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Date Received:3/18/2025 11:02:28 AM
To:Walker, Desmon N
Cc:Wyatt, Andrea E; Eddleton, Forrest K; Harris, Corey J; Alexander Jr, John W; Persons, Andrew W
From:Curry, Cynthia W
Subject:FW: [EXTERNAL] Jesses Village
Attachments: image001.png Neighborhood Meeting Materials.pdf
Message:

Commissioner Duncan Walker,

 

Below is the response prepared by staff to address the concern raised by Mr. Stewart in the email below.

 

This information is being shared with you at this time.  We have not provided it to Mr. Stewart yet.  Please let us know how you want to handle.

From: Eddleton, Forrest K <EddletonFK@cityofgainesville.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2025 10:54 AM
To: Curry, Cynthia W <CurryCW@cityofgainesville.org>
Subject: Re: [EXTERNAL] Jesses Village

 

All,

Sending an email with the Timeline and response combined.

 

The City did require a Neighborhood Workshop for this project. The meeting was held via Zoom on January 18th and was conducted by the applicant's agent (EDA). Neighborhood Workshops are intended to be a forum where neighbors can express their concerns regarding potential projects and where applicants are encouraged to work with neighbors to mitigate concerns prior to making a formal application with the City. 

 

According to the notes from the meeting (attached) 104 neighbors were mailed the meeting information with 9 neighbors participating. A summary of the concerns and issues presented at the workshop is included in the notes and primarily consist of:

  • Allowable density and height being "out of character."
  • Multi-family and low-income residents will have a negative impact on "quality of life" and property values.
  • Existing concerns with noise and nighttime activities where Code Enforcement and GPD have been unresponsive.
  • Concerns about lack of sidewalks and infrastructure.
  • Concerns about tree preservation.

The notes indicate that the neighbors suggested walls, fencing, and security cameras presumably to mitigate concerns with multi-family and low-income residents. The applicant's agent responded that they would suggest those interventions to their client.

 

Once a formal application is made, the neighborhood workshop notes are required to be included in the submittal package and are reviewed by staff. These notes help guide staff's review for potential issues with a site that may be addressed through application of the Land Development Code. Below are staff findings in regards to the concerns brought up by neighbors:

  • Density and Height
    • This property is located in the area between University Ave and Hawthorne Rd just east of the Five Points area. It is zoned U2 and was rezoned as a part of the adoption of Transect Zoning back in 2017.
    • U2 zoning is 1 increment higher in development intensity than the Single Family zoning district. U2 allows for 15 units per acre whereas SF allows for 12. U2 also allows for up to 6 dwelling units to be attached (townhouses or rowhouses) whereas Single-family is largely limited to single-family structures. With the exception of adjacent Public Service zoned properties, the surrounding area is characterized by Residential Multi-family and high intensity Transect districts. The closest Single Family districts to Jesse's Village are to the north of University Ave, and east of SE 24th St. roughly 1000ft away.
    • 3 storys or 36ft in height is the maximum height allowable in U2. There are no districts in the City that limit height below that, including Single-family.
    • The proposed development is 1 story. 3 of the buildings are quadplexes and one building contains 5 attached units.
  • Multi-family and Low Income Residents
    • The Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code (LDC) do not directly regulate where residents are able to live based on their income level.
    • The Comprehensive Plan encourages a multitude of housing types at a variety of price points throughout the City.
    • Fencing and walls are allowable to provide buffering from adjacent properties but are not required by the LDC.
    • Permanent fencing is not allowed within the front setbacks of transect zoned districts (The northern boundary and the western boundary in this case) although 3-4ft low walls are allowable for outdoor seating areas.
  • Noise and Nighttime Activities
    • It is expected that the Jesse's Village development will have the same noise levels as comparable developments and that it will be below the City's requirements under the Noise Ordinance.
    • Code Enforcement will reach out to Mr. Stewart to get more information on the complaints and will follow up as necessary.
  • Sidewalks and Infrastructure
    • A connection from SE 21st St eastward towards SE 2nd Ave will be provided at full cost to the developer. This connection includes sidewalks and all associated infrastructure. Ultimately this will likely connect to SE 2nd Ave and eastward to SE 24th Street providing connectivity, infrastructure, and access where there was none previously.
    • Sidewalks and necessary infrastructure are also being provided on the western and southern boundaries of the property again at full cost to the developer and where sidewalks did not previously exist.
  • Tree Preservation
    • Most, if not all, of the existing trees on the property are being removed which is allowable under the LDC. The Cedar tree mentioned in the Neighborhood Workshop notes appears to be within the City's right of way in an area that is proposed to be a "stabilized road" for emergency access only. DSD is working with Public Works to see if the stabilized road can be provided without removing this tree.
    • 42 trees are required by the LDC and 44 trees including Red Maple, Live Oak, and Bald Cypress are being provided. Additionally, more than 600 shrubs of 10 different species are being provided.
    • $31,700 has been paid by the developer into the City's tree mitigation fund which supports increasing the City's healthy tree canopy both in urban settings like parks and street trees but also through land acquisition for permanent protection.

 

Timeline for the issuance of the Development Order:

  • The Neighborhood Workshop was held on 1/18/24
  • Signs were posted on the property on 1/22/24
  • Applicants submitted on 3/4/24
  • Application passed pre-screen on 4/1/24 
  • Staff, under 16 different reviewing agencies, began review on 4/2/24
  • Application underwent three cycles of review by staff with corrections made by the applicant
  • Development Order approved on 9/27/24

 

Timeline for Building Permits:

  • Site work applied for on 10/18/24 review completed on 10/22/24
  • Permits for each of the 5 buildings were applied for on 2/25/25
  • Currently in Pre-screen corrections. Staff technical review of the building plans has not begun.

 

Please let me know if you have any further questions or need additional information.

 

 

 

cid:image004.png@01D79A79.124B3D00

Forrest Eddleton, AICP

Director

Department of Sustainable Development

City of Gainesville

PO Box 490 Station 11

Gainesville, Florida 32627

Office:  352-393-8681 | Cell: 352-275-1922

eddletonfk@gainesvillefl.gov
www.gainesvillefl.gov

Under Florida Law, e-mail addresses are public records.  If you do not want your e-mail address released to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity.  Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.

 

 

 

From: Walker, Desmon N <WalkerDN@cityofgainesville.org>
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2025 5:40:20 PM
To: Curry, Cynthia W <CurryCW@cityofgainesville.org>
Subject: Fw: [EXTERNAL] Jesses Village

 

Good Afternoon again, Manager Curry

 

Please advise as to the notification process and community engagement efforts that took place around the Jessie’s Place development.  As you can see, there is some concern around those and other matters concerning this project and I’d like to be able to provide that information to my constituents.  

 

Thank you in advance.  

 

Commissioner Duncan-Walker 

 

From: Mark Stewart <markthisday2@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2025 12:24:41 PM
To: Walker, Desmon N <walkerdn@cityofgainesville.org>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Jesses Village

 

Hi Ms Walker. My name is Mark Stewart and I live next to Jesses Village. I could only catch about 20 min of the groundbreaking and wanted to share my opinion on this project.

  I have talked with Brent Hutchinson numerous times and I know he is trying to do a good thing for East Gainesville. We all wish him success. He has, however  told me some things that bothered me about how the city wanted him to build 33 apts in three story high buildings. He also said an out of town developer wanted to put 60+ apts there and cited that as a reason he bought the property. My beef is with the City. I, along with at least five of my neighbors have lived here for decades, own our homes and were shocked that when we were first notified of the project and had a Zoom meeting with the developer, we were told there was nothing we could do about it. It was a done deal. It will double our small community. Nobody I know is happy about it. Traffic, lack of sidewalks and unknown new neighbors are a concern. As well as any infrastructure issues like water and sewage issues that may happen. 

  I feel the City should have informed us of the project BEFORE a permit was granted.  I got a notice in the mail yesterday about a variance someone around the corner is seeking and wants neighborhood feedback. We got no such notice about JV 

 Our street has been rezoned to allow apartments. The City seems to think it's fine to change old neighborhoods into apt complexes. I am now wary of the remaining lots around here., knowing the City has one goal, more tax revenue. 

  I wanted to speak out at the Groundbreaking but that was not the place, but I would have asked who in the crowd wants the next 22 apts to be built next to their house? Of course, no one would . So when I heard you and others saying that this is what we wanted to see in East Gainesville, I don't know Who you were referring to.

     There is a large wooded  lot across from Jessie's Village that stretches down to Univ Ave. Brent seems to think Habitat owns it. The trees were all marked for removal but that was two years ago. When would the neighborhood be notified of the plans there? Involve us BEFORE major changes come to our street. Thank you.