Vote yes to mandate this review. The Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office is preparing for a likely recount of the County Charter Amendment Establishing County Growth Management Area referenda. One requirement of being a Charter County is that a Charter Review Commission (CRC) is convened once every ten years to review the County Charter and propose amendments that will be placed on the ballot for voters’ consideration. What’s being proposed isn’t an open primary, this is a jungle primary. One of the reasons this is on the ballot is because utilities and republicans needed something to support to suck up all the paid signature gatherers from that free-market energy thing. Our Democracy is Worth Waiting For. Vote for Biden. Maybe the census won’t be screwed and Florida will get one or two more congresspeople with one of the new districts having to be in North Central Florida because of the sheer size of CD3. We could use some money for postage for our Eviction Resistance Task Force. c. Thank you so much for the offer. The Nov. three poll referendum would create a county growth management area, whereby any growth inside the space could be solely ruled by the county’s land growth rules, even when a parcel of land is later annexed into the boundaries of a metropolis. The county, supervisor of elections office and attorney for the city of Alachua all declined to comment on the pending legal case. Vote yes. He’s not my first (or second) choice but just vote for Biden. But if you want to throw a few dollars somewhere considering helping out the ACLC. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Read more . They’re not in effect because they’ve been ruled unconstitutional but they’re still there. County Growth Management Area – This amendment would establish a “County Growth Management Area”. This is a major charter amendment that will help us preserve wild spaces and encourage infill growth. The area would not constrain Alachua County municipalities, Sexton said. I’d like to buy you a beer Simply put, if there is a conflict between a city and the county over an environmental ordinance, the stricter one would apply. Kim A. Barton, Supervisor of Elections, Alachua County Josiah T. Walls Building • 515 North Main Street, Suite 300 • Gainesville, FL 32601 Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday Phone: 352-374-5252 • Fax: 352-374-5264 • TDD: 352-491-4432 Toll-Free Spanish Hotline: 833-875-0365 Email: kbarton@alachuacounty.us Vote no against the anti-immigrant crusaders. But most important to our lives here in Alachua County might be the 11 local amendments that were vetted and passed by our local commissions. The Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office is preparing for a likely recount of the County Charter Amendment Establishing County Growth Management Area referenda. Click here - to use the wp menu builder; Sign in. October 23, 2020. in Taxes. ( Log Out /  We need a bucket full of cash to address the affordable housing crisis in Alachua County and this amendment is the bucket. Vote yes on creating the framework for the Alachua County Affordable Housing Trust Fund. We’re voting on a lot of cosmetic changes to the City and County charters, what’s one more. First, the complaint claims, the growth management area charter amendment proposal uses unclear, ambiguous language that misinforms voters about its true purpose. This is the cheaper and more environmentally damaging way of developing as opposed to following the Alachua County Comp plan which encourages more sustainable development in urban clusters. 20-0849 Ballot Items Fiscal Consideration: N/A Recommended Action: Review and Discuss the 2020 Ballot Items. The measure is set to appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. The Straw Hat is a political blog primarily written by Jeremiah Tattersall based out of Gainesville, Florida. ( Log Out /  NEWBERRY, Fla. (WCJB) -The City of Newberry is planning to file a lawsuit against Alachua County. Summary: This amendment would allow the County to establish a “Growth Management Area” in which the County would permanently govern land use, regardless of whether the land is inside or outside of municipal boundaries. Should you have any questions, please call us at 352-374-5243 for building department and 352-374-5249 for all other divisions for assistance. The Establish a Growth Management Zone amendment would establish areas the county wants to preserve for the environment, said Mark Sexton, the … Whereas the language suggests the amendment’s purpose is "growth management,” the complaint said, its true purpose is “to prevent a municipality from applying its land use regulations to properties it annexes after the proposed charter amendment becomes effective.”. I’m not sure what enforcement mechanism there is for it, but I think it’s a good proposal. The amendment also allows the County Commission to remove property from the County Growth Management Area by a supermajority vote. What they did was change the charter to prevent the use of funds to make paved paths along Hogtown Creek. These six local ballot measures proposed by both the County Commission and Charter Review Commission seek to amend the county’s charter. Please vote yes for this. Why the hell not? An issue with growth has been when large property owners annex themselves into rural municipalities in order to get more favorable zoning changes and lax environmental standards. Like Amendment 5, it would be almost impossible to publicly stand against this. your username. Share Share Share Share. In 1986 the voters of Alachua County adopted the Alachua County Charter. The Florida Citizen Voters are leading this campaign and are very, very conservative. #VoteAlachua. This amendment would prevent municipalities from trying to pass lax environmental regulations to circumvent more comprehensive programs. High Springs To Use Taxes To Sue Alachua County Over Ballot Amendment – WUFT News. On land within the Area, the County’s comprehensive plan and land development regulations would exclusively govern land development, even if a parcel of land is later annexed into the boundaries of a city. Vote yes. 8. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Recover your password. ( Log Out /  And maybe Alachua County will get a new district without Clay County, and maybe this seat will be competitive in 2 years. A County Growth Management Area would be created, in which the county’s comprehensive plan and land development regulations would govern land development outside today's municipal boundaries, including land that is later annexed inside municipal boundaries. The city of Alachua has filed a lawsuit against Alachua County and the supervisor of elections that challenges a proposed charter amendment the municipality feels shouldn’t be on the November ballot. Voters also chose to renew the one mill ad valorem tax for Alachua County Public Schools’ operating expenses. A map of the proposed County Growth Management Area is available on the CRC … Vote yes. Vote Yes on all the Local Gainesville/Alachua County Ballot Initiatives This November we have the opportunity to elect a president, a congressperson, a statehouse representative. Welcome! Vote yes on this amendment. The Trust cannot legally be funded in the charter but this would establish it. Leave a comment and I’ll respond for clarification. Vote for Anna Prizzia. Alachua County aims to continually improve the accessibility and usability of its website. As it stands now, any property not annexed into a city is already governed by Alachua County. https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/alachua-county-labor-coalition-donations, The advantage of voting for Amendment 1 is that if it passes it can’t be used as a tactic to drive conservative turnout again in the future. In the city’s complaint, filed in the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court on Monday, Alachua requested that the proposal be struck from the ballot because it is unconstitutional on several counts. In 1998 when the City was building up parks along Hogtown Creek, a group of angry White people started a movement to prevent the accessibility of these parks. County Commission to discuss COVID-19, fairgrounds, November ballot items | Government | mainstreetdailynews.com Forgot your password? You don’t need to know anything about him except that he sucks (official Straw Hat position). VIEWS. This is one of the few competitive seats in Florida and we could really, really use more friends in Tallahassee. That said, I will be voting YES for Scott Makar and Joseph Lewis and NO for everyone else. Search. Because the districts are gerrymandered the politicians don’t represent the will of the people, so the people have to pass progressive initiatives themselves. Editor's Note: On the Agenda is a summary of high interest items to be decided on or discussed at upcoming local municipal meetings in Alachua County. Amendment 2 would increase the state minimum wage from $8.56 in 2020 to $15.00 in 2026. But still, vote for him. This would make it harder to sell off parts of GRU. ( Log Out /  Socialist agenda lives here. Log into your account. A hearing date on the case has not yet been set. High Springs City Commission voted Thursday night to approve a contentious plan to use public funds to litigate and advertise against Alachua County’s charter referendum before the public votes on the proposal. It won’t cost much and doesn’t really do much. Chair Robert Hutchinson, Alachua County Commission Adoption of the Agenda Items For Discussion 1. There’s some really queerphobic stuff in the County Charter that should be taken out. Read more. This is a tax cut that goes mostly to the rich, but increasing the transfer from 2 years to 3 does make it more inclusive. County Charter Amendment Establishing County Growth Management Area. Like the above proposed amendment, this one would help preserve environmental standards. ALACHUA – The City of Alachua filed suit in circuit court against Alachua County Monday over a proposed charter amendment that, if approved, would dramatically change how growth is managed countywide. This would require a comprehensive review of all current and proposed policies for racial and gender bias. Yes, this is short but like before, you wouldn’t be reading this blog if you weren’t already voting for Prizzia. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to those who wrote them. One of the few ways we can avoid something really scary is if Biden wins in a blowout. by Penny Wheat, Chair 2020 Alachua County Charter Review Commission After significant public debate and discussion, the 2020 Alachua County Charter Review Commission (County CRC) voted to place 4 charter amendments on the November 3 rd ballot. Vote yes. Sure. I’m sorry I’m not writing more on Alford but honestly, if you’re reading this and not voting for Alford you’re in the wrong place. I know. It will go up to $10 on September 30th, 2021, and go up $1 every September 30th until 2026 where it’ll be adjusted annually for inflation. If passed, a municipality will no longer be able to apply its own comprehensive plans or land development regulations to a property it annexes if the land is within the growth management area. County Charter Amendment Establishing County Growth Management Area. This is Growth Management website. Email me at jtattersall@flaflcio.org if you want to volunteer and make calls to make sure people vote. This does nothing. And if one of them does lose their seat Governor Ron DeSantis gets to appoint someone who will most likely be younger and more conservative. This prevented us from expanding the park (ADA compliance requirements for federal/state grants) and directly led to the over development of the area around the corner of University Avenue and W 34th Street. The Alachua County charter amendment that would create a county growth management area has caused quite a bit of controversy and even led to … But I understand why people would vote no on this. Vote yes. True, but it’d be hard since there was a lot of alignment here. This is the only prosed City charter change that actually does something. As far as I can tell these are the most reasonable conservatives on the bench and would be the only ones DeSantis could replace with worse people. The Alachua County Growth Management Department implements the community’s vision of quality of life and a sustainable community that promotes economic opportunity, protection of natural resources, and social equity in the interest of the health, safety and welfare of the public. I’m working too many hours trying to reimagine a GOTV campaign in the time of pandemic for Labor in North Central. No, I meant vote yes. I understanding voting no for this as it’s about a regressive tax break, but making it more accessible should make it less terrible. The proposed amendment also does not inform voters that it will change the current land annexation system already in place, the complaint said. It’s a minor inconvenience to have to submit a paper copy but there’s no way to do away with this requirement except for updating the charter. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Whatever this guys says to vote for…. TDD users, please call 711 Florida Relay Service. do the opposite. Vote no on this bullshit. Establish a Growth Management Zone. If not for these White people’s fear of Black people, the Publix and much of the plazas and apartment complexes would be a large nature park instead of one of the most polluted bodies of water in Gainesville. County Growth Management Area: If approved by voters, this amendment would establish a County Growth Management Area. We do a lot of new things that we didn’t do way back yonder, like GRUcom (city fiber), and we need to update our charter to make sure that the utility owned by the people stays with the people. This is a major charter amendment that will help us preserve wild spaces and encourage infill growth. Ballot Proposal - The ballot title and ballot summary for this question are as follows: COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT ESTABLISHING COUNTY GROWTH MANAGEMENT AREA . It’s a tax cut for the surviving spouses of deceased veterans. It makes no difference but the only way to change the name is to vote on it. Vote no on this attack on direct democracy. This amendment would help put a lid on that nonsense. Our environment is sacred, but with increasing population there is more and more pressure to develop outside of our cities and into sensitive environmental land. by Sheldon Wills. Shall the Alachua County Charter be amended, effective countywide, to establish a County Growth Management Area (“Area”), provide that the County’s comprehensive plan and land development regulations will exclusively … Oh, and 49 people had evictions filed against them last week in Alachua County (hit up the Alachua County Tenants Association at acta@laborcoaltion.org to get involved in the fightback), UF is deciding to furlough workers instead of spending down their $2 billion endowments (get involved here), and COVID-19 is ripping through our communities. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Controversy continues after a close call on Alachua County ballots surrounding the Alachua County Growth Management Area Amendment. For more information contact us at info@thestrawhat.org, 2018 GENERAL ELECTIONS GUIDE – Alachua County, Podcast: National Women’s Liberation – Gainesville Chapter, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. your password. Election officials said Friday that a second result found Alachua County voters passed a charter amendment to give the county more control over the growth. The county charter review commission, a board composed of 12 volunteer members, voted in June to adopt a proposed amendment called “County Growth Management Area,” which, if passed by voters, would amend the current county charter on land development regulations. And like above, the only way to take them out is by voting on them like this. This doesn’t matter. Vote yes unless you hate low wage workers. Alachua County voters approved all six charter amendments on the 2020 ballot, which includes a narrowly passed amendment giving the county greater power over municipalities on environmental protections and land development regulations. Jeremiah – Thanks for a great ballot breakdown! This is silly and racist. Vote for Kayser Enneking. Some of the specifics on how this works and how it can be more equitable will be revisited when the new School Board is seated. Vote yes. She’s a badass and deserves your support. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Alachua County voters will have the opportunity to vote for several amendments on their ballots, including six Alachua County charter amendments. Sorry for the bluntness in this analysis, but I don’t have time to lead you to this conclusion in a less jarring way. This is the baby of Sen Brandes. That would keep this election away from the packed courts and remove as much doubt as possible. Alachua County General Election Results from the Supervisor of Elections. Just freaking vote. Vote yes. He said it would likely take cities decades to expand to the point where the county protects the area. Thanks! When the new County Commission is sworn in, it’s up to us to get them to fund it with linkage fees, a new tax, or transfers. The reason most people are supporting this is that it’s very popular and might be politically hard to publicly advocate against. But people can feel good about supporting veterans instead of, you know, supporting veterans in a substantive way. for Amendment 5 did you mean to write “vote no”? © 2020 www.gainesville.com. your email. The County Growth Management Area was designed as a compromise, providing areas outside existing city borders where cities could still exercise land use control after annexation. Alachua County, FL – In 1986 the voters of Alachua County adopted the Alachua County Charter. I cannot express to you how excited I am to have her on the commission. This is being proposed to stop progressive initiatives like Felon Rights Restoration, the $15 minimum wage, medical marijuana, and others. Vote for Mary Alford. It’s slower than I’d like but it’s still good. All rights reserved. 0. And I don’t want to hear it about not voting. That’d be nice, but until then vote for Adam Christensen. Do you have a PayPal account? Voters approved six Alachua County amendments and four for the city of Gainesville, including, by a very narrow margin, a controversial growth management area that will give the county commission power to limit development in areas outside current municipal boundaries. Currently, candidates have to submit a paper and an electronic copy of their treasurer reports. Password recovery . The county charter review commission, a board composed of 12 volunteer members, voted in June to adopt a proposed amendment called “ County Growth Management Area,” which, if … The ballots … The short and long of it is that it’ll keep progressives from being able to win state office. To be honest, I’m still on the fence. County Charter Amendment Establishing County Growth Management Area. Vote yes on this amendment. And maybe the Republicans won’t try to challenge the constitutionally required Fair Districting with DeSantis’ new Florida Supreme Court. An issue with growth has been when large property owners annex themselves into rural municipalities in order to get more favorable zoning changes and lax environmental standards. I know. Vote yes to undo this mess. To my knowledge, no Judge in Florida has ever not retained their office. A map of what the County is calling the Growth Management Area shows that a very large portion of Alachua County is within that area. 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