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Board approves Eastwood Preserve preliminary development plan with large conservation set-aside
Summary
Alachua County commissioners unanimously approved the Eastwood Preserve preliminary development plan: a 149-unit single-family subdivision on about 81.16 acres that preserves roughly 40% of the site in conservation, protects seven landmark live oaks and commits to dark-sky lighting, stormwater controls and HOA standards.
Alachua County commissioners unanimously approved the preliminary development plan (PDP) for Eastwood Preserve, a proposed 149-unit single-family subdivision on about 81.16 acres near the intersection of Southeast Hawthorne Road and Lakeshore Drive.
Development review manager Christine Barish told the board the PDP is consistent with the county comprehensive plan, noting the site includes low-density residential and conservation future land-use designations and multiple zoning categories (including R1A and Conservation C1). Barish said the plan caps the number of units at 149, establishes a 200-foot conservation buffer along the eastern boundary that allows only green space, stormwater management areas, tree preservation and utility infrastructure (no roadways or lots), and preserves seven landmark live oaks. "Tree canopy we have 47.7% of the property set aside in tree canopy preservation," Barish said.
Applicant consultant Clay Swagger of EDA Consultants reiterated that the PDP honors prior land-use and zoning decisions, limits full vehicular access to Lakeshore Drive (emergency access only), and places almost 40% of the site into conservation management areas (CMAs) or easements. Swagger said the team has worked with the county arborist, provided a tree survey, will meet stringent stormwater standards (county code, FDEP and water-management-district requirements) and will include dark-sky lighting standards and Florida-friendly landscape standards in HOA documents.
Why it matters: The PDP approval binds finishing steps for engineering, stormwater design and conservation easements and allows the applicant to proceed to final engineering and platting subject to those conditions and future staff review.
Board discussion was largely commendatory: several commissioners praised the developer’s conservation commitments and suggested packaging the project’s standards as a model for future developments. An applicant representative said HOA covenants will explicitly require fertilizer and irrigation standards and lighting limits.
Procedure and next steps: The board convened the LDRC consistency finding and then approved the PDP by motion; staff and the applicant will return with final engineering, a conservation-easement package and HOA documents for review and recording. The vote was unanimous.
