Planning board forwards multiple voluntary annexations and rezones, and recommends AgTech Park rezoning

The City of Newberry Planning & Zoning Board on Aug. 26 read and recommended approval of a large group of voluntary annexations and subsequent land-use and zoning changes, and separately recommended city-initiated rezoning of a 165.88-acre parcel to the city’s new Agriculture Technology (AgTech) zoning district. The batch items were procedural small-scale future land-use amendments and rezoning ordinances to move properties from Alachua County rural agricultural (≤1 dwelling unit per 5 acres) into the City of Newberry agricultural designation and city zoning. Staff described the group as voluntary annexations that were formally annexed on Aug. 11; the planning board read ordinance language for many parcels and, after staff entered presentations into the record, voted to forward each to the city commission. The votes on each ordinance were recorded as unanimous by voice vote. Separately, staff presented an application to rezone a 165.88-acre parcel (parcel ID referenced on the record) from Agriculture A to the Agriculture Technology (A-T) zoning district as a city-initiated action for the Newberry Agriculture Technology Park. Miss Rodriguez, the staff presenter on the AgTech item, described the rezoning as “the keystone to bring the Agriculture Technology Park to fruition” and told the board, “I’m super excited about this, and you all should be too.” Staff said the proposed zoning aligns with the City of Newberry comprehensive plan, the land development regulations and the city’s strategic plan objective to facilitate the AgTech Park. Board members asked about potential impacts on nearby residences adjacent to the AgTech parcel. A board member who identified herself as a neighbor sought reassurance that the district’s standards would protect adjacent residential areas from inappropriate building forms; staff reiterated that the district’s intent includes protecting adjacent residential and commercial areas and that specific building proposals would be reviewed later through site-plan and special-exception processes. For the AgTech rezoning, staff noted next steps: the matter, if forwarded by the board, will be scheduled for first reading at the city commission on Monday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. The planning board moved, seconded and voted unanimously to recommend adoption of Ordinance 2025-68 (LDR 25-29) to rezone the 165.88-acre parcel to Agriculture Technology. Taken together, the batch of annexation and rezoning readings will move multiple parcels into city land-use and zoning control; the AgTech rezoning establishes the first parcel to carry the new Agriculture Technology zoning district, enabling future site plans consistent with the district standards to be reviewed by staff and the board.