The Alachua County 2020 Charter Review Commission (CRC) will meet on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, at 5:30 p.m. in the Jack Durrance Auditorium (room 209), located on the second floor of the Alachua County Administration Building (12 S.E. 1st Street, downtown Gainesville). The public is encouraged to attend and comment on ideas for Charter Amendments.
Those wanting to speak on the submitted proposals outlined below are encouraged to attend this meeting. The CRC will be discussing whether items should be advanced or eliminated. The CRC will discuss as many items as time permits. Items not discussed will be continued to a following meeting.
The meeting agenda includes:
1. Housing Presentation (Alachua County Growth Management-20 Minutes)
2. Lobbyists Discussion
3. Review the submissions below for advancement or elimination.
A. LAND USE – BUILT ENVIRONMENT
1 - County land use governance to remain after annexations. On January 22, this item was advanced for legal analysis.
10 - Uniform environmental ordinances for the County and Municipalities
16 - Recreation requirements
25 - Require all urban land and real estate developers to donate 25% of what they create to public housing or wild spaces. On January 8, this item was advanced for legal analysis.
31 - Public participation in interlocal agreements
32 - Increase notification distance of land use changes. On January 8, this item was sponsored by Robbins with no second.
B. LAND USE - NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
37 - Rights of Nature: On January 8, this item was advanced for legal analysis.
41 - Santa Fe River Bill of Rights
C. COUNTY CHARTER OFFICERS
12 - proposes fiscal responsibility and accountability (see also 23)
17 - Environmental Protection Officer
23 - County Auditor
33 - Inspector General
46 - County Manager residency
D. CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION
28 - require representation from both urban and rural parts of the County on future Charter Review Commissions
39 - Charter Review Commission diversity in appointments
E. FALSE CLAIMS/WHISTLEBLOWER LAW
18 - False claims/whistleblower law
In 1986, the electorate established a home rule charter for Alachua County. This gave the County the full local home rule benefits afforded by the Constitution of the State of Florida. Every ten years, the CRC reviews the Charter and proposes amendments or revisions for placement on the general election ballot, which in the case of this CRC would be the November 2020 ballot.
The members of the 2020 CRC are Penny Wheat (Chair), Joe Little (Vice-Chair), Douglas Bernal, K. Richard Blount, Scott Camil, James Ingle, Pradeep Kumar, Erroll “Stanley” Richardson, Tamara Robbins, James Thompson, and Kristen Young.
The public is encouraged to attend the meeting. The meeting will be available to view on Cox Cable Channel 12,
Facebook Live, and the County’s
Video on Demand website.