OCALA, FL (352Today.com) – Late last week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation creating the Uplands Stewardship District, a new independent special district spanning approximately 5,189 acres in unincorporated western Marion County.
A stewardship district is a special type of local government in Florida created by the state legislature for large planned communities. It acts as a dedicated “community builder and caretaker,” with the power to plan, finance, build and maintain major infrastructure, such as roads, parks, stormwater systems and amenities. The district can issue bonds to fund these improvements upfront, with costs repaid over time through assessments on properties within its boundaries. This allows for high-quality, long-term development while keeping the financial burden off general county taxpayers. Similar to a Community Development District (CDD) but often designed for bigger or longer-term projects, stewardship districts help ensure communities are well-managed for decades.
House Bill 4079, approved unanimously by the Florida Legislature, establishes the district to finance, install, operate and maintain community infrastructure for what developers envision as a large-scale planned community. The land, owned by On Top of the World (OTOW) Communities and its affiliates, lies generally along the undeveloped western side of the existing active adult retirement community.
According to district-level project descriptions, as reported by 352today during last fall’s legislative delegation review, the area is planned for up to 16,634 residential units as part of a master-planned development.
Purpose and Structure of the District
Legislative findings baked into the bill emphasize a comprehensive community development approach that integrates regional transportation, land use and urban design to support a mix of housing, employment and economic opportunities while promoting stewardship of natural resources and avoiding urban sprawl. The district will have powers to handle water management and control systems (including stormwater), water supply, wastewater and reclaimed water, roads, streets, trails, parks, recreational facilities, environmental remediation and other public infrastructure. It can issue bonds and levy special assessments on properties within its boundaries to pay for construction and ongoing maintenance.
Important limitations: The Uplands Stewardship District does not have authority over comprehensive planning, zoning or development permitting. Those powers remain with the Marion County government. The district’s creation is consistent with the county’s comprehensive plan, and no district debt or obligations will burden Marion County taxpayers.
Governance and Transition
A five-member board of supervisors will initially be elected by landowners, with each landowner receiving one vote per acre owned (a common structure during the early development phase). A landowners’ meeting must be held within 90 days of the act’s effective date. The board will transition over time to election by qualified resident electors (homeowners) as the district’s population grows, eventually becoming fully resident-controlled. Ad valorem taxation authority requires voter approval via referendum once the board is fully elected by residents.
Context and Local Implications
This is the western lands portion of OTOW and will not impact current residents of the existing community, according to earlier reporting on the legislative delegation’s approval last fall.
OTOW, a family-owned developer with decades of history in Marion County, has pursued phased growth in the area. The stewardship district provides a dedicated mechanism to fund and maintain major infrastructure such as roads, drainage, utilities and amenities over the long build-out period.
Creation of the district does not constitute land-use approval. Marion County retains full authority over density, rezoning, site plans, environmental regulations and other development decisions. Local officials and residents have long debated growth in western Marion County, balancing housing demand, infrastructure capacity, traffic, schools and environmental protection. The district’s “stewardship” name and legislative intent highlight coordinated natural resource management, though specific conservation plans will be shaped during the county review process.
No specific timeline for development approvals or groundbreaking has been detailed in connection with the new district. The legislation took effect upon signing (with tax-related provisions subject to future referendum requirements).