Moving somewhere between High Springs Fl and Ocala

[prairiewind2]

I wrote asking for advice on a move to Brooksville some years ago and got some great advice. But that move got put off and in the meantime things happened - not the least, Hurricane Michael. That made us change our minds about living anywhere at all near a coast. So we’ve set our sights inland.

We’re moving to help take care of my 90-year-old mom, and she’s willing to look for an independent living place somewhere in the area named above. I’ve combed every thread I could on here sussing out everything written about these areas before I wrote this. Lots of good info in those threads but some of it raises questions.

Some people mentioned “gumbo” soil and recommended avoiding it. Are there areas in particular that are known for it? People also mentioned “sugar sand”. Again, are there particular areas known for it? After Hurricane Irma, some people mentioned that there was still standing water in some area weeks later. I would like to avoid this so are there areas where this was particularly bad? A couple of people mentioned really liking the Meadow Woods area but I notice that there seems to be a lot of places for sale there now. Is this due to the (now cancelled/postponed) Coastal Connector or something else?

Wells are another thing. What sort of water do you get out of wells in these areas? Are there areas with better wells?

So many questions! But I am a planner, not a seat-of-the-pants sort of person. Thank you in advance for any help you can give.

[NoSuchPerson]

I lived in the Gainesville area for 20+ years. Really, you’re just going to have to go look at property because the water level and soil type can change dramatically within a very short distance, so it doesn’t really do any good for me to say, “Look around Newberry” or “Look around Williston.” I lived for many years north of Alachua. My property was high and dry with good soil (not too sandy, no clay within fence post depth). But, a mile and a half as the crow flies was a swamp.

I also lived for several years between Newberry and High Springs. Also high and dry with good soil, although I had a few sandier areas and a few places where limerock was close enough to the surface to make digging fence post holes a pain in the neck. And the back. And the arms.

I had great wells in both places.

There are a number of senior living communities around Gainesville. Even more, of course, south of Ocala around The Villages.

[mmeqcenter]

I’m in NE Ocala, and here it’s very sandy, but just a few miles way you can get a lot of clay. It’s all over the place, as NoSuch said. I am high, dry, and sandy, therefore I had zero standing water after Irma. Farms all over Marion county had TONS of standing water, though, that stayed for months. Didn’t help that it was a pretty wet fall, several big downpours just as the water was starting to dissipate.

I have a well. No filter system or anything, it’s great water. But I’ve been told that around Gainesville the water is pretty crappy, both city and well.

[NoSuchPerson]

@mmeqcenter

I have a well. No filter system or anything, it’s great water. But I’ve been told that around Gainesville the water is pretty crappy, both city and well.

I don’t think that’s true as a blanket generalization. We had Gainesville city water at work and it was fine. I had great well water at both my houses. But, I did briefly rent a place in between houses that was in a low-lying area and the well water there was crap. Had to pass through a filter tank and a chlorine treatment tank to be drinkable. So, I think it depends on exactly where you are.

[LittleMare]

I don’t know if it’s already on your radar, but check out the FEMA flood zone maps. They can change over time, and with today’s climate change are more likely to, but it’s a good place to start.

[prairiewind2]

Thanks for the info, NoSuchPerson, even though it’s a bit discouraging. So much easier if the various sands/soils were generally confined to certain areas!

And I know that there are probably more independent living places for Mom in the area of The Villages. But that is pretty far away from the area we’d like to live. But we’re keeping it in mind as a last resort.

[prairiewind2]

Mmeqcenter, when you say you live in NE Ocala, is that like near Silver Springs or farther up towards Anthony? I keep seeing places for sale in those general areas.

Did sandy areas drain better after Irma or was the standing water in all the low-lying areas regardless of soil? (If you know…)

Thank you!

[prairiewind2]

LittleMare, I practically live on the flood maps for Marion and Alachua counties. Very informative, especially when you get down to the elevation layers. Even if FEMA puts a property in a no-flood zone, if that property lies lower than its neighbors, I rule it out. Since hurricanes seem to be moving slower and dropping more rain these days, we don’t want to be lower than our neighbors.

Some of the other area counties don’t have maps that are as informative.

[NoSuchPerson]

@prairiewind2

Did sandy areas drain better after Irma or was the standing water in all the low-lying areas regardless of soil? (If you know…)

Thank you!

The key is elevation. You have to be on high ground - relatively speaking, it is Florida, after all. I would focus more on the elevation of the property than on the soil type. In Alachua County you have that karst topography and it truly is possible to have a house on the top of a hill/plateau. Both of my houses were set at the top of slopes and I never had any drainage problems or standing water after storms.

On another subject, there are a lot of dirt/lime rock roads in Florida. If you’re worried about standing water and getting trapped after big storms, look for property on a paved road. It will be more difficult to find and probably a little more expensive, but worth the effort and cost. Both of my houses were on dirt roads and I grew to really hate it. Now I live on a paved road and have a paved driveway and every time we have a rainy spell I give thanks for cement and asphalt.

[4horses]

I’m between High Springs and Alachua. Nice area. Flooding does occur in High Springs, but my property is high and dry (and on top of a hill). Any rain washes downhill and into the sinkhole. No flooding at all. The sinkhole is like a big drain and it just sucks the water right up. But you do not really want a sinkhole on your property. A different neighbor has a sinkhole and it extends about 30 feet underground. They had the sinkhole mapped to see where it went. Eventually that topsoil is going to collapse, although it has stayed the same for many years.

Downtown High Springs will flood and close down during wet weather. Also the river just past High Springs can cause flooding in the surrounding areas. If you live on the other side of the bridge, you must drive elsewhere, as that bridge closes after big storms. Be sure to for check bridges over rivers, as those will always close in big storms, and need to be inspected before re-opening.

Definitely try to get a house on top of a hill, and make sure it doesn’t have a blind driveway.

[prairiewind2]

@NoSuchPerson

It will be more difficult to find and probably a little more expensive, but worth the effort and cost. Both of my houses were on dirt roads and I grew to really hate it. Now I live on a paved road and have a paved driveway and every time we have a rainy spell I give thanks for cement and asphalt.

:lol: Yet another thing to consider, just what I needed! Thanks for the good advice though.

[prairiewind2]

@4horses

Definitely try to get a house on top of a hill, and make sure it doesn’t have a blind driveway.

Thanks for the great info. But what do you mean by a “blind driveway”? Is it one that curves around so you can’t see the house? Or one that drops suddenly so you can’t see flooding?

[mmeqcenter]

@prairiewind2

Mmeqcenter, when you say you live in NE Ocala, is that like near Silver Springs or farther up towards Anthony? I keep seeing places for sale in those general areas.

Did sandy areas drain better after Irma or was the standing water in all the low-lying areas regardless of soil? (If you know…)

Thank you!

Anthony.

No idea about soil type for the flooding, sorry.

I’m on a 3/4 mile dirt road. Haven’t once been trapped at home from standing water, and one of my cars is a little 2-door Chevy Cobalt. Can’t say I love being on a dirt road, but it’s fine.

[prairiewind2]

The dirt road thing will have to come lower down on my wish list than many other things. I need to have a medium-sized CB house, a good well, horse-friendly area, high ground. Those are needs. Wants are good fencing, nice grass, good septic, and a CB barn. But those things we can do ourselves, if necessary. The paved road will come after all of those. I live on a dirt road myself, in Wyoming. No floods where I live but plenty of deep mud and potholes during spring melt. I’m used to interesting driving.

Thanks again.