According to information included in the agenda packet for a Nov. 7, 2023, BOCC meeting\u00a0regarding\u00a0the study, \u201cThe Alachua County Comprehensive Plan provides that a Special Area Planning process is necessary prior to the approval of a land use change, zoning change, or development plan within areas\u00a0designated\u00a0as Strategic Ecosystems.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Information provided in the meeting agenda\u00a0states\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0property \u201ccontains\u00a0the majority of the \u2018Hickory Sink\u2019 Strategic\u00a0Ecosystem,\u2019\u201d\u00a0one of 47 in Alachua County<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The\u00a0special area\u00a0planning process\u00a0consists\u00a0of\u00a0three steps: Scope of Work, Special Area\u00a0Study\u00a0and Special Area Plan\u00a0(SAP).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The BOCC approved the\u00a0special area\u00a0plan, meaning the planning process has now\u00a0shifted\u00a0into\u00a0the SAP\u00a0stage.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re launching the process to get the SAP approved [by the county], which will ultimately be our comprehensive plan and our zoning to build this project,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0Tyler\u00a0Matthews, CEO of England-Thims & Miller,\u00a0Inc., the planner,\u00a0engineer\u00a0and\u00a0surveyor on the project.\u00a0<\/p>\n The comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning process\u00a0requires additional neighborhood workshops<\/a>, which\u00a0is what took place on\u00a0Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe [county] commissioners care [about] what the public has to say,\u201d Matthews said. \u201cAnd so, getting feedback tonight helps us incorporate their feedback well into our plans and helps the commissioners know what the public cares about.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Jim Sheets, a resident\u00a0of\u00a0the Haile\u00a0Plantation\u00a0neighborhood, which is located near the\u00a0Lee\u00a0property, was among\u00a0the many community members\u00a0who attended the workshop.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n He said\u00a0he was concerned about the intrusion into his neighborhood,\u00a0noting\u00a0the\u00a0vehicle\u00a0and commercial traffic.\u00a0<\/p>\n Traffic volume considerations\u00a0have\u00a0been studied and addressed in the SAP process, according to a\u00a0fact sheet\u00a0about the proposed golf course\u00a0that UF\u00a0provided\u00a0to Mainstreet.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Typically, the document\u00a0said,\u00a0\u201cgolf courses generate less traffic than alternative land uses,\u00a0such as residential development.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Matthews said\u00a0a question he and other experts got asked a lot during the workshop was whether they planned to extend\u00a0SW\u00a046th\u00a0Boulevard\u00a0(Hale Boulevard).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe answer is \u2018no\u2019 to that question,\u201d Matthews said, noting the 15 conditions that\u00a0were included with the BOCC\u2019s approval of\u00a0the\u00a0special area\u00a0study.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Referencing condition No. 14, Matthews said, \u201cit specifies that our entrance on [SW] 46th\u00a0Boulevard\u00a0can\u00a0only be used, shall be limited to a service entrance and bicycle and pedestrian path only and shall not be a construction entrance. And so, our intention right now is at most to connect to it as a pedestrian path and then,\u00a0if\u00a0required, for\u00a0an\u00a0emergency entrance.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0our expectation that\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0totally living off Parker Road,\u201d Matthews said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\nPhoto by Nick Anschultz An outline of the proposed UF golf course that would be located west of Gainesville near Haile Plantation.<\/p>\n