Newberry Unveils Planning Dashboard, Online Information Accessible to Residents

NEWBERRY ‒ In recognition of National Community Planning Month, Newberry Community Development Director Stacey Hectus highlighted the city’s progress in planning, zoning, and development during the Oct. 13, 2025, City Commission meeting. As part of her presentation, Hectus introduced a new Planning Projects Dashboard, a public tool designed to make information about local development more accessible and transparent to residents.

The online dashboard allows citizens to look up zoning and land use, determine whether a property is within the Historic District, review approved and proposed projects, monitor upcoming city initiatives, read relevant ordinances, and even watch meetings. The tool is part of an ongoing effort by the Community Development Department to enhance civic engagement and streamline access to planning data.

The Dashboard can be accessed through the City’s website, clicking on the Departments heading and Community Development and follow the links to Current Projects Map. For those used to using a QR Code, scanning that will also take citizens to the same location.

The presentation followed a City Commission proclamation designating October as National Community Planning Month, recognizing the importance of coordinated planning and growth management in shaping Newberry’s future.

Hectus also presented the department’s Fiscal Year 2024–25 Annual Report, which encompasses the divisions of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement. She focused her remarks on planning and zoning activities completed during the year, emphasizing the teamwork of staff, including Principal Planner Jean-Paul Perez and GIS Analyst Nicki Bailey, who was hired in-house this year to support multiple departments.

Bailey’s work has improved the accuracy of zoning and land use maps and refined the city’s utility mapping for water, sewer, and electric infrastructure.

Among the department’s major accomplishments for FY 2024–25 were:

• Finalization of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
• Creation of a new zoning category for Agricultural Technology to support development of the AgFoodTech Park.
• Economic development approvals for several local and regional projects, including Zeezeenia Sofra Small Scale Rural Event Center, Progressive Orthodontics, Hedges Eye Care, O2B Kids Child Care Center, Whittles Storage Expansion, Norfleet Industrial, Gatorback Motocross Park (special exception extension), Advance Auto Parts, and Wawa.

The department also reported the following activity:

• Fourteen parcels annexed into the City totaling approximately 185 acres.
• Eighteen future land use changes affecting roughly 473 acres.
• Twenty-one rezonings covering about 857 acres.
• Seven site and development plan approvals and three variances.
• Review of 10 subdivision projects, including Avalon Woods Phases 5A and 5B, Walker’s Ridge, and Morlynn near the Historic District.
• Four construction plan reviews, including Tanglewood, CountryWay South Phase 2, Highland Park Residential, and Avalon Woods Phase 5A.

Looking ahead to 2026, Hectus said the department anticipates another active year, including a comprehensive rewrite and reorganization of the Land Development Code permitted under Florida legislative SB180 (2025).

Hectus also discussed the impact of recent Florida legislative changes on local development.

• Under SB784 (2025) regarding plats, staff has created a process that maintains the intent of the law by having preliminary plats reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Board and City Commission, while final plats receive administrative approval from the City Manager.
• SB180 (2025), which restricts more stringent development requirements following the 2024 hurricanes, has delayed completion of the Comprehensive Plan’s Capital Improvements and Infrastructure elements. The department is working with the state to resolve the issue and plans public engagement sessions in early 2026 to prepare for future adjustments once restrictions are lifted.

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