Alachua County DRC approves 22‑lot Havenwood Reserve preliminary plan amid neighbors’ safety and wetlands concerns

The Alachua County Development Review Committee on Feb. 19 approved a preliminary development plan for Havenwood Reserve, a proposed subdivision of up to 22 single‑family detached lots on about 34.4 acres. The plan was approved after more than an hour of public comment from neighboring residents and representatives of the Garrison Way Homeowners Association about construction traffic, public‑road access and environmental protections.

Staff and the applicant presented the project as a low‑density proposal that preserves large portions of the site’s tree canopy and wetlands. Senior Planner Leslie McClendon said staff found the preliminary plan consistent with the county comprehensive plan and Unified Land Development Code and recommended approval with conditions. Clay Swagger of EDA Consultants, representing the applicant, told the committee the proposal is “very low density” at about 0.64 units per acre and highlighted environmental protections.

Neighbors and the Garrison Way HOA urged the committee to delay action or add conditions to address construction impacts. James H. McCarty Jr., representing the Garrison Way HOA, said construction vehicles using narrow, winding neighborhood streets create “a health and safety concern” for children and seniors and asked for limits on construction access times, staging and no‑staging zones inside the subdivision to reduce traffic and noise during construction. Multiple residents said pickup and dump trucks negotiating tight turns could cause property damage and present a danger to pedestrians.

The applicant and staff responded that legal vehicular access for the site is through the existing public connection to Tower Road and that the project is limited to 22 lots (fewer than 24, the threshold that would require a second access). Project engineer Sergio Reyes said utility stop‑outs for water, sewer and electric will be provided at road stub locations so adjacent properties could connect later, and that “inside of the project, we have to underground all the utilities,” while existing utilities outside the project may remain overhead.

On environmental protections, the applicant and staff said wetlands and required wetland buffers are designated as conservation management areas and will not be cleared. Clay Swagger told the committee the plan preserves roughly “47% of the existing tree canopy,” and staff noted seven landmark live oaks on the property that will require county approval to remove and are proposed to be preserved.

Residents also raised other concerns, including private wells near the boundary, trespassing on private roads, and the presence of Native American artifacts in the general area. Gwen Williams said there are at least three wells near her property; engineer Sergio Reyes said staff’s environmental consultant surveyed only the applicant’s property and did not observe neighbor wells, but the team checked county health department well records to locate wells and will ensure required setbacks are met. The applicant said an archaeological survey was submitted with the application.

County Public Works acknowledged that construction traffic must use the available public routes and said construction hours, erosion‑sediment control, and measures to address tracking and dust will be addressed at final plan review and monitored by public works inspectors. Staff also noted that the county will notify interested citizens and post a new sign when a final application is submitted.

After hearing public comment and staff responses, a committee member moved to approve the preliminary development plan for Havenwood Reserve; the motion passed by voice vote. The approval allows the project to proceed to final engineering and a later public hearing on the final development plan, where construction staging, traffic control plans and other details will be reviewed.