The Micanopy NO Dog Standing Athwart Tuscawilla Yelling STOP
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Vol. 1, #4Ex April 15, 2021 The Micanopy NO Dog Standing athwart Tuscawilla yelling STOP Extra! Micanopy Town Commission Goes Squishy on Dollar General April 13, 2021. In a follow up to the Dollar General "Stakeholder's Process" convened By the Town of Micanopy on April 6, Town Commission again directed attention to the matter at its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Tuesday. Notwithstanding intense community interest, the Dollar General issue was the penultimate agenda item, coming after declaration of April as "Water Conservation Month," figuring out how to sell the Town's flatbed truck (asking price $24,995), and further discussion of a stop sign that that the Commission had already moved and voted to approve. By the time the Commission finally came 'round to the Dollar General matter, a goodly number of persons who were present at the 7PM meeting start time had left. Notwithstanding, lively discussion ensued. It was apparent that those in attendance who cared enough to still Be there were largely opposed to the Dollar General project at the intersection of US Highway 441 and Tuscawilla Road. But comments to the effect that "only the loudest voices are Being heard" were accorded due respect by opponents, and it was reiterated that a Dollar General store would Be supported By most, were it to Be constructed at a more appropriate location with improved accessiBility to the residents to whom it would truly Be of most Benefit. The Town Commission was offered a set of proposed motions pursuant to the Stakeholder meeting (see Below). The overall intent of these motions was first, that stakeholder input would Be taken seriously By the County; and second, that the Developer who points to law for rights to develop would be held to the same law insofar as it pertains to development standards. It is understood that the Town of Micanopy cannot force the County of Alachua to do, or to not do, anything By virtue of such motions. However a position statement By the Town through the representative government of its citizens would no douBt carry weight. Motion to accept was made By Commissioner Mike RoBerts and seconded By Commissioner Tim Parker. In the ensuing discussion Commissioner Troy Blakely challenged the historical importance of the proposed development property. He suggested that the issue was not a matter of the Town Commission's Business and that those who had issues should take them to the County directly. And he implied that nonresidents including Micanopy Business owners and Native Americans had neither stakeholder rights nor rights to Be heard at the Town Commission meeting. Comments By Commissioner Timothy Parker were muddled. He mentioned the possiBility of the development having access to city water if the development site was elsewhere. (over) (from reverse) Squishy Mickey (cont'd) Ayes to carry were made by Commissioner Roberts and Mayor Joseph Aufmuth. The nays were by Commissioners Blakely and Parker. Oddly, Commissioner Parker voted "Nay" with the "Ayes," and then when asked by Mayor Aufmuth for clarification voted "Nay" against the motion he had just seconded. Commissioner Ginny Mance was absent. With the vote 2-2 the motion failed to go forward. Proposed Motions for the Town Commission 1. In satisfaction of the contingency placed upon the Developer to engage in a "Stakeholder's Process," that Alachua County will take Micanopy Stakeholder input into consideration and require modifications of the Development Plan to address Stakeholder concerns with respect to building orientation, lighting mitigation, and architecture, as follow: 2. That in accordance with Alachua County Uniform Land Development Code (ULDC) 404.73(b), the convenience store shall not exceed a total floor area greater than 8,000 square feet. 3. That in accordance with ULDC 403.13(a), the long axis of the building shall face US Highway 441. 4. That consistent with the spirit of ULDC 403.13(b) the driveway entrance to the convenience store shall be from a deceleration lane on southbound US 441. 5. That in accordance with ULDC 405.51(b), the structure shall demonstrate architectural design with a focus on local historical vernacular architectural features; that the Alachua Growth Management Department shall take as a report for review of local vernacular architectural design, as stipulated by the Development Review Committee, the 2015-16 Micanopy Historic District Survey Final Report, 22997, on file with the State of Florida Division of Historical Resources; and that the Development Plan be required to comply with the Micanopy historical architectural vernacular for commercial retail space as defined therein, namely as a multistory building. Incumbent Term ends Mayor Joseph Aufmuth March 2022 Mayor Pro Tem Timothy Parker March 2022 Commissioner Ginny Mance March 2024 Commissioner Troy Blakely March 2023 Commissioner Mike Roberts March 2023 Vol. 1, #4 April 15, 2021 The Micanopy NO Dog Standing athwart Tuscawilla yelling STOP Important Meeting! A Public Hearing to consider desig- nation of Tucawilla Road as an Alachua County Scenic Road will be held on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at 5:00 PM EDT at the County Administration Building, 12 SE 1st Street in Gainesville (southeast corner of Main Street at University Avenue). pork... for taste keen A Dog NO Micanopy GENERAL DOLLAR NO Micanopy, FL 32667 Post Office Box 9 The Micanopy NO Dog Oklahoma, captured under white flag and Natives Thrown Off imprisoned, or killed, were eventually pushed into the Everglades. Their Own Land (Again) Several Native American members of Florida April 6, 2021. It was sure to be contentious. But Indigenous Rights and Environmental Equality who had any idea it would go down like this! (FIREE) showed up for the Micanopy "Stakeholder's Process." Robert Rosa, a FIREE Five Sheriff Deputies converged on the Micanopy spokesman, expressed concern about possible Christian Fellowship church after receiving a disturbance of Native remains interred on the complaint of trespass and assault. A development site, stating that a "Phase II" "Stakeholder's Process" meeting was being held cultural resources by the Town of Micanopy assessment survey was to discuss the planned needed to preclude as development of a Dollar much. However the aud- General store across the ience had previously been street. The development instructed by Micanopy site is at the intersection Mayor Joseph Aufmuth of US Highway 441 and that discussion was Tuscawilla Road, a scenic limited, and could only tree-canopied gateway address the specific issues into town. It is adjacent of building orientation, to the Tuscawilla Nature lighting mitigation, and Preserve, abuts the architecture. Mr. Rosa Micanopy Native declared that the entire American Heritage Park, Alachua County develop- and is believed to be the ment review process was site of the 1836 Battle of undemocratic. He called Micanopy of the Second out Beth Dodd, an Seminole War. A Native unelected employee of the burial mound is located Alachua County Growth Management within the Heritage Park only a few hundred Department, as the person who had engineered a yards away, and other mounds are present on preliminary approval for the development plan, adjacent properties. pointing out that Ms. Dodd had actually been a recent employee of the developer. Important historical context is that US settler- colonialism began after Spain ceded La Florida in The Natives left the meeting room to sing and to 1819 (ratified by Congress in 1821). Natives smudge with sage. Then Stuart Flores, a Native were displaced by the Treaty of Moultrie Creek and a FIREE member, brought smoldering sage (1823) from their original home in the Alachua back into the meeting room to smudge territory to a southerly reservation in the Florida participants. The room filled with a light haze of interior. That the treaty was coerced and fragrant smoke. Most of those in attendance crooked is moot because that arrangement was were delighted. But the developer's attorney, only temporary anyway: In 1830 Congress Mr. Theriaque, seemed distressed and begged for passed the Indian Removal Act, an unapologetic a recess. Deputies arrived shortly afterwards. policy of total ethnic cleansing in the Arrests appeared imminent. But tempers were southeastern US. The Second Seminole War soothed following an intercession by Aaron ensued. Those Natives that were not banished to Weber, a Micanopy area resident. The Natives The Micanopy NO Dog were allowed to depart peaceably rather than to be removed forcefully. April Fool Blasts FIREE maintains that the report of trespass and Through Town assault was false and was made in order to prompt a response by the Sheriff Department. In April 1, 2021. A high-speed chase by Alachua a social media post invoking the Turtle Island County Sheriff Deputies through "downtown" creation narrative -- a Native Genesis narrative - Micanopy ended when the perp's car was finally - and to their historical experience of settler- pinned by four law enforcement vehicles. The colonialist expulsion, FIREE advised it "...will not entire episode was caught on dash cam. (and this, permit [latter day] colonial settlers to violate the you gotta see! https://youtu.be/sEUenX6Xj6A). civil, legal, or other rights of the Indigenous Miraculously nobody was killed or injured. Peoples of Turtle Island without consequence. FIREE will be taking action...." A Deputy first spotted a tan Chevy station wagon making a reckless entry into the Café Risqué The FIREE position in this matter would parking lot. Evidently the driver was in a big probably have merit. It is difficult to see how hurry. participation as "stakeholders," which the Natives apparently would be, could be construed The Deputy followed the vehicle into the CR as "trespass" in a publically open "stakeholder's" parking lot but the vehicle pulled back out onto meeting held in a publically open Christian CR 234 (that's "County Road," not "Café Risqué") church.