Community Meetings for Ortega, Riverside

Ortega and Riverside residents should mark their calendars for a pair of upcoming community meetings covering issues pertinent to their respective communities.

Both meetings will be held on Thursday, Dec. 5.

Ortega Carriage House Town Hall:

**Update**: While the applicant for the Ortega Carriage House PUD will still provide an update on the proposed project, the town hall’s agenda has been expanded to include a discussion about a Master Plan for the Ortega neighborhood.

The postponed town hall regarding the highly-contested Ortega Carriage House Planned Unit Development (PUD) has been rescheduled for Thursday, Dec. 5 at 5:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (4129 Oxford Avenue). Originally scheduled in September, property owner Gayle Bulls Dixon said the meeting was rescheduled to allow for further conversations on a new proposal for development.

The PUD rezoning application for the project was submitted to the City earlier this summer. The Resident News previously reported on the original plans to replace the existing structure at 4230 and 4218 Ortega Boulevard with a gated, two-story 19,000 square-foot shell building with 18 customizable units that individual owners could build out to their specifications.

The project has received significant community pushback since its introduction.

Dixon did not respond to requests for comment regarding any new proposals for the property.

Emerald Trail Riverside Community Meeting:

Groundwork Jacksonville is hosting a community meeting to share details regarding the Emerald Trail’s Riverside Link on Thursday, Dec. 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters Building (618 Stockton Street). Attendees will be able to review preliminary renderings of the Riverside Link, which will connect Riverside and North Riverside, and learn about the planned route through the community. Representatives from HDR and SCAPE Landscape Architecture will also be in attendance and guests will be able to share feedback on these early designs.

The Riverside Link will be the third trail segment to be constructed.