Busy Shires, Author at Horse Farms Forever

Carlton Ward, Jr to be Keynote Speaker at Horse Farms Forever’s Conservation Summit

by Busy Shires | Aug 25, 2023 | Events, News

Ocala, FL – August 25, 2023 – Horse Farms Forever, Inc.® is pleased to announce that Carlton Ward, Jr, a National Geographic Explorer and photographer, will be the Keynote Speaker at the Fourth Annual Conservation Summit to be held on Thursday, November 16 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company.

Join us for a Conversation about Conservation as Carlton shares the story about photographing the first female Florida panther documented north of the Caloosahatchee River since 1973. Carlton’s quest to photograph the elusive and endangered Florida Panther was documented in the “Path of the Panther,” an award-winning documentary film produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.

Carlton’s photograph of Babs, as the panther is affectionately named, shows that the range of the Florida panther has expanded north from the Everglades. This expansion is the key to the panther’s recovery, but their long-term survival depends on protecting land within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

“If we can show the world who that panther is, that’s going to be the spark to save this whole corridor,” said Carlton in the Path of the Panther film preview.

The Path of the Panther film has already made an impact by inspiring the passage of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act in 2021, which helped secure over $800 million in state funding for land conservation. Since the Act was passed in 2021, nearly 120,000 acres of land have been approved for conservation.

“I want everyone who sees the film to have tremendous pride in the state of Florida and know about the Florida Wildlife Corridor and the importance of it for the state’s future,” said Carlton “That’s why our team spent so many years focusing on the Florida panther. It’s a symbol of the need for protecting the corridor.”

The Florida Wildlife Corridor is an existing, nearly contiguous network of land that stretches from the Panhandle to the Florida Keys over about 18 million acres. Nearly 10 million acres has been conserved as public lands and as private lands that are protected with a conservation easement, but about half of the corridor is at risk of being developed.

About 40% of Marion County is included as part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The Ocala National Forest at over 430,000 acres in Marion County, is one of the largest pieces of the Florida Wildlife Corridor puzzle. The goal is to connect additional conservation lands such as the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway and Silver Springs State Park by protecting private land with conservation easements. A portion of the Farmland Preservation Area in northwest Marion County is also part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Two of the key partner organizations working to protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor will also be speaking at the 2023 Conservation Summit. Mallory Lykes Dimmitt is the CEO of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, which champions a collaborative campaign to connect, protect, and restore the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Traci Deen is the President and CEO of Conservation Florida, a statewide land conservancy focused on protecting natural and agricultural landscapes with a primary focus on saving land within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

By conserving private ranches and farms as part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, this also allows agriculture operations to continue to contribute to the economy and to the production of food, timber, and other resources vital to the prosperity of Florida.

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The Florida Wildlife Corridor

The Florida Wildlife Corridor is a statewide network of over 18 million acres that supports wildlife, people, and communities. It runs from the panhandle all the way to the tip of the peninsula. The Florida Wildlife Corridor already exists. The goal is to ensure continued connection between public land and green spaces across the state through private and public land conservation.

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Path of the Panther

The Path of the Panther tells the story of how a group of photographers, veterinarians, ranchers, conservationists, and indigenous people joined forces to track and protect the endangered Florida panther. In this moving documentary, stunning images of the big cats spur the movement to restore a majestic keystone species as well as a dwindling wilderness.

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The Florida Panther

The Florida panther is more than just an icon for Florida’s last wild places. It is a conservation keystone. The panther is an umbrella species with the largest terrestrial home range in the state, protecting dozens of other species in its domain. Reaching near extinction in the 1950’s, the Florida panther was among the first to be added to the U.S. Endangered Species list in 1973.

Protecting land for the panther is important for people and communities too because connected habitat helps provide clean air and drinking water, as well as other benefits like pollination of food crops and flood mitigation from heavy rains or hurricanes. The panther population has rebounded from about 30 adults to nearly 200 today. But the species faces a multitude of new challenges.

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Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation

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Conservation Florida

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Commonwealth Standard Holdings Joins HFF as a Founder Member

by Busy Shires | Aug 7, 2023 | News

Horse Farms Forever® welcomes Nate Chambers and Commonwealth Standard Holdings as our newest Founder Member. The real estate and private equity firm joins over 70 businesses, horse farms, and individuals that collectively support HFF’s mission to preserve horse farms to ensure that not only are the rolling hills and scenic viewsheds protected, but also to raise awareness about the horse industry’s impact on the economy and its character, which has defined Marion County for over 50 years.

“I joined Horse Farms Forever because of my growing concern about thoughtful growth and development. My firm believes in developing projects that complement the community as well as supporting the protection of property like that in the Farmland Preservation Area,” said Nate Chambers, CEO of Commonwealth Standard Holdings. “It is possible to have both the ambitions of development and the values of conservation.”

The draw of Marion County’s rural charm, the opening of the World Equestrian Center, along with the thriving equine industry, has led many new horse farms and businesses to the area, including Commonwealth Standard Holdings. The equine industry in Marion County represents about one-fifth of the economy and generates over $2.6 Billion dollars every year (2014 study).

“The equine industry is not only personally special to us, it is also the primary economic driver in northwest Marion County,” said Nate. “Thoughtful development is critical or we risk losing what makes this area special.”

Nate and his wife, Dasha are lifelong equestrians and it was their love of horses that brought them together. They also recently welcomed their daughter into their growing family.

“We met at a horse show in Pennsylvania on land protected by a conservation easement,” said Nate. “I grew up riding and Dasha still rides. Hopefully we will see our daughter in the saddle before too long as well!”

HFF welcomes the Chambers family and Commonwealth Standard Holdings to the growing community that supports preserving the character and culture that horses, horse farms, and the horse industry brings to Marion County!

Visit Their Website: https://csholdings.com/

Welcome Serenity Spring Farm, New HFF Founder Member!

by Busy Shires | Jun 22, 2023 | News

Bob Utley and Elisabeth Brinton of Serenity Spring Farm with Miss Minnie Pearl

The opening of the World Equestrian Center (WEC) has attracted the horse world from far and wide to Marion County. Elisabeth Brinton and Bob Utley have lived abroad and traveled the world for most of their professional careers. They recently purchased a horse farm in the Farmland Preservation Area (FPA) and joined Horse Farms Forever as Founder Members.

Elisabeth riding Gloria on the farm.

Elisabeth is a competitive show jumper. She is also a global sustainability expert and successful builder of global businesses for strategic corporate investors and private capital. A few years before her retirement as a senior executive with Microsoft, she and Bob began searching for a U.S. based horse farm. They reached out to Matt Varney, a realtor and broker with Ocala Horse Properties, to find the perfect farm.

The Place to Be

They could have chosen one of many equestrian areas around the world, but they chose to buy a farm in Marion County because of WEC. But most importantly, they wanted their farm to be located in the Farmland Preservation Area (FPA).

“We carefully selected our horse farm and made a deliberate choice to be close to WEC and in the FPA,” says Elisabeth. “As a competitive show jumping rider and passionate horse owner, moving here is not only the fulfillment of a life-long dream to own a beautiful farm, but equally an amazing relief to be back home in the USA and in our wonderful state.”

“Our partnership and program is based on the shared values of excellence in horse care, quality preparation, complete wellness of horse and rider, ethical goal-oriented training, performance and fun,” states the SSF website.

Enchanted

While being located in close proximity to WEC was important for their horse farm, Elisabeth and Bob were also both enchanted by the natural beauty of Marion County.

“We love all of the outdoor activities here and we also love the springs and going kayaking,” says Elisabeth. “We even named our new horse farm Serenity Spring Farm after the spring fed pond on the farm.”

Elisabeth’s husband Bob is an avid marathon runner. He trains several days a week on the Greenway. “I don’t run, but I hike and then Bob and I meet for a coffee date on Mondays,” she shares.

Lifelong Conservationists

Prior to moving abroad, Elisabeth’s professional career in sustainability started in California where she helped introduce legislation to help protect parks from incompatible land uses that may cause light pollution or run-off. She also helped establish carbon credits for land, founded two land trusts, and helped protect access for equestrians to horse trails.

Elisabeth’s life-long support of land conservation and natural resource protection inspired her to join Horse Farms Forever® (HFF) as a Founder Member because she resonated with HFF’s mission, as well as the organization’s balanced position regarding development and conservation.

“It’s all about good planning and identifying those areas to protect. While at the same time, we need hotels, roads and we moved here because of WEC,” she states. “But I am well aware that without the hard work of Horse Farms Forever, my farm and this whole region would not be protected from the proposed toll road.”

While their farm is located in the FPA, she is just as supportive of conserving the horse farms that are not located in the FPA.

“I live in the FPA, but I also support those southern areas around the Florida Horse Park and the Greenway,” she says. “The farms around the Greenway and the Florida Horse Park are just jewels that also need to be protected.”

Horse Farms Forever® is honored to have Elisabeth, Bob, and Serenity Spring Farm as part of the world-wide team to help inspire the conservation of horse farms in Marion County!

HFF would also like to thank Elisabeth for volunteering her time to serve as a professional facilitator for the TDR Roundtable on April 14 at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Center.

Rick Pruetz shares his Marion County findings and Elisabeth Brinton – Corporate Vice President of Sustainability, Microsoft (retired) and HFF Founder Member facilitates the discussion.

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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.

It is the vision and mission of Horse Farms Forever to inspire conservation of horse farms through education, awareness and idea exchange so as to preserve natural pasture land focusing on horses and their habitats, to protect soil and water on which they depend, and minimize land use conflicts
in Marion County, Florida.

We are watchful of government and others to preserve and protect horse farms and farmland for future generations - especially in the Farmland Preservation Area. We are neither anti-growth nor anti-development; we encourage urban growth to remain inside the Urban Growth Boundary.

Horse Farms Forever® is a Florida not-for-profit corporation registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as a charitable organization and approved as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation by the Internal Revenue Service. Horse Farms Forever® does not have a political mission. Our status as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization does not allow us to participate or intervene in political activities. The organization will neither advocate on behalf of political candidates nor advocate for the passage of legislation.

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From Gilbert’s Hardware to Dollar General: Rural Activity Centers in the FPA

by Busy Shires | May 25, 2023 | News, Resolved

The Flemington Store, at the corner of W Hwy 318 and N Hwy 329, in the heart of the Farmland Preservation Area. There is now a Dollar General across the street.

Family Dollar Store to be built in the FPA

Soon there will be a new Family Dollar store in Orange Lake at the intersection of W Hwy 318 and US Hwy 441. While this intersection is one of the gateways to the Farmland Preservation Area (FPA), it is located in one of the 10 Rural Activity Centers (RAC) that are designated for this exact type of business. The property already has the correct land use/zoning and is being built by BP 5440 Micanopy, LLC and the Contineo Group.

Marion County’s comprehensive plan allows for limited commercial and residential development in designated Rural Activity Centers (RAC) (Policy 2.1.21) The new Family Dollar store is a perfect example of what the RACs were designed for – to allow small mixed use commercial islands within the rural areas to help residents and businesses meet some of their daily needs and to reduce trips to the urban areas.

At the intersection of CR 318 and 441 in Orange Lake, all four corners have the RAC land use and it encompasses about 57 acres. In 2021, the rural community of Flemington grew with a new Dollar General store, which is located in the Flemington RAC. All four corners of the intersection of W Hwy 318 and N Hwy 329 are included in the RAC. The new Dollar General is located across the street from the old Flemington Store, which has been a part of the community for over 50 years. The new store is a little bit of a stark contrast with the old store and its white clapboard siding and rusty metal roof.

Marion County’s comprehensive plan does not include design guidelines for the 10 RACs to help protect the rural character of the FPA, but there are design guidelines for the area around the Florida Horse Park as part of the CR 475A Visual Enhancement Gateway Development Overlay. The design guidelines cover signs and include additional buffering and landscaping as well as the optional addition of a three-board fence.

While the design elements are not required for the new Family Dollar, if the company included them, it would be a symbolic statement to the community that Family Dollar supports protecting the character and culture that horses and horse farms create in the FPA.

Groceries, Gas, Baling Twine…

Marion County’s rural area is vast. Just the Farmland Preservation Area is 193,000 acres. The RAC future land use designation allows for mixed use nodes of residential and commercial uses, including agricultural-related commercial uses. These commercial islands within the rural areas are beneficial because they help residents and businesses meet some of their daily needs and also reduce trips to the urban areas.

Some of the additional commercial uses allowed in RACs include hardware stores like Gilbert’s Hardware at the intersection of Hwy 225A and CR 326, gas stations, post offices, and grocery stores. In the Blitchton area, on US 27 near H.I.T.S. and many of the sport horse farms, there are 3 feed stores and 2 restaurants – Berrettini Feed Specialists, Larsen Hay and United Hay for horses and The Beach and Yum Yum Kitchen for riders and trainers – important services conveniently-located for hard working equestrians.

In addition to the commercial development, the RAC allows for higher density residential development. In the RAC, up to two dwelling units per acre are permitted. Even in the FPA, the residential density can be up to two dwelling units per acre inside the RAC. Outside of the RAC, to help protect the rural character of the FPA, the zoning is one dwelling unit per 10 acres.

The development standards for RACs – the distance from the intersection, the allowed uses, the set backs and the building heights – are the same no matter where they are located, even if the RAC is located inside the Farmland Preservation Area (FPA).

For commercial uses, the floor area ratio is 35% – that means that the buildings can only occupy 35% of each parcel.

For properties that are not located in the RAC and are zoned Agriculture (A-1), landowners are permitted to set up a roadside stand to sell hay or vegetables that are grown on the same property.

The RAC Pack

There are 10 RACs dispersed throughout the FPA that average about 54 acres each. When you combine the acreage, that is about 540 acres. However, the size of any RAC can be expanded to a maximum of 96 acres, if it meets the criteria:

No greater than ¼ mile or 1,320 feet from the center of the intersection;
85% developed; and
at least 5 miles from another RAC.

These 10 RACs all have a Future Land Use designation of RAC, but for some parcels, the Zoning is not RAC.

Marion County has two RAC classifications: a land use designation and a zoning classification. The Future Land Use (FLU) designation is a generalized classification and sets the development densities. The Zoning specifies which exact uses are allowed versus prohibited on that parcel. This is important to distinguish because a parcel could be designated with a FLU RAC, but have a Zoning of A-1 for agricultural use instead of commercial use. In order for the FLU RAC parcel to be used for commercial purposes, the Zoning would have to be changed. There are some “grandfathered in” exceptions for historically-zoned commercial properties with RAC Land Use that are treated as if they also have RAC Zoning.

HFF Text Amendment: A Chance to Change

If a parcel in a RAC does not have the correct zoning, then the zoning has to be changed in order for potential applicants to build a commercial or residential building. Through this zoning change process, there is an opportunity to submit public comments to the Planning & Zoning Commission and to the Board of County Commissioners because the Horse Farms Forever® Amendment enhances the definition of Rural Character and further requires that all applications for Zoning Requests and Special Use Permits “be consistent with and preserve, protect and support and enhance the rural, equestrian, and farmland character of the Farmland Preservation Area.”

As part of Horse Farms Forever’s role in protecting the character and culture of the Farmland Preservation Area, we are actively monitoring all applications that are submitted for consideration. Watch our posts and blogs for updates and opportunities to make comment as RAC’s come up for zoning changes. Please join us as a member and support our efforts to uphold Marion County’s rural lifestyle and brand as the Horse Capital of the World®.

Click on each of the RAC’s below to see a detailed map provided courtesy of Marion County’s Interactive Map:

The maps were created using Marion County’s online map. The maps show the the size and location of parcels designated with a FLU of RAC in each of the 10 areas within the FPA. The online map viewer is not intended to be a legal document but rather for reference. We thank the County for providing this helpful resource.