OCALA, Fla. – A land-use change for a 105-acre mixed-use development in northwest Ocala cleared its first hurdle this week, moving forward despite pushback from residents who say the project would permanently alter the character of their community.
The Planning and Zoning Board unanimously approved the change, sending it to the Marion County Commission for a final vote.
What the project includes
The proposed development along Northwest 49th Street and Northwest 44th Avenue would bring:
- Up to 535 homes
- A 500-room hotel
- 450,000 square feet of retail, offices, and restaurants
The applicant’s attorney told the Planning and Zoning Board that an equine-themed facility is also being considered for the property. However, with the approved land-use change, the site could accommodate uses ranging from a truck stop to an amusement park.
Neighbors push back
Natalie Kelly and her mother, Evelyn, have owned land along Northwest 49th Street since 1966. Kelly says she is worried about what the project means for traffic, security, and noise in an area she describes as “incredible land.”
“It takes God 250 years to build a beautiful live tree like the one we’re sitting under,” Kelly said. “And it will take Marion County one day to destroy it.”
The Buc-ee’s connection
The development sits directly across Interstate 75 from where a new Buc-ee’s is planned. A new diamond interchange off I-75 will funnel traffic into the area — something Kelly acknowledges is unavoidable…