Alachua now has the authority to set up special assessment areas, the commission approved Monday.
“The true intent is to make sure that people who are not impacted, who do not get the benefit of something, are not getting assessed for it,” said City Attorney Marian Rush, at the first reading of the ordinance on March 22.
So far, one group of property owners has stepped forward interested in setting up an assessment area for stormwater basins to service the 226.1-acre section of land between the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter site and the existing Rolling Oaks Plaza.
The stormwater basin would be city-maintained, but the burden to pay for the maintenance would be on the area’s property owners.
The ordinance approved Monday does not set up this assessment area; it merely gives the city authority to set up special assessment areas in the incorporated city. The city would need to make two additional resolutions to set up any specific assessment area.
“By the City being able to do a special assessment area, the City is able to say, ‘that’s fine, but if you want it, you’re going to be assessed for it because everybody in the city should not pay for that because that is only benefitting you,’” Rush said.
Adam Boukari, assistant to the city manager, talked about the benefits of assessment areas for stormwater at the Feb. 22 commission meeting.
“Given the potential future development of this area, having central stormwater basins would be beneficial to the city in lieu of several smaller basins, in an effort toward master stormwater planning,” Boukari said.
“Additionally, with considerations to the karst-sensitive region, the City would be able to more easily monitor the runoff in two larger basins rather than multiple smaller basins.”
Commissioner Jean Calderwood said the move benefits the city and takes advantage of good partnerships between city government, property owners and developers.
“I think this illustrates partnering,” Calderwood said. “You can maintain a quality of life and maintain our environment in a very responsible way. I think it’s a good step in the right direction.”
Mayor-elect Gib Coerper said he’s lived next to the property for 36 years.
“The first 25 years it was a blank piece of property, so I’ve seen a lot of changes,” Coerper said. “I was apprehensive at first, when all this was going on. But you know, they’ve done an excellent job on that piece of property.
“All the planning that’s been done on it is well thought-out. The view out my kitchen window is a little different than it had been in all those first 25 years. It’s been a great project, and I appreciate the work.”