Lacta called a lot of county board of county commissioners for March 11th 2025 and 11 30 AM Mr. Clerk. Mr. Chair, the first item of business is the invocation we have Pastor James Dixon of Greater Faith Fellowships. So if you really will please stand for the invocation it will be followed by the pledge of allegiance. Right there. Yes sir. Morning. Mr. Chair and commissioners and all present. It is an honor to serve here today. May we pray. Heavenly Father, we come before you today as a public body. Seeking your guidance and wisdom in this meeting, we ask that your Holy Spirit be present among us guiding our decisions for the common good. Help us to set aside any religious differences and work together in unity, ensuring that our efforts reflect your will for a better world, better county, and a better community. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. Thank you. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under the flag of indisclable with liberty and justice for all. the chair next up is the approval of the regular agenda consent agenda not sure if there are any amendments to be made i would move approval of the agenda and consent agenda second second any further discussions to the motion? Are there any public comments to the motion? That's on the floor. Okay, hearing none seeing none? So those in favor of the motion vote by the sign of aye. Aye. Those are posed. Same sign. Motion carries. Mr. Gerrard, next up is the announcement. So Mr. Mark Sexton is here to present those. Thank you, Steve. Mark Sexton communications director. Good morning, Mr. Chair.. Wanted to point out that there was a great event in this room on Saturday. The other book, Black History Lecture, and we broadcast it live on Facebook, Apple, Fire, Roku, and on Channel 12 and on Streaming Video. And there was a full house. It was very well attended and it was a fascinating lecture. Also, as you can see on the screen, we are just 11 days away from the world master's tournament. You can go to that website and watch the clock, if you want. We're thrilled. And this, for those who don't know or who haven't been following this, this is the first time this event has come to the United States. We are honored that it is in Alachua County. We wanted to let people know that this website is really full of great information. You can go to just Google World Master's Athletics and this will pop right up. You can go to the Event Detail tab and scroll down to the schedule and timetable. And that will tell you each day between Sunday the March 23rd, all the way down to the final events a week later. All of the different events and spectators are welcome to come to the event and it is free. There is no admission charge. You heard at a recent presentation that there are over 97 countries represented over 3,700 athletes coming, expected attendance with friends and family of over 9,000. So it's a truly spectacular event, and we're so happy to have it. Also, Steven Rodriguez, who is kind of running the event through the nonprofit that we're involved with, asked me to remind folks that also on this homepage is a volunteer tab. They need lots of volunteers to run these events, and there are still slots available. So we encourage people to go and take a look at that. And we are thrilled about the opening ceremony that's coming up too. Now because of the size of the venue and the number of athletes and guests coming, there may not be a lot of room for spectators in the hall for the opening event on Saturday before the event start on Sunday. But we will be videotaping it and creating a feature to let the public see what happened there. And Jessica Hurroff in our economic development director who's also overtourism, as you know, has been working with local arts groups to create a spectacular opening event, including the Gainesville Chamber Orchestra, and Dance Alive, DJ, LEO. It's going to be a fantastic day. So we encourage folks to keep up and to attend. And we're really excited. And Mr. Chair, that's the anonymous. OK. The chair next up is the approval of the proclamations. The approval of the proclamations that is written? Got a motion in a second. Are there any further discussions through the motion that's on the floor? Those in favor of the motion, vote by the sign of aye. Aye. as opposed to... the motion. The first presentation of the Proclamation recognizing April 19th is the great American cleanup day in Lachor County Florida. Good morning. Do we have anybody here to accept this proclamation? Come right on, please, sir. You can introduce yourself when I hand this off to you. It's good to see you. I know who you are. I know who you are. Latvia County, Florida, proclamation declaring April 19th as the Great American Clean Up Day in a Latvia County, Florida. Whereas, keep America beautiful as the nation's iconic community improvement, nonprofit organization that envisions the country in which every community is a clean, green, and beautiful place to live, and has established the Great American Clean-Up as its signature national effort for involving American citizens and improving their community environment. And whereas, keep America beautiful, great American Clean-Up is the nation's largest community improvement program, engaging more than 1.5 million volunteers and participants every year to create positive change and lasting impact in local communities. And whereas Elitra County seeks to protect its natural resources and bring people together to transform public spaces into beautiful places. And whereas the Board of County commissioners recognizes keep a Lachua County Beautiful's commitment to engaging citizens, civic and government officials, and business leaders to work together to in littering, improve recycling, and beautify America's communities. And whereas keep a Lachua County Beautiful and the Board of County Commission are committed to elevating the importance of volunteerism and motivating everyone in our community to become stewards of the environment. Now therefore, through the authority vested in me by the Board of County Commissioners of Elatria County, Florida. I do hereby proclaim April 19th as the Great American Cleanup Day in Elatria County, Florida. Duly proclaimed this 11th day of March, AD 2025. And this is signed by our chair, Charles Chestnut, and Jess Erby. And it is to be presented to you. And if you would introduce yourself, please, and your group. Sure, of course. My name is Carlos Gonzalez, and I am the executive director of Key Palace, El County Beautiful. Thank you. Thank you, Carlos. Thank you, I'll see you. Thank you. and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and director of Key Palace County Beautiful. Thank you. Thank you, Carlos. Thank you. Thank you. You and your future here. We're going to thank you. Thank you. Mr. Chair, next up is the presentation of a Proclamation declaring March 23rd through the 29th to zero waste week in Elatio County, Florida. Good morning everybody. We have a whole slew of folks. All right. I have a proclamation here declaring March 23rd through March 29th 2025 is zero waste week in Elachua County Florida. Whereas zero waste is a system where nothing is wasted and resources stay in use. And whereas zero waste is a system the community is collectively working towards, and whereas we want to encourage valuing the earth and its resources and instilling circular systems of reuse, and whereas we celebrate the community working together to reduce consumption, reuse, and repurpose, and recycle, and whereas we are committed to reducing food waste at the source and composting the rest. And whereas we invite all Elatro County residents to join us in seven days of zero waste education, events and solutions. Now therefore through the authority vested in me by the Board of County Commissioners of Elatro County, Florida, I do hereby proclaim March 23rd through March 29th, 2025 as zero waste week in the Lachua County Florida. Dually proclaim this 11th day of March, AD 2025 and signed by all the important people. So I'd like to thank all the folks that are work for Lachua County that seek to reduce the waste that we generate and reuse the waste that we have. And would you like to any of you like to say anything? Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much. So zero waste week is an exciting opportunity for folks to get engaged in the community. We're actually running a last-foot county as running a program right now called the 2025 EcoChase Challenge, the race against waste. And it's an exciting three-month competition that runs from March through May. And there will be 50 teams competing using the Goose Chase app to win over $2,000 in cash and prizes and spoiler alert, we've included several of these zero waste week events as missions in that competition and the challenge. So all of these things like this are an opportunity for participants to learn by doing so they can demonstrate waste reduction and recycling behaviors. It's leveraging community partnerships by promoting organizations and businesses throughout the community who practice sustainable behaviors. And also our element of it with the EcoChase Challenge is we're gamifying community engagement. So teams will earn points for volunteering, attending, and participating in various events, and taking partner activities like litter cleanups or learning about composting cooperatives and such. And those are actually challenges that are part of that zero waste week programming. So for our partner, there are still opportunities for sponsors that are available. welcome folks to reach out to us at ElectroCountyRecycles.com Ford slash event. There are still opportunities for sponsors that are available. We welcome folks to reach out to us at ElectroCountyRecycles.com for slash events. You can learn more about our program and also to learn more about the Zero Waste Week programming and get involved in the community. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Chair, next up is the presentation the lots of county land conservation board for school year 2024 annual. I am the staff liaison for the Land Conservation Board. And Kristen Young is here from the Land Conservation Board. She's the secretary and she will representing the report for you all. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning, Mr. Chair. My name is Kristen Young. I serve as secretary in the land conservation board. I believe it's my third year serving on this board. And I'm here to present the fiscal year 2020 for a accomplishment for our board. First starting with the mission statement of the LCB it serves to recommend lands for conservation to the Lach County Board of Commissioners under the Lach County forever program and advise the Board of County Commissioners on the stewardship of those acquired lands and our primary activities involve receiving presentations from staff on nominated lands in the county. Assess the nominated land if they meet the standards for the ACF mission or should be prioritized for conservation to receive the preserved stewardship updates and land acquisition status updates as well from staff and to make comments on preserved management plans that are presented to us. We meet monthly just around the corner on Thursdays and if we have other workshops or special meetings we meet other times during the year. We are aboard 11 members plus one alternate. This is a list of members who served during the fiscal year 2020 for terms. If you have joined us and if you have cycled off and they've all contributed greatly to the land conservation program. So to the major accomplishments of our board and fiscal year 2024, 24 properties that were nominated reviewed by the board and 21 of those properties were added to the priority pool and then you heard those same properties and added them to the active acquisition list. In that in the one year of the 2024 fiscal year eight projects were acquired and those totaled almost 1,500 acres. And those 1,500 acres added to the total Lach County Forever program for over 35,000 acres that have been preserved. So you see the map and the presentation. The medium green areas are the partnership lands. For example, you see Payne's Prairie, the large green, Santa Flaska, Morningside. The dark green properties are the ones that were acquired through Lachakownee forever as of September 30th, 2024. And then the yellow colored properties are conservation easements acquired as of September 30th, 2024. And the areas in pink are properties that were reviewed by the land conservation board in fiscal year 2024. Some of the properties that were reviewed include multiple tracks. You see the huge pink in the north east. That's the reindeer properties. And then onto the acquired lands which is the end product of our goal. You see those circled. They required InfoSquear 2024 due to previous years of of the Land Conservation Board, board reviewing these properties and then the actions of the county commission and those total eight. And the remarkable thing to me if you look they're distributed equally around the county which is great that everyone could have a conservation property near them and receive the benefits of the conservation. And I'll go through those properties now. The first one is a culmination of two decades of work with the property owner and the EPD staff. And it protects really significant landscapes around Lake Alto, the circled area near Walto on the eastern shore of Lake Alto. And it's the legacy of Mr. Condon who dedicated his life to making the world a better place through the creation of more in-gie efficient technologies and a dedication to safeguarding natural resources. The property is part of the larger Sanitane River watershed and protects a half mile of Lake Alto shoreline. And it was a part of the largest TNFN River watershed and protects a half-mile of like alto shoreline. And it was a partnership with Elastor County Trust that moved this to permanent conservation. And the management of the property will focus on conserving these high-quality lake shore wetlands that host a huge variety of water life as well as shore birds, waterfowl, and also improving the pine flatwoods, which is personally my favorite ecosystem that we have in Latch County with prescribed fire and long-leaf pine restoration. And then eventually public recreation plan will come together with input from the community and the public. This is a conservation easement that was acquired in Mill Creek Rembert property. It is in the boundaries of the city of Elatua and north of the United Partisanal Elatua near Mill Creek preserve and is within the Springs Parity focus area for Columbia Horn Speed and Treehouse Springs. So this protects our aquifer, the water that we get our drinking, or place where we get our drinking water from. And through the sale of a cost of waste, you just went to the county, the property has been protected from future development, while allowing continuation of some agricultural activities. Over 200 acres of that has been designated as the preservation zones, which will protect most outstanding natural features, which include a black water creek and sea-pitched streams, sea-pitched forests, which are wonderful, beautiful ecosystems that we have in our county, and they flow into Mill Creek Sink, which you hear about a lot on the Board of County Commission. And then the funding was provided by both the Wall Street's public places, the funding source, which is approved by the voters in Latchell County, and a $1 million grant from the Swansea River Water Management District and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection through the Springs Protection Program. So the money that the voters approve have gone farther through these partnerships and grants. The Wettermelon Pond is Sheffield property acquisition. This tract is important in the southwestern part of the county and here Wettermelon Pond. This area contains some of the only remaining San Hill ecosystems that we have in our county and these are globally and parallel ecosystems. They're also really rich in biodiversity, very interesting ecosystems. Restoration is needed on this property as it was a sandpile plantation and so it suffers from a lack of prescribed fire and it will be important to maintain that biodiversity to introduce that fire again from the staff And we'll keep these open sandheels from being covered again by oak The property currently isn't planned for public access because there is no public access point But as more properties are acquired in this area. I'm hopeful that we'll be able to enjoy this property as well The The Locke-Lisa Creek Flatwoods Surouse Property Acquisition. This is North East of the City of Hawthorne near Orange Lake. It is on the borders between Elatria County and Pettinham County. And the wetlands in this area cover approximately 60% of the property with a mix of basins, marshes, basins, swamps, domes, swamps, floodplain swamps, and flatless lake. It's a lot of protection for our aquatic species. And this complex of wetlands in the eastern part of the property along with Lake Winett and the south bull pond farther to the east, all contribute to the beginning of the black water stream system and the head water is a little orange creek which is also protected. And according to an environmental consultant who provided additional documentation on the site evaluation, wildlife sightings in the area included southern fox squirrels, black bearers, and hillcranes, eagles, and more. The lake Santa Fe Winchester property acquisition, this is close to the din property that we just looked at. And it's not a large track, but it's important, piece of a wildlife corridor that is hopeful to be set up between US 301 upward. And it will protect these lands in the wildlife corridor. Much of the land like we encounter in our county was logged historically but it is recovering well and the wetlands on-site are our quality habitat for aquatic species and the Winchester's have been patient in their engagement with the county on this property since 2004 because If it it It depended on the dead property being acquired otherwise. It would just be an island of a property And so we're thankful to that to that family for working with The lock looser connector rhymes property is near Locklucer Lake and Cross Creek. It is part of the Benchhead area surrounding the lake that serves as a natural filter for sediment and nutrients before it just charges in the lake. And Lake Locklucer is both an outstanding Florida water and on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's list have been paired water bodies. So that is important for the future of that lake. The Rhyme family wanted to protect their land to that future generations could experience their feelings of being an old Florida and the nature and that they've treasured for decades. And this also was a partnership acquisition between Latchock County and the St. John's River Water Management District and Latchock County contributed 80% of the purchase price with the district contributing 20%. And the district will manage as property as part of the larger Locke-Lusa Wildlife Conservation Area. Back to Watermelon Pond, is this a conservation easement on the Elliott property? It's approximately 40 acres, and it's next to the Ashton Biological Preserve, and other lands managed by Elatra County, as part of the Watermelon Pond Preserve. It serves as a mixture of sandhill, scrubbing the music flatwoods, and Oakhamics, and excellent condition. Mr. Elliott, the condition of the property is reliant on his dedication to being a steward of his land for decades. And he has done an amazing job maintaining his property for the wildlife, his sporting deer,, gov, tortoises, native pollinators, and other by life like the southern Hognos snake and the picture that it was taken there. And under the conservation easement he will continue to live there and be a steward of the property. Locklewsus slew the Jackson Air's property. It is almost 120 acres adjacent to the 6300 acre La Clusa slew preserve. And the Jackson Errors property provides a physical connection between the main body of the preserve and then the 40 acre out parcel which was previously acquired that was lacking legal access. And this property contains a mix of upland and wetland habitats and some of which are really in excellent condition like the basin swamp and the picture there and there are new marisco for tortoises on the property as well. So we're currently in the new year. This year and so our goals and objectives through our this year 2025 work plan includes evaluating the nominations to the Elach County Forever program for acquisition with wild spaces public places funding and partnership funding to continue to schedule meetings on monthly basis with our special meetings and workshops. We see quarterly the Steership Reports from the staff and to review land Steership issues. meetings and workshops, receive quarterly stewardship reports from staff and to review land stewardship issues raised by the public by this board staff and to hear your other requests that will come to us. One is extend a thank you to the public and to the board for their continued support of Lachka County Forever program, the Land Conservation Board. I have served on another number of boards for the county. Currently, several out of two boards. There's no board that's more dedicated to its mission. We have a number of professionals in the natural resource area and a number of laymen, citizens like myself. Also, the staff that serves as Laisons, excellent. their vision is very clear and that you've just charged them to preserve these lands. And as an aside not as a representative for LCB but as myself I spent a lot of time this year on the preserve lands and it's a touch with past and to the future. It's a great responsibility that we have. So I'm really proud of being part of this. Thank you. Okay, thank you. I think we have some questions. Commissioner Wheeler and then Commissioner Prisya. I just want to thank you. I'm delighted that you're on that board because I've seen you out in the woods and I know how committed you are to that work. The DIN property, was there any talk or I don't know if that is something that should be talked about at this point? But I know that the folks there had asked for a doc or a small doc going out into like alto from that area or that entrance that they have. Was there any more talk of that through this board or is that, does that come later? It would be through with staff and in communication with the city of Waldo and other constituents and in the community. So there is a discussion of what resources and public services can come out of the acquisition and other lands that are in the area but Andy might have some more. Okay yeah I know that when we I think a few of us it walked that property with the Waldo folks and that was an ask. Yes, Mr. Chair and Andy Kirstman, Program Manager for the Wayne Contribution Program. And we did work with the city of Waldo to carve out a footprint for that infrastructure that they hope to construct, but the project itself is one that's being managed by the city. So we partnered with them to make it feasibly possible in terms of a location. Okay, gotcha. Okay, thank you. I know they're excited and in Christa and I'm excited to know they're still hog nose snakes out there. My kids used to play with them pretty regularly in Libby County. All right. Thank you all. Thank you, Mr. Chair. the Commissioner Cornell. Thank. Thank you yeah I just want I wanted to say thank you to you and to the whole board for their commitment to this I know it's not it's not always it's the unsung sort of a board you know it's not a board that gets a lot of splash in the community but I mean 35,000 acres is a testament that's a huge amount of our county protected for our own own air quality, our water quality, our response to climate change, it's just it's a real testament to this county's commitment and all of our residents and voters commitment to conservation as a priority for this. And I really appreciate you all serving everyone and representing them well by really taking this seriously and reviewing these properties. I always feel like when I get the recommendations from your board, I can feel really confident that it's been reviewed well and that I'm getting all the information I need to make a good decision. So thank you very much. And on that one, I will say I think that the road is bigger issue than the property that to get down there is really difficult. But yeah, I look forward to being able to access that water. How many more acres do we need to hit our goal? You were talking about that we have a goal right? By 30. 30% by 30% by 50. Mr. Charitz, it's about 42,000 acres more that we need. Correct. Okay. It's a lofty goal. Yes. Okay. All right. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you all the staff that also helped me this possible. Thank you, Mr. Cornell. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I do want to just thank you all. Our goal here is to defend the will of the voters. whether that's the comp plan, whether that's the governance structure, we went through that last year with that large versus single member districts. Whether that's land conservation, this has been going on in this community for two plus decades and this board has really been the defender of the people's will with different boards, different board members. And so thank you for the report, thank you for the work that you do. And it is our highest responsibility to really do the work of what the people ask us to do. And that's exactly what this board does. So thank you, Mr. Chair. Okay, Commissioner Alfred. Thank you. I don't really have anything to add that my colleagues haven't already said, but if you would convey our thanks to the rest of the board. We are truly truly appreciative It's one of the things that our county does that I'm the most proud of All right, thank you Sure it's 1201 so we'll move to public comment and Citizens like three minutes on non-agent items and three minutes on any agenda items. And they're speaking on an agenda item will not be allowed to speak when the item comes up. Is there anybody here wishing to present comments? Come to the podium. Good morning. I'm here to support the Hawthorne recommendation for approval of the facility. Did you name for the record? I'm sorry. I'm very McDaniel. I think you say I do who you are. I'm here to support that because I feel like it's an item that's long overdue and it's not just a gymnasium. It's a community effort that's going to affect not only Hawthorne, but grow apart orange heights, even Waldo. Because there needs to be a central point for folks together and to work on community basedbased issues. And that's one of the outlets, emergency sheltering. That's another situation that could be possible with this facility. The people of Hawthorne are deserving of this type of thing. They've worked really, really hard in the area of athletics, but athletics is a secondary issue. And the way it's written, it kind of looks like, well, you're building a gymnasium, but more importantly, then a gymnasium is a facility for support from the community, of the community, and by the community. And thank you once again for considering this. I'm between meetings today, that's why I'm speaking now, but I thought it would be robbery not to say anything in reference to this. And thank you, a commission for your vision and looking at this. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon. My name is David Wilkum. I'm going to let you County resident at an office at this, so I won't be taking up too much of your time. I did want to alert you to that we have a concern in our neighborhood near Nune and Slaik, Magnolia Heights. Before you coming in the near future, a developer wants to put in 160-home project, and we've got great concerns about it. And one of the things I wanted to point out, when we talked, there was about 25 of us that met earlier this week was that the road there on Lakeshore Drive is narrow. It's in a water, it has a high water table and it cannot sustain the traffic that's going to be happening as a result. So I just want to let you know that we will be working and contacting you folks with a more detailed concern. Like I say, I don't have a lot of background in this, but they'll be coming your way. Thank you. Yes, there's one more. Okay. Hello, my name is Tara James. One plan in the speak. I didn't know I could. Like I said, my name is Tara James. I wasn't planning to speak. I didn't know I could, but at any rate I'm here. I won't kill you long. Like I said, my name is Tara James. I'm a small business owner. I have a facility down in Waldo. I've been in for about three years. I've seen this real estate came down and visit my facility. I just need some help, some kind of grants or anything. I am outside of Gamesville. There's no really no kind of grants for small businesses. I've been promoting myself. I'm fully vested in this in Waldo. I did have it up for sale for a while. I took it back, because God, because God gave me this vision. And is there? I was put into position to purchase this property, you know, so I just need, you know, some help, some support. There's not many programs you guys have here in a lot of county or the city of Gainesville or in the county, you know, to help us out. And I'm just there. I just want everybody to know that we're there. The residents come out when they support what they can, and we just need some help. We need some businesses downtown, Waldo. It's me, and now we have the grocery store. I'm so glad to see, not a grocery store, it's a convenience store. So I'm so glad to see them there. now I have the, when I need ice and stuff like that, we can run across the street. So I'm fully vested in Waldo. I've since moved out my house. I've partnered with a grace market, made independent living out of my house. People that did the work for recovery. They're running rooms in my house. So I'm helping out. I'm fully invested now. My kids going to college is just me. So if I'm going to have the biggest house in Waldo, you're going to come and have a party. So, I need you guys to come down. Christmas parties, anything you can do, we need you to know that I'm down there. The Embassy of Vent hall, again, my name is Tara James. What's your name of your business? The Embassy of Vent hall. Okay, thank you. and this will invite me to the tours meeting tomorrow. So I'm gonna put some ideas together. She's been really pushing for me to get that support and I need that. Yeah, I'm just willing to invite me to the tours meeting tomorrow. So I'm going to put some ideas together. She's been really pushing for me to get that support. And I need that because sometimes I feel like I'm just out here by myself. You know what I mean? So I'm going to get some ideas together, meet her tomorrow at 1.30. And I just want to let you know I'm here. There and here. All right, thank you. Thank you. All right thank you. Thank you. All right. Kelly Potter. I am a resident of high springs not city but actually live off of 441. It was brought to my attention yesterday that there was an approval of a McDonald's that's going up on 441. I wanted to see if that was accurate and it was my understanding that a permit has been pulled. 441 passed the Windixi towards county line, which to me is very different from what it normally goes in high springs. So I didn't know if that was something I could get confirmation of, or if you're aware of that. Secondly, asking if a traffic study can be done in that area, but something that we as residents have been asking for quite some time, and I don't exactly know who to go to for that, but there are multiple accidents, including a fatality of a bicyclist and a car in a bicyclist two nights ago during the rainstorm. So I just wanted to put that out there and ask if things like that are coming. How do we get ahead of that and then how do we stay ahead of it with the traffic and such out there? Okay, thank you. Okay. Mr. Chair, we have a couple of hands up in the waiting room. And callers, you'll have three minutes to speak to anything not on the agenda. And if you wish three minutes to speak on items on the agenda, we have a caller ending in 9267. You are in the room and if you would hit star 6, you can address the board if you'll state your name, please. Hi, Chair and fellow commissioners, this is Kathleen Rupert. I have two items. One is on the agenda and and that's why I must speak to you first. Under item P1A under your agenda, under consent items, there is no mention of the four documents I've provided as an official part of the January 28th, 2025 Commission meeting. And please amend the minutes from that meeting to include the four markup documents I've provided. So that anyone interested can obtain copies of the items from the TARG office. Now I'd like to restart the three minutes to talk about something that's not only agenda. Commissioners, are you really considering spending around 30 million taxpayer dollars on a lease sub lease of UF property? It could be ended by the state with 60 days notice over a period of 30 or more years. Governor DeSantis is forming a version of the Department of Government Efficient Secret Florida. One of the governor's fees of $3 million lease agreement is a poor return and wants to sell the property thereby nullifying the contract. Recent news articles indicate the U.S. government may be selling our federal courthouse. Also, USDA is discontinuing local farms to school sales for school lunches. So, as the potential agreement really indicative of being a good steward of the public's money, not only are there initial costs but long-term costs as well. The draft agreement with the vet school contains the wording to be determined under cost and compensation. Are you prepared to pay whatever they request now, also knowing that they can cancel the agreement with one year's notice? Commissioners, you have mentioned several reasons for wanting to continue with U.S. One being, I guess, would be called sentimental. U.S. was the only university you applied to. Well, that is true of myself as well. I'm also the proud recipient of four degrees from the institution and I have supported and attended many U.F. games and events over the years. Well I believe U.S. as an outstanding educational institution is also a business. The overview continues to state that there will be U.F. vet students at the location. Do you realize that the draft agreement states for students per two week intervals for 38 weeks of the year? My back of the envelope math puts this around $137,000. You know for real life and tuition money from these students. And what about the 14 weeks of the year or three and a half months? Concerned with mention about taking property from the tax role, doesn't the county have property or the city? Help the public look for alternate sites by providing us the criteria needed. The county manager has no responsive documents to my request for this information. Do you have any criteria? The idea that the county has had agreements with UF regarding health care facilities and ambulance services has me pose the question.? As you have benefited monetarily from these agreements, or have they used these agreements to receive bonus points on entering into contract or grants with other entities? Thank you for your time. Thank you. Okay. We have a caller named Robert Thompson. Mr. Thompson, if you will hit star six, you're in the room. Good afternoon, council. This is Robert Thompson. I'm the current city manager in Hawthorne, Florida. And I just want to take the time to thank you all for consideration of the gymnasium in our community. It is needed on the east side of Elashua County and it will serve more than just the gym days and as the gentleman spoke prior to it will also serve as a focal point for the seniors together youth after school programs and a safe haven for the region with respect to activities and a gathering place. I know you all have much bigger fish to fry with respect to your agenda and items but I I just want to just take a moment to thank you for even considering it's in the first place. And I think that this type of infrastructure on the east side of El Ashtal County will prove vital in the future with respect to the growth of the county and the eastern side of how we can contribute to the rest of the county from where we sit over in Hawthorne. Again, I want to thank you for taking the time to consider this item and I look forward to a favorable results. Thank you again. Thank you. And Mr. Chair, that was the final caller. Commissioner Prisia. I just had a couple of responses to folks in the room. The first, Newton's like I know that we haven't, it's not I haven't fully reviewed that, but I know one of them is at least quasi-judicial. So I'm hoping that staff have given them all the information they need so that they can request to be parties in that quasi-judicial hearing if they are in proximity or more directly impacted than the general public. So do circle up with our growth management if you're interested in staying abreast of what's going on with that development application and being a part of it. Tara, thank you for coming to introduce yourself and your event hall. It's exciting to know that you're there. And I think you're on the right track. TDC is a great place to go. We do have grants available for folks that are doing just what you're doing, events, programming, bringing people in from out of the community. So they can tell you all about the grants we have available for marketing and other support for events. But also, given that you're doing housing, I would also potentially circle up with our housing staff and community support services and our sustainability department because we also have some funding for landlords that are providing affordable housing to do energy efficient upgrades to their homes and things like that. So we do have things and follow up with me afterwards and I can connect you with the right people. So thank you. And then last but not least, high springs. If you don't mind just emailing me the stretch of road that you're interested in the traffic study, intersections kind of beginning and ending, we can bring it up at our next MTPO meeting for a discussion with DOT. Okay. Yes, ma'am. I'm Julie Smith. I'm from high springs and I was noticing, you know, your presentation before about the wild spaces. And as I've worked a lot with Mary Helen Wheeler over there near the canoe outposts, we also have a county park. I believe it's a 441 ramp that's owned by the county. It's in major district parrots out there a week ago and when the water levels are down, it is extremely unsafe. I'm sure Mary Helen can fill you in on that. That is an allatural county park and a lot of residents of allatural county will launch here. Do you go up to Hornsby? I believe it's five miles down to Poe which is another county park so it actually we call it to car shuffle but it actually be able to where they can launch from there and go down to Poe on the upper, those who don't really go to the springs or by Jenny. But I don't know if there's any plans in the works, but I would really like for you to consider that because the 441 ramp, you know, there's a lot of the cops hang out down there. There's some, listen, maybe, but the most This party's the trip hazard would be really nice if it was done to where people can launch their small canoes and stuff there. But I don't know if that's what... down there there's some, but most parties that trip has it would be really nice if it was done to where people can launch their small canoes and stuff there. But I don't know if that's been brought to your attention, but when you're not yet. Yeah, the full 41 ramp. I can send you some pictures of it, but it's really a bad district pair. I think a river track that may, a river, they used to go through there so there's a lot of stuff still in the river but where the people are at like you have to pretty much have somebody help hoist you if you get stuck down by the river bed. So that might be something to consider, especially with busy season and everybody on the river up that part of the way. And she knows it well, she used to live there. Right. Right. Okay. Commissioner Wheeler? Yes, just very quickly. Okay, Commissioner Wheeler. Yes, just very quickly. Tara, I'm glad you're here too. Tara is one of those in the community that's trying to help prop up. And Waldo and Hawthorne, you know, we're focused on right now. She's located in the little island there. That's very difficult, you know, there. I think she's the only business there, she was trying to help you know get it bolstered up to the point where other people would want to be there and it's quite a lovely event center you've done a nice job so I'll see you tomorrow okay and then Kelly the traffic we have had traffic studies done up in high springs and that's the light is coming there the post post springs road It it should be there coming in soon. We've heard so the same people that are working on that we can get focused Right there, you know at high springs as it comes into Is it 27? Part I know where you're talking about you're talking about between the Windixi and the river right where is it yes okay got it got it got it okay okay yeah but we can we can have the same fella who I'm sorry y'all if you come to the mic so the people at home could hear you yeah come on down Kelly and he's high springs folks you know I'm sorry you know the no the okay so it's up by the pizza place close to the church subway Got it subway in the church. I got you. Right there. Making that left like four o'clock on, forget it. And it's so dangerous. As I said, there was a fatality there two nights ago with a bicyclist and a car in the rain. Just the amount of traffic has so much increased in high springs. Just asking for that traffic study. You can get in touch with his commissioner too, but I can get you the way we can also. Yeah, I really appreciate that. It was my understanding. I spoke to Kevin Mangon, who is Mr. Heismrings, for the social media. What's his role? Public relations, thank you. And he said that they have requested the traffic study multiple times to no avail. So I figured I'm here today, I'm on as well. You're in the little shout out. Perfect. That's how we got it. You got it. Thank you. You'll be a hero in tan. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Okay, Commissioner Prisya. I was just gonna say on that front, We do have MTPO meetings and they are open to the public so anybody that wants to come can also come and make that same request. I'm sure DOT loves to hear from their constituents as well. I'm chair of that meeting. Yeah, just come on. Okay. Mr. Chair, that wraps up public comment. and next item is the request of a approval of the joint wild spaces, public places, and infrastructure project with the city of Hawthorne. Okay. Good afternoon, Gina. People's Assistant County Manager Chief of Staff. Mr. Thompson, he spoke during the public comment period. And so he is the city manager with Hawthorne. Their request is for our partnership project to be for a gymnasium facility. So I assume that he might still be joining us on Zoom if you have specific questions or if you have more general questions about our partnership project process. I'm happy to answer those. Okay. I got permission to preside and I have Commissioner Cornealneal. Quick question about the back up. It looks like the document that was given to us with the Hawthorne information seems to be only the end, like the front page is missing or something. There were additional attachments that had the, so they wrote a lot of background, so there were additional attachments that had the cut-off portions. I just see the joint application. Is it? I'll get it. I'll get it. I'll get it. I'll get it. I'll get it. I'll get it. I'll get it. I'll get it. I'll get it. I'll get it. I'll get it. I'll get it. It doesn't help me now for approving the project. I mean, I think it's awkwardly, like the information is just not all standard. So, anyway. It's challenging to understand the full breadth of the project when it's like these male pieces of documentation and the same components. But overall, I'll just say as to my board, I support the project. It seems to make a lot of sense. We really need facilities in that part of the county. We really need opportunities for our community, our youth, our seniors to come together, and having a physical space. My big question, which is I was looking for in this document, and I can't quite see, is with regards to maintenance and operations, and who would be operating and maintaining the facility and if they've incorporated that into the City of Hawthorne's budget or have an estimate of that cost associated with the project moving forward. Mr. Thompson, are you still on Zoom? Yes ma'am, I'm here. Okay, thank you. I don't know if you heard the question about who was going to maintain the facility. Yes, thank you again. With respect to the maintaining of the facility, the city is looking to incorporate staff to be the facilitators of the program and the gymnasium. In time, again, we're going to ramp up the staff we have to now, but with respect staff members. But the ideal is to have the city staff run the program run the gym nasing with respect to the citizens needs. Okay. Commissioner Cornell. Yeah, so I think it's a great project. I think it absolutely has countywide significance really appreciate the city, city commission and the citizens and I would move south recommendation. Second. Okay. Got a motion and a second. Are there any further comments? Commissioner Boehler. Question yes. How much property is it going to take? Where is this going to be located on how much property? I'll defer to Mr. Thompson. Mr. Thompson. Yes ma'am. Again, we're looking to have it near our athletic park. Off of a state road 20 in that area over there, to be identified some land in the latter part of that area to be more general and I apologize for the generality. But that is where we're looking to have it. In the same areas, our athletic park right now, where we have our baseball diamonds in that facility, that area over there. for we look and have it. Approximximately I would think five acres would be conservative, but again, I don't have hard numbers as far as the actual amount of land. But we want to make sure we have sufficient parking. Ideally the facility in Alachua is ideal because that is a grand place there. But we're going to start smaller but we would like to we would like to have something in time. But yeah, probably around five acres, I would say, is an initial estimate with these parts to spacing. The reason I'm asking is because I have really been playing or working, not my playing, working with the idea of trying to get a Santa Fe outpost out there. And we talked about recently, we've talked about the possibility of having enough land out there that you could have your facility, but there would also be enough land there to put a Santa Fe center there that would also accommodate. Now, this is an idea that we'd kind of just thrown around, but I have been taking very seriously because yes, you have champions out there in a Hawthorne that are athletic champions, but you also have academics and you have people who don't have access to transportation to access what Santa Fe is offering, not only to their high school students, but also to the local community. So I didn't know if that would be something that Hawthorne might consider. I've talked to your mayor. I think I've mentioned it to you. And we've spoken to Dr. Brody. He has a new economic development person that I've also spoken to about this. I'm talking to just about everybody about the idea. So I'm wondering if that's something that you all might take that idea and build on if it's appealing to you in any way. Man, respectfully yes. That is an ideal scenario. I would love to work with all the individuals and entities that you referenced to identify carve out a land that we can identify that would fit that object. But definitely, we would definitely be interested and I would love to take that city elected officials as a consideration for certain. Thank you, thank you. Thank you. Manager Thompson, please, we have another question for you, Commissioner Cornell. Yeah, Manager Thompson, thanks for being on the call. After this budget item I was going to bring up a commission comment writing a letter to DOT if we could just do that with him still on the call that way he could comment to it. Okay. After the motion. Okay after the motion. Okay. All right. Are there any public comments to the motion that's on the floor? Okay, seeing none here, none of those in favor of the motion vote by the sign of I. Aye. Aye. Those opposed, same sign, motion carries. Commissioner Crenille. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, um, Commissioner, at the MTPO meeting, we talked about the safety of 301, uh, had an opportunity to speak to the manager after the meeting and also the Mayor Randall. And she sent me a packet of information that kind of gave us the history. I don't know if you all got copies. You did. Okay. So just for the public's benefit back in October of 23, there was actually a speed study done by Kimberly Horn. It was done in August and it was done on a Friday, a Saturday and a Sunday, which I don't think is really the right time to do a speed study. Subsequent to that in May of 2024, the school board decided to discontinue busing service within two miles of the school, which actually is a significant event with regards to crossing a three or one for the kids. Subsequent to that in August of 24, our transportation manager, Alsa Moss, was working on a reconnect community planning grant with the DOT. And so I think it's certainly appropriate from our MTPO meeting for us to do a chair letter. And so I would move that we do a chair letter to DOT asking them to focus on safety and get with the stakeholders with regards to updating this study and seeing if there are any recommendations for crossing of 301. So that's my motion. Second. I can't imagine. I could just make one more comment, Mr. Chair. I think also in addition to us doing a chair letter, I know that the mayor had indicated that Hawthorne was going to do a chair letter. I talked to school board member Chertan who was going to bring up the school board actually doing a chair letter. And then I think Mayor Randall also indicated that ASO is happy to do a chair letter. And so I think we kind of started this a couple of years ago but a lot has changed since we started this and with four separate county institutions kind of putting focus on this hopefully D.O.T. can elevate this and maybe bring us some recommendations on what we can do and so thank you all for for that that's all. OK. Further comments to the motion that's on the floor? Are there any comments? Yeah, you hang up. I just want to say thank you very much for the support. I think it is big of you all as an institution and all the other institutions to support such a pressing topic at this time It's never too late to move forth in this caliber Children are a safety are our our backbone there our future and that's what we look forward to protecting and I I Champion you all for taking the lead with respect to bringing it forward. Again. Thank you very much Those in favor the motion will buy the son of I. Hi. Those opposed, same side, motion carries. Got a good one over there with that, Pam. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Mr. Chair, that takes us to the Lane Conservation Projects. The first one is a resolution accepting the donation of real property from a Catherine R. Williams. Good afternoon. Give us just a moment, Mr. Chair. We're still a little bit handicapped, and we're using this instead of our regular computer. And we're learning the bugs. You just have to know the right magic word to put in. I mean, it's good to go. Do we have one for this? Okay. All right. Okay. Good. Okay. All right. Okay. Good. Okay. All right. Okay. All right. Okay. All right. Okay. All right. Okay. All right. Okay. All right. Okay. All right. Okay. Good. All right. Okay. All right. Okay. All right. Okay. All right. Okay. Good afternoon. Mr. Chair, commissioners, Madam Manager. Andy Christmas, Program Manager for the Lane Conservation Program. I'm going to be presenting to you today for your consideration a property donation. mill creek, Williams or Williams and Rousher property. And this is a property owned by Catherine R. Williams, who is a trustee, and it's an approximately five acre property. It's one parcel, currently owned agriculture and rural agriculture. property appraisers just value of $100,000. On this upcoming map, you can see in red it's a long-narel parcel and it overlaps directly with the portion of the creek, Mill Creek. It's located in between the counties Mill Creek preserve and the Rem Eastman that was described earlier during the Lane Conservation Board Program presentation. And just zoomed in an aerial image of the property and again the primary feature that is kind of visible there is that footprint of Mill Creek and then its intact forested habitat. Primarily consists of milk creek, black water stream, upland hardwood forest, floodplain marsh, or swamp and bottom land forest. It is within the Elatua County Forever Milk Creek project area and the Milk Creek Strategic ecosystem. It's also located within Springs Priority Focus area. We have a few images of the preserve taken in the winter so there's a lot of brown and then of Milk Creek itself within the property. As I said this is a donation that was brought to us by Ms. Williams who is inspired to want to donate the property to the county to be preserved in memory of her honor of her parents. And there's a resolution attached to your agenda item that addresses those aspects of the donation. The county would be the lead manager. It would be managed as a satellite tract of milk creek preserves, milk creek preserves. Total expenditure request is $14,190. And that's for the standard due diligence practices that we complete on any property, whether or not it's an acquisition that we pay for or donation that we receive from landowners generosity. Annual operation costs would be a little over $600 and that's primarily monitoring and some invasive plant management on the property. And with a closing date in June, should you choose to accept this donation? There's not a contract for the property, so there's no permitted title exceptions, but there is one title exception on the title that relates to an easement to access the western side of the property that also provides access to the parcels north and south of the property. This was part of an older platted subdivision so that easement would have given all the parcels in the platt access. It is undeveloped easement. And staff recommendations are accepting the resolution to receive the donation. Again, in honor of Catherine Williams' parents, Jay Warren Rousher and Eleanor G. Rousher, subject to the completion of due diligence and review and approval by the county manager. Delegating to the manager of the authority to decide whether to accept or reject the title exception that addresses that access easement on the west side of the property and delegate to the manager the authority to decide whether or not to accept the donation. Once the due diligence phase is completed and authorizing staff to complete execute additional documents as needed and improving the budget amendment. Okay. With that I can answer any questions you might have. Okay. Commission A. Alfred. I was just going to thank the Williams family or Catherine Williams for that generous donation and honor of her parents. A lot of really, really lovely thing to do and really important piece of property. So I'd like to move staff recommendation. I have a motion and a second. Any comments to the motion are there any public comments to the motion that's on the floor Seeing none back to the board those in favor the motion vote by the sign of aye. There's opposed same time motion carries Mr. Clerk Let's share that takes us to the second item under the land conservation projects. It's the Watermelon Pond dump for traction contract to purchase real property. Okay. Good afternoon again, Mr. Chair, commissioners, manager, and the Chrisman Program Manager for the land conservation program. I'm presenting to you this afternoon for your consideration the option contract on the watermelon pond dumpford fee simple acquisition. This property is owned by Jill dumpford. It's one parcel, 68.5 acres. It's currently owned agriculture with the future land use rural agriculture. It received a 6.27 score on the Alachua County Forever property matrix. You can see on the location map it is in the southwestern corner of Alachua County, south of Newbury and west of Archer and west of the main body of the Alachua County's Watermelon Pond preserve. And more zoomed in, you may recognize this footprint. We have recently presented to you four different properties for your consideration. And this is the fourth of those four. So the other three, the ones shown in green on this map, are under contract. You've chosen to exercise your option on the contract on those properties. And this fourth property, the Dumpford property, is the one that ties those previous three to the county road providing the most direct access to the other properties as well. Collectively, approximately 130 acre total footprint. Zoomed in on the Dumpford parcel. You can see it's intact, forced at habitat. That habitat is sand hill, which is, of course, highly imperiled natural community. You can see a small building footprint, kind of in the lower left portion of the image there. And those are some mobile home and shed structures, which the landowner is removing prior to closing as part of the contract. It is within the Water Mill and Pond project area and as I mentioned this together will make approximately 138 acre sandhill habitat footprint and very close to the public trail heads at Goathy State Forest. Some images from the property. With a little bit of prescribed fire I think excellent, excellent ground cover responses. I'm gonna happen on this property. You can already see the remnant species diversity and of of course, have a tap for go for tortoises and other imperiled species on site. The property has an access easement on it that serves this property, but also serves those other three properties that are already under contract as well as two properties that are south that are residential. So this is an image of that access easement, basically dirt driveway. It is a fee simple acquisition and would be managed by Alachua County as another tract of watermelon pond preserve. An anticipated closing in July of 2025. There are no permitted exceptions on this contract. However, there are some non-standard exceptions which the county may choose to permit during the due diligence process. And we do anticipate that these exceptions would all be still in place at the time of closing because they all relate to the access easements through the property that benefit the other three properties you've already entered into contract on as well as those two properties to the south. With the exception of number nine, which is the easement to Central Florida Electric that provided power to the residential or mobile home that is now decrepit and being removed from the site. The purchase price is $609,993 subject to final survey, per acre contract, with an estimated due diligence of $46,267 total expenditure request including that 10% contingency buffer $721,886 and staff recommendations are to approve and authorize the chair to exercise the option for purchase of real property subject to the county the county's rights to do diligence inspections and to notice the seller of title defects and environmental defects as set forth in the contract, to delegate to the manager, the authority, to decide whether or not to accept that series of primarily access easement-related title exceptions based on manager's evaluation as to whether or not that will impair our proposed use of the property and to delegate to the manager the authority to decide whether or not we close with those exceptions in place and to authorize staff to execute additional documents as needed to close the transaction and to approve the budget amendment authorizing expenditure. Got a motion? Second. Got a motion in a second. Are there any further discussion to the motion that's on the floor? Are there any citizen comments to the motion that's on the floor? Okay, seeing none, hearing none, those in favor of the motion, we'll buy the sign of i. I? I buy those opposed, same sign. Motion carries. Thank you. Thank you. And if I may, Mr. Chair, I would like to congratulate the commission not last Friday, but the Friday prior, the program, the Elatro County Forever Program closed on its 100th acquisition, which was a conservation easement, the Bureau conservation easement in the watermelon pond area also. But that's a milestone for the program and I think something worth celebration and recognition over the course of the 25 years that this program has been in place and performing the will of the citizens and county leadership. Commissioner for now. I would say we probably have 25 to 30 more years to go. After today's 130 acres, we have what? 41,870. If my math is right, so thank you Andy. Thank you for figuring, because I was trying to do that. 41,870. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Thank you. We need one of those thermometers, you know, that shows where we're at. Okay. 5,000. 22. Mr. Chair, that takes us to the public hearings. And the first item is an adoption hearing on an ordinance related to a small scale alcoholic beverage production facilities. Okay. We have a region being in the semi-regulation. Okay. So. Okay. I would move we convene as the land development regulation commission and finally amendments consist of a hydroelectric power supply. Second? Emotion is second. Okay. Those in favor of the motion, will the water signify? Aye.. Oh, okay Okay, I did too, but anyway, it's my bad Way, but you tell them when they need to be here then when is the the best time for them to speak? I'm going to refer to attorney or the manager. They need to speak to the fact that we're convening. Right, right. So Mr. Chair, they would be commenting on whether they believe that the regulations are consistent with the comp plan. So you can call for public comment on that, but if they want to speak to the substance of the ordinance, they would be speaking under number two there. Yes, that's what I thought. Yeah, okay. All right, I'm sorry. Okay, Mr. Chair, I can go through the presentation or yes. So this is just a recap from last month. Shall I proceed? Yes, sir. So this is in regards to the ULDC Unified Land Development Code Amendment for small scale alcohol beverage production facilities. Last month was the first hearing for this and the board approved that so we were back now for the adoption hearing. So if the board so desires our recommendation here is for the board to convene us the land development regulation commission and find the amendments consistent with the Alachua County Comprehensive Plan. And if that is done to reconvene and approve the ordinance, amending the unified land development code and authorize the chair signature. Okay. Okay, at this time I guess we need a motion to reconvene. The mission was to take photos. Okay. Okay. At this time, I guess we need a motion to reconvene. The mission was to take photos. I was saying, okay. Sounds good. All right. Okay. Now is the time for those folks who would like to make comments to the motion. I do have some handouts that I like to give. I believe I can give it to him. Well, yeah, just lay it up there. Yeah, you'll be right back. You'll be able to get these afterwards. OK. It's just a summary because I have a full line. So I'm not going to be able to. I'm sorry. My name is Julie Smith. You know, I own high springs. What's happening? So I represent about 90 businesses up in high springs in the area. I also serve as a visiting natural nor Florida task force representing Elatio County and Turrism. I own high springs what's happening. So I represent about 90 businesses up in high springs in the area. I also serve as a visiting natural north Florida task force representing Elatrio County in tourism. The amount of money that you guys will see that a visit gains, though Elatrio County has spent to promote the SIP in seven and to add in the middle of the visit Florida, all promotes the buries. Unfortunately up there in high springs, we are not allowed to be open because the brewery does not serve beer or does not serve food on Sunday. So with that being said, part of this is economic impact. So when they're not open on Sundays, businesses like the prohibition pizza and other businesses in town, it becomes a one-day weekend. So all of the ads and stuff that you guys have promoted in there does not say the breweries close on Sundays. Most people think it's by choice, not by demand, by the city of high springs. We have gone before them and asked for it to be on the ballot, did not get approved. We have gone before them and asked them to do basically exactly what you're doing, not approved. They are referring to their personal and emotional religious beliefs, not for what's in the best interest of high springs as a whole. Although some of these businesses, the people may live out of the town of City Limits, the employees live in there. Not only that, we are promoting high springs as a destination. When Gainesville is slow in the summer, they come to me like, hey, how can we increase heads and beds, how can we increase heads and beds? How can we get people when they come to a UF game to go up there to high springs? Well guess what? You can go paddle boarding on Sunday morning, but you can't stay and have a beer. You can't go to the prohibition, walk across the street and enjoy a beer. But you can go to the Grand Outdoors, have seven shots of tequila, not order food. because it's so outdated, because they offer food. With that being said, and I know I'm in the hurry, but I want to get everything in three minutes, I am asking for you guys to add more specifics to this amendment. It says nothing about food. That will be a loophole for them. It just because it doesn't say anything, they're going to be wanting more clarity. So I would ask that if this amendment for the breweries does not state, has no reference to food, So you that in there. A food establishment or selling food on site is not required, whereas the taverns and whereas the restaurants it is required. Of course the brewery, which all of them, do not have food on site. All of these breweries on the Sip and Sip in city municipalities and none of them are really within the county. So I am asking that you guys form a letter to all the municipalities within this county to ask them to basically mirror what you guys are doing to bring us into the 25th, the next era of breweries. It's become a destination. I also put in there. I added 2023, 2024 and 2025. Visit Florida. This is 2024, the river. Did you guys paid over $30,000 for this? The brewery is in there, along with the river. But yet in high springs where the river is, they have become a one day destination. And I'm gonna show you this right quick and I added this to this, the new one day destination. And I'm going to show you this right quick, and I added this to this, the new one from Visit. Gainesville, breweries, the Heistensbury. But it doesn't stay in here, the closed on Sundays. So like if you're going up there and you're going to the river and you want to go by the Heistensbury, because it says it in here and they're not open on Sundays, it makes it look bad for the brewery, But the brewery has fought for five years. So basically what we are asking is that you also give them legal and staff assistance because we honor the municipalities or not financially stable. So closing that loophole where you can offer your staff's assistance to mirror this would also be something else that would be greatly appreciated. of course bringing it up on all the cities municipalities when you do your joint meetings because we fought long and hard you hear from other businesses behind me that have fought long and hard and the towns they need this money. They have fought us on on Ecuador as a money that you guys are spending over $100,000 to promote for Heism's brewery and I actually highlighted some of them and they're not even allowed to be open and a lot of those are open on Sundays Comment How is everyone my name is Kim Romick line and I am here to represent a couple of the businesses that are in high springs, like the Great Outdoors and the Pink Flamingo. I currently manage the Pink Flamingo, and I just want to say as a resident in high springs and a current manager to the businesses, the effect and the loss of revenue that we see from the outdated restrictions on Sunday, the turnaround in our tourism, we have people coming by both locations who would like to stay and enjoy theirself after we see them, going to the springs who in turn leave because they cannot order a beer or a mimosa, something to go with the food that they are ordering. So they leave the restaurant, go right over the river to either the Santa Fe or right up to where public says and they spend the money that they would have then spent in high springs to increase the revenue. We see a lot of the other businesses being affected locally by this too, like for example, the brewery, them not being allowed to be open on Sunday, really shuts off that entire part of our town because no one is over there interacting. Prohibition is not interacting because they cannot team up with the brewery to make sales there. And so a lot of the businesses like we have in Antique's on Main, we have a barber shop, we have another boutique style business there. They're not getting the traffic flow of people walking through and interacting in our community, whereas they would if they had the opportunity to stay. So I think that really allowing our town to kind of do what the other municipalities do, would increase the revenue for not only my business, but for other small businesses and other local businesses in our area Julie mentioned that you know the springs The breweries are mentioned indirect relations with the springs a lot in the ads that we have published and Unfortunately once they leave the springs. It really is a one day trip for them They come they go to the springs when they try to interact with the businesses afterwards. If we're not offering the things that they're looking for, they do leave. They leave and they go either to Columbia or further into Alachua. And the loss of revenue is really affecting our town as a whole. Had we had the opportunity to sell alcohol in those hours, we could increase the job opportunities, not only at my businesses, but at other local businesses because they could extend their hours. Right now, we are seeing our biggest influx in sales from one to two on Sundays. It could be extended from 10 and then other businesses in town could open earlier. They would need to staff extra people and that's where we would see the increase in revenue for our local go go go go go go go go go go go go go go go could create job opportunities within our local community. I thank you for hearing me I just wanted to speak for a. I hope you have a great day. Okay, thank you. Hello. Good morning or good afternoon now. My name is Kelly Potter. I am the owner of Prohibition Pizza Up in High Springs. We are directly across from the High Springs Brewing Company. I wanted to bring up a couple key points. Number one, the 51% rule. When you're doing this much like Julie had mentioned, Please factor that in. It will be a loophole that will be used. Currently, my first question is about the 51%. Will the proposed zoning address the facilities that are limited by this? This seems to be one of the challenges that we need to overcome with this. Secondly, in regards to local distributors restrictions, with the wineries that we have because they are ag and they're creating their product there. They are allowed to self distribute. Will this amendment also allow the breweries to self distribute or do they still have to then have a third person involved taking away revenues a news directly from the breweries to self-distribute or do they still have to then have a third person involved taking away revenues directly from the breweries. I don't know if that was something that was considered and factored in, but I think it needs to be a consideration of it. Currently I can go down to what's a cute little winery or the island? Yeah, anyway. And I can buy things to actually sell in my restaurant. I cannot sell high springs brewery beer in my restaurant. It's illegal to do so at this time. So that was another thing that I don't know if you've considered or factored in, but I do ask that to be considered. Once the news owning takes place, who is responsible for updating these designations? Is this handled through the county and does that supersede the city? Again, with the hours and ordinances, I didn't realize that great outdoors last call is at 9 p.m., which is crazy. Again, our town is causing people to get out on the roads, considering to drive considerable distances from their homes, which is unnecessary. We need to bring that back to our community. And lastly, I just request that the new ordinance that it aligns with this 404-69.2, that businesses like mine are going to be benefited are going to be benefited by it even though I am not a brewery. I have no affiliation financially with the brewery. But it does affect all the likewise businesses and that's going to go farther than just high springs. It's going to be the same here throughout Elatua County. And I just thank you guys for really putting this out there, considering a new ordinance and seeing that there is a need because the eco-terrorism and the, what is it, brewery tourism that people do? And the brewery jumping that is happening, it's big. And you guys are recognizing that. And thank you for putting that foot forward to recognize that this is a new thing that needs to be addressed. and we you guys. Sure, yes. Commissioner Cornell? I just want to ask a quick question. Why does the City Commission not want to allow the brewery to be open on Sundays? It has been blocked due to religious reasons. It has been on the agenda for five years. Multiple times it's been kicked down the street. Finally, we had a new commissioner get in. He asked it to be put on the ballot, let the people speak. Is that Tristan? It was Tristan. Nobody seconded Tristan. No one seconded. No one seconded. During that meeting, one of the commission. Please state your name. We have people home. Smith. But during that meeting and I consider her one of the commissioners that I'm going to take off my commissioners hat and put my preacher's hat on. And he literally took off his commission hat and put the preacher's hat on. And so he overwhelmed it with the church. And I did not want to go there with that. But when you can look at the YouTube video and it'll back it up. So this is based on, you know, prohibition era, which, you know, you guys have set the presidents for it, but we, they literally... YouTube video and it'll back it up. So this is based on, you know, prohibition era, which, you know, you guys have set the presidents for it. But we, they literally have blocked us every time. Actually, she had put in a petition to have it on this ballot and they stalled her until it was too late. So like, there was, it was the last day and they stalled her and stalled her. And then they also used, well, you know, we don't, they don't want They don't want to piss off their constituents, but they don't understand that these businesses, they hire locals, they are their constituents. Okay. Okay. I mean, I hear all of your concerns. Unfortunately, we're not the city commission, but we can certainly put whatever pressure this commission wants us to put on. I mean, I'm for economic development and ecotourism, and I want us to be spending money in a place that wants the money. So I don't think it relates to what we're doing as far as this hearing, but it's definitely to be discussed at the joint meeting. And this new provision can create an opportunity so that it can be bypassed. And we thank you for that. Because because well in the unincorporated area but in the within the municipality the municipality it can be it can help it'll it'll be a push just as a press that's what we hear for a president for help okay Commissioner Wheeler I'm sorry I just have a quick question for the the pink flamingo There those hours for alcohol sales are they start at one And that's for the pink flamingo and for the great outdoors and my name is Kimmerwick line just for the record and you have you all still food So yes, ma', we serve the question that I think that is this is something that do we need to include a food? Well, I'll Chris Angela. The reason that she I'm sorry, a Miss Potter Kelly, she brought up the fact that we do a 51 49. So 51% of our sales come from food and 49% of our sales come from alcohol. We open at 10 a.m. on Sundays and we are not actually allowed to sell alcohol until one p.m. to where as the brewery is allowed to be open at all because they do not service food on site. They team up with prohibition pizza which mis-hotter owns and then they work as a team together to sell food in alcohol alcohol Right now our concern is that the brewery is mentioned in multiple ads throughout the Alachua County What am I? Okay, thank you. Thank you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I think that there's two different factors. There's two different factors the brewery can't open it all because they don't sell food on site If you sell food on site you can't serve to a 1 p.m So there's two different factors. There's two different factors. The brewery can't open at all because they don't sell food on site. If you sell food on site, you can't serve to a 1pm. So there's two different factors. So the clarity on this here is allowing the breweries not to have to sell food to be able to open, per se, those rules. And then the other one is the 1pm that backs the restaurant set, which cuts out on their Sunday brunch. I've served Sunday brunch for the Hilton in Northwest Grill. It's one of my busiest days. And they're missing out on the brunch revenue from Sunday because they can't serve it to a wine. So there's two factors in that, I think. Is the deaf, Cal? They don't. They'll food. During the city of Alachua, so the city of Alachua doesn't recognize that Sunday. Monday, this is only City of High Springs ordinances. So they allow them to open on Sunday. But this City of High Springs will not allow you to open on Sundays at all if you don't sell 51% food. If you sell 51% food, you can open up at 1 p.m. Okay, so that's a local thing that's only a specific thing. Yes, and they are protected by the hometown rule. We understand that. But we also would like for you guys, even all of the cities, because all of these breweries are within city municipalities No, within the county so they mirror not only what all the cities within the county Then we're not being just for them. We went into mirror all the cities So is this the only one in the county? Yeah, this is the only one that's that upset about that restriction on it Okay, but but like I say we went up that's what we want to uniform Which I not to call the amount, but if it's uniform, it would, it would, it would close our loophole and ice cream. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Okay, Commissioner Prisid. Yeah, I guess I just wanted to, we don't have a motion on the floor. So I just wanted to move that we approve the ordinance, many the unified land development code and Authorize the chair signature. Let's reconvene first as the board of kind of commissioners and I need a motion. Right. That's what I'm doing. OK, OK, I'm sorry. Yeah, yeah, that's what I'm doing. And that was the motion. OK, second. OK, awesome. OK. And then I just wanted to respond to say that this does not do any of that. But we've actually had this conversation, a little bit of this conversation. The last time we read the high springs meeting, if you recall, there was something that was brought up around the breweries. I don't remember that. Yeah. And I basically just said that I understood people's religious beliefs and the right to understand that. To stand up for their religious beliefs. But the, you know, that I felt like we needed to support local businesses to be able to open and operate. I think that's where they represent the whole city. I think that's, man, man, man. No, I'm sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. But I just don't, this is not our issue right now. This is the city of high springs issue. So we are going to put it on our agenda, though. I believe we've already made that motion right to put it on our agenda for High Springs meeting. It's already on the meeting. It's already on the meeting. Okay. Yeah, right. I mean, so I'll completely agree with what you're saying, Commissioner Prisya. I think the hook here is, do we want to talk to them about, look, we're spending tourist development money to promote businesses in high springs? want to continue to do that. Many of us drink alcohol actually at church, I'm Catholic, I drink red wine. I just do it. That's what I do. If they have a philosophical disagreement or they don't want to promote those businesses, then we have to decide should we advertise those businesses and help promote it. And I think we should, but I think we should ask them to reconsider their stance. I think that's all I think they're asking. I think though to your point, this is something we're putting in place in the unincorporated. And I don't want to add things to a very simple ordinance to try to put pressure so that they're an outlier. They're already an outlier. They know they're an outlier. They're proud of being an outlier. We want to ask them to not be an outlier. And I will say on the alcohol sales thing, we're not in charge of that distribution law that has nothing, that's not the county's law, that's state level law, so not something that we can have influence on. I mean, it's a very strong lobby by the distributors for that. So, yeah. I mean, Chris, do you have any comments on making any changes to the warning from the comments you heard? I think we're just trying to get something on the books. Mr. Chair, Chris Dawson, Principal of Planner for Development Services. I think the couple of comments I would make is that this is only affects the unincorporated area. This is part of our land development regulations. We have a separate section of our county code that deals with alcohol sales and hours where it's allowable. And I'm not going to say where that applies. I think it only applies in the unincorporated area. I'm sure the attorney would tell me if that's different. And then the final thing that I would say is, you know, the state has a pretty aggressive regulatory scheme for alcohol sales, and that involves the three-tier system with producers, distributors, retailers, and the exceptions that go with it, as long as as well as a huge licensing scheme for all different kinds of alcohol producers, retailers, and distributors. This doesn't affect any of those things. It just allows a business that produces alcohol under the quantities that are identified in the code to locate within those jurisdictions and have those kinds of accessory uses with them. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Okay, any further comments? Well, I just want to make a statement. Basically, the legislature kind of impedes our home rule authority When they make bills that affect us here locally in terms of our land planning and stuff like that so we can't do things. And so each municipality in Elangelo County has what they call home rule authority and that home rule authority that gives them the right to make their own ordinances. And so we can't supersede those ordinances. You know, we can only... Yeah, we don't want to either. So we just want to make that clear to you to understand why it's not an issue at this point with us. We're just only dealing with the unincorporated area. We're not dealing with municipalities. And then normally when we do an ordinance, sometimes we ask cities to join in or not. And they don't, then it's still up to their local rights. So I just want to, their home rule authority rights. So I'm just, I wanted to explain that to you. So, because ours give violated a lot from the legislature with bills that have been passed in the legislature stopping us from doing certain things, you know, for instance, like the solar stuff, you know. So the only thing we can do is just the setbacks and that kind of stuff. But other than that, I'm just sharing with you. That's why. So it's not an issue. Thank you. All right. Yeah, thank you. All right. Is on June 5th at 6 30 PM. Be there. Okay. Yes. issue. Yeah thank you all right. On June 5th. At 6.30 p.m. Be there. Okay. Yes Commissioner we look in the tourist development committee meets tomorrow at 1.30 if you all want to join us for that and Commissioner I appreciate your patience with this of these folks are the new leadership and high springs that are trying to build the economy of that community and I wanted to encourage them to engage so that we know who you are and you know who we are and we can understand what it is you're trying to do. Need to find someone to give you a second. Right. Need a second. We just need to help us. Yeah, I'm more happy to. I'm happy to. Thank you. I like Tristan. Thank you. Okay. Those in favor of motion vote by the sign of I. I those pose same sign motion carries. Mr. Clerk. That takes us. Sure. That takes us to closing public comment. Okay. If any. Is anybody wishing to present public comments? Okay. And that takes us to county attorney comment. Mr. Chair, I do not have any today. County manager comments. Mr. Chair, I do not have any comments today. And finally, commission comments. Okay, commissioner Wheeler? No. Okay, commissioner Prisya. Have to. Commissioner Correa. I have only one we had our children's trust meeting last night and we talked about the joint meeting that we're gonna be having coming up in in April. And I was going to ask if staff could get with CTECH staff because parking came up as like where do we park? And I said I think we have a parking garage and parking passes. And if I could just ask Michelle if you could contact Christy, Goalwire and just talk about parking so that she can let the board members know that aren't familiar with coming downtown. That's all. Thank you. Can we send her out for it? I just wanted to thank everyone for your support while I attended the NACO conference last week. It was a, I was there for six days and it was depressing and interesting and my committee justice and public safety only had one initiative this year where we usually have about 10, and our one initiative was to save FEMA. So save FEMA, yes. Which is, I found interesting, but anyway, if anyone has any questions about the conference, I know other people weren't able to attend. I'm available. I'm amazed you were able to stay that long. It's Washington feels different right now. I will say that. All right, I just like to make a comment and on Saturday of the Alachua County Community Remembrance Project had an event. event and was the other book I think Mark stated it earlier at the beginning of the meeting and it's a series about events in terms of the Aquaman American experience in Alachua County. And on Saturday was about the Jim Crow laws in Alachua County. And it was a very, very interesting and it was pretty much full in the auditorium. And we had speakers, Dr. Rick Stevenson, talked about the Jim Crow laws. And he talked about the caste system and a class system in terms of the Jim Crow laws. And then we had Dr. Michelle Dunlap to speak about the retail racism. And she did a very, very good presentation on that. And it was just basically talking about the experience that African Americans have when they walk into stores. And she also talked about the killings by the police and also that they were generated by a person going to the market and leaving the market and get stopped by the police and get killed and that kind of stuff. So she kind of gave those experiences that folks have. And I'll share my experience just last week I had. I didn't say anything Saturday about my experience. I went to my AT&T and I went to pay my phone bill. But I dig graves for a vault business that I have, also along with the funeral home business but I went in the store with my jeans and my t-shirt and I'm standing in line waiting to be serviced and a lady walks in and she says And I say, I help you? And I say, well, ma'am, I've been here. What's going on? I say, matter of fact, forget it. And I left. That was my frustration. So, uh, I don't believe making public scenes. And I could have made a public scene, but I didn't. But those are the kind of things that African-Americans go through. And in my younger days at Belt Lindsey, I had the opportunity to actually shop there and be followed around the store by their security. And that wasn't pleasant. They kept asking me, can I help you? And I ma'am I'm looking can I help you no ma'am I'm just looking can I have that right to look and I left I mean I'm just those are my experiences and so when she did that presentation on Saturday I it was very very educational to me and to others to know what African Americans go through in terms of how it traumatizes us. And so it forces us to now do more business online to actually go to a store to be hassle like that. And so she talked about that on Saturday too. So it was a very, very interesting thing. And she has a book, and it's called Retail Racism by Dr. Michelle Dunlap. But it was just, was very, very educational. And I think everybody that was there really, really enjoyed it. I think it opened up a lot of lives. And then one lady stood up. I think she stood up and said that we need to be allies, more allies, to talk about the events that African-Americans do go through. And to start with our children, to make sure they understand about the diversity, equity, and inclusion. And that was stated. And then one of the other interesting things I thought that we had a school teacher here that she did not want to give her name, she felt that her job would be threatened if she talked about some of the things, and she didn't talk about the things, but she was just asking folks to really, really work with their children to make them understand what is life and talk about it. So that was very interesting. I just wanted to share that. And I think we're having another one. I'm sorry I forgot to date in April, another event with the other book series, and that's coming up in April. So I just wanted to share that with you guys. That it was very, very interesting and a lot of good turnout I thought for Saturday morning at 10 o'clock. I thought it was a great turnout. So thank you all. Hey, thank you, Chuck. I just wanted to say I looked up the book Retail Racism and I saw that book at the links bookstore so it is available here locally so I just wanted to share that with anyone that might be interested. Okay, all right, thank you. All right, if there aren't any other business, we are adjourned.