140 more homes, or recreational green space?

West End Community Alliance for Recreation and Education (WECARE) is beginning the new year with resolve and hope that with your help we will keep the West End Golf Course property zoning recreational.

The developer, Sayed Moukhtara’s plan, as described at the December 9, 2021 JBPro Neighborhood Workshop, is to build up to 140 homes, and donate 37+ acres to Alachua County which include three retention ponds taking up much of the space and have no recreational value. The trail that is proposed would be a narrow strip around the property that the County would maintain IF the County agrees to this donation.

WECARE and Friends of West End (FOWE) continue to work toward keeping this property recreational and developing it for recreational activities such as golf, walking/running trails, swimming, education/event center and a clubhouse bar/grill all for the use of the general public.

In preparation for the hearing before the County Commissioners which may take place in March 2022, WECARE will need to hire, in addition to our attorney, expert witnesses. Our current war chest has $19,736.17 in donations.  Please donate and encourage your friends and family to donate to GoFundMe WECARE gofundme.com/f/yrj8c-wecare or by check to WECARE, 14260 W Newberry Rd., #129, Newberry, FL  32669.

Since this is a new plan and we are starting all over, please write or email the County Commissioners and say why you oppose this plan and want to keep the property zoning recreational.  Alachua County Commissioners,12 SE 1st Street, 2nd Floor, Gainesville, FL  32601 Cc: Gerry Brewington, Senior Planner. Email: Bocc@alachuacounty.us, glb@alachuacounty.us

SHOW UP…STAND UP…SPEAK UP

JBPro Neighborhood Workshop TOMORROW December 9 at 6PM Abiding Savior Lutheran Church, 9700 W Newberry Rd.  It is very important that everyone speak and get on the record even if it is just stating their name and simply saying they oppose the development and want to keep the property recreational green space. If you need a ride contact Stephanie Phillips westendcare1969@gmail.com.  Masks will be available.

JBPro Workshop Invitation on Thursday, December 9, 2021

Your ATTENDANCE at this meeting is critical.  We need to demonstrate to JBPro Engineering and the developer that the communities on Newberry Road want the West End Golf Course property zoning to remain RECREATION.  If you need a ride to the meeting, please contact me at westendcare1969@gmail.com .

WECARE and FOWE want to show a UNITED FRONT so if you have a green WECARE t-shirt, please wear it.  Some large WECARE t-shirts will be available for a donation.  Please WEAR GREEN.  Talking points will be handed out.  It is very important that everyone speak, even if it is just stating their name and simply saying they oppose the development and want to keep the property recreational green space.   Paper plates on paint sticks with the word “NO” will also be handed out to show our commitment to NO development.

YOU WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

West End Year In Review

Dear Friends of West End,

Our journey to save the West End Golf Course property from development began in earnest on July 23, 2020 when the engineering firm, JBrown Professional Group, held a Neighborhood Workshop to discuss a development application that would see up to 500 homes on the West End golf course. The workshop lasted over 4 hours and was attended by more than 200 residents who were all opposed to the proposed development. The property is owned by James Minn and is under contract for sale to the developer Sayed Moukhtara. The sale is contingent on the county changing the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Zoning from Recreational to Residential.  Friends of West End (FOWE) was formed, and the local community began to mobilize a concerted effort to fight the development.  Some accomplishments include:

• Hired a land use attorney.

• Initiated a petition and a GoFundMe account.

• Developed brochures, a video, and storyboard for outreach purposes.

• Hosted a number of meetings with the local residents as well as current and former state, county, and city officials.

• Encouraged a letter writing campaign to the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners, held two protests, and received news coverage from the Gainesville Sun, Mainstreet Daily News, TV20 and WUFT.

• Leveraged social media through the FOWE Facebook page and NextDoor to raise awareness and garner support for maintaining the West End golf course as green recreational space.

• Established the West End Community Alliance for Recreation and Education, Inc. (WECARE) a

•  Florida not-for-profit corporation that now has Federal 501(c)(3) status (westendcare.org).

• Developed an on-line survey for the community to provide feedback on the types of recreation and amenities that would be supported on the West End golf course property.

A few months after submitting their development application to the county, we learned that the developer requested a two-month deferral in evaluating their application. Those two months stretched into eight months and ultimately ended when the developer formally withdrew his application in July 2021.

The celebration over the development application withdraw was short lived as Mr. Moukhtara and JBrown quickly proceeded in hosting three meetings with surrounding homeowner representatives to show and discuss a revised plan. The “doughnut hole” plan entailed 139 homes in the middle of the property. Many questions were raised concerning the management, maintenance and amenities in the area surrounding the homes. Given the lack of response to our questions and concerns that the overall plan did not meet the needs of the local community; the homeowner representatives rejected the plan.

During the summer, WECARE and FOWE participated in and contributed to a county initiative to develop formal standards and policies on the future land use of designated recreational properties. This was a very positive step taken by the county to further recognize and protect valuable recreational land in the county, to include the West End golf course.

This fall, WECARE submitted a land use acquisition nomination to the county Land Conservation Board to buy the property. The nomination was accepted, and Mr. Min gave permission for a site-specific evaluation which was performed on 10/8/21 by county personnel. The evaluation results were presented at the 10/28/2021 Land Conservation Board meeting. Unfortunately, the evaluation scored very low and did not meet the conservation program criteria. However, the Board did recognize the importance of maintaining the property’s designation as recreation and agreed to send a letter to the Board of County Commissioners endorsing that need. The property has been abandoned with unfettered growth of vegetation, dead and dangerous trees scattered throughout, and the clubhouse windows have all been broken and interior vandalized. As of November 2, Mr. Min has amassed code violation fines of $25,710 including a recurring $250 per day fine plus the potential of a $210 lien processing fee.

As the year ends, we are faced with the potential of another development application being submitted to the county. JBrown has called for a community workshop on December 9th to roll out a new development plan for the West End golf course property. With the property in ruins and ongoing efforts to develop, our fight must continue stronger than ever before. WECARE and FOWE are committed to exploring all avenues that will further our goal of keeping the West End Golf Course property recreational green space for all to enjoy. Your continued support is essential.

WECARE and FOWE - Working for Health, Happiness and Recreational Green Space in 2022

West End CARE by the numbers.

WECARE and FOWE are asking YOU to SHOW UP

JBPro a civil engineering company is holding a Neighborhood Workshop.

Date: Thursday, December 9, 2021
Time: 6pm
Place: Abiding Savior Lutheran Church
9700 NW Newberry Road, Gainesville, FL 32606.

This meeting was called to discuss an application for a proposed Comprehensive Plan amendment and future land use map change and rezoning the West End Golf Course property from Recreational to Residential with the intention of developing the property for residential units. The purpose of the Workshop is to inform neighboring property owners about the nature of the applications and to seek comments.

Please put this date on your calendar and plan to attend. It is imperative that all supporters speak up for keeping the West End Golf Course property Recreational Green Space for all to enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the supporters of WECARE and FOWE who have worked tirelessly since July 2020 to keep the West End Golf Course property zoning recreational.  The media coverage from Suzette Cook-mainstreetdailynews.com, Amber Pelicone-WCJB-TV-20, and the editor of the Gainesville Sun were very helpful in bringing our cause to the general public.   

A special thank you to the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners, Alachua County Forever, Alachua County Property Appraiser, Planning and Zoning, Code Enforcement and probably other county offices we have been contacting in the last two years. Each and every time a member of WECARE or FOWE sent an email, telephoned, or went to a meeting, our requests and concerns were met with polite, respectful, professional and quick responses.

We are grateful and appreciate each and every one of you who have been so supportive during the past year.  

WECARE Board of Directors

Land Conservation Board Meeting On October 28th!

West End Community Alliance for Recreation and Education (WECARE) had submitted a nomination to Alachua County for consideration by Alachua County Forever to acquire the West End Golf Course property on Newberry Road across from Town of Tioga.  A Land Conservation Board (LCB) meeting will take place on Thursday, October 28, 2021 at 5:00 pm 12 SE 1st Street, 2nd Floor, Grace Knight Conference Room.  The public may participate in person, by zoom https://zoom.us/j/93271365115 or by phone 1 929-205-6099.  Meeting ID 93271365115. 

Please join WECARE and let the LCB know how important it is for all the communities west of I-75 to keep this 75.2-acre property for recreation.  This property provides ground water recharge and flood management, a habitat for deer, birds, and other wildlife, and a variety of plants and trees natural to Florida including an endangered creeping star-hair fern.  We humans will also benefit from keeping this property recreational green space by providing better air quality, reduced air temperatures and a place to exercise the body and mind.  

We are counting on you to speak out for the sake of our future and the future of generations to follow.

Thank you.