Do you have expertise in the areas of planning, real estate, land development, or agriculture? If so, Marion County has a vacancy on the Land Development Regulation Commission (LDRC). This is an exciting opportunity to serve your community and learn first-hand the...

Who remembers the “Save It, Don’t Pave It” signs from 2017-18 that were all over Marion County when the Florida Department of Transportation was proposing a toll road through the Farmland Preservation Area? Those signs did a lot to raise awareness and public input that organized citizens to stop the coastal connector and led to the birth of Horse Farms Forever.

The population is estimated to grow to nearly 500,000 residents by 2040. That’s an increase of about 150,000 new people living and working in Marion County.

You can help plan for this growth! Marion County is updating its policies in the Comprehensive Plan through the Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR). The Comprehensive Plan is like a road map for the community and it will guide where and how Marion County grows over the next 20 years.

Planning for the next 20 years is important and your feedback on how best to manage growth and guide the community’s vision for the future will help keep Marion County an amazing place to live!

It’s Summer, and our grass roots are growing deep and strong. We are carried forward by the longstanding commitments of our Board and members – both organizations and individuals. See who has renewed their commitments this quarter, and allow us to introduce you to our newest herd mates.

Horse Farms Forever was founded six years ago to unify the community to help stop the proposed toll road, and while the toll road was stopped, the development pressure has only increased. For a traditional 6th anniversary gift, iron is given to symbolize strength. Over the past six years, the commitment to our mission has become even stronger due to the tremendous community support to protect Marion County’s iconic landscapes.