Dear Alachua County Commissioners,

I believe I have attended most all of the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee meetings since the group was formed. I recall how happy a number of us were in seeing that you formed the committee.  Now, I feel betrayed by your lack of inclusivity. As I was unable to attend your commission meeting on January 23rd, I watched the recording wherein I heard it stated that the county met with representatives from UF several times discussing possible locations for a new Animal Resources and Care (ARC) facility. There was absolutely NO mention of ever meeting with or asking members of the advisory committee for their input. And, I did not hear any of you ask the county manger whether she had asked any members of the advisory committee for their input.

While in attendance at the advisory committee meetings myself, I never heard anyone ask members for their input or thoughts on the Swine Barn Unit site for a new ARC facility. If this did occur, please tell me the date(s) of the meeting(s) wherein it was discussed as I’d like to read the meeting notes. Yes, there was open discussion about what should be included in a new building, but not the location. Has the county ever put out a request stating something like…’Alachua County is seeking a new location for the construction and operation of a new Animal Resources and Care facility. The minimum acreage desired is … and the property needs to have these features…please contact…if you have a location for sale…’.?

The old expression of making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear comes to mind as Alachua County has not always spent monies wisely on facility maintenance and upkeep (look no further than the old County Extension Building on NE 39th Avenue that also had an agreement with UF, as I understand)…or look no further than the current ARC facility which, until recent intervention, was in poor shape with animals suffering. Why do you think maintenance and upkeep will be any different when the county facilities unit may have to get approvals from UF, the State of Florida, and Alachua County? You can put a lot of money into a new facility but, if it’s mismanaged or not allowed to be managed, it will still be a poor facility.

As you are undoubtably painfully aware, any agreement with UF or the State of Florida could be rescinded by the legislature/governor if UF or Alachua County falls out of favor. Why put the taxpayers on the tab for three million dollars and the animals at risk for another re-location?

As you can tell, I have quite a few concerns/questions regarding any decision to build a new ARC facility at the site of UF’s Swine Barn Unit. Having lived and worked within two miles of the Swine Barn Unit for over 30 years, I am very familiar with the location and proximity to several multi-housing units, ponds (including the old swine waste lagoon), UF’s Dialysis Center, and the fact that SW 23rd Terrace now crosses Archer Road into UF property (a short cut to the main UF campus including attending sporting events like softball, baseball, and lacrosse).

What are the ‘neighbors’ going to say about the barking sounds emanating from the facility or when loading/unloading animals at all times of the day and night…or EVERY single time an emergency vehicle runs their siren? Many, many emergency vehicles from within and outside of Alachua County use SW Archer Road and SW 23rd Terrace to get to the UF and VA medical facilities. Isn’t there a noise ordinance? What about waste containment…possible odors? The residents of the nearby apartment complex often complained about the noises/smells emanating from the Swine Unit.

What is the distance to the water table on the proposed site? Look at all of the little ponds at and near the site. Back in the day there was a DEP or Water Management monitoring well within a half mile of the site at the now UF Bee Biology Research Unit. Is it still there…close to the bee hives?  Do they monitor nitrates or anything else? Could animal waste become a problem on the site…chemicals used in cleaning the facility…pharmaceuticals used for the prevention and treatment of animal illness? Could the facility be shut down if any of these items begin to show up in the monitoring well? By the way, are any of the visitors, employees or volunteers allergic to bees? Once people begin to sit outside the facility, enjoying their lunch or beverages, the nearby bees will be sure to present themselves. What about the effect(s) to the bees at the research unit of cleaning, sanitizing, pharmaceuticals, etc. used on the site?

Also, what is the soil type…wasn’t this a fill site from long ago? I recall how difficult it was for the nearby organic gardens to get established because the soil was so poor. It took a couple of UF soil scientists to get that started. Who is to say the land can support a building without shifting…perhaps look into this before even considering an agreement?

Why would Alachua County enter into a three million dollar limited term lease agreement with not only UF but actually the State of Florida’s Internal Improvement Trust Fund? You really have no idea of who will be in charge of the location in the future…especially when it comes time to renew the lease. And, as I mentioned earlier, who’s to say that the initial agreement will even continued to be honored?

Also, who would want to donate funds for building construction or office and/or medical equipment knowing the county doesn’t really own the land? What kind of legacy effect would donors have? In addition, would ARC really be able to negotiate outside contracts or grants without land/building ownership? If so, from what entities/organization(s)? 

Regarding the location, who researched the traffic counts on SW Archer Road, SW 23rd Terrace, SW Williston Road, Old Archer Road, and SW 35th Place (the cut through road between SW 23rd Terrace and SW 34th Street)? Has anyone asked the nearby Fire Rescue Station on Archer Road the time it takes for them to get to SW 34th Street from their location…to US Highway 441…to SW Williston Road?

I still live within two miles of the proposed site and avoid that area as much as possible due to the congestion and time wasted. What is the prevalence of auto/bicycle/truck/motorcycle/pedestrian accidents near the proposed site? Has anyone tried turning into the site going south on SW 23rd Terrace from SW Archer Road (currently there is about two car lengths of room for vehicles to wait in the median on SW 23rd Terrace)? Going north on SW 23rd Terrace is rather treacherous as there is a curve in the road that makes it difficult to slow and turn into the site with traffic behind you. Therefore, I believe the entrance to the site would need to change for the sake of safety. Another cost.

In addition, SW 23rd Terrace and SW 35th Place are major city bus routes with multiple stops for all of the multi-housing units wherein traffic is not allowed to pass stopped busses. ALL passing is prohibited on SW 23rd Terrace the entire distance between SW Archer Road and SW Williston Road. How long do you think it is going to take an ARC officer to get to a location at 7 am, 7:30 am, 8 am, noon, 4 pm, 4:30 pm, 5 pm, 5:30 pm, etc.?

There is an ebb and flow to the traffic on SW Archer Road and SW Williston Roads…in the morning the traffic moves predominantly into Gainesville (east from the Interstate area) and in the afternoon the traffic predominantly moves west (toward the Interstate area). Has someone in an ARC truck tried traveling these routes during morning and afternoon traffic from the proposed site…what about on UF sporting event days/nights? How would an ARC Officer arrive anywhere in a timely fashion if they were going east or west during a major UF event or during regular rush hour traffic? Living off SW Williston Road, I commonly see traffic heading west backed up almost all of the way to SW 23rd Terrace during afternoon rush hour.

Does ARC have the records of where they are typically called to check on animals and/or respond to calls? Is this proposed site central to those areas or just the center geographically? I know that things can change, but that should be a consideration…to cut down on fuel/maintenance expenditures and response times.

I know this can also vary, but from what parts of the county do the current volunteers drive? What are their thoughts on this possible change in ARC location? Will they be able to continue to volunteer? Have any of the volunteers tried traveling the route from their home to and from the proposed new site during the time(s) they would be volunteering?

What is going to happen with the property and building at the existing facility? Does the county own that outright? Couldn’t that be sold to raise funds for a new site/building?

All of these are concerns of mine…and I feel confident concerns of others as well. Why not post your decision on the ARC website so that more people can become aware of what you are considering? You’ve waited this long, so take the time to get it right and use our funds wisely. A decision such as this should receive full buy in from the community. A ‘maybe’ long term lease on the UF Swine Barn Unit site is not the answer. You are part of a political entity…the only thing certain is change so don’t ever think your lease agreement(s) can’t be changed without your approval.

Your timely response would be appreciated.

Sincerely,
Kathleen Ruppert

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