Seth Johnson
The High Springs City Commission voted to set a special election for March 26, to select the top five candidates for the city manager position and to approve the first phase of the Bridlewood subdivision.
The regular meeting only had those three items on the agenda.
The Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office confirmed March 26 as the date for the city’s special election. The commission voted to advertise the date along with the qualifying period from Feb. 5-8.
The commissioners also voted on their top five candidates for city manager. From a list of 16, the commission selected Timothy Day, Fred Ventresco, Jeremy Marshall, Jeff Shoobridge and David Wisener.
The commission decided to hold private meetings between each candidate and city commissioner before further narrowing the pool to two or three candidates. Then, the commission will host another open interview with the finalists.
Mayor Katherine Weitz said the City Commission has so far planned to follow the timeline without concern for when the special election falls. If the fifth commissioner joins in time, then they will get a say in the decision.
The commissioners also voted 3-1 to approve the final plat for 106 homes in the Bridlewood subdivision. Weitz voted in dissent.
Construction is set to begin this summer, but clearing activity has already begun.
The commission approved the planned development—slated to have 1,432 single-family homes, 200 multi-family units and 250 senior units at full buildout—last year amid much community discussion.
Weitz worried that the traffic study focused on State Road 45 but not the smaller roads in south High Springs that she said would take the brunt of the new traffic.
Chris Potts, director of civil engineering for JBPro, said the traffic study was set up by the Florida Department of Transportation. He added that future road studies would be triggered when the development builds new entrances.
City Manager Ashley Stathatos said the development plan went through five different submittals, ensuring everything abided by city regulations.
The developer is also in the process of relocating gopher tortoises. While some work has already started, Potts said the construction can continue if the tortoises’ burrows aren’t disturbed.
The environmental study happens in two phases. The first identifies areas where gopher tortoises might be. The study has already happened and clearing activity began after that. The second part looks through the identified areas to see if tortoises are there.
Potts said 22 were located and a permit is underway to relocate. Weitz asked if they would pause activity for a few weeks until the tortoises were removed, but Potts said work could continue since it wasn’t disturbing the animals.
An amendment by Weitz to have the work wait until the tortoises are moved failed to gain a second vote.