BY DAN HILDEBRAN
The head of Union County’s Economic Development is sounding the alarm over a recent land deal between Weyerhaeuser and the state, which he said could hinder the county’s future industrial growth.
Bob Cotgreave said a series of sales and conservation easements would shut off the northern one-third of Union County to business development.
The deal, setting aside 78,000 acres completes the Ocala-to-Osceola Wildlife Corridor.
County Coordinator Jimmy Williams added that he was eyeing the northern part of the county for future industrial zoning, far from the county’s primary residential areas, and close to the Tri-County landfill in Raiford.
Williams said he envisioned warehouses or manufacturing facilities near the landfill, with easy access to Interstate 10 and other developments in Baker County.
“There are a lot of things that can work together out there in an industrial area in that mindset on State Road 229 north just before the Baker County line,” he told county commissioners on July 7. “You’re just moments from I-10 also, and that’s just forest land, which would be ideal for a 50-acre fenced-in area, maybe making computer chips or something, or warehousing, or something like that, for growth of jobs in the county, and revenue sources. This corridor has taken that off the table at this time as far as we know.”
Cotgreave said that future conservation easements could set aside land as far south as Butler Lake.
Williams told commissioners that in his view, the best way to approach the issue is in coordination with other counties and with the state’s small counties coalition.
Williams and Cotgreave said their biggest complaint is that state officials did not consult with the impacted counties before striking the deal, neglecting to consider the economic impact of setting aside such large parcels of real estate.
Williams told commissioners he has already talked to Bradford County officials about the issue and will bring it up with other county officials soon.
