- The Alachua City Commission rezoned 182 acres for the Farmlands Commercial development, expected to include a Walmart, by a 3-1 vote.
- Utility rates for water, wastewater, and electricity will increase, costing typical residential customers about $53 more annually.
- City Manager Rodolfo Valladares received an outstanding annual performance rating with a score of 9 from the commission.
The Alachua City Commission finalized rezoning ordinances on Monday for the controversial Farmlands Commercial development and approved utility rate increases on second reading. It also approved City Manager Rodolfo Valladares’s annual performance evaluation.
With Commissioner Jackson Youmas absent, the commission voted 3-1 to rezone the 182-acre project that’s expected to bring a Walmart to Alachua. Commissioner Jacob Fletcher dissented from the vote because he felt the applicant’s traffic studies weren’t sufficient.
Vice Mayor Jennifer Ringersen said she voted for the item with an understanding that more details on the traffic plans would come back before the commission in the next phase with the site plan…