Geological report on Tara April site finds site is suitable for development

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

ALACHUA, Fla. – A geological report produced to meet the geophysical evaluation and geologic testing requirements of the City of Alachua “found no evidence of sinkhole activity or conditions that make the site unsuitable for development.”

The report was produced by GSE Engineering & Consulting, a firm retained by Tara Forest, LLC after the City of Alachua asked for additional geologic testing, and the scope of services was mutually agreed upon by the applicants, the City, and APEX, the City’s consultant.

According to the report, the soil borings found no indicators of sinkhole activity or anything to suggest a potential for sinkhole formation. The report states, “Furthermore, there are no indications that near surface conditions are connected to the nearby Mill Creek Sink cave system.”

The site, shown in the map above, runs along I-75, with Tara Forest West on its eastern boundary and the City of Alachua’s Mill Creek Sink Water Quality Improvement site, the Mill Creek Swallet, and the Mill Creek Sink to the south. The proposal is to use the northern 55 acres for stormwater management facilities and green space and build a commercial development on the southwest 10 acres of the site.

On January 6, the City requested this evaluation as a condition of scheduling hearings on the Tara April Infrastructure Plan, and in a letter to the City on July 20, attorney Jeff Childers wrote, “The report’s conclusion is unequivocal… The report concludes that the site is suitable for the proposed development on conventional foundations.” In the letter, Childers requests a hearing on the Tara April Infrastructure Plan at the earliest available date.