OCALA, FL (352today.com) – A new stewardship district in unincorporated Marion County would allow for a planned development with more than 16,000 homes.
The Marion County Legislative Delegation met at the College of Central Florida’s Klein Center on Oct. 1, 2025.
Elected officials, government entities, and nonprofits spoke before the delegation during the meeting, but there was also one local bill that received consideration and was voted upon.
State Rep. J.J. Grow introduced the bill to establish the Uplands Stewardship District, which creates the charter designating the stewardship district of over 5,189 acres in unincorporated Marion County owned by “active adult retirement community” On Top of the World and its affiliates.
Stewardship districts have been selectively implemented by the Florida legislature since approximately 2004 to establish management systems for infrastructure and services in a given area. There are more than 20 stewardship districts statewide, and most of them, like the well-known Lakewood Ranch community in Manatee and Sarasota counties, are large in size.
Uplands consists of a planned development of 16,634 residential units. A project of this size and a timetable that would typically include four or five community development districts, if these districts were used in lieu of a single stewardship district. This is the western lands portion of On Top of the World and won’t impact any of the community’s current residents.
“Districts such as Uplands are significant local, regional economic development engines,” said Grow. “One stewardship district on the property means less special district governance for a real estate project that would otherwise use multiple community development districts over time. This reduces government on the property and generates significant long-term cost savings for the landowners and the residents who will live there. One stewardship district means one point of contact with Marion County over a prolonged development horizon.”
Uplands will finance and maintain major infrastructure projects potentially including transportation, utilities and stormwater management. The district will also play an integral role in the conservation and stewardship of environmentally sensitive lands, said Grow.
Legislative approval of the bill doesn’t constitute a land use approval. Marion County will continue to make all decisions on density, comprehensive planning and all land use permit matters, said Grow. It doesn’t change any comprehensive planning, zoning, environmental or other regulatory jurisdictions of Marion County or any other agency. It will not affect the county’s millage rate.
The item was on the Marion County Board of County Commissioners agenda at their Aug. 19 meeting, where the applicant made a presentation, answered questions, addressed comments, and ultimately received a unanimous approval of the no objection resolution satisfying the requirements of Chapter 189, permitting representatives of On Top of the World to come before the Marion County Legislative Delegation on Oct. 1, 2025, said Jonathan T. Johnson, Kutak Rock law firm representing On Top of the World.