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High Springs officials ask for more scrutiny at proposed Wal-Mart site
By Christa Jenkins
Herald Writer



HIGH SPRINGS — The city of High Springs joined the movement for a high level of scrutiny of the proposed Alachua Wal-Mart Supercent by sending a letter to the Suwannee River Water Management District Monday urging just that.

Commissioner Kirk Eppenstein expressed his concern at the March 23 City Commission meeting about the possibility of runoff from the Wal-Mart site affecting the water supply of High Springs.

Eppenstein said that his concern grew after attending a public meeting on March 21 about dye test results from Mill Creek Sink, located across the street from the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter location on U.S. 441.

Results of the test showed that dye injected into Mill Creek Sink reached Hornsby Spring, which feeds into the Santa Fe River and water supply, just 12 days later.

Since the sinkhole on the Wal-Mart site feeds into Mill Creek Sink, many residents at the meeting said they were concerned that runoff from the site could quickly affect the water supply.


Eppenstein said at the commission meeting that he was one of those worried and that the city should take measures to protect its water.

“I think this development needs a lot of scrutiny by the water management district,” he said.

He asked commissioners to approve a letter to the SRWMD requesting them to look carefully into the matter before awarding Wal-Mart a natural resources permit.

“I’m just asking for a higher amount of scrutiny and I think that harms no one,” he said. “We’re charged with public safety and it absolutely falls into that category.”

Since letters to the SRWMD about the matter had to be received by March 27, he said, they would have to approve writing a letter immediately to ensure its on-time arrival.



Although commissioners said they would like to see a letter before approving it, they decided that the cause was worthy enough to trust that the letter would be written appropriately.

They unanimously approved writing and sending a letter to the SRWMD.

“I fully support this,” Commissioner Jim Gabriel said.

Eppenstein sent a letter to the SRWMD on March 24, and a letter from the city signed by Mayor Byran Williams was hand-delivered to the SRWMD on March 27.

Eppenstein stressed at the meeting that he did not want Alachua officials to feel that High Springs was trying to control their affairs, but that he was concerned because of the potential that the site could impact High Springs residents.

He also said that his concerns were raised not because the proposed site developer is Wal-Mart, but because of the potential for an impact to the water supply.

“It’s not so much a letter opposing Wal-Mart as much as it is a letter of concern regarding the potential risk to the potable water supply,” he said. “It just happens to be a Wal-Mart.”

In his letter to the SRWMD, Eppenstein asks “that this application be given the greatest amount of scrutiny allowable by law to ensure that we answer any questions regarding the risks to our citizens and their water supply.”

The letter from the city echoed similar requests.

“We believe the importance of these resources to our community and the water quality throughout the SRWMD warrants a more intense review of this application and more diligence in designing an effective storm water management system for this development site.”