Alachua County DRC approves fire station plan on S. U.S. 441 with tree‑mitigation conditions

The Alachua County Development Review Committee voted Thursday to approve with conditions the preliminary and final development plan for a new fire station on South U.S. Highway 441 near Micanopy.

Staff member Leslie McClendon of Alachua County Growth Management told the committee the application is phase 1 of the project and is consistent with the comprehensive plan, the Unified Land Development Code and a previously approved special‑use permit. McClendon said staff recommends approval with conditions, including a required tree‑mitigation fee of $22,880 payable to the Alachua County Parks and Conservation Lands tree planting fund, a gopher‑tortoise survey, perimeter silt fencing, historic‑resources documentation and protections for adjacent wetlands.

Applicant Clay Swager of EDA said the proposal complies with the special‑use permit criteria and that the phase will provide an apparatus building, parking and pavement, with a more permanent station planned for a later phase. "We're very happy to be working with the county to bring this new fire station online," Swager said.

A committee member moved to approve the plan with conditions; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. The committee did not record a roll‑call tally in the transcript; the motion passed on the committee's voice vote.

The DRC's approval is a local land‑use decision under the Unified Land Development Code. Appeals of final development decisions are by petition for writ of certiorari filed in the Circuit Court for Alachua County within 30 days of the final decision, except as otherwise provided by Florida statute.