Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) Special Use Permit

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

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 Initial Position Statement

April Update

Horse Farms Forever® has updated its position from opposition to neutral regarding Sumter Electric Cooperative’s (SECO) application for a Special Use Permit to build a utility service yard on three parcels within the CR 475A Visual Enhancement Gateway Development Overlay Zone, which serves as a critical buffer for the Florida Horse Park.

Initially, in February, Horse Farms Forever opposed the proposal, citing concerns that it compromised the intent and integrity of the Overlay Zone. Since then, the organization has engaged in ongoing dialogue with SECO’s leadership, who demonstrated a strong commitment to being a responsible community partner. SECO agreed to make significant revisions to its original site and building plans in response to concerns raised by Horse Farms Forever and neighboring residents. These changes reflect SECO’s respect for the Overlay Zone’s purpose—to preserve the rural character of the area and protect it from encroaching development. Horse Farms Forever commends SECO, particularly CEO Curtis Wynn and VP/General Counsel Tracy de Lemos, for their responsiveness and efforts to be good neighbors.

View Our Updated 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.

RENEWING Organizations

Corporate Founders

Neighborhood Storage

Naked Horse Farm – Kurt & Janet Giesselmann

Bronze

Next Level Farm – Steven & Michele Mayer

RENEWING Individuals & Families

Founders

Nicole Hornblower

Friends

John Rooney

Carol Tremblay

Julia Davies

Debra Stevenson

Alexis Evanich

John Crowe

Ron Beschmann

Sarah Almeida Dennis

Barbara Hudgens

New to the Herd

We welcome you!

LEADER

Friends

Tony Benefiel

Brian Turner

Althea Denise March PA

Anita Kramer

Gillian Johnson

John Langlois, DVM

Join Today!

View Current Threats

Questions About Membership and Sponsorship?

Contact Sara Fennessy – Executive Director

Call Sara

Email Sara

Dizney Double Diamond Development

by Horse Farms Forever | Feb 3, 2025 | News, Watching

Dizney Double Diamond Development

The Horse Farms Forever watchdogs have been alerted to a potential threat to the Farmland Preservation Area. It is our understanding that the Dizney Double Diamond organization is in discussions with the County to develop portions of their Double Diamond Farm bordering on Highway 40, and especially at the intersection with SE 80th Ave.

View Dizney Double Diamond Maps

The Dizney family, headed by patriarch Donald R. Dizney, the founder of United Medical Corporation, are longtime owners of the Double Diamond Farm in northwest Ocala. The original farm was acquired in the early 1980’s and today totals over 500 acres on about 20 parcels. Mr. Dizney and Double Diamond Farm are well-known and highly regarded in the thoroughbred horse community. https://www.doublediamondfarm.com/

While the overwhelming majority of the Double Diamond Farm is inside the Farmland Preservation Area with Future Land Use of Rural and Zoning of Agricultural, there is one 31.78-acre parcel (21084-000-00) at the corner of Highway 40 and SW 80th Ave that has split Future Land Use and Zoning. Linked are a group of maps to help better visualize the parcel.

Dizney Double Diamond LLC owns a 31.78-acre parcel (21084-000-00) at the corner of Highway 40 and SW 80th Ave that has unusual split Future Land Use and Zoning. On that specific 31.78-acre parcel, 19.5-acres is within the Urban Growth Boundary, has a Future Land Use of Commercial and a Zoning classification of Community Business. Thus, the 19.5-acres can be commercially developed under its current Land Use, Zoning and Boundary.

On this unique parcel, a 19.5-acre portion is inside the Urban Growth Boundary and the remaining 12.28-acres are inside the Farmland Preservation Area

The 19.5-acre portion of the parcel has a Future Land Use of Commercial while the remaining 12.28-acres has a Future Land Use of Rural.
The 19.5 -acre portion of the parcel has a Zoning Classification of Community Business (B-2) classification, which is intended to provide for the shopping and limited-service needs of several neighborhoods, a community, or a substantial land area. The remaining 12.29-acre portion of the parcel has a Zoning Classification of Agricultural.

In addition, Dizney Double Diamond owns 2 parcels to the west of this unique parcel. While these 2 parcels have Future Land Use of Rural, a portion of each parcel has legacy Zoning of Community Business B-2. There are hundreds of parcels in the county with a Future Land Use of Rural and legacy zoning of Community Business B-2. The county labels these parcels as inconsistent. This inconsistency dates back decades when the Comprehensive Plan was first implemented. The Board of County Commissioners has been dealing with the inconsistent land use and zoning on these legacy parcels on a case-by-case basis.

It is our understanding that the Dizney Double Diamond organization is in discussions with the County to develop portions of their farm bordering on Highway 40 into commercial development. If this is correct, and this effort would expand beyond the 19.5-acre portion of the parcel at the corner of Highway 40 and SW 80th Ave, then an application for a Future Land Use change and Zoning change would be required. As with most large commercial developments, this often involves a Planned Unit Development application and Master Plan.

Horse Farms Forever will continue to monitor this activity closely. As part of that monitoring, we have made a public records request from the county to get facts ahead of any potential application to allow time to review and understand a plan.

Jumbolair Update

by Horse Farms Forever | Feb 3, 2025 | Development Threats, Watching

Jumbolair Hangar Update

The Horse Farms Forever watchdogs have been alerted to a change in the status of the County’s moratorium on building new hangars at private airports, specifically at the Jumbolair airport. The County Attorney has issued an opinion that the right to construct 22 hangars on the historical Jumbolair Greystone Airport parcel 14105-000-00 was “grandfathered in” and not subject to the moratorium.

A small portion of the parcel where the 22 hangars are located is within the boundaries of the Farmland Preservation Area. The airport predates the designation of the Farmland Preservation Area, therefore it is not subject to the Farmland Preservation Area guidelines in the Comprehensive Plan.

Jumbolair submitted a Major Site Plan to the County’s Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting held on Monday, February 17 to request waivers regarding shade trees, buffers, and building landscaping. All three waivers were approved by the DRC.

Horse Farms Forever constantly monitors development activity in the County. As part of that monitoring, we made multiple public records requests from the County to get facts ahead of any application to allow time to review and better understand any plan. Here’s a chronology of what we learned.

View Original Airport Site

View New Hangars Site Plan

The Recent Updates

On March 1, 2024, County Growth Services Director Chuck Varadin informed the engineering company representing Jumbolair of the following determination regarding the request to build more hangars at the Jumbolair airport. “Therefore, for the reasons previously noted, these hangars are not a permitted use on the suggested property at this time.

View Varadin to Tillman Correspondence

On May 22, 2024, Jumbolair attorney Robert Batsel wrote a lengthy response that contained the following paragraph. “Following our voluntary withdrawal of pending applications and in preparation for resubmittal, the Bulls plan to construct hangars adjacent to the Airport. Prior to our meeting in March, we submitted a draft site plan proposing 94 new hangars with specifications including sixty 60’ x 60’ hangars, thirty 70’ x 70’ hangars, and five 100’ x 120’ hangars (to complement the existing five 100’ x 120’ hangars that were previously permitted and constructed). Eventually, the hangar complex will constitute a portion of the forthcoming PUD and serve the community. Following our meeting and in response to your feedback, we have significantly reduced the size and scope of the initial site plan, which we will submit shortly. The plan will be limited to 22 hangars located on Marion County Parcel ID No. 14105-000-00, which is within the original licensed Airport adjacent to the original grass runway.

View Batsel to Varadin Correspondence

On August 12, 2024, County Growth Services Director Chuck Varadin informed Mr. Batsel of the following determination regarding the request to build more hangars at the Jumbolair airport. “Therefore, the proposed hangars may be developed on the noted property subject to pursuing either Option 1 by obtaining a policy 1.20 letter (i.e., a “letter of conformity” under Policy 10.1.5) that clearly delineates what was previously approved by the FDOT and the commercial use(s) as of April 7, 1994, or pursuing Option 2 by seeking a new SUP. (Note that Sec. 4.3.14(B) of the LDC outlines the additional materials2 needed for Growth Services to determine the eligibility to obtain an approved policy 1.20 letter.) Subject to obtaining an affirmative outcome under option one or option two, the development of the hangars will still be subject to Development Review approval for an applicable Major Site Plan.”

View Varadin to Batsel Correspondence

On December 12, 2024, County Attorney Matthew G. Minter reached the following conclusion after a legal analysis. “In consideration of the foregoing, I conclude that the Site Approval and Registration by FDOT of the Airport includes the right of the Airport owner to construct hangars within the Airport site. No other zoning or land use approvals from the County are necessary for the construction of these hangars. The Airport Registration does not exempt airport development from all County regulations, including those related to the building code; fire code, stormwater regulations, set-backs and building height restrictions. Therefore, I conclude that the application for site plan approval and building permits will go through the DRC review in the same manner as the five replacement hangars referenced above, in 2023.”

View Minter to Varadin Correspondence

On December 12, 2024, County Growth Services Director Chuck Varadin informed Mr. Batsel and additional legal counsel for Jumbolair of the County Attorney’s conclusion as follows. “This letter revises my prior letter dated August 12, 2024 (hereafter, “prior letter”). The revision is based on the County Attorney’s memo (dated December 12, 2024) regarding the application (AR #32136) to construct 22 new hangars at Jumbolair-Greystone Airport (hereafter, “Airport”), further research, and revisiting the historical documents of the Airport (enclosures 3 and 4). Therefore, I agree with the County Attorney’s conclusion “that the Site Approval and Registration by the FDOT of the Airport includes the right of the Airport to construct hangars within the Airport site.” It should be noted that this interpretation only applies to this airport based on its original development and its unique circumstances. It should not be interpreted as applying to all private airports in the County.”

View Varadin to Bouthillier Batsel Correspondence

Join Today!

View Current Threats

Forever Farms – Incentives for Conservation

by Horse Farms Forever | Jan 31, 2025 | News

Many of Marion County’s most famous equine champions were raised and trained on the rolling hills and mineral rich pastureland that makes Marion County’s horse farms so ideal for raising horses. To help ensure the long-term viability of this industry, it is vital to safeguard and protect the County’s horse farms and pastureland.

As part of Horse Farms Forever’s mission to inspire the preservation of pastureland focusing on horses and their habitats, we are partnering with the nonprofit land conservancy, Conservation Florida to protect horse farms with conservation easements.

To help incentivize conservation, the U.S. Congress enacted powerful federal tax incentives for conservation easement donations. For landowners that qualify, these potential tax incentives include income, property, and estate tax benefits.

Learn more about conservation easements and the Conservation Tax Incentive in the Ocala Horse Properties 2025 portfolio article: Forever Farms.

With the increasing pressures of growth and development, it is more important than ever to proactively protect our horse farms and pastureland to ensure that this iconic and historic landscape will continue to raise the next equine champions!

A conservation easement on a horse farm in Marion County protects more than just the unique mineral rich pastureland; it preserves the equestrian way of life and the equine industry.

Read the Article on Ocala Horse Properties Here