DRC approves 108‑acre rural cluster subdivision; $9,620 tree mitigation fee required

The Alachua County Development Review Committee on Aug. 15 approved a final development plan for a roughly 108‑acre rural cluster subdivision (24 lots) at 9746 W. State Road 235 and recommended the plat for consideration by the Board of County Commissioners.

Jacob Stau, planner for Growth Management, outlined site layout, roadway stubs for future connections, and a conservation/open-space plan that preserves roughly 97.9% of the existing tree canopy within conservation management areas. Stau also said staff inadvertently omitted a condition from the written report that must be added: prior to issuance of a construction permit the applicant must pay a tree mitigation fee of $9,620 to Alachua County Parks and Conservation Lands via Growth Management, or provide a revised plan demonstrating compliance with tree mitigation requirements. "Prior to issuance of construction permit, pay tree mitigation fee of $9,620 to Alachua County Parks and Conservation Lands via the growth management department or provide a revised plan demonstrating compliance with tree mitigation requirements," staff said.

Committee members asked about cultural resources and whether a tobacco barn on the property was significant; Emily Rodriguez of the Environmental Protection Department said the barn was evaluated as historic by age but was not found to be significant. Applicant representative Claudia Vega said a manmade pond on the site would be pumped out and backfilled with clean material and that the environmental report did not find turtles in that pond area.

The committee moved to approve the final development plan with the stated conditions and to recommend the plat to the Board of County Commissioners; staff noted the plat will be considered by the Board on Sept. 10 at 11:30 a.m.