Alachua County started its own special area study of the Pine Hill Forest area just north of Newberry Road in Tioga, and a future special area plan could show how the area may be developed.  

The 1,188-acre study area makes up the Pine Hill Forest strategic ecosystem identified by the county more than 20 years ago. In total, Alachua County has 47 strategic ecosystems that require a more stringent series of steps to develop.  

On Wednesday evening, the county held a public workshop to gather input about what residents want or don’t want to see in Pine Hill Forest, along with feedback on new roads that could connect through the area.  

Stephen Hofstetter, director of Alachua County’s Environmental Protection Department, said the strategic ecosystem contains parcels from around 10 different landowners. Right now, he said, none of the owners have submitted development applications to the county, but the entire area surrounding the Pine Hill Forest has been built out, inevitably drawing developers’ eyes.  

“The county has initiated the study and the plan to try to get ahead of development so that it’s not developed in a piecemeal fashion and that we can look at it holistically to address the sensitive environmental issues while providing for opportunities for a smart growth pattern in that area as well,” Hofstetter said. 

A special area study and special area plan are required for developments on strategic ecosystems. Normally, Hofstetter said the developer or landowner would initiate the study, like at the Hickory Sink property, but the county has conducted its own in the past. 

He said Alachua County performed a special area study many years ago for Paynes Prairie West, but no actual development came forward.  

The special area study should finish and appear before the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) in early 2026, according to Ben Chumley, principal planner for Alachua County.   

Chumley said the BOCC will need to approve the study in order for the special area plan to move forward. He said the commissioners could ask staff to provide more details on certain parts of the study or go back to review additional aspects.   

He said a special area plan would likely take a year from the approval of the study. 

Hofstetter said the special area plan, created in concert with the landowners, would provide a blueprint for any future development of Pine Hill Forest, outlining which areas must be avoided, what housing density is allowed and where commercial activities could occur. 

Hofstetter said the public workshop serves to fuel the anticipated plan, and the county will hold another one to gather more input. A date for the second workshop has not yet been set. 

Besides any potential residential or commercial development, Alachua County has planned future roadway connections through the area for decades. Parker Road always ended at Newberry Road, but recent permissions allowed the county to extend north until NW 17th Avenue. 

A concept plan also shows extending NW 23rd Avenue to the west. Currently, the road ends after passing NW 98th Street, allowing access north past Meadowbrook Golf Course to NW 39th Avenue or south past Westside Baptist Church to Newberry Road.  

The county’s concept plan shows a continued roadway connecting to NW 143rd Street at Jonesville Park.  

Any shovels in the ground remain a long way off, but the county has started to develop a blueprint, opening a time frame for residents to provide feedback. 

The county study is being done with the Kimley-Horn company. Communication about the study can be had through PineHillForest@kimley-horn.com. The full slides shown at the workshop can be found below.