Alachua eyes 110-acre recreation center expansion

The City of Alachua is reinforcing its hold as an area leader in recreation by making a move to purchase additional recreation land. 

The City Commission voted Monday night 5-0 to authorize City Manager Traci Cain to enter into negotiations and a contract to purchase approximately 110 acres for future recreation purposes for the City at a price tag of $1.25 million. 

The property to be purchased is located west of the Hal Brady Recreation Complex and for several years has been slated to be a 200-home subdivision known as Heather Glen.

Assistant to the City Manager Adam Boukari gave a presentation to commissioners Monday evening, outlining the details of the property with potential layouts of future recreation facilities.  The Commission gave a nod to the project, but required that the City not expend any of its General Fund to acquire the property. 

The City will have 12 months to raise the total funds of which $1.15 million would be the purchase price and the remaining $100,000 would be the property owner’s carrying costs for 12 months.

Boukari stated that the City would be able to dedicate $300,000 of Wild Spaces, Public Places tax revenue toward the project.  The sales tax, which was passed by Alachua County voters in 2008, is a two-year half-cent surtax that sunsets in December 2010.  The City has currently received over $546,000 in surtax revenue to date.

Several area residents, including some who live near the parcel to be acquired, were in attendance at Monday night’s meeting and spoke to the Commission regarding the project.  The vast majority of those speaking about the proposal were supportive of the property being converted into recreational uses. 

Residents from Colonial Heights subdivision, which is a residential neighborhood adjacent to the 110-acre property, did offer their concerns.  The residents were generally supportive, but stated they would like to see a fence erected between Colonial Heights and the proposed recreation property.  Residents also stated that they would like to see a buffer between the properties to limit the impacts of ball field lights and sounds.

The property’s appraised value is $2,060,800 and the current property owner, JTD Land at Heather Glen, LLC, will be making a charitable contribution of the difference in appraised value and the City’s $1.15 million purchase price.  The City currently uses some of the 110-acre property for parking for its annual July 4^th celebration.

Boukari stated that over the next 12 months the City would be looking for grants to assist in funding the project as well funds from other government entities.  Additionally, Boukari reported the City would initiate an aggressive fundraising campaign for private contributions for the property.