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HFF Celebrates Farmland Preservation Month

HFF Celebrates Farmland Preservation Month

by | May 2, 2023 | Events, News

John Piotti and Rick Pruetz joined HFF’s Sara Fennessy, Busy Shires and Bernie Little for a conversation about conservation. Photos by Sean Dowie Photography

Spring Speaker Series at Golden Ocala

Over 100 guests joined Horse Farms Forever to celebrate Farmland Preservation Month at our second annual Spring Speaker Series event on Friday, April 14th at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club. Our Presenting Sponsor for the event was Lugano Diamonds and our Program Sponsor was Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Many thanks to them for their gracious support!

We were honored to have two of the nation’s leaders in farmland preservation as our speakers. John Piotti is the President and CEO of the American Farmland Trust (AFT) and Rick Pruetz of Smart Preservation, who is an FAICP professional planner and a nationally recognized expert on Transfer of Development Rights.

American Farmland Trust’s John Piotti. 

Saving America’s Farmland

John spoke about the importance of preserving farmland and highlighted AFT’s role as the only agricultural land trust with a national scope. AFT has preserved over 7 million acres of farmland since the organization’s founding in 1980 by Peggy Rockefeller. AFT pioneered the use of conservation easements to protect farmland from development, and also works to develop programs at the federal, state, and local level to purchase conservation easements. Under John’s leadership, AFT has helped secure billions of dollars in federal funding to protect farmland and has developed several new programs to support climate-smart agriculture, regenerative farming practices, and next-generation farmers.

“Yet despite these accomplishments, AFT and its partners have much more work to do because, every year 750,000 acres of productive farmland is lost to development,” said John.

Research conducted by AFT shows that over the next 20 years, given current growth trends, Florida will lose over 620,000 acres of land, which translates into losing about 4,400 farms, $727 million in farm output, and 21,400 jobs.  Even in Marion County, over 2,500 acres has been lost from the Farmland Preservation Area.  While these numbers are staggering, the tools exist to help slow this trend. AFT partners with other state and local organizations to raise awareness about farmland preservation and the tools, including conservation easements, available to landowners to protect their farm, explained John.

John also emphasized the importance of local comprehensive planning to help protect farmland. AFT’s research also shows that with better planning and development choices, that over 350,000 acres of farmland, 2,500 farms, $347 million in farm output, and 11,000 jobs can be saved in Florida. In addition, with better planning, local governments can more effectively reduce the cost of community services such as roads and emergency services.

“While conservation easements are great tools to preserve farmland, they can only protect so much land,” said John “With a good comprehensive plan, more land can be preserved on a larger scale.”

One of the tools in Marion County’s comprehensive plan to help protect farmlands and steer growth to urban areas is the existing Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program.


Just one stunning example of the wearable art on display from Lugano Diamonds

Foster Bachschmidt, Financial Advisor for Merrill Lynch, with HFF President Bernie Little

HFF Founder, owner of Serenity Spring Farm and global sustainability expert, Elisabeth Brinton, with John Piotti

Tasha Osbourne, Sotheby’s International Realty Broker/Associate, with her husband Michael Osbourne, flanked by Charlie Stone on the left and Lugano Diamonds’ Jack Sharp on the right


Sara Powell Fennessy, returning to HFF as our Director of Community Affairs, is welcomed by Marion County Commissioner, Craig Curry

Charlie Stone, former member of the Florida House of Representatives, Michelle Stone, Marion County Commissioner, Rick Pruetz, FAICP, and Paul Caspersen, Director of Planned Giving, American Farmland Trust

Kylie Halter, HFF Founder Mary Jane Hunt, Mary Bancroft and David Velez

HFF friends Chuck and Dawn Vigne


HFF Board Member and Founder Elma Garcia Cannavino with HFF Founder Matt Varney Broker/Realtor, Ocala Horse Properties

HFF Member Tammy Dowie with Event Planner Sadie Cone Fitzpatrick


More stunning Lugano sparkle

Rick Pruetz is a city planner, author, consultant and national expert on the subject of Transfer of Development Rights programs.

How TDRs Can Help Save Farmland

Also, during the evening, Rick Pruetz presented insights on successful TDR programs in other communities. He also provided some suggestions to help improve Marion County’s TDR program.

Rick explained the basics of how TDR programs work. TDRs are a voluntary program that allows the owner of one property (Sending site) to transfer the development rights to the owner of a second property (Receiving site). The Sending site owner receives money from the sale of the development rights to the Receiving site owner. Then, those development rights are transferred to the Receiving site property to increase the density.

TDR programs can benefit landowners, developers, and communities by helping them implement their preservation as well as development goals without reliance on taxation. Instead, TDR uses market forces to transfer the density from one property to preserve natural resources, wildlife habitat or farmland, to another property in a designated urban area, explained Rick.

 “One of the most successful TDR programs was created in Montgomery County, Maryland,” said Rick. “Montgomery County is located just north of Washington, DC, but despite tremendous development pressure, the County has preserved over 72,000 acres, with 52,000 acres through a TDR program.”

Montgomery County’s TDR program not only preserved the land, it also helped preserve the agricultural economy and created more investment by farmers in their business.

 “Preserving the land also gave landowners greater confidence that farming would remain a viable activity,” said Rick. “It stabilized the agricultural industry and prevented landowners from selling their land out of fear that the farm next door would be developed.”

In 2022, HFF hired Rick to evaluate Marion County’s TDR program to determine why the program is underutilized. Rick compiled his research into a Preliminary Study, which evaluated Marion County’s TDR program against Ten Success Factors.

“Marion County excels in one of the top ten success factors for TDRs, which is strong support for preservation from the community,” said Rick. “For example, in 2005, the Farmland Preservation Area was created, and in 2021, over 90% of respondents agreed that the Farmland Preservation Area should be maintained to ensure Marion County’s legacy of the Horse Capital of the World for future generations.”

Marion County’s TDR Program

Marion County’s TDR program was created in 2004. The TDR Receiving Area was designated as the Urban Growth Area and the Sending Area was named the Farmland Preservation Area in 2005. In 2007, the Sending Area was expanded to include all land designated as Rural Lands outside of the Urban Growth Area that are 30 acres or more and accepted by the County as having significant resources. About 3,200 acres has been preserved with conservation easements through the TDR program.

Rick also made some suggestions on how to improve Marion County’s TDR program by focusing on four success factors that could help increase the viability and effectiveness of the TDR program by creating more demand for TDRs.

HFF will be hosting additional meetings with stakeholders to discuss the four success factors and to determine if the Marion County Commission will adopt any of the recommended changes, but the process of updating the TDR program was off to a great start.

 “It warmed my heart to see a room of thoughtful people interested in hearing positive approaches to farmland preservation and agricultural policy,” said Rick after the event.

The Spring Speaker Series event is a continuation of Horse Farms Forever’s successful Conversations about Conservation program. One of HFF’s goals for this year’s program was to highlight just how fragile the boundaries of the Farmland Preservation Area (FPA) are in Marion County. Even though this area has been designated as a preservation area, the boundaries of the FPA can be erased by a vote of just three of the five Marion County Commissioners.

These conversations between land conservation experts and landowners are often the first step in preserving horse farms for future generations.

Join our efforts to preserve what we all love about Marion County – the horses, open spaces and beautiful places.

Thank You To Our Sponsors!

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.

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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HFF Welcomes Perla Boord Capriles As New Founder

HFF Welcomes Perla Boord Capriles As New Founder

by | Mar 24, 2023 | News

Perla Boord Capriles with Charlie XVIII

Horse Farms Forever is pleased to welcome Perla Boord Capriles as a Founder Member. Perla, a competitive show jumper and hunter rider, has travelled the world showing her horses. While her farm and horses have been in Wellington for over 12 years, she fell in love with Ocala while visiting over a year ago, and decided to buy a horse farm near the World Equestrian Center (WEC).

“I fell instantly in love with Ocala and its breathtaking nature and beauty,” she says. “It is truly a horse paradise. The facilities at WEC are spectacular. I have travelled and shown all around the world and there is nothing like it. WEC is truly unparalleled, not only for the riders, but equally for the horses and spectators as well. It is a one-of-a-kind facility in the world.”

Latin Roots

Perla has loved horses since she was 8 years old. She grew up in Venezuela and Spain, and was educated in the USA.  

 “Horses are not only my passion, they are my way of life,” she states.

She is concerned about the rapid growth of Ocala due to the new roads and construction, but hopeful that good planning will create a balance between development and the conservation of land for horse farms.

 “I hope that the charm of the area as ‘horse country’ will be preserved,” she says. “That’s why I truly believe in Horse Farms Forever’s mission to help preserve Ocala’s true identity as the Horse Capital of the World™ for horse lovers like me.”

At Home In Horse Country

This iconic landscape of rolling hills, live oak trees, and horses grazing in the pasture – create the open spaces and beautiful places that make this area truly unique – and Perla is right – there is no other place in the world quite like Marion County. We are Horse Country!

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.

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.

 

Join or Donate Now
Little Creek Farm and Lifelong Equestrian Family Join HFF as Founder Members

Little Creek Farm and Lifelong Equestrian Family Join HFF as Founder Members

by | Feb 21, 2023 | News

Nicole Hornblower and James Denman

Horse Farms Forever is happy to welcome Nicole Hornblower and her husband James Denman as Founder Members. Their primary residence is in Massachusetts, but they fell in love with Marion County’s picturesque countryside after visiting Ocala for several years for horse shows. In 2017, Hornblower and her husband decided to buy their own horse farm.

“This is such a beautiful area and my husband, James and I, are very excited to be part of the Horse Farms Forever community to help make sure that there is land for horses,” says Hornblower.

Spurred by Roadway Development

In 2018, shortly after they purchased their property, now named Little Creek Farm, they learned about the proposed Coastal Connector toll road from their realtor, Matt Varney of Ocala Horse Properties. They are grateful that the road was stopped, but they became concerned again when the Northern Turnpike Extension was recently proposed.

 “I know there’s been a lot of change in Ocala because of the World Equestrian Center and all of the road construction” said Hornblower. “But it’s wonderful to have an organization like Horse Farms Forever to help protect farms. It’s a mission that I believe in and support.”

Hornblower grew up riding in the northeast and has watched a lot of farms in Massachusetts be developed. “We lost several farms to developers that hosted horse shows,” she said.

Sport Horses and Sport Cars

Horses have always been a part of Hornblower’s life. She competed at horse trails up to the Preliminary level as an amateur and helped organize horse trails in Massachusetts as a co-organizer.

 “I have been riding most of my life and I accomplished what I wanted to with eventing,” she said. “But now I am focusing on dressage, with a horse that likes to do dressage, and I hope to earn my USDF Bronze medal this year.”

The equestrian lifestyle is also part of James’ life too. “He loves working on the farm and being on the tractor and mowing,” she said. “He is very supportive of the riding, but he loves airplanes and antique British cars.”

Hornblower also served as the Area 1 Young Rider coordinator for several years. “It’s fun to see the younger generation competing,” she said.

One of the competitors at the Area 1 Young Rider events was her daughter Heather Maytham, who is a three-day eventer. Maytham is a graduate of Jericho Forest Pony Club and she was named to the National Young Riders Championship team. She was also the Area 1 reserve leading Intermediate amateur rider before transitioning to professional status. She has successfully produced multiple horse through the FEI levels of eventing to the CCI*** level and to 1.30 m in show jumping. Maytham is now based out of Ocala full time at Basset Hill Farm.

Horse Farms Forever’s Founder Members encompass several equestrian disciplines from Thoroughbred racing to combined driving and we are delighted to have a family that competes in both dressage and three-day eventing as new members.

 

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.

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.

 

Join or Donate Now
Perdue Emphasizes Community Engagement in Road Planning

Perdue Emphasizes Community Engagement in Road Planning

by | Dec 27, 2022 | Events, News, Roadway Threats

What’s In Store For Marion County’s State-Owned Road Projects?

At Horse Farms Forever’s Conservation Summit on November 14, Jared Perdue, Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Tracy Straub, Assistant Marion County Administrator, shared detailed information about Florida’s transportation approach and goals, and specific road improvement projects in Marion County. Secretary Perdue, who took over the post this past April, gave an update on the improvements to I-75 and the Northern Turnpike Extension project, which will resume in one to two years. He also emphasized FDOT’s new emphasis to recognize and protect the unique heritage and culture of Florida’s communities while at the same time improving road safety and efficiency.

The partnership between FDOT and Marion County was also highlighted as a vital component to completing nearly 42 road improvement projects that will widen and extend roads, build several flyovers, and a new interstate interchange at NW 49th Street. These projects will help divert traffic off of I-75 and allow residents to travel both north-south and east-west without having to access I-75. This blog will highlight important aspects of Secretary Perdue’s presentation. We will cover Administrator Straub’s in detail in the next release. To Summit livestream was recorded, and is available for viewing here.

Efficient Transportation Challenged By Astronomical Growth

At the beginning of his talk, Secretary Perdue shared that the core FDOT mission is to provide safe and efficient transportation for the citizens of Florida, and to support the supply chain of goods and services. This is a challenge as Florida’s population continues to grow.

“This is one of the challenges with transportation – how do you provide necessary transportation, but still protect and conserve what makes Florida special,” said Secretary Perdue. “We have a unique challenge in Florida. We are the third most populous state in the union. We are growing rapidly, exponentially. Sixty percent of our growth is concentrated in 10 Counties: Osceola, St. Johns, Sumter, Walton, Lake, Orange, Santa Rosa, Manatee, Nassau, and Lee.. A lot of areas in Florida are growing at 20 percent annually.” Perdue shared that for every 100 people that move out of Marion County, 500 move in. “FDOT plans transportation projects based on a 3 percent population growth rate, and many areas of Florida are growing in excess of 20 percent, and so here’s what that means for an individual,” he said. “Yesterday, you had a 30-minute commute to work. It’s almost like you went to bed and woke up the next morning and all of a sudden, you’re sitting in traffic for an hour and a half trying to get back and forth to work.”

Transportation systems typically take 15 to 20 years to complete because of limited and finite resources that have to be spread across a very large state. FDOT must focus on a long timeline – planning for growth two decades in the future while maintaining enough capacity to handle emergency situations, like the recent devastation from Hurricane Ian. This year’s FDOT budget of $12.6 Billion is the largest in history.

“The challenge is because those areas have been growing so fast, 20, 30, and some areas even 40 percent growth, and so here’s the challenge, how do we think about transportation infrastructure differently so that we can start to catch up strategically,” he added.

Northern Turnpike Extension Is Still In The Plans

Secretary Perdue answered the most pressing question about the proposed NTE project to extend Florida’s Turnpike from Wildwood to U.S. 19 in Levy County. The NTE project was paused earlier this year, but Perdue confirmed that it was still in FDOT’s plans. The time frame has not been determined, but work on the proposed NTE project will start within the next one to two years. The project was paused due to the overwhelming negative feedback about the proposed routes from the communities in its path. FDOT’s response was to hit the pause button.

“Yes, we hear you, we don’t want to put a road through the heart of your community,” he said. “But we know we have to do something so let’s step back, let’s reengage with our communities and let’s talk about what those right solutions are because we know we need something.”

Perdue said the Northern Extension will connect to I-75 because it fits together as part of a bigger picture of how to solve the transportation challenges; because Florida is going to continue to grow and people and goods and services need to get from point A to point B. The NTE is also important for the future in terms of resiliency, hurricane evacuations, and natural disasters.

“We know we need to do something,’’ he said. “We want that something to preserve your farmland, to fit the growth patterns that are occurring. We want that something to continue to provide the needed transportation while embracing and maintaining the character of your community. And we believe that there’s a way to do that.”

A Love For Rural Florida

“I love the idea of protecting horse farms. I love horses and owned them myself,” he said. “I love Marion County and I love rural Florida. I was born and raised in rural Florida, so it’s really important to me.”

Secretary Perdue emphasized FDOT’s value on relationships with local governments and the goal to embrace and protect the character of communities.

“The reality is that anytime we set out to do something important, the way that people feel and that way that we engage them matters. It is absolutely critical for the future success of transportation systems in Florida,” said Secretary Perdue. He also addressed preservation and conservation directly. “What does that mean for how we deliver transportation in the future?” asked Secretary Perdue. “We believe that in order to successfully deliver infrastructure for the future based on the way that society has changed, based on the way that the state of Florida is changing and growing and adapting, that the absolute number one priority is for transportation infrastructure to embrace communities.”

He described the diversity of Florida and how important embracing this diversity is for transportation projects. Each community has its own culture, heritage, traditions, and also its own vision for the future.

“We believe that enabling transportation infrastructure to be a part of that heritage, a part of that tradition, but also a part of that vision for the future is where success is in transportation infrastructure,” he said. “This has become an umbrella focus for us. We believe that every single transportation infrastructure project can truly embrace the community that it lies within.”

Question from Kevin Sheilley of the Ocala Metro CEP

QUESTION:

Two recent hurricanes came through Florida, 1 hitting the southwest coast and another the southeast coast.

  •  How did the interstate system handle the evacuation routes from the coastal areas?
  •  And, does there need to be a connection between the Suncoast Parkway and I-75 to enhance evacuations?

ANSWER By Secretary Perdue:

“There are a lot of complexities that go into evacuations, depending on where the storm is going, how much time people have to make decisions and what available routes there are. Depending on where the storm hits in Florida the plan completely changes. With Hurricane Ian, the path was changing constantly. The forecast wasn’t set in stone and it changed at the last minute. People had hours to figure out what to do.

We have outfitted our interstate system with technology so that we can watch evacuation behavior in real time. In the case of Ian, we saw a lot of congestion on I-4 and I-75 in general – in particular those hot spots where traffic is always an issue. If the facility is not reliable in everyday life, how is it going to be reliable in an evacuation?

Did our facilities do well during the Hurricane. I would say the answer is yes. Everybody that decided to get out, got out. We opened the shoulder of the road to help with traffic flow, but those pinch points on I-4 and I-75 were still there.

We want to build facilities to be reliable and resilient. To do that, you have to not only relieve those problem areas that already exist, but also build out for future growth.

We believe that something is needed for evacuation between I-75 and the West Coast. We will have to work through that solution together.”

Question from Navroz Sanju of HDG Hotels

QUESTION:

We hear a lot about autopilots in cars and self-driving trucks.

  •  What is the future of self-driving cars and self-driving trucks on the interstate system?
  •  And is there any new technology you are including when you build a road to work with those systems?

ANSWER:

“Technology is one of our big strategic focus areas. Here in Florida we have 100 percent coverage of our Interstate System with the most current detection devices. We have the backbone in place for the future of autonomous driving vehicles. Technology changes so fast, and there’s been a lot of emotional speculation about what the future will look like.

We’ve developed new standards for these technologies to work. Artificial intelligence is always collecting data and using it to make decisions. Our infrastructure needs to facilitate that.

So, what’s realistic over the next ten to twenty years? First, there is tremendous efficiency to be gained on interstates using autonomous technology, such as the platooning of trucks. Our facilities must be upgraded for this future. We are already working on that. Autonomous vehicles can test and pilot on the Florida Interstate System. Second, what is really important is the ability of technology infrastructure to communicate important information to every day drivers – lane closures, stopped traffic, and accidents can be communicated to navigation apps by the road itself, helping drivers to make decisions.

We recently rolled out a pilot program that will allow every lane closure to be shared in real time with navigation apps.”

Early Feedback

Getting early feedback from communities is a new way of thinking for FDOT, but Secretary Perdue said that it’s “been hugely successful. Sitting down with communities before we decide what’s going to be done on that project to ask you: Hey what do you want to see – What would you like the feel of this roadway to be – How would you like it to look – What type of things would you like to see incorporated to help it align with your community?”

He said one example of this approach is the Wekiva Parkway, which protected more land for conservation than it impacted.

“I’ll give an example in terms of preserving and conserving with transportation actually having a net positive impact on what Florida’s true character is with the Wekiva Parkway in central Florida,” said Secretary Perdue. “A lot of the Wekiva Parkway, that’s a new toll facility, utilized an existing road, State Road 46 for a lot of the way, and we had a net positive impact on the environment because we actually purchased more conservation land as part of the project than we impacted with the project itself.”

However, due to FDOT budget constraints, not all suggestions are possible, but, when FDOT engages communities early in the process, the community becomes part of the team.

“Then we together can implement infrastructure that takes on the character of the community that it lies within,” he said.

Improvements to I-75

FDOT is coordinating closely with Marion County on nearly 42 projects and one of the top priority projects is improving I-75. The traffic congestion is a capacity issue, but it’s also related to the surrounding road network and because the Florida Turnpike ends at I-75 just south of Marion County. The goal of the master plan is to enhance mobility, improve reliability, and safety. There are two phases to the project with phase one adding additional lanes in each direction between SR 44 and SR 326. Phase one also includes interim modifications of the SR 326 and SR 40 interchanges. Phase two is ongoing.

The I-75 Master Plan is also divided into two study areas. The Southern section is approximately 22.5 miles and it begins at Florida’s Turnpike, SR 91 in Sumter County and ends at SR 200 in Marion County. Interchanges to be evaluated include Florida’s Turnpike, SR 44, CR 484 and SR 200. The Northern section is approximately 25.3 miles and it begins north of SR 200 in Marion County and ends south of CR 234 in Alachua County. Interchanges to be evaluated include SR 40, U.S. 27, Northwest 49th Street (planned), SR 326, CR 318 and CR 234.

The Master Plan is to “identify improvement options for I-75 that we can affect quickly,” he said. “We don’t have 15 to 20 years. As a matter fact we need something there that should’ve been done probably 10 years ago based on how fast we are growing.”

The interstate must meet several different needs in Marion County including growing residential communities, heavy industrial development, and commercial development along the interstate. The challenge is to provide a facility for all of the different types of vehicles.

“This is a big conversation and it all works together but you don’t want to get lost in talking about what we need 20 or 30 years down the road when it needs it fixed today,” he said. “We’re looking at phase one and of what can we implement quickly and efficiently that will actually improve at a minimum the reliability of the roadway.”

The I-75/CR 484 project is .75 miles and begins west of SW 20th Avenue Road and ends east of CR 475A. The improvements include on/off ramps, CR 484 at 1-75 interchange, CR 484/475A interchange, bike lanes, sidewalk connectivity, and improved lighting. The cost of this project is close to $10 million.

FDOT is partnering with Marion County to build a new interchange on I-75 at NW 49th Street. Marion County and FDOT are both providing the funds to build the new interchange, which is estimated to cost about $81 million.

“Marion County is absolutely a vital partner in transportation,” he said. “It’s truly a seamless partnership.”

The new interchange is a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) that will help improve interstate and regional mobility, accommodate future traffic growth and provide relief to existing surrounding interchanges. The right of way will be funded in 2022/2023 and the design will be completed in late 2024. The construction is expected to start in 2024.

The new interchange “is a broader picture of your how do you manage the system around that I-75 corridor and this is a going to help provide some of that connectivity,” said Secretary Perdue.

Next: Focus on County-Owned Projects

Tracy Straub, PE, Marion County Administrator, Public Works and Growth Services, also presented an update of the top road improvement projects including the area known as the Ocala Triangle, which includes State Road 200 and Southwest 60th and Southwest 80th Avenues. Straub gave an update on the CR 318 and I-75 Sunny Oaks/Irvine area. Our next blog will cover Administrator Straub’s presentation, including downloadable maps for the Marion County projects. Stay tuned!

Photos by Sean Dowie Photography. Remaining graphics provided by FDOT.

Watch the entire Summit presentation online:

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.

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.

 

Join or Donate Now
Congestion-Relieving Road Projects in Marion County: Where and When

Congestion-Relieving Road Projects in Marion County: Where and When

by | Dec 21, 2022 | Events, News, Roadway Threats

A Conversation About Transportation with Marion County’s Tracy Straub

There was never a time where Marion County wasn’t home to Tracy Straub. A fifth-generation Marion County Floridian, she has a deep perspective on the changes that have taken place in the County and its needs going forward. Straub’s career at the County began 21 years ago. She has been the County Engineer and now leads both Public Works and Growth Services as an Assistant County Administrator. We were honored to have her share the latest on road construction in the County at our Conservation Summit in November. In her presentation, she shared timelines and details for the major projects coming to fruition around the County, particularly those that will help alleviate congestion and pinch-points on I-75 and those impacting horse farms and the equine industry.

Straub focused on the area known as the Ocala Triangle, which includes SR 200 and SW 60th and SW 80th Avenues. She also gave an update on the projects at the CR 318 and I-75 intersection in the Sunny Oaks/Irvine area.

Concentrated Growth

Over the past five years, Marion County has experienced rapid growth of industrial, commercial and residential development. As a result, there are 42 road improvement projects in the County. One indicator of growth is the number of building permits issued over the past 12 years.

 “In the last couple of years, we have been with issuing around 5,000 certificates of occupancy for residential building permits,” said Straub. “In 2019, we were only half that number and when you go back as far as 2010, which, of course we were sitting in the economic recession, there were only a couple hundred single-family residential permits issued,” said Straub.

While the growth is unrelenting, it’s important to understand that Marion County’s land uses funnel development into a concentrated area. Straub reminded us that forty-nine percent of the County is made up of the Ocala National Forest, other conservation lands, and rivers, springs, and lakes. About nineteen percent of it is the Farmland Preservation Area where development is limited. Another twenty-one percent is rural land or designated as low-density land use. The Urban Growth Area only encompasses about eleven percent of the County. The County is home to abundant natural resources, including two-hundred miles of trails for hiking and biking, and equestrian use, more than 150 miles of streams and rivers, three first magnitude springs, five second magnitude springs, twenty-plus third magnitude springs, and countless other springs, Straub said.

 “We continue to thrive as a natural gem, and we recognize that as we watch our growth and development occur,” she said. “But through it all, of course, we do have a road network.”

The Structure of the Infrastructure

Marion County maintains approximately 2,500 centerline miles of road. About half of the roads are subdivision roads and another half are the major road network. In addition, there are many roads that the County does not maintain. These roads are maintained by another agency such as FDOT, or another municipality. There are also private subdivisions and dirt roads in the Ocala National Forest that were never accepted into the county maintenance system. In addition to the road system, there drainage retention areas, right of ways, 92,000 traffic signs and 131 traffic signals.

To build and design roads, the County partners with the Ocala Marion Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) Board, which is the policy-making body responsible for the overall guidance of the transportation planning process in Marion County. The TPO Board is comprised of twelve voting members including the City of Ocala Mayor and four members of the City Council; all five Marion County Commissioners; and one representative each from the Belleview City Commission and the Dunnellon City Council. The Florida Department of Transportation District 5 Secretary is a member of the TPO Board as a non-voting member.

Planning and building roads is a lengthy and time-consuming process that takes 15 to 20 years.

The TPO develops a 25-year planning document, the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) that outlines the vision for transportation in Marion County. The LRTP considers all modes of transportation, including roadways, transit, bicycles, pedestrians, freight and aviation. The LRTP plan includes approximately $4 Billion worth of programming anticipated between 2020 and 2045, which is funded by several agencies, including Marion County, all of the cities and FDOT. However, there are an additional $750 million of unfunded needs also identified.

In addition to the 25-year plan, there is a five-year plan, the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) serves as the short-range transportation planning document for Ocala/Marion County.

“In our current five-year plan there are $186 Million worth of projects funded in the five-year projection,” said Straub.

Road improvement projects are categorized into different types. The capacity projects, which are funded at $131 million, are focused on adding lanes, signalized improvements, and turn lanes. New capacity roads have a grass median, bike lanes on both sides, a sidewalk on one side, and a multi-use trail on the other side.

“This is a lot of funding for Marion County and I want to pause and to reflect on that because that has a lot to do with the sales tax initiative and our penny sales tax,” she said. “Your TIP does not include sales tax revenues beyond the collections in December 31, 2024 so it’s important to know that we have a lot of money available to us to try to catch up from where we weren’t able to produce projects during the economic downturn, but we don’t budget beyond what we know we’ve been given.”

Photos of Tracy Straub, Rob Desino and Linda Bammann by Sean Dowie Photography. Remaining graphics provided by Marion County.

Question from Rob Desino of Ocala Horse Properties

QUESTION:

The Secretary talked about the new I-75 interchange at 49th Street and the timing of that work. The County plans to extend 49th Street to the west to connect with NW 70th Avenue, also known as 225A.

  • How long do you project it will be before we can drive on the new NW 49th Street?
  • And, will NW 60th Avenue, the road by the airport, be extended to the north to connect with the new NW 49th Street?

ANSWER:

Straub stated that portions of the section of NW 49th Street, west from the interstate to CR 225A, is currently in design and it is planned to be a four-lane road, but it will first be will be built as a two-lane road. Next year, the County is prepared to start constructing about a mile section of the road from 44th Avenue going west just past the rear entrance of Ocala Preserve, located on US 27.

The County does not have all the right away secured moving further west to 225A, but the process for the right of way acquisition will begin next year. Straub predicted that it would take about three years for the road to reach CR 225A.

NW 60th Avenue, also known as Airport Road, ends at US Hwy 27. The County reserved the right of away on the west side of the Ocala Preserve subdivision, but the County does not have a road planned. However, the County does recognize that extending NW 60th Avenue north to NW 49th Street make for a good potential connector and that’s why they reserved the right of way, Straub stated.

Question from Linda Bammann of Laughing Horse Farm

QUESTION:

There are 2 large projects approved on Highway 318, the Sunny Oaks development and the WEC Jockey Club.

The Board of County Commission’s procedure for approving both these projects has been challenged. How long do you project it will be before these challenges will be resolved?  Days, months or years?

ANSWER:

For the Sunny Oaks project, the judges need to review the challenge that was filed. The County has not been asked to provide a response to that challenge yet.

For the WEC Jockey Club, which is a different type of challenge, an administrative hearing date has been set for early next year and the County will participate in the hearing.

The length of time before the challenges are resolved could be months or it could take longer.

 “We know we’re into months,” she said. “Neither project is able to move forward with construction without having both of these items buttoned up, so while we will continue to work with them through the permitting process. We would not be able to issue any permits until they’ve resolved both of those challenges that are out there.”

SPECIFIC ROAD PROJECTS

 

SE Emerald Road to be Extended:

 

SE Emerald Road already exists inside Silver Spring Shores and CR 464 is the only major corridor that runs through that community. SE Emerald Road is already over capacity. The County is extending Emerald Road further to the west to connect with SE 92nd Loop, which is a four-lane road that goes from the Baseline area and to the Belleview area.

 

Marion Oaks Manor to be Extended with Flyover I-75:

 

 

Marion Oaks Manor will be four-laned and will be extended east to a flyover over I-75 to allow traffic to travel to the east side of the County.

 

County Road 484 to be Four-Laned to SR 200:

 

 

Part of CR 484 is four lanes from I-75 to just past the Florida Crossroads Commerce Park. The Dollar Tree distribution facility recently built a facility there and several other facilities also plan to build in the Commerce Park, so there is a need to four-lane CR 484 to SR 200.

 

SW 49th Avenue Goals:

 

  • North -South Connector
  • Relief to I-75
  • Relief to CR 484
  • Relief to SR 200

 

A portion of SW 49 exists in the south end of the County. The road will be extended to connect to the Marion Oaks Manor flyover road and go through the Commerce Park and through the greenway pass at the Cross Florida Greenway. The county has completed the four-lane segment from SW 95th Street (near Liberty Middle School) north to SW 66th Street. Another road segment will connect to SW 42nd Street near the backside of the Heath Brook Mall. The City of Ocala will continue 42nd Street north.

 

 

SW 80th/70th Avenue Corridor:

 

 

This road improvement project is an 11-mile north and south corridor that starts north of SR 200 and ends at about one-half mile north of US Hwy 27 on CR 225A. The road will be four-laned in multiple phases. The intersections at US Hwy 27 and SR 40 will be improved with turn lanes. In addition, two existing east-west roads, SW 38th Street near the new Calesa Township subdivision, and SW 80th Street, will also be widened to four lanes. SW 80th Street touches SW 80th Avenue and SR 200.

 

 

Northwest 49th/35th Street Corridor: New Four Lane East-West Connector:

 

 

This is a proposed four-lane road that will stretch from CR 225A from just north of US Hwy 27 west through the new I-75 interchange at NW 49th Street to the 489 Commerce Park on the east side of the interstate, then become NW 35th Street and continue east to end near Baseline Road and SR 40 area in Silver Springs. This road will relieve traffic on SR 40 and CR 326.

The new interchange at NW 49th Street has been a 15-to-20-year project in the works for Marion County, said Straub. Construction was initially planned for the 2040s, but due to the urgent need to provide relief to I-75, Marion County worked with DOT and became a funding partner. The new interchange is projected to begin construction in early 2025 and the total cost is nearly $80 million.

 

 

“This is been a great partnership with FDOT and we’re very proud of it,” she said. “We think that this is extremely important for our community. This interchange has been envisioned for quite a while.”

 

CR 318 and I-75:

 

The County does not have any active road improvement projects at this intersection. However, two large developments, Sunny Oaks and the WEC Jockey Club, were recently approved at the land use level. The County has not received any additional submittals beyond the request to change the land-use and zoning to allow for future development.

Straub stated that the County conducted a planning level study to determine the cost of the traffic improvements as if both projects had moved forward with a one-hundred percent build-out. The study determined that the cost was about $61 million, but due to proportionate share, the developers would be responsible for ninety-eight percent of the road improvement costs.

 

 

“All of these projects still need that detailed study for the traffic,” she said. “However, we don’t know that those projects will come in at the same time, so one project could come in before the other and then the impacts would shift and the timing of those improvement needs would shift.”

For example, with a full build out, CR 318 would need to be widened from two lanes to four lanes and also improvements to the intersection at CR 225A and CR 318 would be required.

Watch the entire Summit presentation online:

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.

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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