Eminent domain petition filed for property acquisition in Alachua County.

NOTICE OF ACTION IN EMINENT DOMAIN AND NOTICE OF HEARING OF CONSTRUCTIVE SERVICE OF PROCESS
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, EIGHTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR
ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA
STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, Petitioner
vs.
MENTHOLEE NORFLEET, as Trustee of The Mentholee Norfleet Living Trust Agreement dated August 17, 1992; JOHN POWER, Alachua County Tax Collector,
Defendants.
Case No. 2026-CA-426
Parcel 722
NOTICE OF ACTION IN EMINENT DOMAIN AND NOTICE OF HEARING OF CONSTRUCTIVE SERVICE OF PROCESS
STATE OF FLORIDA TO:
To the above named Defendants and all said Defendants who are living, and if any or all Defendants are deceased, the unknown spouse, heirs, devisees, grantees, creditors, lienors, or other parties claiming by, through, under or against any such deceased Defendant or Defendants, if alive, and, if dead, their unknown spouse, heirs, devisees, legatees, grantees, creditors, lienors, or other parties claiming by, through, under, or against any such deceased Defendant or Defendants, and all other parties having or claiming to have any right, title or interest in and to the property described in the Petition, to-wit:
Item # 2078502
Parcel 722
SR 26  Alachua County
Section No. 26070
State Road No. 26
Alachua County
F.P. No. 2078502
Parcel No. 722
Temporary Construction Easement
A temporary construction easement for the purpose of removal of existing sidewalk, tying in, conforming, harmonizing, and/or reconnecting existing grade, slope, pavement, drainage, utility, driveway, walkway, turnout, and/or other features located on or within the real property described below, with the construction undertaken by the Department on adjacent State Road No. 26, as part of the above-referenced financial project (collectively the Reconnection Work), together with related incidental purposes necessary to complete the Reconnection Work.
A Part Of Lot 6 Of Block 19 Of Map Of Newberry, A Subdivision, As Per Plat Book A, Page 129 Of The Public Records Of Alachua County, Florida, Lying In The Northeast Quarter Of Section 4, Township 10 South, Range 17 East, City Of Newberry, Alachua County, Florida, More Particularly Described As Follows:
Commence At The Nail And Disk Marked RLS 2047 Located At The Northeast Corner Of Section 4, Township 10 South, Range 17 East, City Of Newberry, Alachua County, Florida; Thence South 012402 East Along The East Line Of The Northeast Quarter Of Said Section 4, A Distance Of 2412.20 Feet To The Baseline Of Survey Of N.W. 1 st Avenue (A 50 Foot Right Of Way, As Per Florida Department Of Transportation Right Of Way Map, Section 26070, F.P. No. 2078502, Also Known As C Street, As Per Map Of Newberry, A Subdivision, As Per Plat Book A, Page 129 Of The Public Records Of Alachua County, Florida); Thence South 841746 West Along Said Baseline Of Survey, A Distance Of 1999.05 Feet; Thence North 054156 West, Departing Said Baseline Of Survey, A Distance Of 25.00 Feet To The Southwest Corner Of Lot 6 Of Block 19 Of Said Map Of Newberry, And To The Point Of Beginning; Thence Continue North 054156 West Along The Westerly Line Of Said Lot 6, A Distance Of 3.69 Feet; Thence North 841746 East, A Distance Of 40.14 Feet; Thence South 054214 East, A Distance Of 3.69 Feet To The Southerly Line Of Said Lot 6; Thence South 841746 West Along Said Southerly Line, A Distance Of 40.14 Feet To The Point Of Beginning.
Containing 148 Square Feet, More Or Less.
THIS EASEMENT shall be for a period of ninety-six (96) months commencing on the date the State of Florida Department of Transportation becomes the owner of this easement.
Being a Part of Tax Parcel No. 02148-000-000
A petition in eminent domain has been filed to acquire certain property interests in Alachua County, Florida.
Each Defendant is required to serve written defenses to the petition on Petitioners attorney, whose name and address are shown below, on or before April 29, 2026 and to file the original of the defenses with the clerk of this court either before service on Petitioners attorney or immediately thereafter, showing what right, title, interest or lien Defendant has in or to the property described in the petition and to show cause why that property should not be taken for the uses and purposes set forth in the petition. If any Defendant fails to do so, a default will be entered against that Defendant for the relief demanded in the petition.
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a declaration of taking has been filed in this cause and that Petitioner will apply for an Order of Taking and any other order the court deems proper before the Honorable Donna Keim, one of the Judges of this Court, on May 19, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. , (one (1) hour reserved) in hearing room 416 at the Alachua Family and Civil Justice Center, 201 East University Avenue, Gainesville, Florida. All Defendants to this suit may request a hearing at the time and place designated and be heard at the time and place designated and be heard. Any Defendant failing to file a request for hearing shall waive any right to object to the Order of Taking.
WITNESS MY HAND AND SEAL of this Court on the 23rd day of February, 2026.
J.K. JESS IRBY, ESQ.
CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA
(SEAL)
By: F. Thomas, Deputy Clerk
Brian D. Shear, Esq.
Florida Department of Transportation
1109 S. Marion Avenue, MS 2009
Lake City, Florida 32025-5874
Telephone: 386/961-7843
Brian.Shear@dot.state.fl.us
March 4, 11, 2026