Gaza cease-fire discussion
Dozens of residents supporting the Israeli and Palestinian communities spoke to the County Commission during public comment about a previously proposed cease-fire resolution.
Last month, the commission deferred the resolution regarding the ongoing Israeli-Hamas War in Gaza and challenged all sides to draft a version they can agree on.
The item was not on the agenda, and no action was taken.
Animal Resources update
The commission heard the annual report from the county’s Animal Resources department.
Data shows that in 2023 the county took in more than 2,800 animals, an uptick of about 500 from the year prior. The department also saw a 12% increase (51%) in adoption rates in 2023.
In 2023, Animal Control fielded almost twice as many calls for service compared to 2022. That year, they also doubled the number of investigations and citations issued.
Last year, Animal Resources also onboarded more than 350 new volunteers and hosted more than 50 group activities and added 10 new rescue partners to its network to help with the workload.
New Animal Resources shelter
The commission directed staff to negotiate a lease with the University of Florida to build a new animal shelter, located off Southwest 23rd Terrace, on a 12.6-acre site.
The project includes a one-time lease payment of $3 million, with UF performing all environmental studies (and remediation if needed), architecture studies, and demolition of current buildings. The county will oversee architect and engineering procurement.
The board will vote on the final agreement at a later date.
Private roads
The County Commission voted to update its Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) for unpaved private roadways in subdivisions of less than 10 lots in the agriculture area.
Any preliminary development plan to create a private roadway of more than 1,000 feet in rural agricultural subdivisions (with less than 10 lots) will now come before the commission for approval.
Unpaved private roads aren’t allowed to go over 1,000 square feet based on the county’s current ULDC. The Development Review Committee currently approves all preliminary development plans in subdivisions with less than 10 lots in the rural agricultural area.
Wireless tower
A special-use permit was granted for NexTower Development Group II to build a 265-foot personal wireless services facility along North County Road 225, northwest of Waldo.
Towers over 200 feet are required by the FAA to have flashing white lights during the day and red at night. It will include a T-Mobile antenna and three future antennas.
Proclamations
The County Commission approved several proclamations, declaring Dec. 18 in Alachua County as Matthew Lewey Day. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Lewey lived a storied life, serving different roles throughout the communities he lived until his death in 1935.
He was a Civil War veteran for the Union Army, worked as a postmaster, served as the mayor of Newnansville (Alachua) in Alachua County, was a Gainesville councilman and was elected to the House of Representatives. He was Florida’s first Black newspaper editor (Gainesville Sentinel) and helped create the Independent Party of Florida.
The month of January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and National Radon Action Month.
The week of January 21-27 is recognized as National Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Week and Feb. 2 will be World Wetlands Day in Alachua County.
