Ocala-News.com has received multiple letters this month sharing opinions about the ongoing development in Ocala and Marion County. Here are a dozen of those letters:
“I recently moved to Ocala from Hollywood, Florida. I’m a Florida native, was born in Key West, and have been visiting the Ocala area since the 1980s. I moved here because I have friends in the area, family nearby and for the openness and peacefulness. But in just one year, industrial development sprung up close by (down the street). Woods were torn down, and woods are slated on another side for removal in order to build a fire department. I also just learned about land that has been purchased and the plans for several hotels and a theme park. So, sadly, I won’t become a long time resident. I saw the Keys and South Florida decimated by overdevelopment and overcrowding. I cannot bear to live through it again, and watch the beauty and culture of my newly chosen home area paved over and urbanized. I just can’t do it.” – Linda Altavilla, Ocala
“This is a huge problem all over Florida and getting worse. Our Governor is giving developers a free pass to override all local governments! Until the last few years. I was a Republican for almost 60 years. No longer. If we don’t fight these new laws taking all power away from the people and local authorities this will no longer be a Democracy but run solely by dictators who only care about profit.” – Esther Bonds, Keystone Heights…