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| Posted on Friday, April 26 @ 00:00:05 PDT |
Two members of the Naturals spoke to the Newberry City Commission on April 22 BY DAVID LIGHTMAN
NEWBERRY, Fla. – At their April 22 Regular Meeting, the Newberry City Commission heard several members of the public speak against a proposal to evict the Naturals baseball organization from their ProBall Academy training facility, Commissioners passed an ordinance to prevent any big-box stores over 80,000 feet from opening until zoning changes can be finalized, and the Commission decided to send updates to the County Commissioners instead of attending their usual joint meeting this year.
Run with Purpose 5k run/walk
During the Presentations agenda item, Taylor Eastridge, co-founder of Gainesville-based non-profit Project One45 and survivor of a traumatic brain injury, spoke about an upcoming fundraiser. The Run with Purpose 5K run/walk will take place in Newberry on Saturday, May 5, to benefit those suffering from traumatic injuries. Registration is open through May 3 at projectone45.org .
Naturals eviction
The meeting hall was filled with people waiting to speak during Public Announcements, many wearing Naturals baseball jerseys and/or caps. The City plans to evict the organization from the ProBall Academy, located at 24815 NW 16 th Avenue, Newberry, due to delinquent taxes, and the City has still refused to allow the organization to remain there although the delinquent taxes have been paid by the new owner.
Haydn Cano said, “I coach in the Naturals organization. I’ve been a part of the Naturals organization since I was 13, 14 years old. I played baseball with them growing up, all the way ‘til I was 18. They gave me an opportunity to go to college, ball play locally here in Santa Fe. I’m very blessed. After I got done with Santa Fe, I got done playing baseball, I had this beautiful young child right here. I started coaching probably about four or five years ago. We’ve had a wonderful opportunity the past four or five years to impact hundreds, if not thousands, of kids – all through this organization helping kids from 7 to 18 years old growing to good young men.
“It’s my understanding that the building that we use is trying to be taken from us, for lack of better words, and we’re just here tonight, you know, trying to show support and show you guys that we are here to change the community in a positive way… You can see all these beautiful young men we got here, all these people we got to support us… It would be a real big injustice if the building was taken from hundreds, 200, 300 kids, multiple generations… We’re just here to show the support for Cedric Bowers.
We’re here to show the support for the ProBall facility. And we want to continue doing the work that we do and keep impacting these boys in a positive way through that building, through our organization, and continue to grow good young citizens in Newberry.” Cano said the group is very diverse, and Spanish is spoken for kids who have not yet learned English.
Acting City Attorney Kiersten Ballou told Mayor Jordan Marlowe, “There has been litigation that’s been filed on this matter, so my recommendation to you all would be… the public can speak but to not comment at this time because we do have active litigation.”
Denver Ripley said he is from Williston and got involved with the Naturals at the age of 13. He said he received a scholarship to college in Jacksonville as a result of what the Naturals taught him about baseball. After graduating as salutatorian, he returned to Williston, where he has been coaching and is the Athletic Director at his school.
Marlowe told the audience that the other Commissioners would not be able to respond, but “(he didn’t) want anybody to interpret that they’re not listening.”
Former professional baseball player Esix Sneak said, “I’m the (current) owner of the program… We help these young men.
We teach them accountability, responsibility, hard work. We check report cards. We have direct dialogue with their parents, how their behavior is in school, out of school. As you guys know, most of the time kids get in trouble when they’re idle. We keep them active. You know, we get there early, 5:00, we stay to 8:30 or 9. We support the businesses here… But it’s not about us… It’s really about the kids that came in. That’s who it’s really affecting. So we understand you can’t comment… But just put in your mind, though, who is really affected… How many generations is this going to affect?”
A man with a 13-year-old son in the program said he is involved with the litigation, and “the City did not do their due diligence with this. They did not follow their own contract, and there is a lot of leeway to work this out… (Former owner) Mr. Bowers is getting railroaded by (Parks & Recreation Director) Travis Parker and (City Manager) Mr. New.”
Coach Randolph Rojas said he has a son in the program, and “it would be a tragedy if ProBall was taken from us.”
Garrett Douglas said, “I’m telling you, it’s the most important thing for these kids… I know that ProBall and the Naturals will work in collaboration with the City if y’all allow it.
They do good. They are awesome people… ‘Respect’ is what he preaches… I know how much y’all care for the kids.”
A retired teacher of 45 years said, “These guys teach life skills as much as they teach skills… They’ve had tremendous success… That building over there means a lot to these kids.”
Big-box stores
At their March 11 Regular Meeting, staff gave a presentation about big-box stores coming to Newberry, with a recommended action to “Provide direction to staff as to whether to draft an ordinance that would regulate the development of Big-Box Retail Stores in Newberry.” At that meeting, staff mentioned limiting the size of stores as one possibility to help protect against the negative consequences big-box stores can have on small towns, along with other possible requirements. Commissioners said they didn’t have enough information to set any new standards, and they directed staff to return with more data.
Following up on this direction, Jean-Paul Perez of the Planning & Economic Development Department returned to the podium and said that staff had not yet prepared a zoning ordinance, but they recommended a Zoning-In-Progress ordinance that would make it clear to any potential developers that the City is actively looking at big-box regulations for any space over 80,000 square feet.
Responding to a question from Commissioner Rick Coleman, Perez said the new Publix that will be opening in Newberry, the largest in the county, is about 70,000 square feet including the commercial spaces next to it, but the store itself is around 59,000 square feet. Perez pointed out that the regulations would not apply since the Publix will be under 80,000 square feet. He clarified that each retail space or store is counted individually and not the entire building.
Commissioner Mark Clark asked how much longer it should take to have an actual zoning ordinance. Perez said the Zoning-In-Progress ordinance will expire in six months and can be renewed if necessary. Clark asked Perez if it will take staff the full six months, and Perez answered, “That sounds accurate to me.”
Marlowe said, “We can call workshops immediately, because I think we’re still in the – everything from not allowing it, to what is the scale that we want to allow it under, to the location that we want to allow it under. So, I think this is a good stopgap measure because we have such a vast array of thought up here.”
Coleman asked whether a non-retail space, such as a UPS Distribution Center, would be affected, since it could potentially bring many jobs to the area.
Perez clarified that they were talking about “big-box retail” only.
Marlowe suggested, “Maybe we should just pass this tonight, but let’s go ahead and schedule a workshop where we can hash all these things out.”
Perez said this would be the first reading of the Zoning-In-Progress ordinance, and the 80,000-square-feet number could be adjusted at the second reading on May 27. He added that Alachua County has regulations on spaces over 100,000 square feet, and the City of Alachua has regulations on spaces over 20,000 square feet. Perez explained that, once passed, applications for businesses over 80,000 square feet will be rejected while the Zoning-In-Progress ordinance remains in effect.
City Manager Mike New pointed out that they would be taking a chance by waiting too long when someone could buy property and have the right to develop it without restrictions.
Commissioner Tim Marden made a motion to pass the ordinance, and Commissioner Tony Mazon seconded the motion. The motion passed 4-1 on a roll call vote, with Commissioner Monty Farnsworth in dissent.
Joint meeting with Alachua County Commission
Marlowe introduced the next item: “Newberry Commission, Alachua County Board of Commissioner Joint Meeting discussion topics and location.
I’m going to make a pitch for a one-item meeting ‘cause I think it will still take three hours.”
New listed four suggested topics his staff had identified, including an update on the Newberry Environmental Park and updates on transportation projects receiving County funding. He suggested hosting the meeting at the Newberry City Hall or a municipal building.
Coleman said, “With all due respect, I’m tired of the being the nice guy. From now on, I will not be participating in this because I think we should take a year break.” Farnsworth said, “I won’t be attending.” Clark said he plans to be on a Caribbean cruise that week.
Marden said he would be attending, and he would just like to have staff updates on the roads and sports facilities.
Marlowe suggesting taking the year off since there is nothing important to discuss. New said there is no statutory requirement to have the meeting, but the County has allocated $333,000 of Wild Spaces funds for Newberry and another $333,000 for transportation infrastructure, and “they would be pleased to hear updates.”
With two Commissioners unwilling to attend and one Commissioner planning to be on a cruise that week (and not enough remaining for a quorum), Marlowe asked New to send the updates to the County via email.
He added, “If they feel like a live meeting is really appropriate, then we just need to find a new date.”
Clark said, “It is our duty to do this stuff (if the County wants to have a meeting).”
Coleman responded, “I love y’all, but I am not putting myself through what I went through out there at that place again… I’m not going through it again.”
New agreed to send the email.
Commissioners sworn in
Earlier in the evening, Commissioners Clark, Coleman, and Farnsworth were sworn in to begin their new terms as Newberry City Commissioners.
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