The Newberry City Commission met on Monday, where it voted to eliminate its Board of Adjustment, accepted a clean audit report and approved a land use change to bring 500 single-family homes near Champions Park.  

Board of Adjustment elimination 

The commission unanimously passed the first reading of an ordinance that will terminate the city’s Board of Adjustment (BOA).  

According to Newberry’s Code of Ordinances, the BOA performs the same functions as the Planning and Zoning Board, such as site and development plan approvals. 

The board must be made up of five appointed residents. Currently, all five city commissioners comprise the BOA, which meets after regular commission meetings when needed. 

City Manager Jordan Marlowe said staff identified the BOA as a hallmark of “red tape” in city operations because the commission is the BOA. Although the process of removing it from code has turned out to be more difficult than planned, he said efficiency will increase by eliminating the extra time and costs that come with curating separate BOA meetings and agendas. 

If approved, the new ordinance would bring items normally on BOA agendas before the City Commission. Despite the agenda item title “Eliminating the Board of Adjustment,” Newberry Mayor Tim Marden said the move is more of a consolidation. 

“We’re not eliminating it; we’re consolidating because we are the BOA and the BOA is us,” said Marden. 

The ordinance did not have to go before the Planning and Zoning Board for approval, and the commission will make a final vote at its next regular meeting. 

Fiscal Year 2024-25 audit 

Barbara Boyd and Kevin Smith from Purvis Grey accounting presented the City Commission with the 2024-25 audit, finding Newberry and its Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) in compliance and “clean,” the highest opinion that can be received.  

The opinion factors elements that influenced the audit, such as any difficulties encountered, disagreements with management and material adjustments.  

According to the report, the city’s revenues for governmental funds were up $3,977,208 from the previous fiscal year, with $1.4 million coming from years-old American Rescue Plan Act funds recently spent.  

Expenditures increased by nearly $10.6 million, with the “capital outlay” budget line reflecting the largest difference at $9,147,826, which Smith said was because of the new city hall. He also said Newberry has plenty of fund balance with $9,160,205 in reserve. 

For enterprise funds, revenue increased $1,261,403 from the previous year, largely due to electric, water and sewer. Expenses totaled $280,606 as the city purchased additional power for more customers. Newberry’s CRA ending fund balance reached $704,905 with $109,820 in revenues that can be expected to grow over time, Smith said.  

When Marden asked how the audit compares to other municipalities, Smith said his firm doesn’t often see reports with zero adjustments like Newberry’s.  

Staff credited Assistant City Manager Dallas Lee for the successful audit and announced Lee will receive the Florida Assistant in Excellence for Excellence in Leadership Award in May. 

“He came in and really set us on a path for excellence, seven years in a row running,” Marlowe said. “It’s an international award for accounting and excellence, and now we will be recognizing him in May at a statewide award ceremony.” 

Land use change at Sandia West, Champions Park 

The City Commission approved converting 160 acres zoned Agricultural at 25409 SW 30th Ave. west of Champions Park, to Residential Low Density for a development that will bring 500 single-family homes to the area.  

Craig Brashier of NV5 engineering said the development will rely on the infrastructure, roadways and utilities for Sandia West, a neighboring development that intends to attract retail, hotels and entertainment for Champions Park visitors. 

Although Sandia West plans were approved in 2011, it hasn’t been built. When Commissioner Monty Farnsworth asked why the commission was approving the housing development when the city was still waiting on Sandia West, Brashier said infrastructure plans are under review and that it would be built as soon as those are finished.  

The land use amendment for the housing development will be sent to the state for review because it is classified as large scale. 

State grant for septic to sewer conversion 

Lee informed the City Commission that Newberry received a $2.9 million grant from the Department of Environmental Protection for a septic-to-sewer conversion project.  

He said the city will use the money to install around 1,600 linear feet of gravity sewer main and new lift stations that will enable 40 single-family homes and 10 commercial buildings to connect to its sewer system.  

Lee said the grant, which covers the abandonment and connection fees, doesn’t have to be matched and will help protect the Floridan Aquifer by removing the septic tanks. 

The city has mapped out multiple places of priority for the project, starting with an area north of Newberry Lane, between Newberry Lane and the railroad and extending to County Road 235. 

Other updates 

During comments at the end of the meeting, Marlowe said Newberry will open its new and first-ever dog park on April 9.  

Following the City Commission meeting, the BOA approved the site plan for one of Harvest Singularity’s two 350,000-square-foot hydroponic greenhouses planned for Newberry’s F-300 AgFoodTech Innovation Park.  

The greenhouses located at the intersection of SR 26 and NW 218th St. are expected to produce nearly four tons of organic leafy greens every day without any chemicals or pesticides and bring 56 jobs with average annual salaries of $91,000 as part of their $132 million investment in the community.  

Crews are expected to break ground on the first greenhouse this fall.