OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Concerned citizens made their presence felt this week at the Marion County Board of County Commission auditorium.
The residents against the potential development of a 500-vehicle storage lot packed the meeting on Tuesday, May 21, to object to a developer’s request to change the land use.
The application request made by 1415 Brothers Holdings, LLC called for altering future land use and zoning, asking for a special use permit to allow for the lot to be built on 15 acres, directly north of the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway. The site plan called for outside storage of up to 500 boats, recreational vehicles, and trailers.
Just before the meeting began commissioners notified the audience that the applicant withdrew the request.
Horse Farms Forever, a nonprofit that was founded in 2018, with the mission to protect and preserve Marion County’s horse farms and the equine industry for future generations opposed the project.
“Our organization is neither anti-growth nor anti-development. We are pro-smart growth, and we are working with the county and are stakeholders to help guide and mitigate growth to protect our equine and agricultural industries for future generations,” said Sara Powell Fennessy, Horse Farms Forever director of community affairs. “We were opposed to the 1415 Brothers Holdings application. This application fell right within our strike zone.”
Among the reasons why Horse Farms Forever was opposed to the application, is that it was one mile west of Marion County’s urban growth boundary. Their argument is that there are already in existence appropriate locations for developments such as the one the developer was seeking with this application.
“It’s incompatible with Marion County’s comprehensive plan,” said Busy Shires, Horse Farms Forever, director of conservation strategies. “There were nine policies that it was incompatible with, and according to Marion County’s growth staff report, there are 1,500 acres of already vacant commercially zoned property within Marion County’s urban growth boundaries. We were opposed to the changes in the rural land area outside of the urban growth boundary in an area that was surrounded by horse farms and other rural land.”
While withdrawn, the developer can reapply at any time. Horse Farms Forever says it will continue to monitor the property for any potential future applications.