August 28, 2024

These highlights will give residents a quick review of the commission meeting and provide video, agenda, and other useful links.

Legacy Project

The Alachua County Commission moved forward with a proposed scope for its East Gainesville Legacy Project.

The commission authorized the Housing and Strategic Development Division to work with procurement to issue a request for proposal (RFP) for the development of single-family market-rate homes on the county-owned 13-acre site, along the corner of Southeast 15th Street and Southeast 8th Avenue.

The county may offer the land to a developer to offset some added costs and make the project more affordable and attainable for future homeowners.

The vote comes after community public meetings and additional feedback from nearby residents, who overwhelmingly shared they wanted to see single-family houses on the site.

To stay informed on the next steps in the East Gainesville Legacy Project, text “Legacy” to 888-777.

Read the complete highlights for this meeting.

Feature Story: Alachua County Views Housing as a Critical Issue

​​The housing crisis is a top priority for the Alachua County Commission, particularly in the wake of dramatically increased rents, home prices and interest rates.

Alachua County has a variety of needs-based programs designed to address obtaining a home, staying in a home, and improving homes. These critical programs can create generational wealth for residents through the purchase of their first home, assist residents in getting into rental units they have previously struggled to afford, stay in their existing homes and make improvements to their homes.

“Everything we do is focused on providing more affordable housing opportunities for our residents and improving the quality of housing,” said Candie Nixon, assistant director of Community Support Services. “We are involved in financial assistance, development, purchasing and renovating properties, and partnering with local and state organizations.”

Read the latest feature story, Alachua County Views Housing as a Critical Issue, from Public Information Officer Andrew Caplan.

Alachua County Forever, the county’s environmental land acquisition program, closed on the purchase of three properties in key conservation corridors in recent months.

While the three properties are in different areas of the county, they are united by their important conservation locations and the desire of the landowners to honor their families through the protection of the land and its natural values.

Each property was inherited by the landowners, who then chose to take a piece of their family legacy and help build a brighter future for Alachua County through conservation.

Learn more about three recent land conservation projects.

​​​Alachua County Environmental Protection Department (EPD) invites the community to a summer wetland walk at Levy Loop on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, at 8 a.m. The walk is free, but space is limited. Those interested should call 352-451-7818 or email mneelands@alachuacounty.us to register. The terrain is flat with little shade. Participants should bring water and wear comfortable walking shoes and sun protection.

Participants will learn about the plants and wildlife that make up this marsh community and the Alachua County Forever program’s conservation efforts on this ecologist-led, family-friendly hike. The hike will be along a berm, elevated above the marsh, to observe the wetland without getting their feet wet.

“It’s hot, humid, and some of our neighbors would have it no other way,” said Alachua County Environmental Specialist Milo Neelands. “This time of year, the wetlands are buzzing with the sounds of birds, insects, and amphibians.”

Learn more about Alachua County Forever. 

​The Day Camp at Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center has wrapped up for the summer of 2024. The center hosted eight weeks of Day Camp. The day camps averaged 75 kids per week, between the ages of 7 to 12. Campers enjoyed activities like swimming, arts and crafts, climbing wall, archery, and kayaking. The Children’s Trust of Alachua County and the Friends of Cuscowilla provided scholarships for the Day Camp for those who qualified. 

Campers spent a week with the UF/IFAS Extension of Alachua County, where they learned about topics like entomology, water ecology and livestock knowledge.

Campers took weekly field trips that included the Santa Fe Zoo, Poe Springs, Alachua County Sports Complex, and more. Swim lessons were provided for those who needed them. 

Read more about the summer camps.

All Alachua County government offices (except emergency services) will be closed on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Labor Day will not affect residential curbside collection service for solid waste, recycling and yard trash. In addition, the Hazardous Waste Collection Center and the Leveda Brown Environmental Park and Transfer Station will be open during regularly scheduled hours on Monday, Sept. 2.

The five Alachua County Rural Collection Centers and the Office of Waste Collection will be closed. They will resume normal schedules on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

For more information, contact Alachua County Solid Waste and Resource Recovery Director Gus Olmos at 352-338-3233.

The holiday does not affect the Alachua County Animal Resources schedule. The office and shelter are closed on Monday, per their regular schedule.

Animal Resources Officers respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays, to matters affecting public safety and animals in immediate danger. Citizens should dial 911 to report such emergencies on Sundays, holidays, and between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. 

Alachua County Animal Resources can be reached at 352-264-6870 during regular hours (Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., excluding holidays).

The Florida Department of Health in Alachua County is closed on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Their offices will reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

School Bus Safety Reminders for Drivers

Motorists are required to stop when approaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing and stop arms extended (see the above diagrams for visual examples).

• All drivers moving in either direction on a two-way street must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children and the school bus stop arm is withdrawn (see diagram Two Lane).
• On a highway divided by a paved median, all drivers moving in either direction must stop for aschool bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children and the school bus stop arm is withdrawn. (see diagram Multi-Lane).
• The only time traffic approaching an oncoming school bus does not need to stop is if there is araised barrier such as a concrete divider or at least five feet of unpaved space separating the lanes of traffic (see diagram Divided Highway).
• On a highway divided by a raised barrier or an unpaved median at least five feet wide, drivers moving in the opposite direction do not have to stop for the bus (painted lines or pavement markings are not considered barriers). However, these motorists should slow down and watch for students loading or unloading from the bus (see diagram Divided Highway).

The penalty for failure to stop for a school bus is $265. If a second offense is committed within five years, the drivers' license will be suspended for up to one year.

The penalty for passing a school bus on the side that children enter and exit when the school bus displays a stop signal is $465. If a second offense is committed within five years, the drivers' license can be suspended up to two years.

For more safety tips, visit the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles School Bus Safety website.