MELROSE, Fla. (WCJB) – Some Melrose residents say they are frustrated with Alachua County leaders over their decision to sponsor a music festival at Wildflowers Music Park, a 270-acre property that has faced community opposition since it was purchased last year.
Residents living near the park have raised concerns about loud music, traffic, and the county’s use of public funds to sponsor the event. Some residents say they pay more than $6,500 in property taxes on 40-acre properties while county leaders are directing sponsorship money toward what they describe as a corporation.
“They’re getting more tax money to sponsor this, and this is a corporation making millions of dollars,” said Brandie McKinney, a Melrose landowner.
McKinney said she is upset that Alachua County commissioners allowed a group to host a festival on land zoned for agriculture, which she said is not paying taxes.
“It was hurtful because we’ve trusted our county. You know, and they let us down. They failed us,” McKinney said.
Resident Barbara Antz-Hanson said the proximity of the festival to her son’s property has changed her retirement plans.
“I’m not going to be that close to where there’s so many people going in and out, and there’s traffic, and music. It’s just it interferes with the kind of thing I want to retire in,” Antz-Hanson said.
Resident Josh Mitchell said more than 1,200 people signed a petition against the festival.
“For this area to get 1,200 people to sign a petition against something is a significant number, and when we got done with the county commissioner meeting, we did not feel that we were being represented by our county commissioners,” Mitchell said.
Catherine Booth, community engagement officer for Wildflowers Music Park, said organizers have been listening to residents’ concerns and have taken steps to address them.
“270 acres is a huge property, so it gives us enough space to have really great buffer zones. We’ve been very thoughtful with the layout of the festival village, putting it further on the property,” Booth said.
Booth said local streets will remain open only to local traffic, with festival visitors directed to use alternative routes. The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office will be on site to assist with safety and traffic. Music will end at 10 p.m. each night.
“We think it’ll be a good boost to the economy here. Just kind of putting Melrose a little more on the map,” Booth said.
County leaders said they are using a grant funded by hotel bed tax revenue to sponsor the event. Commissioners unanimously approved a temporary use permit for the festival last month.
The festival is scheduled to run March 13–15, though county officials have not yet issued final approval for the music park to operate permanently at the site.
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