City of High Springs joins Alachua County and sends letter expressing concern about Mill Creek Sink developments in City of Alachua
BY DAVID LIGHTMAN
HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. – At their August 22 Regular Meeting, the High Springs City Commission decided to send a letter to the City of Alachua declaring High Springs as a third-party intervener in the upcoming discussions about the four planned Tara residential developments. A dye trace study and other evidence indicate that wastewater outflow from these proposed neighborhoods in the City of Alachua will travel to Hornsby Spring at Camp Kulaqua and surrounding areas in High Springs.
During Citizen Requests and Comments, High Springs resident Bryan Buescher raised concerns about a possible new source of water pollution. Buescher said, “The City of Alachua has painted a target on our backs by moving forward on a development that is going to impact probably the most significant ecological feature of Alachua County, and that’s Mill Creek Sink. And the reason why it’s impacting us here in High Springs is because of a geological feature called ‘The Cross-County Fracture.’ And what that fracture does – it allows water to go from Mill Creek Sink, over by Sonny’s on 441 and I-75, directly to Hornsby Spring [at Camp Kulaqua].”
Buescher continued, “The main thing, I think, is that there’s also a 372-acre recharge field that’s planned by the Water Management District, and that is within the City of High Springs, and it’s directly on the path. I mentioned a dye trace study when I was here last time, and that dye trace study showed that within five days, water entering Mill Creek Sink shows up at Hornsby, and it takes more than 150 days for it to clear, meaning it can have a substantial impact on our community.”
Buescher said he had new information: the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners recently drafted a letter to the City of Alachua stating that they are an affected party to possible water pollution of the Mill Creek Sink, and they are requesting affected party status. Buescher said this is significant because their request includes not only the 192-acre Tara Forest West development but also a few other adjacent planned developments, totaling 378 acres.
Buescher concluded, “What I’m here tonight to do is to urge you to join Alachua County in sending a letter to the City of Alachua requesting affected party status and perhaps even significant affected party status. Thank you.”
Pointing to a map, Commissioner Wayne Bloodsworth asked, “That’s the Suwannee River Water Management property, right? So are they getting involved in this? Because I know exactly where this property is at, and that’s going to go through their property. Are they okay with that water, being potentially polluted, coming to High Springs like this?”
Buescher responded, “My understanding with the Suwannee River Management is they basically have a directive to approve growth.”
Bloodsworth continued, “Where do we as High Springs have any say or fight in this? Looking at that diagram,… that water is… going right under that Suwannee River Water Management property, going right through the northern part of High Springs, just missing Bailey Estates, and going to Camp Kulaqua/Hornsby Spring. Where do we have any fight to do anything about this? Does anybody have any direction?”
Acting City Attorney Kiersten Ballou said her office could research how Alachua County proceeded, and she could bring back a report to the next meeting about whether or not High Springs would have standing as an affected party.
Responding to Bloodsworth, Buescher said the County is preparing to make a presentation to the City of Alachua in late September. [Editor’s note: At the August 22 Alachua County Commission Special Meeting, the County Manager told the board they will hear a presentation from their staff on September 24; the City of Alachua has indicated that no action will be taken on the development until a final plat is submitted, in a few months.]
Another member of the audience, a diver who had conducted the dye trace study mentioned by Buescher, said, “My gut feeling on this thing is it needs to be looked at very very carefully. It’s got the potential to pollute a lot of groundwater.”
Mayor Katherine Weitz asked, “And in this path is our own wellfield? Our own potable water supply wells, right?” Bloodsworth responded, “Not very far. I guess Memorial Field would be the closest well.” Weitz continued, “It’s all pretty connected. So that’s my concern.”
Commissioner Tristan Grunder asked if they could send the letter and decide to “pull back” later. Attorney Ballou said they just wouldn’t go to the quasi-judicial hearing for the plat approval if they chose not to participate.
Ballou suggested, “My only concern is that you all don’t know for certain that you’re an affected party at this point in time, and I wouldn’t want to advise you in getting cross with another City without true harm and knowledge of it.”
Grunder responded, “That dye test is – … I would call that pretty damning evidence… My personal preference would be we fire off a letter just letting them know, and if they get upset about it, well I’m sorry, that’s not their water. It’s ours.“
Weitz said, “I think it offers us the opportunity just to open up a dialogue.”
Weitz suggested directing the City Attorney to draft a letter including data such as USGS maps showing the directional flow of water.
Ballou said sending the letter would give High Springs “better footing” as a third-party intervener than just showing up at the quasi-judicial hearing, and City staff would have time to develop data about the negative impact on High Springs before the hearing.
Grunder made a motion to direct the City Attorney to write a letter to the City of Alachua letting them know that High Springs will be a third-party intervener. Bloodsworth seconded the motion. It passed unanimously.
Another commenter said he is the president of a cave diving association with over 800 members around the world. He reminded everyone that High Springs is a global destination for cave divers who come here to enjoy the water quality and contribute to the local economy.
Due to reckless over-development, the entire state of Florida is becoming an overcrowded polluted sh*thole. Why should High Springs have to suffer the adverse effects of water pollution because of a distant building project that might only benefit avaricious developers? Shut it down!!!!
Hey Paco,
You should first send a real message and destroy the home you are in. It is great you get on here and comment with such rage but won’t put your money where your mouth is. “Hi everybody my name is Paco and now that my home is built, I don’t want any other homes to be built.” Be a leader and destroy your home first or get some Pepto-Bismol for that diarrhea of the mouth you got.
Nitwit. Your comment is typical of a … well, a building construction whore looking for a fast buck, or maybe some third rate political hack on the take.
May be so Paco, but the comment is true. Put your money (or as you know it, your government subsidies check) where your mouth is. Tear down your home, oh yeah that’s right if you damage the home you are in you will lose your section 8 voucher.
I must say the only thing about you I agree with is your screen name. You did aptly name yourself. When can we expect you to tear down your house there “mouf?”
Oh my Steely Dan you have apparently been infested with dumbazz disease; you probably caught it from Paco Pico Train. The point I was making is it is great that Paco Pico Train is crying about the sink hole, but my point is, it is a little too late for the drama and tears now. In case you haven’t noticed there is an entire city built around this sink hole, not to mention State Highway 441 and a Federal Interstate I-75 within feet of the site and numerous gas stations within sight of the sink hole. There is a time to cry in every situation and you and Paco Pico Train are not able to be “Reelin’ in the years” and are crying just a little late, maybe by a few decades or so, but I get your needs to be a perpetual victim. Steely you appear to be using some type of “Pretzel Logic” in your argument and at some point, you have to stop living your life as victim and start living it as a victor, but I can see that will be a conversation to have with you at much later date than today. Now please take the verbal beat down you just received and please be quite or else I will have to “Do it again” like we used to at “My old school” to all the “Show biz kids” who wore “Bad sneakers”.
The words from diarrhea brain stink in the ear. This cretin’s logic is that since some mistakes were made in the past we should all commit environmental suicide because it is allegedly too late to do anything to stop the madness. This sadistic example of scatalogical trash belongs in a septic tank. Obviously we are dealing with a low life bought and paid for political whore or a greedy scumbag of a building contractor who would sell his mother for a fast buck.
My my Paco Pico Train, I see I hit a nerve with you, and that would explain your diarrhea breath. Never said you should accept it, but you are starting in the wrong place. You need to petition the State of Florida to move HWY 441 and the federal government to move I-75, then start tearing down all the business and homes that surround the sink now. Like I mentioned earlier send a clear message tear down you house, don’t go to the City of Alachua or visit any of the businesses there, and don’t use I-75 and 441. That is the best way for other people to take you seriously, is to see you by example instead hollow words hanging on your diarrhea breath. Anyway, live by example, enough said. I hope to see you at Sonny’s BBQ tonight, again, I know it is your favorite place to eat.
Diarrhea-
Do you get the difference in this development vs others?
“A dye trace study and other evidence indicate that wastewater outflow from these proposed neighborhoods in the City of Alachua will travel to Hornsby Spring at Camp Kulaqua and surrounding areas in High Springs.”
Potato KESP, I had no idea that was the case. Well, you know what that changes, absolutely nothing. I really don’t have a lot of time because I have to go get my covid shot now because there was a study that told us if I get the shot that I can’t get covid or pass it along.
I am with you!! Shut it down!
I am with you! Shut it down!
This so so stupid. Think about. All of a sudden the ground will be contaminated by houses. 😂…not I-75 and 441 that has been there for decades and washing fuel right off the road. The study showed very very small traces of dye after being poured directly into the sinkhole. This property will not drain into the sinkhole. The sinkhole sits at a higher elevation than the actual property in the immediate area. I remember this same issue coming up decades ago when Winn-Dixie was built here in High Springs. Let the liberals run loose. This is why High Springs is set back 50 years while Alachua and Newberry move forward to better their communities.
Gasoline, diesel fuel, and even motor oil will all evaporate within a short time (but not unrefined crude oil).
Just stop the residential development and have the County purchase the property. May as well take more property off the tax rolls, and we’re always looking for another place to throw a javelin. Hopefully they’ll be able to throw from one side of I-75 to the other without hitting the traffic.
Good idea, County loves purchasing land, it’s their favorite pastime. Maybe they could sell the golf thingee property at Tioga, and use that money to buy it!!
From my understanding they’ll be using another large sink for storm water management for the Parker Road/SW 122nd Street expansion to the North. It’s common industry knowledge to never use sinks for storm water management…it’ll always pollute the aquifer.
Let’s see if they fight this project while allowing SW 122nd…
, “My understanding with the Suwannee River Management is they basically have a directive to approve growth.”
That’s the problem. Starting at least with Scott, Republicans have been gutting the state water management districts by firing experienced legal members and packing the boards with industry people and zero citizen environmental members. No one is guarding the hen house except local governments – when the state has not usurped their powers – who of course – as in this situation – have limited scope and power. This should be a regional issue overseen by the state, but there’s nobody home.
“No one is guarding the hen house except local governments.”
As if that doesn’t sound familiar.
If this is the sink hole behind Sonny’s on 441 then it is a little too late to cry about it. Just in case you haven’t noticed there is a city built around it. People are so ridiculous don’t worry about stopping a development we need to tear down the city and the already existing homes and structures. Just a bunch of cry boxes that are crying WAY TO LATE, but cry boxes cry just to hear themselves cry.
Eastman. There you go again with the Republican boogeymen. Suwanee and St Johns Water Management Districts have been rubber-stamping far more applications than they should have. And this has been going on since Bob Graham. Give us a break and do some research instead of peeking under your bed for the boogeymen.
Sorry Booger Eater Man, I really thought this was the sink located just off 441 and I-75 interchange in Alachua. So, you will have to forgive me for not understanding that this sink hole is in an existing undisturbed area. The sink I thought it was, is surrounded by a city, businesses, housing, highway, interstate, interstate exchange, gas stations, restaurants, trailer park, Lowes, churches, coffee shops, anyway I apologize again for having my locations confused.
Boogeyman, I personally know some of those fired, I once knew quite well – he’s since dead – the head of the South Fl WMD who was appointed by Chiles. He wasn’t a tree hugger who opposed all growth – he had facilitated some as an attorney – but he was a committed environmentalist and also an expert on water issues. I built a house for the top lawyer of the St John’s WMD who Scott fired along with many others. Would we agree with all decisions made by these long ago WMDs? Probably not, nor where they the final authority on everything, but there was a consequential difference in who ran them and their goals. You would know this if you paid attention.
Talk about diarrhea of the mouth.
Eastman. I’ve been in this state since 1970. I know EXACTLY which WMDs did what. Remove your blinders every once in a while and pay attention to reality yourself. YOU are the one who consistently turns a blind eye to ANYTHING from the Democratic party yet has no problem crying foul for anything the Republican party does.
Run off from highways is a different kind of pollutant than septic tanks and nitrogen from fertilizers.
If only there was some kind of expert state agency that would measure, test, do borings, and determine the risks associated with given activities.
Nah, I was just dreaming!
Stop lobbying….they both pollute. Common knowledge is to never use sinks for storm water or waste water management. Both should be properly percolated thru the soils before entering the aquifer. You can’t be for one but not the other or else you’re being hypocritical.
I’m for saving our water source and you seem to be for saving our water source only when it suits you…
?? Take a cold shower.
Nothing in my post suggests I am OK with any kind of pollution. Some here have posted that the location is too far gone because it has one particular type of exposure. I pointed out that there are other types this site has probably not been exposed to yet.