Marion Planning and Zoning Approves Recommendation for Ocklawaha Alcohol Sales Permit

OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The Marion County Planning and Zoning Commission approved a recommendation for a special use permit with staff’s recommended alternate conditions for a business seeking to sell and host on-site consumption of alcoholic beverages less than 1,000 feet from three churches, by a 5-2 vote, at their meeting on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025.

It now has to go before the Marion County Board of County Commissioners for approval, and will be heard on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.

The subject property is owned by JRB Property Management, LLC, and is located in Ocklawaha to the north of Lake Weir on 13490 E. HWY 25.

The parcel is question is 0.21 acres in size. Nearly 115 notifications were sent to area residents by Marion County staff, and they received one letter of opposition. The site is located in what is known as the Alada subdivision. It’s in the secondary springs protection zone and outside the urban growth boundary. Staff had recommended denial.

Compliance questions

The applicant, Wises Enterprises, LLC, wants a deli and beer/wine tavern on the subject property. The site is within 1,000 feet of three churches, and has a B-4 zoning, which would allow for the operation of a restaurant, but Marion County staff did have concerns. The conditions are contingent on the site plan going through the development review process and being approved and then complying with parking and loading activity as required by the land development code.

There is some commercial development along HWY 25–a liquor store, a bar to the east of the subject property, and a restaurant is located to the south. The parcel is located within an area designated for commercial.

The staff recommended conditions call for the applicant to apply for a site plan through the development review committee within 60 days of approval. The site plan is to move forward in good faith. If the site plan isn’t approved within six months of the approval of the special use permit, then the permit will become void.

The site will be developed and operated consistent with the concept plan. The special use permit with run with the lessee, Wises Enterprises, LLC. The sale and on-site consumption of alcohol beverages will be limited to the hours between 7 a.m. and 2 a.m. each day, unless prohibited by the Marion County Code of Ordinances.

Parking problems 

Initially, the applicant had indicated their establishment would have 66 seats, 52 chairs with tables and 14 bar seats. The business would have a stage, pool table, arcade and bar, said Jared Rivera-Cayetano, Marion County growth services planner. The applicant has reduced the number of seats to 47. The building itself, where the deli and beer/wine tavern would be located, was built in 1931, according to the Marion County Property Appraiser. The applicant’s business is not currently open.

Marion County staff’s concerns were related to the establishment’s parking requirements; there were only seven parking spaces, including one that was for handicapped parking. The Marion County Land Development Code requires that for a bar or a restaurant, the requirement is one parking space for every four seats. Based on the applicant’s initial conceptual plan, they would’ve required 17 parking spaces. Based on their present proposal they would need at least 12 parking spaces. Parking spaces are required to be at least nine feet by 17 feet, and two-way aisles (lanes) would also be required. The subject property had previously been used for retail. The applicant is proposing a commercial use with greater intensity than the previous occupant, so the site would have to be brought up to code.

The building also doesn’t have much landscaping in the front. The county’s code would require a 15-foot buffer. Based on the size of the property it would provide challenges, which was also a concern for staff because trucks could possibly park in the right-of-way. The county’s provisions for buffering are intended to increase compatibility with the surrounding area, and to reduce glare and noise. The parking lot would also have to be paved. The applicant would have to apply for a change in occupancy, and that’s where the additional parking spaces would come in, said Rivera-Cayetano.

“We have everything to be able to open,” said Justin Wise, the applicant. “The entire building is done inside. We have all of our deli cases, every chair. Whoever has looked at the property to state those seven spaces, we have since revised our plan to have 13 parking spaces that are all in size. The buffer in the front, if we need a buffer, obviously, there’s no room to put it outside. There are two pillars on the side of the building, we would like to put a planter box in between, and then the plants in between. The plants on top of the planter box, I’m going to do it either way, even if you don’t require it because it’s going to look so good.”

Ready for business

The applicant has all of the approvals from the State of Florida and the Department of Environmental Protection, said Wise. The applicant has leased the property for the past 10 months. A number of the neighboring businesses expressed their support.

“The only reason that we’re not open right now, and we don’t want to open, we don’t want to open and be serving you some great cheese but no wine, first impressions,” said Wise. “You’re not going to come back… First impressions are everything.”

Objections from the neighbors 

Amy Rowell, a resident of Ocklawaha, is within 1,000 feet of the subject property. The three churches that are within 1,000 feet of the site are the Ocklawaha United Methodist Church, the First Baptist Church of Ocklawaha and the Ocklawaha Church of Christ.

“I’m here as both a resident and my family trust owns the property adjacent to this parcel, which leases it to the United States Post Office,” said Rowell. “With respect to parking, the subject property sits on only .21 acres. The building footprint takes up most of the parcel, and much of the remaining area is unusable for parking, mostly because of the property’s septic tank and drain field. Because the building doesn’t have enough parking for its invitees, if the current tenant is allowed to expand the business in this way, I expect customers would park in the post office parking lot, and I object to that, which is off limits other than to post office staff and customers while at the post office. Indeed, I have heard of reports of this taking place already with a different tenant.”

Patrons of the establishment may be tempted to park at the United Methodist Church because of their parking lot, and Rowell finds it completely unacceptable for a permit to be granted to an entity that doesn’t have adequate parking.

“We’ve been talking about parking; I don’t think we have any business talking about parking, parking is not us,” said Greg Lord, Marion County Planning and Zoning Commission member. “We’re here for the special use permit on the alcohol. Staff brought it up, muddied the water for this board, because we don’t need to be talking about it.”