The Alachua County Commission approved Tuesday (September 24) plans for Santa Fe Village at Springhills, the first of twin developments north of 39th Avenue.
Santa Village and neighboring PREIT Properties at Springhills will form a large new community based on high densities similar to those of traditional downtowns.
When completed in coming decades, Santa Fe Village will have up to 2,310 homes and 1.1 million square feet of space devoted to stores, offices and other nonresidential uses.
The PREIT project is planned to be even larger and will extend to the west side of I-75, with a connecting bridge between its two sections.
The commission approved Springhills by a 4-1, with Commissioners Mike Byerly, Robert “Hutch” Hutchinson, Lee Pinkoson and Charles “Chuck” Chestnut IV enthusiastically embracing the project.
Commissioner Susan Baird voted no, based on her opposition to the project’s “excessive” emphasis on bus rapid transit.
“The people of Alachua County like to use their automobiles,” she said, in calling for relaxing the transit requirements. Baird advocated moving up to an earlier phase of the project a requirement to build a connector road between 39th Avenue and Millhopper Road.
The other commissioners maintained their commitment to the Transit Oriented Development option that the commission has adopted as a key part of its planning regulations. The regulations allow high densities in exchange for provisions designed to reduce impacts on the road system, including easy walking access to stores and the availability of buses at frequent intervals.
During the public hearing on the plans, County Growth Management Director Steve Lachnicht touted the county’s planning approach as an amenity that has attracted projects such as the twin Springhills ones.
Baird took offense. “The close-mindedness of these comments is outrageous,” she said.
Santa Fe Village is being designed as a walkable community, with multi-story apartment and condominium buildings, stores and offices mixed together in its village center. Residential densities will be up to 35 units per acre.
A dedicated bus rapid transit lane will wind through Santa Fe Village, and the developer will pay for operation of buses serving the community for 15 years.
The first 15 to 20 percent of the project could be developed before the bus rapid transit is implemented, said David Coffey, the attorney representing the Santa Fe Village. “We won’t be required to provide it until we have impacts on the road system,” he said.
Santa Fe Village will fill in and expand the current health park that is home of Santa Fe HealthCare, which is developing the project. The health park now includes buildings for Santa Fe HealthCare and its affiliates, Haven Hospice and AvMed.
PREIT Properties at Springhills is being developed by Pennsylvania Real Estate Trust. The company plans to submit its plans to the county soon, Coffey said.
Santa Fe Village representatives now will work with county staff on the developer’s agreement, which addresses specific details of the project. The developer’s agreement must come before the commission for final approval.
Santa Fe Village will feature a village center and bus rapid transit.