School board approves Citizens Field due diligence after environmental update

The Alachua County School Board voted to authorize further investigation of Citizens Field and to enter the purchase agreement needed to conduct site-specific due diligence. The superintendent recommended the action as a means of preserving the Citizens Field option while staff evaluates other sites.

GSE Engineering Consulting told the board its phase 2 work found no soil or groundwater impacts of “regulatory consequence” near an old fuel-oil tank previously removed from the site. Consultant Jay Norquist said, “I am happy to report that we did not identify any soil or groundwater impact of any regulatory consequence,” and recommended targeted follow-up testing to better characterize scattered, historical land‑fill materials north of the stadium.

Board members repeatedly pressed staff on cost and timing. Norquist estimated the focused testing would “be in the 10 to $15,000 range,” and said a conservative contingency for construction‑period management could be on the order of $500,000 if more extensive materials are found. Interim City Manager Andrew Persons told the board the city would “split the cost, with the school board, up to that $500,000 level” if remediation tied to stadium construction were required.

Supporters said approving the agreement preserves Citizens Field as an option while staff evaluates other sites and finishes due diligence; critics urged stronger, written commitments from the city on parking and maintenance. The board adopted an amendment that the city pay environmental evaluation costs up to $15,000 and then approved moving forward with the Citizens Field agreement. The motion passed 3–2, with Ms. Certain and Dr. Rockwell among those voting yes and Dr. McNeely and Board Member Playback recorded as dissenting.

Next steps: staff will complete the focused testing and ground‑penetrating radar work, produce a summary report, and return findings to the board within the due‑diligence window so members can compare Citizens Field against other sites under study.