OCALA, FL. (352Today.com) – At its Tuesday meeting, the Ocala City Council approved a planned development that will allow up to 590 homes on an 82-acre former quarry at 5575 SW 52nd Street.
The project, proposed by Ocala 52 Partners LLC, received unanimous support for three related measures: annexation of the property into the city, a future land use change from Marion County High Residential to City Low Intensity, and approval of the Planned Development plan and standards book.
Under the approved plan, the development is capped at 590 dwelling units. Roughly 230 of those are expected to be single-family detached homes on the northern portion of the site, covering about 45 acres. The middle section, about 20 acres, is designated for a mix of single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments totaling approximately 360 units. Along the SW 52nd Street frontage, about 4.5 acres is set aside for commercial uses with a maximum of roughly 147,000 square feet.
David Tillman of Tillman & Associates Engineering, the project’s engineer, told council the site’s mining history makes soil management the primary challenge. He said the team plans to import clean fill to cap heavier clays over the limestone foundation.
“Heavy clays are what you typically do sinkhole repair with,” Tillman said.
“So when you put those in place, you’re kind of capping your lime rock foundation, which will prevent sinkholes from occurring long, long term,” he continued.
He added that the approach could leave the property more stable than many typical sites in Marion County.
Neighbor Marcia Armstrong raised concerns about the land’s industrial past. She described decades of sand and lime-rock mining, past unregulated filling, documented dumping of debris and tires, and incomplete reclamation on roughly half the property.
Armstrong questioned how much buried material remains and whether settling could damage future homes.
“If this development is allowed to move forward, it will need extensive testing and oversight to ensure environmental safety and structural stability,” she said.
The property was mined from the 1960s until about 2021. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection released the site from reclamation obligations in 2022, though that release does not guarantee suitability for residential use. Existing structures and a septic system must be removed before construction, and the project must connect to city water and sewer.
All internal roads will remain private and maintained by a homeowners association. Sidewalks along SW 52nd Street will be required with the phases that develop along the roadway.
The approvals clear the way for detailed site-plan and engineering reviews. Actual construction still requires additional city and water management district permits.