Title
East Gainesville Sprout Project Property Acquisitions (B)
Explanation
At the February 28, 2000 City Commission meeting, staff presented a recommendation from the East Gainesville Sprout Project Task Force to remove a 300-foot wide corridor from the Florida Conservation Trust (FCT) acquisition plan for the proposed Depot Avenue stormwater park. A boundary modification to the acquisition plan is being sought to enable the City to encourage urban infill development along the edge of the park. The City Commission recommended staff prepare a boundary modification that is more cost feasible than the 300-foot proposal. This would provide a more affordable solution for the City to purchase the land outside the FCT project boundary with the option that it be used either for the stormwater park or for urban infill development. Land purchases outside the FCT project boundary are not eligible for partial reimbursement by FCT.
Staff has internally discussed alternative land uses for infill along the edge of the proposed stormwater park. Residential uses may be feasible as long as environmental cleanup plans currently being developed satisfy residential health standards. Office space may be possible and is compatible with residential uses. A charter school may be another compatible use. Commercial uses may be feasible as well. Site plans must be designed to be physically compatible with the outdoor recreational elements of the park as required by the FCT grant agreement.
If development is desired along the park edge, staff recommends modifying the FCT project boundary in order to allow the possibility of a mixed-use development on the northwest corner of the proposed park. The boundary modification, totaling approximately 4.04 acres, excludes one parcel owned by MCB Oil and two parcels owned by CSX Transportation. The recommendation encourages at minimum the following design elements: streetscape improvements to South Main Street south of Depot Av...
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