Road Widening Public Hearing Stresses the Need for Public Input

Road Widening Public Hearing Stresses the Need for Public Input

by | Jul 15, 2021 | News, Roadway Threats

Final Comments Due August 2nd

Over 200 people attended the workshops on July 14 and 15 about the SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue road-widening project. Marion County’s Deputy County Engineer, Donald Atwell and representatives from Guerra Development Corporation presented several options for the proposed improvements, which include expanding the current roadway to a four-lane road with bike lanes, pedestrian walks, and a grass median.

Wednesday’s meeting focused on the road improvements that are south of SR 40. Thursday’s meeting focused on the road improvements north of SR 40.

Deputy County Engineer Atwell emphasized the importance of submitting formally written comments so that suggested changes could be considered for the road’s design. “This is the time to make a comment, whether you like the project or not,” said Deputy County Engineer Atwell. The deadline for comments is August 2nd and they must be submitted on the Comment Form and sent via email, or mail to the address on the Comment Form.

Paul Wildman, P.E., for Guerra Development Corporation, made the presentation about the road improvements. The road improvements start at SW 90th Street and end about .5 mile north of US 27 on CR 225A. The total length is about 10.5 miles. It will be expanded to a 120’ divided four-lane roadway with options for pedestrian use paths. Alternative A is the recommended design. The road improvements are funded by the Penny Sales Tax funds that are administered by Marion County.

With the opening of the World Equestrian Center, and several existing and planned large residential developments, the road improvements are needed. Traffic is projected to increase to 37,500 trips per day. The additional capacity will help maintain the level of service and increase the safety of the road for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.

A new road is also planned to connect CR 225A to the new interchange being built by the Florida Department of Transportation at NW 49th Street.

Three Sections

The road project will be divided into three sections, but only two of the three sections are funded.

  • Segment 1: From SW 90th to just north of Westport High School is funded and construction is expected to start within the next three years.
  • Segment 2: Just north of Westport High School to south of SR 40, but this section is not funded and funding is not anticipated for at least 5 years.
  • Segment 3: Just north of SR 40 to US 27 is funded and construction will start within the next three to five years.
  • In addition, two new intersection improvements at SR 40 and US 27 are funded. The intersection at SR 40 is likely to go to construction this year. The intersection at US 27 will go to construction any day now.

Questions From the Floor

After the presentation several residents asked questions, which are summarized below:

QUESTION: Why not use 60th, which is already a four lane road?

ANSWER: Both roads are needed. The traffic study looked out 20 years at a 2045 horizon and determined that the road will have to be four-laned. All of the new the development is occurring on NW/SW 80th Avenue and if the road is left as a two-lane road, the level of service will go down significantly. There is a lot of active development along the corridor – Stone Creek, Bay Laurel, Calesa, World Equestrian Center, and On Top of the World.

The SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue is a corridor and this is part of the long-range transportation plan. Marion County will need to have more than 60th Avenue as a four-lane road. There will be additional projects around this to accommodate the traffic. It’s better to build the project before it’s too late. It’s far better to do it now.

QUESTION: What will be done to address the noise and safety?

ANSWER: Noise barriers are not standard for this type of road, but Guerra will submit this question to the Board of County Commissioners for consideration. This would be a change in policy. There are valid concerns about the intersection at SW 38th Street. Marion County Commissioner Michelle Stone has requested that this intersection be evaluated to address the safety and access issues.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

  • Can you combine Alternative A and Alternative B and make the road oscillate more instead of just one Alternative?
  • Could you remove one of the 14’ multi use paths and only have one 14’ multi use path on one side of the road? This will decrease the total width of the road.

Dig Deeper:

County Commission Presentation
Visual Concept Video

This is the time to make a comment, whether you like the project or not.

Donald Atwell

Deputy County Engineer, Marion County

Fill Out The Comment Form

Please submit comments or questions by August 2. It’s easy! Just fill out the Comment Form online, save it as a PDF, and email it to: GDCPER@guerracorp.net

You can either email it to the address above or mail the printed form it to: Paul Wildman, P.E., Guerra Development Corp. 2817 NE 3rd Street, Ocala, FL 34470.

After these two meetings, another workshop will be scheduled with the Marion County Board of County Commissioners.

Comment Form
Busy Shires

What About Zoning?

The Zoning regulations are found in the Land Development Code, which is a separate document with specific guidelines to implement the Goals, Objectives, and Policies of the Comprehensive Plan.

Zoning regulates development through land use classifications and specifies the areas in which residential, industrial, recreational or commercial activities may take place. The Land Development Code was adopted through a series of ordinances by the County Commission, which means that the regulations cannot be changed or waived, except by a further vote of the County Commission.

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Public Input Requested on the SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue Road Widening

Public Input Requested on the SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue Road Widening

by | Jul 13, 2021 | News, Roadway Threats

The public is invited to provide input on the SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue road widening project at two meetings hosted by Guerra Development Corporation.

The meetings will be held on Wednesday, July 14 and Thursday, July 15 from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM at Westport High School Auditorium. Horse Farms Forever staff will attend and report on the outcomes.

Engineers from Guerra Development Corporation will present information about the road widening project in two separate meetings. The first meeting on July 14 will focus on the road improvements located south of SR 40. The second meeting on July 15 will be focused on the section of the road north of SR 40.

The proposed improvements include expanding the current roadway to a four-lane road with bike lanes, pedestrian walks, and a grass median.

The goal of the meetings is to obtain public feedback about the improvements. After the presentation, there will be a breakout question and answer session. Written comments are preferred, and comment forms will be provided at the meeting.

Fill Out The Comment Form

If you are unable to attend the meeting, you can fill out the Comment Form online and email it to: GDCPER@guerracorp.net

Fill out the Comment Form online, save it as a PDF, and then email it to the address above or mail the printed form it to: Paul Wildman, P.E., Guerra Development Corp. 2817 NE 3rd Street, Ocala, FL 34470)

After these two meetings, another workshop will be scheduled with the Marion County Board of County Commissioners.

Comment Form
Directions to Meeting at Westport High School

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Update on the SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue Road Widening

Update on the SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue Road Widening

by | Jun 8, 2021 | News, Roadway Threats

At the Marion County Commission Workshop on June 7th, Juan Guerra, Owner of Guerra Development Corporation, presented the Preliminary Engineering Report (P.E.R.) for SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue.

With the opening of the World Equestrian Center, and the new Calesa Township being built at On Top of the World Communities Ocala, the traffic on SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue will more than double. That’s an increase from about 14,600 to 37,500 vehicles per day. To accommodate this traffic and make it safer for cars, pedestrians and bicyclists, the road will be widened into a divided four-lane roadway with a median, sidewalks, bike paths and a separate multiuse asphalt path.

A Look at the Area

The road improvement project is 10.5 miles long and extends from just north of SR 200 to about one quarter to one half-mile north of US 27. Due to the existing businesses, houses, and Westport High School, the width and design of the road will be modified to accommodate the existing uses. Most of the road widening will occur on the west side of the existing road. At the widest point, the road and multiuse paths will be 120’. The multiuse paths vary from 10’ to 14’ wide and they also include a designated bike path. Other potential sections of the road will be 100’ with a 5’ sidewalk and 4’ bike lane next to the 12’ travel lane for cars. The designs presented were preliminary designs and the road will be approved after further input is received.

Three Phases – Ten Years

There are three main segments to the road construction project. It is estimated that it will take 10 years to complete. The intersections at US 27 and SR 40 will be the first segments to be completed. There is a preconstruction meeting for the intersection at US 27 that will be held sometime this month.

The Workshop was an opportunity to receive feedback from the Commissioners about the road improvements. Several Commissioners expressed concerns about saving the tree canopy and the legacy trees. Mr. Guerra said that every effort would be made to save as many trees as possible and to protect the character of the road. The multiuse path will be “meandered” to make the path more appealing and to help save the trees.

Because it was a Commission Workshop, there were no public comments. However, a community meeting will be scheduled soon for the public to provide input and comments. Keep an eye on the Calendar for updates.

Send comments to: roads@marionfl.org
For more information, contact Pat Russett at 352-671-8686.

Busy Shires

What About Zoning?

The Zoning regulations are found in the Land Development Code, which is a separate document with specific guidelines to implement the Goals, Objectives, and Policies of the Comprehensive Plan.

Zoning regulates development through land use classifications and specifies the areas in which residential, industrial, recreational or commercial activities may take place. The Land Development Code was adopted through a series of ordinances by the County Commission, which means that the regulations cannot be changed or waived, except by a further vote of the County Commission.

Engineering Report

The full report is available on Marion County’s website. To go there, click on the image or the button below:
Read the Presentation

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We work hard to keep you informed, and to represent our members' interests in preserving our horse farms, farmland and the unique character and culture of Marion County's 193,000 acre Farmland Preservation Area.

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UPDATE: Five Major Road Widening and Intersection Improvements

UPDATE: Five Major Road Widening and Intersection Improvements

by | Apr 28, 2021 | News, Roadway Threats

Using Marion County’s Interactive Map, we’ve roughed in the project areas (turquoise blue). As you can see, they are within the Urban Growth Boundary and outside of the Farmland Preservation Area.

by Busy Shires
April 27, 2021

Did you notice all the extra traffic and snow birds this winter in Ocala? To accommodate for the increase in traffic – from cars, to horse trailers and big trucks – there are five major road projects in Marion County. These road projects will make the roads safer for people and horses around the World Equestrian Center and they will help the big trucks gain better access to I-75. The good news is that all five projects are located outside of the Farmland Preservation Area.

With the opening of the World Equestrian Center (WEC), Marion County is becoming the epicenter for horse owners seeking the warmth of a Florida winter to train and show their horses. During this winter’s show season, over 2,000 horses showed at WEC! That’s in addition to the nearly 80,000 horses that already call Marion County home.

Marion County’s distribution industry is also booming. Over the next five years, an additional 5 million square feet of industrial and warehouse space will be built to accommodate several new distribution centers. This square footage is in addition to the existing Fed Ex, Chewy’s, Amazon, AutoZone, and Dollar Tree distribution centers. The central location of Ocala with easy access to Jacksonville and Tampa via I-75 has made the area an ideal distribution hub.

One of the largest road projects is a new interchange on the east side of I-75 at NW 49th St/NW 35th St. This new interchange will travel over I-75 to connect into the existing road at NW 49th St./NW 44th Ave. on the west side. A new intersection will also be built at NW 49th St./NW 44th Ave. From this new intersection, a new two-lane road will be built to connect to CR 225A north of the intersection at US 27.

In addition, NW 70th Ave./NW 80th Ave. will be four-laned from SW 80th St. to 600 feet North of US 27. The intersections at each end of NW 70th Ave./NW 80th Ave. at US Hwy 27 and Hwy 40 will be improved with turn lanes. Also, 600 feet on both the north side of US 27 and the south side of Hwy. 40 will also be four-laned.

CR 225A will remain a two-lane road from the 600-foot intersection improvement at US 27 to the proposed road that connects CR 225A to NW 44th Ave. There are no additional plans to four-lane CR 225A further north of the new road at NW 44th Ave.

The Drop Down Links Below Provide More Detail On Each of the Five Projects:

1. NW 70th Ave./CR 225 A and US 27

The improvement of the intersection at NW 70th Ave./CR 225 A and US 27 is the first project. The long-term goal is to improve both of the intersections at the north and south ends of NW 70th Ave./NW 80th Ave. The north section is located at US Hwy. 27 and NW 70th Ave./CR 225A and the south section is located at Hwy. 40 and NW 80th Ave.

The intersection improvements extend approximately 600 feet on both sides of US 27. The map shows the location of the improvements, the intersection “approaches” and the Drainage Retention Areas (DRAs) north and south of US 27.

This project is funded by Marion County for a cost of approximately $4.7 million. Guerra Development Corp. is the design engineer and Commercial Industrial Corporation is the contractor.

This project is about to schedule a pre-construction meeting. The recent pre-construction meeting was cancelled until further notice. At the pre-construction meeting, all the interested parties meet to discuss the start date. After this meeting, the County’s Procurement Department will issue a Notice to Proceed for construction.

Other than the 600 feet included in the intersection improvements, this road will not be four-laned further north. There are also no additional plans to four-lane CR 225A further north of the new road at NW 44th Ave. This section of CR 225A is not located in the Farmland Preservation Area.

2. NW 80th Ave. and Hwy. 40

This project will consist of improving the intersection and approaches at Hwy. 40 and NW 80th Ave. The design of this intersection improvement will be similar to the intersection improvements at NW 70th Ave./CR 225A and US 27, but they are not complete; thereby no plans are available for viewing.

3. Four-Lane of NW 70th Ave./NW 80th Ave.

NW 70th Ave./NW 80th Ave. will be four-laned from SW 80th St. to 600 feet North of US 27. This project is in the design/survey phase and is predicted to start in 2023 or 2024.

4. New I-75 Interchange at NW 49th St./NW 35th St.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is building this new interchange. Steven Buck is the Project Manager at FDOT. This interchange will extend from the NW 35th St. extension that Marion County is constructing, which ends at the Amazon warehouse. The new street will go through the mining operation. This new FDOT interchange will go over I-75, via a bridge, from NW 35th St. on the east side and it will tie into the existing NW 49th St. on the west side of I-75.

This is a diverging diamond interchange configuration. Marion County has requested that the interchange include design features that will help the County further define it’s identity as the Horse Capital of the World® such as live oak “canopy” trees rather than palm trees for landscaping and three-board fencing rather than chain link fencing around the retention areas. These design features will help the interchange serve as a gateway into the area.

On the west side of I-75, a new intersection at NW 49th St. and NW 44th Ave. will be built. Traffic will have access to NW 44th Ave., which runs parallel to I-75 and connects to US 27 and Hwy. 326.

The project is in the design phase and it is fully funded for all phases (design, right of way and construction.) Construction is anticipated to begin in December of 2024. The cost of the project is approximately $40 million for construction.

5. Future Connection of CR 225A to NW 49th St./NW 44th Ave.

This road project is funded by Marion County. The connection of CR 225A to the new intersection at NW 49th St./NW 44th Ave. is under design. A preliminary engineering report presenting various options was developed by Guerra Development Corp. and accepted by the Marion County Board of County Commissioners during 2010.

Funding of eventual construction is planned to take place at two intervals:

  1. NW 49th St. (1.1 mi west of NW 44th Ave. to NW 44th Ave.), Phase 3A for FY 2020/21, length = 1.1 miles.
  2. NW 49th St. (CR 225A to 1.1 mi west of NW 44th Ave.), Phase 3B for FY 2022/23, length = 2.3 miles.

This video rendering from the FDOT illustrates how a diverging diamond intersection works.

Learn More

This is the most up to date information obtained from the Marion County Engineering Department and the Florida Department of Transportation. However, all schedules are subject to change, based upon funding. Marion County’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is updated yearly.

Florida Department of Transportation – District 5 HQ (Deland) – 386-943-5171

Ocala/Marion TPO (Transportation & Planning Organization) – 352-438-2630

Marion County Office of the County Engineer  – 352-671-8686

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We work hard to keep you informed, and to represent our members' interests in preserving our horse farms, farmland and the unique character and culture of Marion County's 193,000 acre Farmland Preservation Area.

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Horse Farms Forever Welcomes the Quail Roost Foundation as Supporters

Horse Farms Forever Welcomes the Quail Roost Foundation as Supporters

by | Sep 3, 2020 | News, Uncategorized

Horse Farms Forever is pleased to announce the generous contribution of the Quail Roost Foundation to support the conservation of Marion County’s horse farms and the Farmland Preservation Area. The Foundation was founded to honor the memory of Harriet and Elmer Heubeck, Jr.

The Heubecks are considered true pioneers in the Florida Thoroughbred horse industry and were partners in marriage and business for more than 63 years. They passed away less than two months apart in 2003, but their legacy lives on with the Quail Roost Foundation. In the ‘40s, the Heubecks managed Rosemere Farm, the first Thoroughbred horse farm in Marion County. In the early ‘60s, they built and managed Hobeau Farm, as well as their own farm, Quail Roost, where they raised Thoroughbreds, cattle, and exotic game. Quail Roost Farm was so unique as it brought together one of Florida’s best-known Thoroughbred breeding and training venues, a large purebred and commercial beef operation, and one of the finest private exotic game preserves in the nation.

Elmer is most well-known for building and managing Hobeau farm, owned by Jack Dreyfus. Elmer also broke and trained the young horses at the farm, then they were sent to the track with trainer Allen Jerkens. Kerry recalls that his dad was a well-respected trainer. One trainer mentioned that when they received horses from Elmer, they were ready to go to the track in two days.

Hobeau’s legacy is embedded in a little known horse named Onion that was owned and bred by Dreyfus and trained at the track by Jerkens. Onion is one of only two horses that beat Secretariat in a race after he won the Triple Crown (1). The second horse to beat Secretariat, Prove Out, was also trained by Jerkens. King Ranch bred Prove Out, but Hobeau Farm owned him (2). 

Kerry, Elmer’s son, grew up on Rosemere, which was owned by Carl Rose, and managed by Elmer until early 1961. It was a thousand acres, and when you drive on Highway 200, passing the intersection with Shady Lane, you are traveling the northernmost border of the original property.

Kerry remembers his idyllic life of roaming rolling pasturelands, riding horses and playing around a magical spring and sinkhole. He hunted for arrowheads after rainstorms, and wandered through the oak forests every day. Kerry fondly remembers Rosemere as “a beautiful place. There was no way it couldn’t stay that way forever.” He thought that the land’s beauty would be all the protection it would ever need.

However, Rosemere was sold and all but 26 acres of the 1,000-acre farm is covered in concrete and commercial buildings. The magical spring and the cave still exist, although it is now known as Scott Springs Park and owned by Marion County. The park is bordered by a Wal-Mart parking lot.

The Heubeck family held a deep love for the land upon which they lived and worked. Witnessing the loss of the beloved Rosemere Farm, Kerry was inspired to protect Quail Roost, his family’s farm, with a conservation easement.

The past is truly meeting the future here at Horse Farms Forever. We thank the Quail Roost Foundation for partnering with us in preserving Marion County’s farmland.

Sources:

  1. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/aug/01/forgotten-story-onion-secretariat-triple-crown
  2. https://www.nytimes.com/1973/09/30/archives/161-prove-out-wins-secretariat-is-2d-secretariat-beaten-by-a-161.html

Harriet & Elmer Heubeck, Jr.

“Some sixty years ago, my parents brought me to an exquisite land, where I had the luxury of growing up surrounded by densely green Florida hammocks, crystal-clear springs, and an abundance of wildlife unimaginable today.

That particular landscape is now mostly buried beneath concrete and asphalt.

Before they died, each of my parents spoke of protecting the land. I’ve also come to believe that each of us must assume that responsibility of preserving the wildness that remains — so that our children, and theirs, may come to know such beauty; and, quite possibly, for the very survival of us all.”

Kerry Heubeck

Photos by Kerry Heubeck

Busy Shires

What About Zoning?

The Zoning regulations are found in the Land Development Code, which is a separate document with specific guidelines to implement the Goals, Objectives, and Policies of the Comprehensive Plan.

Zoning regulates development through land use classifications and specifies the areas in which residential, industrial, recreational or commercial activities may take place. The Land Development Code was adopted through a series of ordinances by the County Commission, which means that the regulations cannot be changed or waived, except by a further vote of the County Commission.

Always Watching

We work hard to keep you informed, and to represent our members' interests in preserving our horse farms, farmland and the unique character and culture of Marion County's 193,000 acre Farmland Preservation Area.

Join the herd. Every voice matters.

Join Today!
Join or Donate Now