Residents from Florida's Alachua County offer up land-planning wish list during Plum Creek's community workshop aimed at developing master plan for the area

Audrey Dixon

LOS ANGELES , October 7, 2011 (Forestweb) – Alachua County, Florida, residents offered up development and preservation ideas for 17,000 acres east of Newnan’s Lake during a community workshop hosted by Plum Creek Timber Co., The Gainesville Sun reported Oct. 5.

Comments received from the more than 70 attendees will be incorporated into the company’s master plan for the area.

Ideas include the creation of living-wage paying jobs for people from all educational backgrounds, as well as attracting services such as health care, banking and varied retailers to the area.

Former Hawthorne Mayor and current County Commission candidate John Martin said Plum Creek's plans could help overcome the racial stereotypes that have hindered private developers in east Gainseville.

Hunting club member Justin Williams suggested developing ecotourism to support a “very fragile” Newnan’s Lake, while the addition of an environment education center and a preservation and wildlife corridor was introduced by Chairman of the East Gainesville Development Corp. Chris Coleman.

Plum Creek’s Envision Alachua process has gathered around 30 task force members from various interest groups to develop a plan for the area’s economic development and conservation.

The primary source of this article is The Gainesville Sun, Gainesville, Florida, on Oct. 5, 2011.

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