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City officials to consider Gainesville annexation plans

By Ken Stanford Contributing Editor
Posted 11:39AM on Saturday 1st December 2012 ( 11 years ago )
GAINESVILLE - The city of Gainesville's latest plans plans to annex islands of property surrounded by the city go before the city planning and zoning board and the city council Tuesday in separate meetings.

This comes four years after the city ditched plans to annex 561 "islands" around the city following a public outcry. This time around the city is seeking the annexation of more than 100 tracts. State law allows for the annexation of such properties without the consent of the owners.

City officials in 2008 defended the proposals against charges of a "land grab," saying bringing the parcels into the city would be beneficial to the property owners as well as the city. (See earlier story.)
But the plans were dropped and the city agreed to waive the $500 annexation fee for any of the property owners willing to voluntarily come into the city. (See earlier story.)

The current plan involves 115 parcels totaling about 197 acres.

The Gainesville Planning & Appeals Board is to consider the matter at a public hearing and called meeting at 9:00 Tuesday at the Gainesville Justice Center on Queen City Parkway. The city council will also hold a public hearing on the proposal during its regular meeting which begins later that day at 5:30 and at the same place.

Community Development Director Rusty Ligon said earlier this month most of the property in question this time involve commercial tracts along the city's gateway corridors, such as Highway 60 and Highway 129. He said the idea is to help better define city boundaries.

"Also, it would help provide a more consistent appearance to the city's Gateway corridors," Ligon said. "This would be done with having a uniform zoning standard.

The largest is 18.11 acres at 2337 White Sulphur Road, owned by Indigo Energy Partners, LLC. The two smallest each cover .07 acre. One is owned by Faye Meeks Shadburn and is at 315 Atlanta Highway. Jose David Salinas owns the other, which is at 112 Atlanta Highway.

Ligon said all of the property owners have been notified by mail of the city's intentions.
Rusty Ligon

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