A Quiet Battle Making Noise in Gainesville | New Home Valuation Tool Unleashed!

I wanted to touch on one of the hotter topics that is affecting our beloved Gainesville Community.  This topic has left a number of individuals, particularly on the eastern half of Alachua County, somewhat divided, and rightfully so.  There is a movement that is gaining traction, with support and opposition, that could shape the next 50 years of Alachua County's growth and development.  I recently have gotten involved in the discussions over this heated topic.  While I will not disclose my position on this topic through this medium, nor will I encourage you to choose either side of the discussion, I do think that it's only fitting for you to be "in the know" of what is at hand since it will affect you and your families for years to come.  The movement is called Envision Alachua and at the center of it's plan is huge landowner by the name of Plum Creek.

WHAT IS ENVISION ALACHUA?

When Alachua County government asked Plum Creek what its plans were for 65,000 acres of land in eastern Alachua County, the company responded with Envision Alachua—a community-based planning process that has spanned, to date, over three years and collected feedback from more than 1,700 area residents. A community vision of what could be achieved on these Plum Creek lands emerged from Envision Alachua. In December of 2013, to move forward on this vision, Plum Creek submitted the Envision Alachua Sector Plan (EASP) to local officials for review. The EASP includes a request to amend the Alachua County Comprehensive Plan to set aside an additional 29,325 acres—resulting in a total of more than 52,190 acres—for conservation, agriculture and open space. The EASP also provides the much needed land to support employment-oriented, mixed-use development (EOMU), which can accommodate 30,000 jobs in eastern Alachua County over the next 50 years.

WHO IS PLUM CREEK?
Plum Creek is one of the largest private landowners in the nation with approximately seven million acres of timberlands in the United States. Our core business is timber, and in Florida, we own 418,000 acres in 21 counties. Nearly 95,000 acres of those lands are permanently conserved. In Alachua County, Plum Creek is the largest private landowner with 65,000 acres, and about 24,000 acres are permanently conserved. Plum Creek believes giving back to our communities is not only responsible, but the right thing to do. Across the country and in Alachua County, the Plum Creek Foundation gives away thousands of dollars in grant funds to support nonprofit organizations that improve our citizens’ quality of life.

The Envision Alachua Goal for the Economy
To create economic development opportunities that support and enhance the innovation economy, provide job opportunities and services at all economic levels and ensure a robust and
sustainable economy.

• Accommodate 30,000 potential jobs over 50 years in eastern Alachua County, where the employment need is the greatest.
• Attract advanced manufacturing and agricultural related jobs, many of which require only a high school diploma or some specific training, overcoming jobs competition that residents face with college students.
• Assist to increase the tax base, and allow for the services and recreation opportunities close by that support a vibrant community.
• Enable Alachua County, the University of Florida and Santa Fe College and the region to compete in the state, national and global economies.

Well I hope this provided enough of an overview of the plan to pique your interest to learn more about the topic and delve further in to the details, pros and cons of the plan.  Either way, this discussion will affect generations of Alachua County citizens for years to come whether it happens or not… so GET INVOLVED!

The City of Gainesville | #5, Should Have Been #1 to Me

For those that know me, you can vouch for the fact that I am VERY proud of my Chicagoland heritage.  Though most of my city's sports team - for which I am a devout fan of all of them - have not given me much to cheer for lately (except in hockey.. GO BLACKHAWKS!), I am still proud to call the Land of Lincoln my home.  This is largely why I made up my mind that my stay in Gainesville, Florida was going to be short-lived when I first moved here in 2006. Eight years, a marriage, great church, and one son later, I have placed roots in the great city of Gainesville, Florida.  These 8 years as a citizen roughly equate to 25% of my life and it doesn't seem that I will be moving anywhere any time soon. So, it's safe to say, I'm a "Gainesvillian!"

A recent report released by Movoto Real Estate listed our great city of Gainesville, Florida as the #5 best place to live in the entire state of florida - trailing only Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach, Winter Park, and Pompano Beach.  These were the reasons cited for their determination of placing Gainesville at #5:

• Low unemployment rate (7.9%)
• Low cost of living
• Low average commute time (20 minutes)
• Beautiful average summer temperature (79 degrees)…. not sure how they came up with that one
• (No surprise here) The University of Florida offering a college town vibe sparking music venues, bars, art festivals, and local improv groups.

However, having lived here for the past 8 years and deeply exploring Gainesville to make the most out of my experience living here, I have a very different view of the city which would qualify it for a #1 ranking as the, hands down, best place to live in Florida. Here are the points of my case:

• Thanks to the University of Florida, we have one of the most decorated and richest sporting and scholastic traditions in all of the world - winning multiple national championships across multiple sports, as well as graduating multiple thought leaders and merit scholars into major contributors to society.  On top of that, the university has a long-standing position as one of the top 10 largest universities in the US.

• Gainesville's State Parks are some of the most beautiful, organic, natural wonders that you will ever experience (Devil's Milhopper, Dudley Farm, Gainesville-Hawthorne Bike Trail, Payne's Prairie, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park, and San Felasco Hammock.)  Not only can you come face-to-face with bull gators and bison, but you can
  
  also enter the breath-taking depths of the earth and experience one of the world's largest sinkholes.  

• Let's say, for some reason, you just can't assimilate to the culture of Gainesville and just need to get away.  Well, you'd be happy to know that Gainesville is within a 2-hour drive of some of the best and most active cities, attractions, and beaches that the state has to offer, including Daytona Beach, Orlando, Cedar Key, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Amelia Island and more!

• Now, as a Chicagoan, I am intimately acquainted with one of the nation's most eaten delicacies: pizza!  Since I come from one of the pizza capitols of the world, I have earned my stripes to offer a qualified opinion on this matter.  With that being said, Satchel's Pizza, on the east side of Gainesville is, hand's down, one of the best pizza places in the nation -- You have to experience it.. and their atmosphere is an experience in itself. 

• The natural springs of Alachua county are some of the most awe-inspiring and fun venues in all of the country.  Located just north of Gainesville on the Sante Fe River, Ginnie Springs offers tubing, cave diving, kayaking and more.  And you can also encounter one of the most gently-large, endangered species up close - the manatee.
  
   
• We have a real "Miracle on 34th Street"! Coming from an urban scene where graffiti and other expressive wall art is frowned upon, Gainesville can boast that we encourage this form of
  
  expression.  The 34th street graffiti wall is an attraction and staple of the community, offering any citizen, or friend of the city, an opportunity to express themselves at any given time.

I can seriously go on about Gainesville, Florida - the town where I met my wife, the town where my son was born, and the town that I have grown to love and call myself a proud citizen of, but there seriously aren't enough characters nor enough time for me to write it all… and retain your attention at that.  So just take my word for it… Any outsider can spend a few days here: speaking with locals, frequenting a few spots here and there, but to truly know Gainesville, Florida, is to love it! And that's why it gets a #1 ranking all day long from me.  :)

Contact me if you have further questions or need anymore information.  I also love to hear your feedback if this information has been helpful to you.  Peace and increase!!

When it comes to Real Estate, Think Hurst First!