ALACHUA -- The Alachua City Commission gave final approval to changes in the city's future growth map, a map that shows where different types of growth such as commercial or residential can occur.

To ensure that a city grows in a logical and responsible way, cities follow a comprehensive plan -- a growth plan -- with rules on where and how growth can occur.

Amendments to the plan are made periodically as needed, and those amendments must be approved by the state.

The city sent 18 amendments to the state for approval in July, and the state responded by naming specific objections to some of the amendments.

The Commission adopted 17 of the 18 changes on Monday, March 10. Ten of these changes had been previously approved but not adopted.

The one new change that was denied was a request to change the future land use designation from agricultural to residential moderate density on 188 acres located adjacent to where the Turkey Creek neighborhood will eventually grow.

The motion was denied because a state review found that the change would be considered urban sprawl, development that is not consistent with surrounding areas.

Besides the one denial, seven other new changes were approved.

These changes had objections raised by the state due to a lack of demonstrated need for density and intensity, a lack of public facilities and services plans and a need for natural resources protection.

The city fixed these concerns by passing ordinances that ties growth to capital improvement projects such as sewer and water and also requires that all the new developments approved at the future land use amendment meetings be required to connect to water and sewer when available, no matter the density.

The Commission unanimously approved the following changes:

* Changing 316 acres located south of U.S. 441 and west of Turkey Creek from commercial, industrial and agriculture to moderate density residential that allows up to four homes per acre.

* Changing 42.5 acres located on U.S. 441 near Sabine from rural, agricultural land to commercial land.

* Changing 87.56 acres located on two separate tracts of land.

The first change is on 53.80 acres located immediately west of the Interstate 75 underpass with County Road 235 and C.R. 2054. This land will be changed from rural agricultural and industrial to commercial and industrial.

The second change is on 33.76 acres located on the north side of C.R. 235 and south of the C.R. 235 underpass. This land will be changed from rural agriculture to industrial. These properties are often referred to as the WACO properties.

Mayor Gib Coerper pointed out that he voted against this change before because he had concerns with traffic safety.

* Changing 118 acres of land located on the south side of C.R. 235 and at the C.R. 235A intersection from agriculture to moderate density residential.

* Changing 25 acres of land located along N.W. 150 avenue, a quarter of a mile north of U.S. 441 from agriculture to moderate density residential.

* Changing 285 acres located at the intersection of C.R. 235A and C.R 2054 from agriculture to moderate density residential.

* Changing 140 acres located south of U.S. 441 and west of the Turkey Creek subdivision from agriculture to a multi-use commercial, high density residential and moderate density residential.

Some residents had concerns about the property's environmental factors, such as a large sinkhole and other environmentally sensitive features, and said that conservation land should be included.

But the applicant said that would be done when the development was in the planning phases.

The other 10 changes adopted at the meeting had previously been heard and approved by the Commission. Legal reasons required the final adoption of all 17 changes to occur at the same time.

The state will have 45 days to review the changes.