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Board authorizes county to cover hearing officer cost in Rock Church appeal after disputed code interpretation
Summary
Property owners challenging development approvals at The Rock Church argued the county’s land-development code requires the applicant—not an intervening neighbor—to pay hearing costs. Commissioners cited code ambiguity and voted 3–2 to have the county pay the hearing officer costs so the appeal can be heard.
The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 9 debated whether a neighbor appealing a Development Review Committee approval should pay a hearing officer fee or whether the applicant should bear that cost. After extensive testimony from neighbors and county staff, the board voted 3–2 to authorize the county to pay the hearing-officer cost so the administrative hearing could proceed.
Don Morrison, a nearby property owner, argued the code’s repeated use of the term “applicant” means the development applicant (The Rock Church) should pay…
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