The Newberry City Commission voted 4-1 to approve the second reading for a Community Development District (CDD) during its regular meeting on Monday, clearing the way for a development across from the town’s new Publix.
The Highland Park CDD is to be a 104-acre portion of the Highland Park planned development, located at the southeast corner of State Road 26 and SW 242 Street in Newberry.
CDDs are governmental units with the authority to finance, plan, establish, acquire, construct and reconstruct infrastructure within its bounds. They allow developers to issue bonds through the CDD to home buyers to finance the development itself.
The planned development, owned by Newberry Plaza, LLC, was adopted by the commission in 2023, according to backup documents, and the commission approved the CDD on first reading at its Feb. 10, 2025 meeting.
The planned development is approved for 150,000 square feet of non-residential use and 350 dwelling units on about 104 acres of residential land. The CDD only encompasses the residential area, excluding both the commercial components and a historic home, the Gray residence.
The application which the commission approved Monday also included the identification of possible future development areas that could be incorporated into the new CDD at a later date. The developer would need to apply to the city again to expand the CDD, but because the areas have been identified, it would be an expedited process.
The Highland Park CDD will begin with the following initial five board members:
- Thomas Miles
- Lois Livingston
- Jose Moreno
- Charlie Cheston
- Daniel Chandler
Only one of the initial board members lives in Alachua County, and none live within Newberry’s city limits.
The City Commission approved its first two CDDs in November, for NC Ranch and Westone. Though the last two CDDs passed their second readings with no opposition, they did so in the absence of Commissioner Tim Marden, who has consistently voiced his opposition to the idea of CDDs.
Marden said that he is generally opposed to adding more government and that the city will be fielding phone calls for the CDD, even though it is not responsible for it.
“The reason these are favorable is because you are inserting the power and force of government in the equation to make these things viable for the entities involved,” Marden said.
After Commissioner Mark Clark made the motion to approve the Highland Park CDD on Monday, seconded by Commissioner Tony Mazon, the motion passed 4-1, with Marden in dissent.
Downtown Parking
The City Commission also received a presentation on current and future parking downtown identified by city staff in an effort to help local businesses.
Staff said a study from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) found 109 existing on-street parking spots, and staff counted another 92 spots in existing downtown parking lots.
FDOT found there would be 134 on-street parking spots added during the one-way pairs project on Newberry Road, and staff found another 22 future off-street parking spots that will become available around city hall.
The city is also still in discussions with various entities about leasing or purchasing lots around the downtown.