Angry residents met with Gainesville City officials to try to stop construction of a proposed new garage for the city`s fleet near their homes at a town hall meeting Tuesday evening. The presentation by city officials at the Public Works Department began by establishing a "Pledge of Conduct" stating that everyone would be respectful, avoid personal attacks and keep comments directed at the issues. The struggle to have the city`s new planned garage moved to another location has been going on for over seven months, said Barbara Ruth, a member of the Stephen Foster Neighborhood Protection Group that has helped lead the fight against the new garage. Neighborhood residents said the proposed garage is not zoned properly, would cause excessive noise and raises environmental concerns, all of which would devalue the surrounding property. City officials maintain that the facility is necessary and that the proposed location at the Public Works Center is the best choice. The Development Review Board, which must approve construction, has denied the permit so far. The City Planning Department and the city attorney have said that the new facility would conform to zoning regulations, said the city`s communications and marketing manager, Bob Woods. Noise levels would be monitored by the Gainesville Police Department and possibly an independent contractor to ensure that they do violate the city noise ordinance, and a wall could be built to help reduce levels further. Environmental concerns were addressed by assuring residents that the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department and other environmental agencies do and would continue to inspect the property at least once annually. "This whole presentation is nothing but spin," said Ruth in an interview. "We`ve presented evidence that the facility can not be lawfully built here, and the Development Review Board agreed and denied the permit."
Normally the city could appeal the decision but instead they are simply ignoring it, Ruth said. During the comment period after the presentation, Robert Pearce, an executive committee member of the Stephen Foster Neighborhood Protection Group, challenged city officials, including the mayor, to rebut the evidence the group presented. "The county zoning code states that each allowed use of a property must be specified, and a motor vehicle care facility is not," he said. "This would all be more productive if city officials were being honest, and they`re not," said Pearce in an interview. "I`m very pissed off." Woods had no comment regarding allegations of dishonesty, but said he thought this was the opening of a new dialogue between the city and the affected parties. He said city officials should have done a better job communicating from the beginning of the project, but that it is important to balance neighborhood concerns with the needs of the city. About 30 people attended the meeting and at least eight residents expressed concern during the comment period, including a resident who said all the new concrete laid down for the project would cause Springstead creek, which runs through his property, to rise faster and erode the land. Another resident said she thought the city would proceed on the project without taking their concerns seriously. Woods denied this and said he would prepare a report to share the residents` concerns with the city manager. | 
