Alachua County Commissioners voted to delay decisions on an East Gainesville housing project and a new animal resources facility at a meeting Tuesday.
Legacy Community
The Alachua County Commission filed a motion to reject all proposals for a market-rate housing development in East Gainesville, putting the project on hold.
Market-rate housing is based on existing area market values and demand. It doesn’t rely on subsidies and government assistance.
The commission started looking for developers in December 2024. An independent evaluation committee selected four developers in May. Proposals were evaluated during public meetings and reviewed by the commission.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the county commission voted unanimously to deny the proposals, citing missing details such as the number of units, project timeline and financing. The property’s development was originally approved in August 2023.
Tommy Crosby, the assistant county manager for budget and fiscal services, said the delay will likely push the project back one year as they narrow down the project scope. He said staff could have “some viable options” ready by early September.
Commissioner Marihelen Prizzia was disappointed by the delay but emphasized that “every single person” on the county’s internal teams should be involved in shaping the project, she said.
“This is on all of us,” Prizzia said. “We really expected to have proposals at this stage that would be ready to move forward.”
Over $2 million has already been spent on the project, she said. Future proposals must include detailed information on infrastructure, budgeting and timelines to be considered, she added.
Community members expressed their concerns during public comment, urging the commission to consider them in future planning.
Sherry Roberts, a 58-year-old Gainesville resident, said the East Gainesville community firmly opposes modular housing and prefers single-family homes.
Modular homes are assembled in sections in a factory before they are transported to a permanent site. Single-family homes are often built on-site and have higher value.
“Imagine living 50 years in East Gainesville and you’ve only seen two quality neighborhoods built,” Roberts said. “We want to make our community look good like West Gainesville, so please consider us.”
Roberts urged the commission to improve outreach, suggesting flyers and signage to keep residents informed and involved. The county should try harder to reach “us small people,” she said.
Commissioner Prizzia said there needs to be a balance between community and developer needs. If the project doesn’t have the commercial viability to “stand on its own two feet,” developers may stray away from East Gainesville in the future, she said.
Commissioner Mary Alford agreed. She recommended people who oppose higher-density developments look at neighborhoods that successfully embraced the model. Homes spaced farther apart aren’t financially viable without county funding, she said.
Homes spaced farther apart typically increase infrastructure costs and limit the number of residents a developer can accommodate.
Animal shelter
A new animal resources facility is also on hold following Tuesday’s meeting.
The Alachua County Commissioners voted unanimously to explore alternative options for the location of the new facility.
Alachua County negotiated with the University of Florida for over a year to place a new animal shelter two miles southwest of UF’s main campus at the former Swine Unit.
The property was referred to as “Option A” by County Manager Michele Lieberman. “Option B” is a county-owned property off Waldo Road.
The commission focused exclusively on its negotiations with UF, but the lengthy process has prompted them to reconsider. The new motion instructs staff to search for alternative sites, with the county-owned property being the most likely option.
Lieberman said she had discussions with UF on Monday, noting UF still wants the county to place the facility at its site. UF believes they’re close to a lease agreement and has offered to reduce the cost of a 40-year lease from $3 million to $1 million, she said, though the savings would be shifted into more operational funding to the county.
Commissioner Mary Alford said she didn’t think the county-owned property off Waldo Road would be as beneficial for the community as the UF-adjacent property. However, she said she appreciated the Sept. 16 deadline as a way to pressure UF to finalize negotiations.
“I like having this hard deadline to light a fire under UF a little bit,” Alford said. “If we don’t have an answer by Sept. 16, then we need to go down Path B, even though I don’t see that site as being as beneficial to the community.”
The September meeting will coincide with a county visit to Tallahassee, where officials will work with the governor’s office to lift a reverter clause on the Waldo Road property. The reverter clause is a legal restriction that currently limits the land’s use to fairground-related purposes.
Pending a decision from UF, alternative site options will be presented to the commissioners during a later meeting.
The next Alachua County Commission meeting is July 8.
Contact Logan McBride at lmcbride@alligator.org. Follow him on X @logandmcbride.
Logan McBride is a journalism junior and the Summer 2025 city commission reporter. In his free time, he enjoys watching TV shows or playing basketball at Southwest Rec. He is also a big football fan and will die for Dak Prescott.
