The Gainesville City Commission approved a planned development amendment for Magnolia Parke at its first regular meeting of the year, allowing up to 390 residential units on the site.  

The City Commission also confirmed evaluations and raises for its charter officers and decided to move the city clerk from interim to permanent.  

Magnolia Parke, located off NW 39th Avenue, started in 1997 and was designed to have 400 residential units and 290,000 square feet of commercial space. 

Since then, the commercial side has filled up—134,000 square feet built—with One Love Cafe, Ichiban Sushi, a credit union and other businesses, but the development has only built 10 residential units.  

The request for amendments to the 1997 planned development follows a purchase in 2022 and a desire to use more of the residential units already allotted to the site. However, the old development plan contained 1997 standards. The action by the City Commission would allow more flexibility for the developer.  

The developer plans around 220 units on the site in multistory buildings. The amendments allowed a maximum height of four stories, changed glazing standards and changed the density requirement from per acre to the property as a whole.  

The City Commission, following approval by the plan board last year, voted unanimously for the change on first reading, with commissioners Cynthia Chestnut and Desmon Duncan-Walker absent.  

Charter officers  

The commissioners and charter officers turn in annual performance evaluations. This year, the commissioners rated all officers above a 4.2 out of 5, or exemplary.  

With the performances, the City Commission voted unanimously, with Duncan-Walker absent, to give 2.5% raises. Raises of this amount have already been budgeted and fall in line with those that the city bargaining units will receive.  

“I feel like our five charters are currently all rowing in the same direction as a city, which is good to see,” Commissioner Casey Willits said. 

The evaluations included interim City Auditor Brecka Anderson and interim City Clerk Kristen Bryant. In February, the city’s new auditor will take over following a national search.  

Also on Thursday’s agenda was a discussion of the city clerk position. Last year, the commission brought up the possibility of placing the clerk’s office underneath the city manager instead of its own charter officer position.  

The discussions came during a time of turmoil and with the previous city clerk leaving. However, the commissioners decided against that action on Thursday. The commission decided to hire Bryant as the permanent city clerk instead of using a national search.  

Commissioner Reina Saco said Bryant had demonstrated excellent leadership and brought clear accounting to the department, resolving issues she had seen over the years. Saco said the city can save time and money by moving a competent candidate into the permanent role.  

Mayor Harvey Ward will negotiate with Bryant on the position and said he anticipates bringing back a contract at the next regular meeting. With Byant permanent and the new auditor coming in February, Gainesville will have an all-permanent charter officer staff for the first time in many years.