The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) recently heard an initial request for a large-scale development on 4000+ acres known as the Lee Property. Much of this property, which spans both sides of Parker Road west of Haile and east of the City of Newberry, is in a designated Strategic Ecosystem called the Hickory Sink. It is an important aquifer recharge area, has environmentally sensitive features, and is important habitat for many imperiled plants and animals.
This property was discussed at a third Stakeholder Neighborhood Workshop at Terwilliger Elementary School on October 2, 2023 @ 5:30 PM.
We learned at this meeting that the original proposal for a massive development on 4,068 acres was tossed out and a new plan was presented to the public. This time, the proposal calls for 3,400 acres of this sensitive land to be set aside as conservation land. The remaining acreage, located on the north side of the property abutting the Oakmont neighborhood to the north and the Haile neighborhood to the east, is to be donated to UF for a golf course.
The Special Area Study report and related information can be found here. A staff report will be available at this same link in early November.
The proposed development is also scheduled for discussion at an Alachua County Commission Special meeting that is open to the public:
November 7, 2023 @ 5:00 PM: Alachua County Commission Special Meeting at the Alachua County Administration Building, Jack Durrance Auditorium, 12 SE 1st St, Gainesville, FL 32601. Watch this website for the agenda to be posted.
We encourage LWVAC members and the community to attend any or all of the meetings discussing this property.
