OSFR Executive Director Jodi Boas has sent the following information regarding the imminent meeting next Tueday in Alachua. Local authorities will review the permit application for the Tara development near Mill Sink.
Development near the sink is an absolute stupidity given the dangers to our fragile aquifer. There is plenty of land for development away from the sink and no need to endanger the aquifer.
Please attend this meeting and voice your opposition to this extremely bad idea if at all possible.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
Your immediate action is needed to oppose a high-risk development that threatens the environmentally sensitive Mill Creek Cave System, our local aquifer, and our community’s drinking water supply.
The proposed Tara April Special Exception Permit, set to be reviewed by the City of Alachua Planning & Zoning Board, seeks approval for construction directly above and around this vital natural resource.
This development poses significant risks:
· Public Health Crisis: Runoff and potential construction contaminants will drain directly into the aquifer, jeopardizing the safety of our drinking water and private wells.
· Safety Hazards: Building on top of an active cave system creates inherent, long-term structural risks for future property owners long after the developer has gone.
· Environmental Damage: Approving development in such a sensitive area conflicts directly with the public interest and endangers our springs, rivers, wildlife, tourism industry, and overall quality of life.
Your voice is critical. We need you to show up and speak out.
The Planning & Zoning Board will decide if this development is compatible with our community’s well-being. By attending, you can help demonstrate that developing environmentally sensitive areas is not in the public interest.
Please join us at the Public Hearing:
· Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
· Time: 6:00 PM
· Location: Alachua City Hall, 15100 NW 142 Terrace, Alachua, FL
We hope to see you there to protect our shared future.
Our Santa Fe River, Inc.
“Giving Our River A Voice”
