Alachua County DRC approves Jonesville Park upgrades after residents urge keeping grassy open space

The Alachua County Development Review Committee on May 21 approved a revised final development plan for Jonesville Park that adds a small soccer stadium with restrooms and a press box, five covered pickleball courts and roughly 102 new parking spaces.

Christine Barish, the county's Development Review Manager, told the committee the approximately 86-acre park proposal is consistent with the county comprehensive plan and Unified Land Development Code and is included in the capital improvements element. Staff's recommendation noted landscape and stormwater measures, ADA access and sequencing tied to prior master-plan approvals.

Tim Bayline of J Brown Professional Group, the project consultant, said the additional parking and facilities respond to frequent overflow parking that currently blocks rights-of-way and can prevent emergency vehicles from maneuvering. Bayline described stormwater basins and a rain-garden treatment approach, and said the design removes 12 existing spaces and adds about 102 to bring total park parking to 362.

During public comment, residents urged the committee not to convert a grassy green space near the pavilion into a parking lot. One speaker said the area is used daily by families and informal pick-up players and is "important to be kept as a place for people." Gabriel Wong, who identified himself as a long-time Jonesville Park user, said informal soccer players regularly use the grass slated for parking and asked that, if the parking must be sited there, the county reserve a field inside the fenced area for public use during events.

Ed Williams, capital projects coordinator for the Parks and Open Space Department, acknowledged the concerns and said the department will address any vendor issues if fields were improperly locked in the past. Williams said the association that programs some fields (formerly GSA, now Sporting Gainesville) has an agreement to provide some field use to the public, and he explained site constraints: portions of the area are shallow stormwater basins or planned for future roadway connections and earlier plans showed overflow parking in that location. Williams also noted planned renovations to Field 1 for competition use and accessibility-related reasons for siting parking nearer the stadium.

Committee members asked practical questions about portable nets and whether those belong to the county or the sporting groups; staff said the nets are owned by the sporting association but the county could request relocation or purchase replacements if needed.

A committee member moved and another seconded to approve the revised final development plan; the Chair called for a voice vote and the motion passed. Staff materials list standard conditions for stormwater, accessibility, construction-permit requirements and coordination with the Parks Department.

The project will proceed to the construction permit stage, where required site-specific permits, stormwater controls and ADA-access details will be reviewed.