Vol. 1, #7 June 1, 2021 The Micanopy NO Dog Standing athwart Tuscawilla yelling STOP
Show Up (dammit)!
There are 2½ (potentially 4) important public meetings coming up that will decide whether a Gainesville developer will be allowed to build a Dollar General store on an Alachua County Scenic Road at a Micanopy gateway. If the developer prevails, the forest will be destroyed and a drainage basin will be placed at the foot of the property where Tuscawilla road meets US Highway 441, the Old Florida Heritage Highway.
The development site is the very place where William Bartram in 1774 met Chief Ahaya the Cowkeeper, father of the Seminole Tribe and Nation. It's where in 1836 Osceola, a half-breed Seminole, and Gopher John Horse, a half - breed Black Seminole, fought US forces who were intent upon their ethnic cleansing. It's the site of a massive lithic scatter of chert flakes left over from the manufacture of axes and arrow points by Stone Age Natives. It's adjacent to the Micanopy Native American Heritage Preserve and burial ground. It's hammock land bordering Tuscawilla prairie; 170 bird species are documented on the prairie including bald eagles, kestrels, and sandhill cranes.
Is any of this important to you?: That we would cap over the land and the history and the wildlife with asphalt in order to sell beer and cigarettes and sugary colas and chips and cheap Chinese junk? Is it important to you to stop the march of sprawl and blight that is now beginning to encroach even upon the very boundaries of this oldest still- inhabited community in our state? Is it important to you to preserve just a little bit of what's left of Florida for your children and your grandchildren?
Well if it is, then come to the meetings! Be seen. Be heard. You have immense power. Use it! More inside.
too Elections, have Consequences
Dog NO Micanopy
GENERAL DOLLAR NO
32667 Fla. Micanopy,
9 Box Office Post The Micanopy NO Dog
The Devils Submit Their Speed Spy Speaks
Final Devel Plan Micanopy, May 26. As a salute to the 21st-
Gainesville, May 12. Staff Planner Leslie century on this occasion of Micanopy's McLendon at Alachua County's Growth bicentennial, the town joined along with your Management Department announced receipt of smart phone, your smart hi-fi, and your smart the Final Development Plan from Concept refrigerator to spy on you. Surreptitious devices Companies of Gainesville in alliance with the were installed to check up on your driving CHW engineering and public relations firm to habits. But Micanopy's purpose was entirely build a Dollar General convenience store at the innocent: To better understand ambient intersection of Tuscawilla Road and US Highway conditions on the Seminary and Cholokka 441. Her email announcement was sent as a racetracks, and whether four-way stops would blind copy to five "interested citizen[s]" and put the kabash on alleged speeders. included the below link to the complete set of Plan documents: The felicitous report from Speed Spy shows that Micanopy citizens are the biggest pokey-butts on https://alachuacounty.sharefile.com/d- Earth. Average speed on Cholokka for a count of s37a1dde7c0fa48db9e21563a7aab1784 3565 vehicles was 19.5 MPH. Over on the Seminary Speedway, average speed of 3303 At press time the Alachua County Growth vehicles was 23.4 MPH. Evidently, now 200 Management website displayed only the site years on, folks in Micanopy still putz around in 1- plan, Elevations, and Landscape Plan at this link: HP vehicles. growth-management.alachuacounty.us > But, of course, there's lies, there's damned lies, +Development Review > Development and there's statistics (Sam Clemens). Projects > Under Review > Micanopy Commercial Retail Store (CRS) Closer inspection of the numbers shows that 40% exceeded the 20 MPH limit on Cholokka Ms. McLendon indicated that County staff would whereas only 11% exceeded the 30 MPH limit on review the documents and return comments to the Seminary. Average speeders on Cholokka were applicant the first week of June. When the appli- 5.8 MPH over limit while average speeders on cation is cleared of any insufficiencies by County Seminary were 4 MPH over limit. Max speed in staff, the County must act within 180 days to either place was 61 MPH. approve, approve with conditions, or deny. That process takes place before the Development Review It proves this: You can put up any damn sign you Committee in a quasi-judicial public hearing. want. It doesn't matter.
Citizens who are interested to stay abreast on the We do, however, now have a baseline. If the matter of the proposed Micanopy Dollar General convenience store and the important upcoming odious DG is ever built, we could then meeting dates should contact the Growth scientifically determine the unhappy effect of Management Department at 352-374-5249 and more traffic passing by, some of it being drivers make the request for notifications. Alternatively, in a snit to pick up beer or cigarettes. Staff Planner McLendon can be contacted by email at [email protected]. There is also a message link at the Growth Management website cited above. !
The Micanopy NO Dog
Rural Comm-Ag: Unfortunately BoCC's renewed interest comes a More Moratorium in Store? bit too late as far as the prospective Micanopy Dollar General is concerned. But to forestall the
same thing from happening again in the few but Gainesville, May 25. The Alachua Board of still remaining Rural Commercial-Ag legacy County Commissioners held the first of two areas, BoCC enacted last December's temporary public hearings on whether to extend a moratorium to give the County time to unsnarl moratorium for an additional six months on the problem. applications and permits for development within areas designated as "Rural Commercial- Evidently the problem is really gnarly. The Agriculture." A 6-month moratorium was County needs more time. BoCC is asking for it. A initially placed on Rural Commercial-Ag last second BoCC public hearing on extending the December to give the County time to work on moratorium will take place in June. some long-overdue revisions to its Comprehensive Plan, the document that sets forth policies on future land use. BoCC Shares a Joint The Rural Commercial-Ag category is to some extent a legacy from earlier comp plans. Prior to with Micanopy 1991 rural lands typically lying along highway corridors were often zoned for commercial use. Micanopy, May 11. Micanopy Mayor Joe However the present Comp Plan signals for Aufmuth announced a joint meeting of the Town reclassifying these "Rural Commercial Commission with the Alachua Board of County Agriculture" areas to "Agriculture." This would Commissioners to be held on Tuesday, June 8 at restrict the kinds of development allowed. The 7:00 PM at Town Hall. At press time the meeting Comp Plan specifies that a somewhat nebulous agenda was not yet released. Apparently the "area-based Community and Neighborhood meeting will afford an important opportunity for Planning program" would do all this (see Policy Micanopy residents to voice their opinions, 3.11.1 of the Future Land Use Element). Strange including those related to a prospective Dollar to say no such process has ever occurred. Ever. General convenience store development at a Not the Community and Neighborhood Planning scenic gateway into town. Mark your calendars. program for the purpose stated. Not the reclassification. Three decades have passed.
In the meantime Concept Companies of Gainesville submitted a development plan for a Dollar General convenience store on Rural Commercial-Ag land situated at a tree-canopied gateway to Micanopy. The Comp Plan does, in fact, permit development of "neighborhood convenience centers" on Rural Commercial-Ag land, never mind that this particular piece of property is esthetically, historically, environmentally, and culturally significant. The land is just on the other side of Micanopy Town Limits; people in Micanopy soon discovered they had no say. Public outcry ensued causing BoCC to delve in. Vol. 1, #7 June 1, 2021 The Micanopy NO Dog Standing athwart Tuscawilla yelling STOP Opinion
From the Editor...
A Strategy Primer
Do we want a Dollar General on our scenic Tuscawilla Road? Hell No!
Does Concept Companies of Gainesville have the right to build one? Unfortunately, yes. Folks who know that this is one of the facts of life think we're fighting a battle already lost. We are not.
The fly in Concept Companies' ointment is that the building must be the one that the prospective tenant wants. But the governing County documents don't permit it; Concept Companies has got to wiggle it past a compliant Development Review Committee. So far, with the advantage of experience in the process, it has handily managed to do this. Influence within county and state governments has been a big help, too.
But now the tide is turning. The public is against them. As goes the public, so go the politicians. The rulebooks will be more carefully scrutinized.
So. Why should it be that Concept Companies would get a variance for big rig trucks on a County Scenic Road just because that's the way Dollar General likes to stock its stores? Why should the CHW engineers think a made-up single story faux-Cracker Barrel design conforms to any sort of historical architectural vernacular for Micanopy commercial retail space when it clearly does not, and there are documents of record to prove it, just because Dollar General wants a single story? How do you get away with saying it's not a "convenience store" and thus limited to 8000 square feet, smaller than desired, when it clearly is a convenience store?
The DRC will be given plenty of ammunition to shoot this turkey down. Just watch.
Mary Alford's Double Cross
Having heard her embarrassing approbations of the made-with-plastic faux-historical Dollar General and it's well-nigh invisible lights that turn off automatically, more than a few Micanopy residents have voiced regrets that they ever voted for now County Commissioner Mary Alford in the first place. Mary came on as an environmental champion and even claimed that her campaign was carbon neutral. "I am running to protect our water and environment, provide good planning for climate change and growth, and to maintain our current infrastructure," she said. Now she has to explain why she voted for permitting big rig trucks on Tuscawilla Road, a County Scenic Road. Yes, we feel double-crossed.
Mary blundered into it during some off-the-cuff ruminations about traffic consequences of a Dollar General entryway off Tuscawilla Road. She still has a chance to walk that back. To do so she needs to rethink some roadway safety issues at the intersection of Tuscawilla Road with US Highway 441. That intersection is a Double Cross.
A Dollar General must have a driveway. That's a given. The present Dollar General plan has its driveway entrance from Tuscawilla Road. That's a problem for Dollar General's trucks because big rigs aren't allowed on Alachua County Scenic Roads. And now, Tuscawilla Road is one of them. But that's not our problem. It's Dollar General's problem.
Our problem is the Double Cross. What's that? It's an intersection on US Highway 441 leading into both the southbound and northbound traffic lanes. And, there's an island in the middle that's like the eye of a hurricane. Deadly.
The prototype of the Double Cross is where County Road 234 meets Highway 441 just north of Micanopy. That intersection is busy: It's the bypass from I-75 around Micanopy. Southbound 441 traffic using the bypass over to I-75 turns right onto 234 from a deceleration lane. Unfortunately for any vehicles sitting at the 234 stop waiting for 441 to clear before entering, those vehicles in the decel lane block the view of other southbound 441 traffic. At the same time, if the driver waiting at the stop happens to be northbound, then situational awareness of northbound traffic in the far 441 lanes becomes necessary, including any cars from northbound 441 turning to 234 that are holding in the eye of the hurricane.
All up and down 441 there are sad little roadside memorials at the Double Crosses. A blinking light has been installed at CR 234, and speed limits on southbound 441 leading into Micanopy have been lowered. An annoying stoplight at that intersection is planned.
Tuscawilla Road at 441 is also a Double Cross. Traffic is not heavy on Tuscawilla Road yet, so there haven't been problems. That will change with Dollar General's Tuscawilla driveway. Worse, southbound traffic on 441 at the Tuscawilla junction is accelerating out of Micanopy, not decelerating as it is at 234. And let's be honest. A few folks dropping in at Dollar General for a six-pack are already buzzed.
A Double Cross situation should not be made worse. A Dollar General driveway should not depend on a Double Cross. Any traffic entering 441 should have only one option, to make a turn onto the proximate lane only. Entry to the far lane should necessarily require a U-turn further on down the road such that the view of opposing traffic is clear and is uncomplicated by other traffic converging from different directions.
Taken together, this says Dollar General should have its driveway onto southbound 441 on up the road north from the Double Cross, and with its own deceleration lane from the north into the driveway.
And what about those trucks? Well, there is absolutely no difference between a truck turning right into a driveway as compared with a truck turning right onto Tuscawilla Road. Except that with the decel lane having been moved further north, the view from the Double Cross would not be as badly blocked.
Oh. And by the way, those trucks are supposed to be going around Micanopy, not through, right?
Letters
To the Editor: I love what you guys are doing! I live in Melrose and we fought one of these monsters for two years. Sadly dollar general prevailed in the end. But keep at it. You may have better luck than we did. These stores are a blight on small towns everywhere. I still won't go into one.
FS Melrose The Micanopy NO Dog
Media
★ A template letter is included in this issue of The Micanopy NO Dog that can be used to communicate with Alachua County Commissioners to voice opposition to any request for variance on the rules prohibiting big trucks on County Scenic Roads.
The issue at hand is that the site plan for the prospective Dollar General shows a driveway entrance from Tuscawilla Road. Dollar General stores receive deliveries off 18-wheelers. Tuscawilla Road is now an Alachua County Scenic Road, and a plea from the developer to allow the trucks can be expected. The answer is "No."
Dollar General has every capability to accept deliveries off smaller trucks. If that doesn't hack it, Concept Companies, the developer, has every capability to modify the development plan and put the driveway entrance on southbound US Highway 441. And there are compelling safety reasons to do so, viz., the Tuscawilla-441 Double Cross.
One way or the other, we don't want big trucks on Tuscawilla Road. Not anywhere. Period. And we don't want to set a precedent for developers to start chipping away at the protections we put on land, and get a foot in the door, to further the spread of rurban sprawl and blight.
The template letter is also available as a Microsoft Word .docx file download that comes as a companion to the electronic edition of The Micanopy NO Dog. Personalizing on your own letterhead and wordsmithing can then be done.
Your Alachua County Commissioners Address
Commissioner and Chairman Ken Cornell Board of County Commissioners Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler 121 SE 1st Street Commissioner Mary Alford Gainesville, FL 32601 Commissioner Anna Prizzia Commissioner Charles "Chuck" Chestnut, IV
★ Check Out "Micanopy NoDOG" on You Tube.
★ Check Out www.counterpunch.org Five Fables.
★ Check Out "Why This Analyst is Downgrading Dollar General" on You Tube.
★ Check Out gainesvilleiguana.org May-June 2021 "It's just cheaper to bulldoze the trees."
Help Wanted
Wastewater expert or engineer to review Stormwater Management System Report. See Stormwater Report.pdf in the folder Applicant Docs at URL https://alachuacounty.sharefile.com/d-s37a1dde7c0fa48db9e21563a7aab1784 Copy and paste the URL from The Micanopy NO Dog Issue #7 email announcement. The Micanopy NO Dog
Tree Demolition Plan
1 2 3 4
4' WIRE FENCE OHW EDGE OF
X 16"20"PINE PAVEMENT 22"PINE
176 X
SIDE ROAD 174 OHW 186
20"PINE AHEAD X
OHW X 23"PINE 185 FO
OHW X 180
A 13"LAO 18"PINE X N
OHW 22"LO 187
17914"WO 181 X 14"LO 8"LAO
OHW 0 10 20 40
17"LO X 178 184 177 8"LAO 189
PARCEL B 8"LO 182 X 31"LO JAMES G AND SHELLY A RHODES 753 10"LO OHW
PARCELZONING: ID 16496-004-000 BH 183 188 20"LO 26"LO 191X LAND USE: SMF 16"LO 13"LAO 198 747 25"PINE LEGEND 752 190 OHW
16"LAO X 18"LO 199 16" LO 750 10"CHY 213 EXISTING TREE TO BE REMOVED (WITH
751 20"LO DESCRIPTION AND TAG NUMBER) X 754 748 20"PINE OHW S 49°25'39"240.06' (M)W 195 196 9"CHY EXISTING FEATURES TO BE REMOVED
VERIFY SCALE 9"WO 9"LAO X 0 1" 1"=20'
8"LAO ORIGINAL DRAWING THIS SHEET, ADJUST BAR IS ONE INCH ON IF NOT ONE INCH ON
28"WO SCALES ACCORDINGLY. 19"LO 20"LO749 192 U.S. HIGHWAY 441 TREE BARRICADE 763 OHW 755 STATE ROAD NO. 25 SCALE: 22"LO 8"LO X 36"LO SILT FENCE 197
762 204 X OHW (184' R/W) 756 12"LO 21"PINE NOTES: LANDS DESCRIBED IN 20"LO 194 C4 O.R.B. 4547, 5.59 PG. ACRES 128 193
± 200 X MICANOPY, FL 32667 14"LO 1. CONTRACTOR SHALL HAVE ALL SILT FENCE & TREE 16324 SOUTH U.S. HIGHWAY 441 15"PALM 201 BARRICADES INSTALLED PRIOR TO ANY SITE WORK.
16"LO OHW 743 205 X 10"LAO 9"LO 2. CONTRACTOR SHALL REPAIR/RESTORE ANY DISTURBED B 744 18"LAO 8"LO SOUTHWESTERLY R/W AREAS TO EXISTING OR BETTER CONDITION.
12"13"LAO 202 4' WIRE 40"LO 11"LO X LINE OF US HWY 441 18"LO 738 206 8"10"LO FENCE OHW 757 760 761 736 23"PINE 28"LO 3. CONTRACTOR TO COORDINATE WITH DOH OR FDEP FOR
734 203 25"LO PROPER REMOVAL AND DISPOSAL OF ANY EX. ONSITE 742 X 745 208 SEPTIC SYSTEMS OR WELL SYSTEMS. 26"PINE 10"20"LO 10"LAO 73722"WO OHW
758 20"LO 20"LO X 4. CONTRACTOR TO USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN WORKING 740 15"LO 735 AROUND EXISTING ABOVE AND UNDERGROUND UTILITIES.
739 10"LO 16"LO 207 26"LO X 759 741 209 220OHW 5. CONTRACTOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING WITH 26"LO REMOVE EXISTING 31"LO UTILITY COMPANY AS NEEDED TO SUPPORT POLES DURING 780 TREE (TYP) 212 221 CONSTRUCTION.
± 9' DIRT 13"16"LO 12"LO X DRIVE 11"PALM 11"PINE ±1.97 ACRES 729 18"LO 17"LO
8"LO CONSTRUCTION/BID REVISIONS: 16"22"LO OHW 779 746 TAX PARCEL #16496-004-001 215
32"LO 211 19"LO X 778 733 730 210
18"LO 21424"LO 26"LO 223 EDGE OF X PAVEMENT 10"LO 222 38"LOOHW 782 31"LO
9"LO 732 731 219 X 21"LO 19"LAO 16"LO 22"LO 10"LO 27"LO OHW 768 224 764 455 213 8"LO X 78811"PALM 18"LO 216 18"LAO 767 24"LO 16"LO 227 12"LO 728 217 OHW 781 786 770 24"LO REMOVE EXISTING 10"LAO 16"23"LO 23"LAO 11"LO 765 TREE (TYP) 14"LO 769 31"LAO 456 225 OHW 783 8"LO 218 28"LO 17"17"LO 226 OHW 22"WO 766 10"WO C 457 12"WO 451 18"PINE 785 787 8"LO OHW 117.64' (M) 454 23"LO 228
S 7°20'20" W 772 20"22"LO 16"LO 784 773 28"PINE OHW 12"LO 12"LO 727 W 789 22"LO 8"WO 14"LO 453 452 14"PINE 231 17"LO OHW
6/1/20 - PDP SUBMITTAL 6/29/20 - PDP SUBMITTAL 4/26/21 - FDP SUBMITTAL, FDOT 790 7/27/20 - PDP SUBMITTAL 18"LO 38"LO 14"LO 229 SUBMITTALS: 795 14"CHY 771 458 450 13"WO 12"13"LO 232 16"LO 774 16"LAO 230 10"LAO SITE BENCHMARK 22"LAO 722 441 22"PINE 436 SET 5/8" STEEL ROD & 791 20"24"39"LO 19"PINE REMOVE EXISTING GATE AND WIRE FENCE 726 FO DRIVE 234 CAP MARKED "LB 5075" OHW 79338"SG ± 9' DIRT 8"LAO 723 442 28"PINE ELEVATION: REFER TO SURVEY 796 4' WIRE 777 721 24"PINE 233 15"WO 794 792 776 OHW 47"LO FENCE 38"LO 22"HACK 18"LAO 27"32"LO 725 724 25"LO 465 443 26"LAO 22"27"LO 11"12"20"24"30"LO720 719 13"WO 464 10"LAO 235 X X X X X X 10"LO X X X 775 14"LO 440 CRS MICANOPY X X 10"WO OHW X X 21"WO PROTECTION PLAN X X 459 X X 462 DEMOLITION AND TREE X 444 X 10"LAO X X 461 C2 ST 448 ST X 18"LO X 460 S 82°39'48" E 30"LO 8"LAO 25"PINE OHW CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT, INC. 14"LO 14"LO X 20"10"LO 449 X 15"LO OHW 102.57' (M) NW INV: 88.96' (15" CMP) C1 447 463 X 27"PINE CLIENT: PROJECT: SHEET TITLE: X EDGE OF PAVEMENT NORTH R/W LINE OF COUNTY ROAD NO. 25-A "WILDLIFE CROSSING" OHW (S.E. 165TH AVENUE) 439 SITE BENCHMARK PAVEMENT 13"PALM FOUND NAIL & DISK IN SE INV: 88.81' (15" CMP) OHW OHW STRIPING COUNTY ROAD NO. 25-A -- S.E. 165TH AVENUE (66' R/W) 4' 14"14"LAO CONCRETE HEADWALL (TYPICAL) 8"11"WO 445 STAMPED "02-11-048-0" REFER TO SURVEY CONTRACTOR TO COORDINATE WITH 446 87.96' (24" RCP) REMOVE EXISTING INV: 20-0053 REMOVE EXISTING DIRT DRIVEWAY AND 15" CMP UTILITY PROVIDER FOR REMOVAL OF SE
WIRE FENCE OHW D YOUNG D OHW K MERRITT THORNTON C OHW EXISTING OVERHEAD WIRE AND POLE DESIGNER: QUALITY CONTROL: TECHNICIAN: "SPEED LIMIT 30" OHW PROJECT NUMBER: OHW ST OHW OHW DANIEL H. YOUNG OHW OHW D OHW OHW ST OHW OHW
OHW "DIVIDED OHW OHW OHW HIGHWAY OHW OHW ST OHW 441" OHW OHW OHW OHW OHW OHW OHW OHW OHW OHW "JCT 441" OHW OHW X X X X X X X X X X X OHW ST X MITERED END SECTION X OHW
4' WIRE X OHW SE INV: 88.38' (14"x23" RCP)
DIRT X STOP
DRIVE X PAVEMENT FENCE X OHW ST X STRIPING X OHW ST 4' WIRE X ST (TYPICAL) X OHW BETTY S SCHMIDT ST FENCE X OHW PARCEL ID 16497-001-001 X OHW ZONING: A X OHW LAND USE: MOBILE HOME AND PASTURE OHW OHW MITERED END SECTION FL PE No. 70780 NW INV: 88.13' (14"x23" RCP) SHEET NO.:
X MICANOPY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP 4' WIRE PARCEL ID 16497-001-000 C0.30 FENCE ZONING: A TOP: 89.66' CONCRETE HEADWALL
I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her lovely arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.
J. Kilmer, 1913 Dear Commissioner
Thank you for your vote to designate Tuscawilla Road in Micanopy a County Scenic Road. The unanimous vote by the Board of County Commissioners speaks volumes to the scenic and historic pedigree of this ancient transportation route. It is essential that the county continues to identify and protect its vital historic resources in the face of increased development. The designation, of course, limits commercial activity and the traffic that comes with it, specifically tractor trailers.
Please continue your support of this protection by resisting any variance that might be requested of developers to allow tractor trailer traffic on this scenic road. Such a variance has never been granted for any scenic road in Alachua County and it would set a terrible precedent to begin doing so now. Such a variance would send a clear signal to developers that the county’s scenic road designation is in name only. Such a variance runs counter to the whole point of the designation.
Sincerely,