Alachua County is negotiating with UF to build a new animal shelter on a 12.6-acre section of campus. The $3 million ground lease would allow Alachua County to occupy a section of the swine unit, situated two miles southwest of UF’s main campus.
The subleased property would be near the intersection of Archer Road and Southwest 23rd Terrace.
Pamela Blasetti, a Gainesville resident and former volunteer for Alachua County Animal Resource Services, said there could be a need for an expanded facility to keep up with community demand for animal resources and care.
The current lease states “[the facility may] include offices, animal shelter structures, clinical space, outdoor space and parking,” as well as all necessary utility infrastructure.
However, Blasetti believes moving the shelter’s location onto UF property may not be the best scenario, she said.
“In my opinion, our established location works very well for most people,” she said. “It is rather centralized, and we do have an additional 13 acres on our present property that we could expand into.”
The new lease specifies the facility will be “dedicated to support for stray and unwanted animals awaiting adoption and for veterinary education, along with other related uses necessary.”
Blasetti thinks it would be better to work on expanding the existing property, rather than “causing more stress for the taxpayers’ dollars” by building the new shelter, she said.
On the other hand, Gainesville resident Dotty Faibisy said building the shelter on UF property would mean having a positive association with UF’s veterinary program.
“Hopefully we will have UF students volunteering along with citizen volunteers,” she said. “The UF vet school, that is a pretty nationally recognized school.”
At an Aug. 13 Alachua County Commission meeting, the commission approved the architecture and engineering services firm, plus the construction manager, for the new animal shelter.
Borrelli & Partners, the architecture firm, proposed a 78-week timeline for designing the shelter.
“They said our next step in this process would be community engagement because some community members feel they have not been listened to,” Faibisy said. “But that is next. We will have a chance to give our opinions soon.”
UF spokesperson Steve Orlando said subleased property for the new animal shelter could be used to advance the mission of the university through interactions with the university’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
The collaboration could offer opportunities for “educational instructional activities” for UF faculty, staff and students, according to the lease.
If the county and the university can reach an agreement, the sublease will need approval from the Alachua County Commission, the UF Board of Trustees and the State of Florida.
However, the consideration of community input remains unsettled. Orlando said the county can build and design the new shelter with whatever input it deems appropriate.
The Alachua County Animal Welfare Advisory Committee meets quarterly and is an ideal way for concerned citizens to become involved and aware of proceedings and issues within the county, Faibisy said.
“I would really recommend that concerned folks and citizens attend these advisory board meetings,” she said, “because then you find out firsthand what is being discussed and what is happening.”
Contact Julia Levi at jlevi@alligator.org. Follow her on X @julialevi55.
Julia Levi is a first year business student and the Alligator’s Fall 2024 Metro General Assignment reporter. In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, and listening to music.
