Glory Reitz
The Newberry City Commission unanimously approved the second reading of a future land use map amendment and comprehensive plan text amendment for the NC Ranch planned development, at a regular meeting on Monday.
The NC Ranch development is set to take up almost 1,300 acres over the next 50 years and required a future land use change from agriculture to planned development. The first few times the project came before the commission, it drew a crowd of citizens which has gradually reduced at each voting stage.
In December, city staff transmitted the petition to the Florida Departments of Commerce, Environmental Protection, Education, State (Department of Historical Resources) and Transportation (District 2), as well as the Suwanee River Water Management District, North Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Alachua County Growth Management Department, Environmental Protection, and the county manager’s office.
None of the reviewing agencies had any objections to the petition, only requests to be continually engaged throughout the process.
Jean-Paul W. Perez, the project’s principal planner, told the commission the “meat and potatoes” of the request would come in the rezoning step. A special meeting to discuss the rezoning is planned for April 15.
Wastewater treatment pond
The commission unanimously authorized staff to utilize A-Able Septic Sewer Service to remove sludge from a large wastewater effluent holding pond.
A sinkhole in one of Newberry’s wastewater holding ponds several weeks ago emptied about 500,000 gallons of treated wastewater into the ground.
The sinkhole coincided with the city’s routine draining of another larger pond to evaluate and repair its liner. This forced the city to refill the large pond back with treated effluent to maintain wastewater treatment of incoming raw wastewater while the smaller pond was under repair.
The smaller pond is now repaired, so staff has re-focused on necessary repairs to the larger pond’s lining, but there is sludge that needs to be removed from the bottom to allow access. Staff solicited proposals from two firms, and A-Able provided the lowest cost proposal. The cost should not exceed $225,000, according to staff’s presentation.
Assistant city manager Dallas Lee said typically the city would take bids but settled for three proposals instead because of the situation’s urgency and a high confidence that insurance will reimburse the cost.
Staff said the city’s insurance provider has indicated it believes the cost will be insured. Staff’s recommendation was to proceed with the work, as it needs to be done regardless of whether it is insured, and whether it likely will be reimbursable.
Golf carts on city streets
In order to fit with updated state statute, the commission passed the first reading of an ordinance to amend city code to require golf cart drivers under 18 years old to have a driver’s license.
A new state law passed in 2023, House Bill 949, prohibits people under the age of 18 from operating a golf cart on public roadways without possession of a valid driver’s license or learner’s license.
Newberry’s amended ordinance would require golf cart operators under 18 to have driver’s licenses, but only requires legal adults to have a valid form of government-issued photographic identification when driving in the city.
Commissioner Mark Clark complained that it does not make sense to add the driver’s license restriction to only those under 18.
Bryan Thomas, director of planning, building, economic development and codes enforcement, said the city could choose to be more strict than the state, applying the license requirement to all ages.
The commission did not choose to expand the restriction and passed the first reading unanimously.