Alachua County Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously passed a 12-part motion to discourage current and future development around Mill Creek Sink in the city of Alachua.
The Sink funnels water from the 70 square miles that surround it into vast caverns of the Floridan Aquifer, making it a jaw-dropping diving site and a highway for contaminants.
Gainesville-based developer Sayed Moukhtara has five projects in the Mill Creek area, each in different phases of approval and construction. Two residential projects, called Tara Baywood and Tara Forest East, passed with little ceremony. Stormwater infrastructure proposed for Tara April is awaiting public hearing. Commercial property Tara Phoneicia is under review.
The 523-home neighborhood, Tara Forest West, which won initial approval by the City of Alachua in July, has drawn the most scrutiny from residents, elected officials and divers who say the project threatens vast underwater caves.
Alachua County residents drafted a petition, now at 2,000 signatures, and formed a community group to oppose Tara Forest West. In August, Alachua County and the City of High Springs filed for affected party and third-party intervener status respectively, saying water quality could be impacted by the development.
At Tuesday’s meeting, county environmental protection staff said their main concerns were the potential for sinkhole formation and high water use for landscaping, both of which could carry pollutants to the aquifer.
As for protecting Mill Creek, “obviously the best strategy is to create conservation land,” said Stacie Greco, the county’s Water Resources Program Manager. Since Tara Forest West has already received preliminary approval from the city, that option isn’t likely.
Instead, Greco and county Environmental Protection Department Director Stephen Hofstetter discussed opportunities to minimize the development’s impact. Hofstetter listed measures including berms to separate stormwater basins, biological filters to clean water and permeable pavements.
“Are we beyond the stage at which we can have an influence on low-impact development in that plan?” asked Commissioner Anna Prizzia.
“They’re at a final stage,” replied Hofstetter. “I don’t know how much we can do in changing that design.”
That didn’t stop the commission from trying.
County commissioners directed their own staff to write letters to the Suwannee River Water Management District and City of Alachua to consider delaying any future approvals in the Mill Creek area. Staff will also ask if Moukhtara would consider selling Tara Phoneicia, the project farthest from approval and closest to the Mill Creek cave system, to the county.
For future projects affecting environmentally sensitive areas, the motion recommends county staff should:
- Strengthen county stormwater codes, regulations and procedures
- Eliminate the current self-certification process for county stormwater regulations and requiring certification earlier, prior to preliminary approval
- Review comprehensive plans for municipalities and identify where there might be conflicts with sensitive environmental areas
- Ensure financial reserves, in the case of a legal challenge
“I want to try to work all this stuff out,” said Cornell, “but I want us to be ready on our balance sheet if in fact we have to [challenge].”
“I can’t think of a more sensitive place than a development on top of a cave system that goes right into the aquifer,” he said.
Citizens agreed. Sixteen people lined up to speak, many donning blue shirts to show their support of clean water, an effort encouraged by the Our Alachua Water community group. After commissioners approved the motion, cheers broke out in the chamber.
“Normally I’d have a point of order and not allow applause,” said Commission Chair Mary Alford, “but, I mean, yeah I’m with you.”
Soyini “Soy” Kojo, a City of Alachua resident who lives near the proposed development, called the commission’s decision formative and actionable. “It’s giving us a lot of hope and faith in our elected leaders,” she said. “We just feel like our voice has been heard and we’re liking the response that we’re getting.”
Childers Law sent a letter to the county commission on Sept. 27 on behalf of Tara Forest. The letter criticized statements made by Prizzia about the development during a Sept. 10 board meeting. “This public positioning was itself irresponsible,” read the letter. “It was not only misguided but has defamed the project and its principals, introduced significant risk, and caused what may become substantial damages.”
The letter called for “constructive discussions” with the county. Hofstetter said that county staff will meet with representatives from the developer and the City of Alachua on Oct. 3 to discuss concerns and next steps.