BY TRACY LEE TATE
Times Staff Writer
LAKE BUTLER — At its regular Dec. 19 meeting the Union County Board of County Commissioners, acting as the county Planning and Zoning Board, approved requested changes to the county Official Zoning Atlas of the Land Development Regulations (LDRs) on four parcels of property, amending the Future Land Use Plan Map of the Comprehensive Plan in unincorporated areas of the county to allow two local businesses to locate on them.
Ridgepoint Structures LLC filed an application to change the zoning district on two parcels of land (each 10 acres or less) located near S.R. 238 from Agricultural-4 (A-4) to Industrial, Light and Warehousing (ILW) to allow the owner to conduct business constructing and selling portable storage sheds and buildings.
Paul S. Bergsma filed an application to change the zoning district on two parcels of land as well. Both parcels are of one acre or less in size and located near C.R. 18. The requested zoning district change was from Agriculture-4 to Industrial (I). Bergsma plans to locate a business that manufactures medical appliances on the site.
In other discussion and/or action the Board of commissioners:
—awarded the professional services contract for the upcoming Brownsfield Project to PPM Consultants with which the county has dealt before.
—Awarded the contract for the addition to the existing Agricultural Education Building to UnionLasteel, the builders of the original structure, based on a quote of $290,915 for the enclosed metal building and arena area. The two parts will be attached to make one larger building with two arena areas. The project is completely grant funded.
—Selected a contractor for the project supervision services for the new Emergency Operations Center in Lake Butler. The decision was made based on quotes sent in for the project. There were three contractors that send in quotes and Ajax Building Corp. was selected by the board. The decision had to be made quickly as the grant funds for the first phase of the project must be spent before the end of the state’s fiscal year. The company will work with the designer and the contract will include all construction services at or below the amount allowed for such services by the grant.
—Discussed the recent demolition of the old building which had housed the New River Library Cooperative, which was done totally by county staff (road and solid waste departments) and a few hardy volunteers (including J. R. Davis). By having the work done in house, the county saved about $15,000 of the grant funds for the EOC project. In addition, all of the materials resulting from the tear-down that could be repurposed or recycled were salvaged and saved.
—Heard a report from County Coordinator Jimmy Williams that the FRDAP grant work being done at the ballfields at the O.J. Phillips Recreation Complex was almost complete and would be in about another month. Grant funded improvements included additional fencing for the fields and LED lights at first and third bases on all of the fields.
—Heard a report from Union County EMS Supervisor that the department was requesting as much mutual aid as it was receiving and that it was seeing a revenue increase from hospital transports.
