HFF is Raising the Alarm on SB 1118 That Fast-Tracks Development of Agricultural Lands

by Horse Farms Forever | Mar 6, 2025 | News, Watching

Horse Farms Forever, Inc.® is raising the alarm on Senate Bill 1118 filed by Senator Stan McClain that fast-tracks the development of “agricultural enclaves” and “infill residential development” parcels without any oversight from local government.

If this bill passes as written, what does it mean in Marion County? One example would be any parcel that qualifies as an agricultural enclave or infill residential development parcel, as newly defined by the bill, would be exempt from the protections of the Farmland Preservation Area, the comprehensive plan and the land development code, and administratively approved for development without any public hearing.

Senate Bill 1118 defines agricultural enclaves and infill residential developments, then exempts them from all normal development standards mandated by the comprehensive plan, land development code, and public hearing requirements, which are essential guiderails in place to assure local rule and protect the public.

Please read the letter Horse Farms Forever below that was sent to Kathy Bryant, Chairman of the Marion County Commission outlining our concerns.

March Membership Roundup & Founder Spotlight

by Horse Farms Forever | Mar 6, 2025 | News

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Springing Forward with a Commitment to Preservation

As the days grow longer and with spring around the corner, we’re reminded of the beauty and vitality of Marion County’s Farmland Preservation Area. At Horse Farms Forever, we are embracing the season of renewal with a steadfast commitment to protecting the open spaces and equestrian heritage that define our community.

Each new membership and renewal strengthens our shared mission, ensuring that the land we cherish remains safeguarded for future generations. Whether you’ve been part of our journey for years or are just joining us, your support makes a lasting impact.

As Florida welcomes the fresh energy of spring, we celebrate the growing network of individuals and businesses standing behind preservation. Take a look at our members’ logos and see the community dedicated to keeping Marion County’s farmland forever protected.

Join us in welcoming our newest members and applauding those who have renewed this month. With your support, we continue to move forward—championing conservation, advocating for responsible growth, and preserving the rural character that makes this region so special.

The Ocala Branch of SouthState Bank:

Come visit us at our Ocala branch, located in the Historic District, near Ocala Downtown Square and Silver Springs State Park. As a leading regional bank in the Southeast, we’re committed to helping our customers find their success. With a robust suite of products including checking and savings accounts, mortgages, wealth management, and commercial and small business loans and solutions our bankers are here to help tailor a solution to fit your unique needs. This paired with our convenient ATMs, online banking and mobile app, means you can bank conveniently anytime, anywhere. This is banking at its best. This is banking forward.

Visit Website

UF Health, the medical network of the University of Florida, includes UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, UF Health Jacksonville, and multiple facilities across North Florida. Formerly known as Shands Healthcare, it encompasses UF’s colleges of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health and Health Professions, and Veterinary Medicine. The network also includes hospitals in Leesburg and The Villages®, UF Health North, and an academic campus in Jacksonville. With primary and specialty care practices throughout Florida and Southeast Georgia, UF Health is committed to exceptional patient care, innovative education, and impactful research.

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Country Road Farm

William White

Jone Woerner

Frank Owings

Kenny Annette

Ashley Schulten

Shari Guletz

Shawn Faircloth

Vickie Nitschke

Laura Rutan

John Rooney

Carol Tremblay

Julia Davies

Debra Stevenson

Alexis Evanich

John Crowe

Ron Beschmann

Sarah Almeida Dennis

Barbara Hudgens

Nancy DiMaggio

Mary Fraysure

Mindy Morrow

Jeff Ulmer

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Big News for Farmland Preservation Month!

Spring is just around the corner, and so is Farmland Preservation Month—a time to celebrate, protect, and invest in the future of Marion County’s open spaces. This year, we have something extra special in store!

Next month, we’ll be launching a fundraising initiative to help safeguard the land we cherish. And here’s the exciting part: a generous friend of Horse Farms Forever has stepped up to match all donations—dollar for dollar! That means every contribution will go twice as far in preserving our rural landscape and equestrian heritage.

Stay tuned for more details on how you can get involved. Whether you’re a longtime supporter or new to our mission, this is your chance to make a real impact. Together, we can ensure that Marion County’s land remains protected for generations to come!

Protect – we are always watching. When a threat is identified, we quickly assemble a threat response.

Promote – we are out in the community and on social media, raising awareness and inspiring appreciation for all that we have here in Marion County.

Preserve – we guide and encourage landowners who wish to conserve their land.

Plan – we are working with the County on changes to the Comprehensive Plan that will make conservation easy and financially advantageous for farm owners.

Join Today!

View Current Threats

Questions About Membership and Sponsorship?

Contact Sara Fennessy – Executive Director

859-553-5510

Email Sara

Ocala is #1 in Growth: HFF is Watching for Potential Threats

by Horse Farms Forever | Feb 14, 2025 | News

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Recent news from U-Haul shows that the Ocala metro area is a top growth city based on their study that tracks one-way U-Haul rentals. With nearly 270 people moving to Marion County every week, the County is one of the fastest growing communities. Over the next 20 years, the population is expected to reach nearly 500,000 residents.

At Horse Farms Forever, we actively monitor this growth and it is one of our top priorities, as we track all of the development applications that may adversely affect horse farms, rural areas, and the Farmland Preservation Area.

Where will the growth go?

As part of Marion County’s Comprehensive Plan, the Urban Growth Boundary was designated to plan for growth and provide public services. The County’s Urban Growth Boundary is about 122,000 acres. This is about 11 percent of Marion County as it encompasses just over 1 million acres.

There are several cities and urban areas that are located outside of the Urban Growth Boundary, such as Dunnellon, Belleview, Silver Springs Shores, and Marion Oaks, that are appropriate for residential and urban development.

Urban Growth Boundary Bigger than Orlando

With 122,000 acres in the Urban Growth Boundary, how does this compare to other growing cities? The City of Orlando is about 88,000 acres, and this makes the County’s Urban Growth Boundary about 34,000 acres larger than Orlando. There is also ample land within the Urban Growth Boundary as about 50 percent is available for development, as stated at a recent Marion County Commission workshop.

Staggering Number of Approved Residential Units

According to a report presented at the Strategic Planning workshop in May of 2022, the County has more than 135,000 approved residential units. Over 50,000 residential units were approved from 2017 to 2022. The bulk of the approved units include nearly 86,000 undeveloped lots that were approved decades ago, such as in Marion Oaks and Silver Springs Shores.

The map shows that the majority of the developments are within the Urban Growth Boundary. The County projects show as balloons. Pending permits are yellow and permitted are green. The light green shaded area is the FPA. The bright pink dotted line designates the Urban Growth Boundary. If you go to the map link, a list shows the name of each development project with the date of the approval of the project and number of units for each project. (Click on the Layers tab.)

View Map

HFF is Monitoring for Threats

The reality is that both Florida and Marion County are growing. Given the magnitude of growth that’s projected for Marion County, the land use decisions made by government officials and landowners over the next 20 years will determine our future.

Horse Farms Forever is focused on protecting and preserving horse farms in the areas of the County with a Future Land Use of Rural Land, especially in the Farmland Preservation Area.

Growth is good for a community, as long as it is well-planned and goes where it was intended within the Urban Growth Boundary, which serves twin purposes as it also helps to preserve our farmland and our $4.3 billion-dollar equine industry.

Maintaining this balance between growth and preservation will take a cooperative effort from both sides of the table.

Join Today!

View Current Threats

Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) Special Use Permit

by Horse Farms Forever | Feb 10, 2025 | News, Watching

Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO)

Special Use Permit

The Horse Farms Forever watchdogs have been alerted to an application from Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) for a Special Use Permit to build a utility company service yard on 3 parcels, totaling about 80 acres, inside the CR 475A Visual Enhancement Gateway Development Overlay Zone for the Florida Horse Park.

The County designated this overlay zone as worthy of special development regulations to maintain and protect its visual features by limiting the range of uses and requiring enhanced landscaping and buffering. The subject area is the gateway to the Florida Horse Park which is located inside the Cross Florida Greenway. This region has a significant amount of horse farms and agricultural activity. It also is home to many members of Horse Farms Forever who share our mission to preserve and protect horse farms and farmland for future generations.

SECO seeks a Special Use Permit to allow a utility company service yard on parcels with a zoning classification of Community Business B-2. The only zoning classification in the Land Development Code that allows a utility company service yard as a permitted use, by right, is Heavy Business (B-5). The Heavy Business classification is intended for just that, intense heavy-duty business. The proposed heavy business activity on these parcels would introduce intense commercial uses incompatible with the rural character and agricultural viability of the surrounding farms and other parcels. The application violates the intent and integrity of the Overlay Zone for the Florida Horse Park.

View Our Position Statement

View The Planning & Zoning Report

View The CR 475A Visual Enhancement Gateway Development Overlay Zone

January Membership Roundup & Founder Spotlight

by Horse Farms Forever | Feb 10, 2025 | News

Looking Ahead with Passion for Preservation

A new year brings new opportunities, and at Horse Farms Forever, we are charging forward with a renewed passion for preserving Marion County’s Farmland Preservation Area. Thanks to the dedication of our members and supporters, our mission continues to gain momentum, ensuring that the land we cherish remains protected for generations to come.

Every renewal and new membership strengthens our collective voice. Whether you’ve been with us from the start or are just joining our efforts, your support fuels real impact. Together, we are shaping the future—one that honors our rich equestrian heritage and safeguards the open spaces that make this region so special.

Horse Farms Forever is powered by people who care deeply about this cause. Take a look at our members’ logos and see the growing community standing behind preservation.

We’re excited to introduce our newest members and celebrate those who have renewed this month. With your support, we move forward with confidence, determination, and a deep love for the land we call home.