
And while I'm on the subject of
landscaping, I was curious now
when you did your first
presentation to us, you kind of
had this little vision that you
shard of walking down a natural
path in the woods and I remember
talking about edible landscaping
at this point so can you talk
about had you that would fit
into the.
>> of course.
Yeah.
Back up one step try to give you
an answer on the farm on the
agriculture self-regulation.
I think important piece there is
having the ownership and
obligation live in the cdd or
hoa.
Just answer the question much%
like an amenity center in
another neighborhood, that's --
>> it's got to be really --
>> obligation --
>> yeah and it's got to be
really clear.
>> -- hold that amenity.
>> it's got to be really clear
because inale it wasn't
necessarily clear.
>> yeah, I think that's
important for us too.
I think the clarity for
potential homeowners that's
going to be necessary.
So that, to answer that part,
the second part of that though
for the edible landscaping I
think that goes back what I was
telling you my original vision
for this and one of the primary
millers is not only street
design and walkable
neighborhoods but sidewalks,
those are all very important
pieces of this presentation no
doubt but also some of the
natural landscape and having
trail ways through them and then
incorporating and we're working
with epd through some of the
criteria on what can be
implemented and potentially
added in some of those c ma
where we could implement either
restoration implementation or
potentially some edible
landscaping so the vision with
that was that we try to keep a
lot of the especially perimeter
or integrated conservation trail
ways in a way that you get to
experience edible landscaping
and wildlife and under tree
canopies so some of that will be
working in hand in hand with
staff and working through and
weaving through some policy mike
sure we can make all that happen
in a way that is meaningful.
>> yeah, I mean, I think about
my kids getting to experience,
you know, mullberries or pawpaws
or things like that that you
don't necessarily see anymore
because you know nobody's
growing them commercially really
but you know they're great.
>> yeah, this is an opportunity
to do that.
I mean, it just, especially
considering in the trailway
system it's really not
commercial, it's scale.
It's more of an experience and
so that's something that we
value that I think we're excited
to have the opportunity to work
with ifas on potentially you
know using, would love to pair
up in some way to have some
lurch component but then also be
used you know improve genetic or
fruit stock and would love to
see how that can evolve.
We plan on incorporating a lot
of that into the trail system.
>> awesome.
Thank you.
All right.
Let me see, if I got all of my
little stars.
And I think this goes without
saying but we are measuring 50%
development by the number of
residential units?
Or.
>> one-half of 2700.
>> 2500?
>>> 50% of what?
>> of residential units or
residents or area developed,
what is 50% mean?
>> for the archer road.
>> oh, yaw
yeah, it would be the
eunice, intensity of
development.
>> intensity of development,
just wanted to, I figured
somebody's going to ask me that,
so I figured I should ask.
Okay.
That's all I have right now.
>> thank you, commissioner.
Commissioner wheeler.
>> yes, I just want to thank the
group.
I've been asking for eight years
now every development to give me
something I've never seen
before.
Now I know it's time I can
finally retire I
I was on a jake
fuller cartoon I always got the
last word on a water video
today, and now getting to see
something that I've never seen
before, and to watch all of you
who were a part of the team that
I was there that visiting that
day was remarkable to see the
energy and the enthusiasm and
the commitment to this project
being able to make a community
that is charming and, and is
inviting.
And inviting community so I do
hope you all will put some of
those cracker houses that I saw
the designs for out there.
You know, that are, are
reminiscent of a calmer, easier
time.
You know people try, travel to
disney all the time to see these
kinds of communities, you know,
that you all are talking about
trying to do, and that's what it
felt like when I was there.
You all were creating this place
that people would want to be.
And it was really exciting to
see that.
In motion and I would really
like to make this motion now.
I know we're going to have
community speaking up.
>> good I mean we need to have a
motion.
>> I move that we transmit the
application z26-000005 with the
staff recommended policies to
the state for review and
comment.
>> second.
>> chair: motion and two
seconds.
All right.
>> thank you now I can retire.
>> chair: do you conclude?
Do you conclude?
Commissioner chestnut.
>> thank you, MR. Chair.
I guess I have a couple of
questions first of all, how many
farmstead communities are
there?
Is this the first or?
Or is it more in florida?
I'm just asking.
>> you mean in the county or are
you just mean in general.
>> in general because to me this
is the first time I ever seen
anything like it so that's while
yiep
I'm asking.
>> I would not dare to think
there is something different to
this.
There are definitely different
versionses of this but I think
what we have built under the
guidelines of what your staff
has recommended is very unique.
I would not shy away from that.
There MAY be farm components to
communities that MAY exist
elsewhere but with all of the
processes and policy that
they've recommended I would
imagine we're very unique.
>> there are a lot of
farmsteads.
>> MR. Mayors, did you want
to -- I saw you jump up.
>> [Off mic]
72 austin, do you want justice
to.
>> yeah.
>> yeah, please.
>> I was just curious.
>> I think austin's answer was
great in terms of I think there
is like a spectrum of like kind
of these farm-based
communities.
And this is I think on that like
deeper end of like really having
it be like a core part of the
neighborhood and a very like
real and authentic way where
it's not just kind of like
checking a box ear kind of like
a farm in name only.
And so I think and that end it
is one of the more unique
projects and there is not like
necessarily like a formal like
governing body or definition of
like what is a farmstead or
agri -- like this but I think
this is on that end of the
spectrum that really kind of
captures like the vision of how
a farm can be integrated into a
neighborhood and really have it
be like a deeply valuable
thing.
>> okay.
My next question, I think during
the presentation, they stated
there would be fruits and
vegetables but I never heard
anything about any animals.
Are there going to be animals?
>> so I think --
>> and what kind.
>> yeah, so some of or other
projects we have like pasture
pull tree
powelltry.
For
poultry.
For some places an educational
chicken coop, 20, 25 birds and
others you have egg production
with 2
200, 300 birds same with
an apiary we will have 10 hives
there is a showcase piece but we
could have 80 to 100 and have
honey production so I think
where we are now in the planning
we'll be especially the
educational pieces that are
woven in and then there is
opportunity to have like larger
scale animal ag as well that
kind of how it evolves down the
road.
But I think like vegetables,
fruits and flowers are really
like the main driver like
diversified year round basis and
then you can kind of slide in
animals around the way if
needed.
>> the only reason I ask that
question because was I remember
MR. Lee saying that their farm
been there for many years then a
development started building
around them and people from
haile plantation don't mean to
pick on haile plantation but
were complaining about the
cows.
At night mooing and tough like
that.
So that's why I asked that
question because what I want to
make sure happens is that when
folks buy property there, that
they know that they're buying
into a farm.
>> sure, yeah.
>> keep in mind that 20-acre
working farm MAY be more
primarily directed at fruits and
veggies but there is another --
you know at the part of a
200-acre you know agriculture
conservation open space
requirement so we might have
other areas and again we're
still in planning stages but we
might have other areas that have
livestock you know horses or
cattle or goats and maybe a
little bit farther awaifrom
community have but still allow
those uses.
>> cute little pig maybe.
>> yeah.
[Laughter]
>> my daughter had any say in
it, probably.
>> and I guess my last question
is what phase will the farm go
in to an active farm.
>> heeds the first phase.
>> that's important.
Thanks for mentioning that.
Our commitment is that
implementation is up front.
So keep in mind the property is
being farmed today and we wanted
not only some of the areas that
are later development that they
continue to be farmed but the
actual working farm be
implemented up front ask
obviously there is phasing
involved in that.
I mean we couldn't move in day 1
and have the sort of intensies
over the entire 20 acres that
you will have as homes come in.
But the implementation of that
farm at some scale day 1 is a
commitment of ours.
>> okay.
And I guess my last comment,
thank you for the presentation.
It was very informative.
My first time seeing something
like this I think that it
probably would be a great
success is and that's why I
second the motion.
>> thank you.
>> so thank you.
>> chair: thank you,
commissioner.
commissioner prizzia.
>> yeah, to both commissioner
alford and I have both expressed
our concerns.
I think and you'll have to
forgive me.
I'm not trying to be a stick in
the mud about this.
As you know I should be the most
excited about here being the
local food maven we're doing a
development that has ag at its
core.
But yun we just had to deal with
a pd that had a golf course as
an amenity and you know 50 years
ago everybody thought golf
courses in the middle of
developments were going to be
the most amazing thing and
everyone was going to want to
live on a golf course and it
gave them free open space and
now that pd is trying to split
off the golf course and wanted
to sell it and we ended up
buying it as a park because we
had this situation.
I want to make sure that we're
not doing the same thing with
this development that in 50
years we're not going to have
people standing up trying to
sell that part of their pd and
rezone it and turn it into
something else so they can.
>> or meadow brook.
>> I've seen those happen and
where they create these amenity
based developments and then it's
not cool anymore and then they
want to change it.
>> so MR. Chair, I think both
the applicant and staff have
heard at least that comment
pretty clearly I think we have
some thoughts about how we might
deal with that, I don't think
they're ready for production at
transmittal and sort of
wordsmithing that right now MAY
not be great.
I think the thought that we have
is that we transmit it if the
board wants to transmit it, that
we transmit it as is.
But with the some language in
the motion that gets at when we
come back for adoption having
some better handle on that
working farm component like
maybe it has to be under common
ownership or you know whatever
that language is, but something
that addresses the comments
that --
>> do you mind adding that to
the motion, marihelen?
>> certainly.
Certainly.
>> the applicant and the, and
staff are okay?
So essentially that by adoption,
which would also be the same
time as the pd, that the
applicant and staff will work on
something to provide protection
of the long-term management of
the farm.
Okay.
You good with that?
>> that's agreeable.
>> MAY I make a comment about
that though because you're
talking 30 to 50 years from now
where farmer MAY not be possible
here.
-- farming MAY not be possible
here because of the climate.
>> I think -- I got faith in
austin roberts.
I think he will be able to do
it.
And he looks young enough that
he will still be alive.
>> that's not my point.
My point is that if we need to
change in 30 years, the people
who are here now have to change
the way it is, you know, it is
implemented, then it MAY not
even be to have it as farming.
You know, anymore.
>> yes, ma'am, at that time we
could come back to the board at
that time obviously to ask.
>> of course 30 years from now.
>> and I think, I think the key
piece in those examples you had
was private ownership of a
common amenity and I think
that's pretty easy for us to
mitigate through cdd and
ownership.
I think that's the piece of --
on those practices.
>> thank you, austin.
Okay, so we've got motion and a
second.
We've heard from staff, we've
heard from the applicant, it is
time for our amazing citizens
that are here to come forward.
We'd like to hear from you all,
then we will come back to the
board we'll have further
deliberations, and then we'll
see where this goes.
If you will introduce yourself,
we've got a light system.
Green means go, yellow means 30
seconds,.
>> chair, commissioners I'm
grinning because I don't think I
have ever been in the position
that I am in now, the position
I'm in now is I'm going to say a
little tiny no in a whole course
of yeses and that's kind of fun
and I'm glad to be here.
Jay rosen beck, chair of epac.
Epac recommends the
comprehensive plan amendment not
be approved as currently
written.
Concerns include the increase in
allowable units, location
outside the urban cluster, water
quality impact on groundwater
and springs, location and
insensitive karst, lack of exact
metrics for tdr, and something
we haven't heard before,
potential impact on gopher
tortoises.
That was a vote of 5-3 with two
members absent.
Thank you.
>> thank you.
>> chair: we appreciate you and
all the work you do for this
county.
Thank you for your comments.
Next speaker, please.
>> I'm back, sam.
>> chair: you're recognized.
>> thank you.
I don't know why we keep calling
this a farm.
I genuinely have no idea.
If you talk to a farmer, from
this area or from the peripheral
counties they will tell you the
numbers need to be inversed.
We are losing the forest for the
trees no pun intended.
Why aren't we talking about the
homes.
All of the roads are single
lane, parker, 24th, archer,
whatever you want it's all
single lane.
What are we doing about that?
A farm?
This is a trojan horse and I'm
sorry, I feel very emotional
about this I don't want to take
away from my credibility to talk
about it I am a breekeeper I do
have a degree of zoology from
university of florida and I grew
up across the street from this
proposed development.
I cannot tell you I knew about
this issue before today.
You know, vice chair pris you
you mentioned there's not a
whole lot of audience here as a
potential indicator that there
is not a lot of disagreement.
it's a luxury to be here.
There are not a lot of people
who can take this time no matter
what to come here and voice
their opinion, particularly from
the 45 minutes away that this
site is proposed.
Commissioner alford you
mentioned your kids talk about
the berries I love that.
I worked at a summer camp owned
by the school board here for
seven summers and there actually
are a few mulberry bushes
growing out there.
It's amazing.
The antithesis of a neighborhood
that has berries in it is
putting another 1% of the entire
amount of homes in this county
in an area that comprises less
than 1,000th of the land in it.
You take away so many more
berries than you will have no
matter how dense you try to say
it.
20 acres, 40 acres, it all chops
up to about 300 square feet per
household of farmland.
That is a bedroom.
That is not a farm.
This is a trojan horse, and
there are not very many people
behind me who are going to be
here to pay attention to this in
40 years.
I am sorry there are only three
of us in this room in our
20s.
So I have to think about
tomorrow.
This is an unpopular opinion,
and I can see -- I concede
that.
But at the same time, park and
ride, this is not the population
that's going to be utilizing
those services.
In college I rode the 150rts
route from the hale village
center to the university of
florida.
Nobody's on the that bus.
They discontinued the service.
This isn't a viable transport
idea, we don't have the
infrastructure yet.
I like that this company
continues to mention the good
that it will do to the
community.
Y like the public service
offsets that they're sucking.
And that's -- suggesting, and
that's all good.
The bones aren't there yet.
We just got the golf course.
We just got the ifas land.
Ifas will have trails and they
will do extension and they will
do teaching in that 500-acre
forest.
I taught for ifas for three
years I promise you that will
happen what they will not do is
go to a neglected 20-acre
forest, I'm sorry, 20-acre farm
and say this is how farming is.
Because it's not.
You'll get one zucchini per
household if a -- if you have a
bumper crop on a 20-acre farm
with 27 houses on it.
I have pages of notes that I
took during the 97 minutes that
the other people got to talk
about it.
But the reality is I just, I
don't see how this is
sustainable for this county
right now.
We don't have the infrastructure
in place for it, and I really
don't want to put the cart
before the horse bt I had to say
something.
>> chair: thank you, sam.
All right next speaker.
Anybody else?
Okay.
we'll go ahead and close public
comment.
Bring it back to the board.
Commissioner wheeler, and then
commissioner prizzia.
>> very quickly.
I understand the concerns a lot
of us feel had those concerns.
I've been working recently with
three families who have large
pieces of land.
They're elderly people trying to
decide what to diewbt
-- what to
do about that land to be
responsible to their families.
And to make sure that it gets
into the right easement or the
right conservation or the right
use for that plan.
4,000 acres is a lot of land to
try to decide what to do with.
And so I feel like then working
with the lee brothers and
watching them struggle over
laith years of trying to figure
out had you -- eight years of
trying to figure out what to do
with take, how to take
responsibility for this land not
only for the community but for
their own families as well, you
know, a large piece of property
like this could easily be sold
to someone who would put an ai
center there.
This is exactly the kind of land
those places are looking for,
and some of these families are
so desperate to get that
property moved along that they
would take the first best offer
without doing the investigation,
without doing the work that the
lee brothers have done, so I
just feel like that though I am
also a water conservationist, I
feel like that it's inevitable
that these big properties are
going to be sold to somebody,
and so to be able to watch it be
sold to who we've got now, this
team of people who are trying to
coordinate to the best possible
creative resolution, this is why
I'm supporting it.
At this point.
Thank you.
>> chair: thank you,
commissioner.
Commissioner prizzia and then
commissioner alford.
And then I'll make the
comments.
>> first I think you might want
to run for office some day,
sir.
But I follow in your uncle's
foot steps but I guess what I
want to say is I hear you loud
you a little bit because I run a
small farm on campus and we're
only a quarter acre and we grow
15,000 pounds of food a year.
We grow lots of food in a very
small space and we feed a lot of
people.
And so you know it's possible
with sustainable integrated
agriculture to grow a lot of
food in a small space.
And so I don't know that it's
just going to be one zucchini a
household but I do hear you that
at this is a farm that the's a
very small -- this is a farm
that is a very small piece of a
residential and commercial
development.
And that that's being kind of
focused on a lot when really
this is about the bigger picture
of developing a neighborhood and
a community and a space that
traditionally never had one and
waserary rural but you know
we're in a private property
state in a private property
country and people can develop
their property, and as
commissioners, we get the
unenviable job of making the
call about how that gets done
and trying our very best to
protect the natural resources,
the public tax dollars, with
efficient delivery of services
to all of those residents that
private entities decide to
develop.
And from my perspective I think
we've done the very best that we
can do to protect the natural
resources that are out there, to
get funding to be able to buy
more of those beautiful wild
spaces that aren't being used
for agriculture, to actually
protect more land in our county
from development and at the same
time allowing for a much more
compact, much more efficient
development of space for the
delivery of services to what
will ultimately be a more
urbanized area and while it is
technically outside our urban
cluster, it is right on the edge
and I know that this you know we
are very cognizant of the fact
that we don't want this to be a
leap frog situation.
We've done the analysis to look
at all the other parcels around
it to make sure thus
this can't
be a hop hop hop with the
agriculture enclaves built with
a lot ofort or -- bill, with a
lot of other pieces, I can staff
have worked hard to make sure
this is a unique circumstance in
a unique area, and you know I
didn't want to like it either.
To be totally honest with you.
You know, I really didn't.
And I still feel like it's one
of the hardest votes that I've
ever had to make to vote for
2700 homes on what used to be
conservation land and farmland.
But I do think that it, if it's
going to be developed, this is
the best way it can possibly be
developed.
And I just wanted to share that
with you since you took the time
to come up here and speak to
us.
Thank you.
And to epac we appreciate your
comments and my comments are
also to epac, we appreciate your
input and we agree with you in a
lot of ways but I think the
things that staff have put in
place around irrigation
protections, around fertilizer
protections, around ground
penetrating radar, that will
help us in looking to see if
there are any geological
resources that we need to
protect.
I think most of the developer --
both the developer and the staff
have done a really good job to
build something that we can all
be proud of.
>> chair: thank you,
commissioner.
Commissioner alford.
>> yeah, you know, I started
getting involved with the county
by being the chair of epac, and
so I, I I understand where epac
comes from.
I would like to invite the
developer to meet with epac.
Epac is our environmental
protection advisory board, and
they, they are some of the most,
some of the most talented
environmental folks in our
county, and I think that it
would be great to meet with them
and address their concerns
directly.
Because I think that would be, I
would love to be magnificence
even be there for the -- maybe
even be there for the meeting
and then the trojan horse idea.
I added it up.
In my backyard I have 300 square
feet of garden, and I have more
than I can eat and share and
whatever put away in jars.
But I also have a lot of fruit
trees all over my property.
And other things that have --
you know, integrated that are
outside of what I consider, you
know, the part that I farm, so
to speak, and that's what I'm
hoping that this development
will also have is that you know
integrated agricultural thought
process throughout the whole
development so I wanted to say
that.
And then there is one more
thing.
Nope.
I think that's all I need to say
right now but again, appreciate
your comments.
Understand exactly where you're
coming from because that's where
I started.
So.
>> chair: thank you,
commissioner.
So like mary alford said about
victor dover she's known you her
whole life.
>> not mi whole life.
>> you didn't say that.
>> no, no, no, for a long time.
>> okay, for a long, long time.
>> yeah.
>> chair: well I --
>> for my whole professional
life.
>> well I have known sam
literally his whole life.
Not my whole life and so he is
in the cornell family we teach
people to speak their mind, and
let's have the debate and so sam
thanks for being here.
Appreciate your comments.
Let me tell you when I got
comments from many folks that
were not in favor of this, I
really respected those
comments.
You know, and some of those
folks are some of my largest
supporters like mary said, and
then this weekend I heard from
well over 50 to 75 other folks
many of those folks I know and
they are in largely in support
of this project one of them is
sam your neighbor roger and --
christian so they -- they sent
in an email and so it was really
interesting because there were
so many folks that are so close
to this project that are in
favor of it which really to your
point, commissioner, is a
testament to how austin and his
team have brought this forward
to us.
You know, I didn't know austin
before this but what I have
learned about him is that he is
a land owner, he is a farmer.
More importantly though he is a
person in our community that
wants to have and build
something that he's proud of,
and we don't get a lot of
developers that stand up here
and spend that amount of time
and energy and resources to
really engage a community with.
Here is my idea wut
but are
there other ones out there.
And he has worked with what I
think is the best staff in the
state and they are tough.
They say if you want to do
something new, it's going to
have to kind of well it's going
to have to be consistent with
our plan.
and so let me tell you what I
like about it.
Policy 8.6.6.9 integration with
conservation lands and research
assets we have an opportunity
with the premiere research
institution of the state and we
will be pushing them to put the
strategic ecosystems into some
conservation but we have an
opportunity to work with a
flagship university, the best in
the tontry in my opinion and
that's -- country in my opinion
and that's part of our policy
that we will be transmitting.
Working farm as a community
anchor I had never seen that did
have a chance to go down and see
new field.
I love the concept.
Hopefully we can get some of the
things that you are concerned
about as our farmer on the
commission and I know the land
owner is interested in doing
that as well.
I love that that policy is a
community anchor.
Moabilityd.
We are literally -- mobility.
We are literally creating a
mobility district, completely
comprehensive plan and the
growth is going to fund itself.
We're not asking our existing
taxpayers to fund the mobility
plan, the developer and the
neighborhood is going to fund
it.
8.6.6.13, transfer of
development rights and
affordability.
Favor of and asking developers
to bring affordable housing they
are voluntarily doing it.
I heard tonight that it's going
to be consistent with the
phasing of the development.
I can't wait to read that policy
in the pd.
I think that's going to be
great.
But we are confining --
combining the density, getting
4,000 acres well 3,000 acres
into conservation or management
through ifas, we're going to
have conservation in the
997 acres, and through the tdr
that the developer and staff
came up with, we're going to be
able to acquire an additional
5,000 acres and put that into
conservation.
Heability happened since I have
been -- hasn't happened since I
have been on the board and I
don't know if it's happened
previous to me, very often.
I see one of our folks that
helped us write the plan three
decades ago so I guess I'll ask
him after this hearing soei
really love that.
To me that's staff and the
developer working on hey you
want to do something outside the
urban cluster?
It's got to be pretty special
and I really appreciate staff's
work and the developer for
working with our staff.
The land disturbance piece, that
policy, 8.6.6.14 we have talked
to developers about don't just
clear cut everything it's
actually in the policy.
The 8.6.6.16 policy water
conservation and lawn water use
landscaping again you heard
stacy say this is really a
model -- haven't had a developer
want to work with us on that
level, and I think you know they
worked with us in adopting the
study so that's something
they're following through on.
Is it perfect?
No.
i think we have a real
opportunity to make it perfect
at the pd.
And I know that with MR. Dover,
with the army of experts that
have been involved in this
process for the last year with
the community's input and with
what I think is the best staff
in the state, I think we're
going to have a really special
thing to look at in a couple of
months with the pd.
So I am in favor of the motion.
Really appreciate all the work
that our staff has put into it
and all the work that the
community has put into it.
And with that, is there any
further discussion before we
take a vote?
Okay.
All those in favor of the motion
on the floor, say aye.
Anyone opposed?
All right that motion is
unanimous.
So congratulations.
We'll see you for the next four
years and certainly in the next
couple of months.
[Laughter]
Okay?
All right.
>> we'll see him for longer than
that.
>> yeah, yeah, well I mean, not
building a house until 2029 is
what I saw so there is going to
be lot more of these meetings
and I think yeah.
>> that concludes our meeting
because we've already had our
commission comment.
Chuck, did you have something
you want to add?
>> yeah.
Something different though.
Totally.
Over the weekend, I was yeah, i
was going through my e-mails, I
was playing catch-up I'll be
honest with you, and I ran
across a whistleblower in
reference to it says
administrative mismanagement and
a resume fraud.
Confidential whistleblower
disclosure and it gives the
state statute, and it says the
office of county clerk of the
court comptroller and he is
asking for an audit of the
alachua county board of county
commissioners county managers
office, the formal report of
administrative mismanagement
recruitment policy violation,
and a material resume fraud
within alachua county human
resources.
So I don't know if this is
true.
I want to know what's going on
here.
I thought with whistleblower, I
want to give it to staff but I
want to know what's going on if
we have whistleblower stuff, I
mean, if I hadn't caught this,
this would've been dead.
I don't think anybody else --
>> did come on email?
>> it was in email.
It was in our e-mails, yes,
ma'am.
>> I saw it.
>> I forwarded it to.
>> forwarded it to the
attorney.
>> yeah.
>> but I haven't heard anything
though.
I mean so that's why I'm
bringing it and I will give it
to the clerk.
>> hand it to him.
>> yeah, because I just want to
know I mean if we're having
whistleblowers tell us something
policies, I think it's important
that we know not that I have to
keep constantly looking,
looking, looking for stuff.
That is not what I got elected
to do, but I am going to look at
my e-mails that when folks send
them, so that's why that was
important to me and I just want
to bring that to the attention
of you all.
>> thank you, commissioner.
Anything else?
92 that's it.
>> that's it.
>> all right.
You all, we are adjourned.