OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The Marion County Planning and Zoning Board approved recommendations for a small-scale land use change from low residential to medium residential, along with a recommendation of a change in zoning general agriculture, for a planned unit development with a maximum of 72 houses, by a 6-2 margin, with the dissenting votes cast being cast both times by board members Michael Kreuter and Andy Bonner.
There will be a public hearing before the Marion County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 2 p.m.
The two requests were related to each other, the first being a small-scale comprehensive plan amendment with a map, and the second being a concurrent planned unit development rezoning.
The owner is Linda Capozzoli; the applicant is Mastroserio Engineering. The subject property is 19.75 acres in size, and the physical address is 7317 and 7325 SW 80th St., Ocala. A total of 13 neighbors were notified and there was no opposition to the land use request, but Marion County staff received two letters of opposition to the concurrent rezoning, said Erik Kramer, Marion County growth services planner. It was staff’s recommendation to approve the requests with conditions. The subject property doesn’t fall under the Farmland Preservation area.
Evolving corridor
The area is rural in nature currently, and agricultural uses are permitted. However, it’s slated to be zoned for lower density residential, according to the county’s comprehensive plan. What is being proposed is to change the subject property to medium residential. The existing uses to the north, south and east are primarily large lots for residential and agricultural uses, however there are more intense urban uses closer to SR 200, and the existing subdivision of Hibiscus Park, Liberty Village and On Top of the World to the west, said Kramer. The planned unit development (PUD) Westwood Trails is also in the area; it was recently approved by the board and is actively going through the development review stage.
Staff found in their analysis that they want to encourage higher density growth in the urban growth boundary, where the subject property is located. The medium density land use that’s proposed is a higher density than the existing low residential. The applicant did not provide a market demand analysis with the application. A traffic assessment was done and was approved in October or early November, and it’s expected that this will increase the daily number of trips.
The request was to go to from low residential, zero to one dwelling unit per acre, to medium residential, one to four dwelling units per acre. The access road that this project is fronting on is SW 80th St. The subject property is located in the urban growth boundary and is in the secondary springs protection overlay, and it’s located in the Marion County utilities service area.
The parcel can be subdivided and that’s the intent of both applications to increase the density entitlements, so they’ll be able to provide more subdividable lots. The low residential is zero to 19, the medium residential is 19 to 79 with the current PUD cap proposing 72 homes.
The traffic analysis assessment did find that there was sufficient roadway capacity for SW 80th St.
There is the potential to connect the internal sidewalk system to the adjacent Westwood Trails, which would promote a walkability consistent with the comprehensive plan.
Changes in services
There will be increases to potable water, sedentary sewer and solid waste. The county has the capacity to accept the increase in demand.
The fire suppression and non-transport analysis provided by Marion County Fire and Rescue, noted that the three nearest facilities that provide fire suppression are all operating at acceptable levels of service, said Kramer. However, when looking at the nearest transport and ambulance unit, the nearest fire station is approaching capacity. MCFR did note that additional units were warranted. Marion County recently passed impact fees that would require a development to pay to provide staff, resources or transport units and expansion of existing facilities or new ones.
The main access that exists is off of SW 80th St. There is scattered vegetation throughout the site, and a substantial existing buffer. Much of it is on the northern properties, but some of it is on the subject property.
The staff recommended conditions for the planned unit development regarding buffers, with the buffer preserving as much existing viable vegetation as possible. Any gaps in the required buffer will be planted.
Resident objections
Overdevelopment, loss of green space, changing the character of neighborhoods throughout the county, congestion and safety issues were also points of contention by those opposed to the development, with their frustration and concern demonstrated by their impassioned responses. One resident was less than pleased with the idea of an additional 72 houses being built by her property, with On Top of The World as she described down on the other end of the same street.
“It hasn’t been mentioned yet, but the property that we’re talking about is a horse farm,” said Joyce McElrath, Ocala, “So, let’s do away with another one of our horse farms. On 72nd Avenue, there are 10 families that live there, and anywhere from two to five to 10 and 20-acre farms. and our road is private. We pay for that road to drive down it. We maintain it, we keep it up, and they want to come over and use our road. 75 people that we don’t need, in that neck of the woods. How are we going to handle this. We can’t even get out of 72nd Court at 7 a.m. because here comes a semi from On Top of The World, there goes a cement truck. We can’t get out on SR 200 because we have to go down the road to the right, turn around and come back toward town. Someone is going to get killed. Someone’s going to get hurt really bad. We can’t take any more traffic out here.”
The applicant conducted a traffic study, but that did nothing to ease the anxiety of some residents’ concerns, with 70 dwellings being built west of Thomas Pinder’s home on SW 77th Pl., and then another 140 homes will be constructed on the corner of SW 80th Ave. and SW 80th St.
“That’s bringing in roughly 475 cars to the area daily,” said Pinder. “On top of that you have lawn maintenance vehicles, delivery trucks… Right now. just to go out onto 80th Street, like everyone is saying, it takes, three, or four, or five cars, and get in line to turn right on 80th Avenue. I’ve seen it back up all the way to the four-way stop. You need to catch up with your infrastructure. It’s ridiculous what you’re doing, how many cars and homes are coming into here. I know she’d like to sell it and move on. Maybe you can consider something bigger, two acres, million-dollar homes, something like that. Keep your equestrian name, what Ocala is all about.”
Infrastructure improvements
The Florida Department of Transportation did have plans to construct a signal at the current intersection of SR 200 and SW 80th St. but placed a hold on those plans for the time being, with the county planning on widening 80th St., and would more than likely realigning it, to intersect SR 200 a little further to the south. At that point and time, there will be a signal constructed at that location, and that will come with the expansion of SW 80th St, said Chris Zeigler, Marion County Office of the County Engineer traffic operations manager. They’re in the active stages of that project, with dedication from Westwood Villas for right-of-way acquisition. The plan is for this specific PUD to dedicate some right-of-way. The county has also purchased some other parcels in that area for right-of-way. The county is in the planning stages of the expansion project, but they weren’t able to provide a definitive timeline when it would be built out, and it isn’t “programmed” within the county’s five-year plan yet.
A contract has been awarded for that SW 80th St. project, from the existing end of the four-lane section at 90th St., just past 38th Ave., with the project beginning in early 2026, more than likely in January.