by Horse Farms Forever | Aug 22, 2024 | News
Welcome, New Friends and Thank You, Faithful Partners!
Horse Farms Forever and our critical mission are carried forward by the longstanding commitments of our Board and members. Take a quick tour through our Member’s Logos and you’ll get a sense of the size and diversity of our herd. This bodes well for the future of horse farms in Marion County!
See who has renewed this month, and allow us to introduce you to our newest herd mates.
New to the Herd
We welcome you!
FOUNDER
BRONZE
Corporate Founders – Gold
RENEWING Individuals & Families
Family Leaders
Paige & Thomas Campbell
Nancy & Patrick DeCavignac
NEW Friends
Thomas Hotte
Laurie Augusta
Peg White
Bill Kasseo
Katie Rocco
Susan Starling
TJ Cottongim
Lisa Fender
Joie Wilson
Doborah Allan-Lucas
Elaine Leknes
Alyson Scotti
John Kendrick
Jacqueline Ford
Mireille Doffegnies
Daniel Balys
Beverly Moreau
Jane Zima
RENEWING Friends
Cathy Barnes
Carol Tremblay
Jenaay Brown
Elizabeth Goodwin
Alexis Evanich
John Crowe
Jill Norair
Ron Beschmann
John D. Corbitt
Julie Bembenek
Kit Maurer
Linda Petz
Julia Davies
Debra Stevenson
Francis Rath
Debra Stevenson
Blandina Rojek
Mary Hogan
Sarah Almida Dennis
Nancy Alford
Stephanie Goetz
Kimberly McDowell
Mary Windsor-Nespolo
by Horse Farms Forever | Jul 24, 2024 | News
Do you have expertise in the areas of planning, real estate, land development, or agriculture? If so, Marion County has a vacancy on the Land Development Regulation Commission (LDRC). This is an exciting opportunity to serve your community and learn first-hand the inner working of the Land Development Code and how it relates to the Comprehensive Plan.
The LDRC’s role in shaping future growth is even more important now, as Marion County is updating its policies in the Comprehensive Plan through the Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR). The Comprehensive Plan is like a road map for the community and it will guide where and how Marion County grows over the next 20 years.
The LDRC members should be representative of the technical fields related to land development regulations including the ability to evaluate and recommend specific regulatory standards and criteria. Preferably, they should be familiar with the areas of planning, environmental science, agriculture and the development industry. The current LDRC members include a land surveyor, several engineers, a land developer and a realtor. This is a volunteer position.
The members of the LDRC are appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. To be eligible, you must be a qualified voter and resident of Marion County. Applications may be obtained at the Marion County Board of County Commissioners’ Office located at 601 S.E. 25th Ave., Ocala, Florida; online at https://www.marionfl.org/my-commissioners/advisory-boards via an online application or by downloading and emailing a PDF: or by calling 352-438-2323.
The deadline for receiving applications is Friday, August 2nd, 2024 at 4 p.m.
The Marion County Board of County Commissioners plans to appoint members on Tuesday, August 20th, 2024 or as soon thereafter as possible.
The LDRC has several important duties:
- To review and consider all proposed land development regulations and amendments thereto.
- To hold public hearings regarding proposed land development regulations and amendments thereto.
- To make recommendations to the county commission regarding consistency of proposed land development regulations or amendments with the county’s approved and adopted comprehensive plan.
- To review and make recommendations to the county commission regarding the adoption and amendments to the Land Development Code.
- To monitor and oversee the effectiveness and status of the Land Development Code and recommend to the county commission such changes in the code as may be required.
- To make its special knowledge and expertise available, upon reasonable written request and authorization of the county commission to any official, department, board, commission or agency of the county, state or federal governments.
- To adopt rules of procedure consistent with law and the Land Development Code as are necessary for administration and governance of its proceedings.
- To perform such other functions, duties and responsibilities as may be assigned to it by the Board or by general or special law.
Advisory Board Main Page: https://www.marionfl.org/my-commissioners/advisory-boards
Link to the Online Application: https://www.marionfl.org/my-commissioners/advisory-boards/advisory-board-application
by Horse Farms Forever | Jul 16, 2024 | News
Signs of Protest
Who remembers the “Save It, Don’t Pave It” signs from 2018 that were all over Marion County when the Florida Department of Transportation was proposing a toll road through the Farmland Preservation Area? Those signs did a lot to raise awareness that organized citizens to stop the coastal connector and led to the birth of Horse Farms Forever.
Signs of Unity
Now you may have noticed that since then those signs have been replaced by Horse Farms Forever signs on fences all over the county. These signs are given to our members who choose to display them on the fences of their farms and businesses. They send an important message from our members to all who live here and to those just passing through:
- HFF Members care about our horse farms.
- They want horses and horse farms to continue to characterize Marion County forever.
- Marion County has a watchdog organization (HFF) to help guide its growth in a direction that protects its open spaces.
- Our members are proud to be a part of that mission.
- Our members are numerous!
Much like the “neighborhood watch” signs that you see on our streets for crime prevention, the Horse Farms Forever signs make it clear that farm owners and equestrians all over the county, and particularly in the Farmland Preservation Area, are engaged in the conversation about conservation. These signs signal shared values and commitment to what makes Marion County unique and defines our quality of life. They invite your neighbors to ask questions, which gives you as a member the opportunity to help spread the word about preserving our open spaces and beautiful places in a natural and neighborly way.
Sign Up!
If you are a member at the $100 level or more and don’t have a fence sign, we welcome you to request one. A volunteer will reach out to you to set up the installation. The simple statement of a sign on your fence, added in with all the other fence signs out there around the County, sends a strong message without saying a word. We hope you’ll take us up on the offer.
Not Yet A Member?
Join us! You can request a Fence Sign on your membership form.
by Horse Farms Forever | Jul 9, 2024 | Events, News
How fast will Marion County grow over the next 20 years?
The population is estimated to grow to nearly 500,000 residents by 2040. That’s an increase of about 100,000 new people living and working in Marion County.
You can help plan for this growth! Marion County is updating its policies in the Comprehensive Plan through the Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR). The Comprehensive Plan is like a road map for the community and it will guide where and how Marion County grows over the next 20 years.
Planning for the next 20 years is important and your feedback on how best to manage growth and guide the community’s vision for the future will help keep Marion County an amazing place to live!
1. Fill out the Survey:
Complete the Beyond 2024 Survey and Map Survey
2. Attend the EAR Workshop!
Want to be part of the visioning process? Marion County is hosting workshops throughout the County. Workshops are open to the public and residents.
The workshops will be held at different locations in the County to make it easy for residents to attend. There are two workshops near the Farmland Preservation Area:
Wednesday, July 17 at the Sparr United Methodist Church
11:30 AM to 1:30 PM
13100 NE Jacksonville Road, Sparr, FL 32192
Thursday, July 25 at Golden Hills Country Club
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
4782 NW 80th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34482
We believe that horses create the character and culture that make Marion County unique and special. For there to be horses, there must be horse farms. In Marion County, there is about one horse for every four people. The equine industry contributes about one-fifth of the economy and one-fifth of the jobs. In addition, rural farmland creates open spaces that act as filtration for the Floridian aquifer which is at the source of all life in Florida. Further, the Farmland Preservation Area acts as a protective umbrella for the primary and secondary protection zones for Rainbow Springs and Silver Springs.
by Horse Farms Forever | Jul 3, 2024 | News
In These Long Days of Summer, Our Grass Roots are Growing Strong.
Horse Farms Forever and our critical mission are carried forward by the longstanding commitments of our Board and members. Take a quick tour through our Member’s Logos and you’ll get a sense of the size and diversity of our herd. This bodes well for the future of horse farms in Marion County!
See who has renewed their commitments this quarter, and allow us to introduce you to our newest herd mates.
Thank you, new and renewing members!
* This spotlight features our new & renewing donors at the $500 & up level as of July 1st, 2024.
New to the Herd
We welcome you!
Corporate Bronze
Corporate Bronze
Renewing Founders/Directors
Our dedicated Board of Directors have served tirelessly – most for the entire six years of our existence. Please join us in thanking them. We couldn’t ask for a better group to represent us in the community and provide wise guidance as we grow.
Corporate Founders – Gold
Brook Ledge Horse Transportation – Corporate Founder and Conservation Summit Title Sponsor
Saint Bernard Foundation – Corporate Founder
Lugano Diamonds – Corporate Founder
Advent Health Ocala – Corporate Founder
Niall Brennan Stables – Corporate Founder
JP Morgan Chase – Corporate Founder
UF Health – Corporate Founder
Icard Merrill
Renewing Individuals & Families
Matt & Courtney Varney – Founder Family
Vivian Day and John Stroh
Page Flournoy
Individual Leader – RENEWING
Tim & Cheryl Holecamp
Family Leaders – RENEWING
by Busy Shires | Jun 21, 2024 | News
Iron Sharpens Iron
For a traditional sixth anniversary gift, iron is given to symbolize strength. Horse Farms Forever® was founded six years ago to gather the community in opposition to a proposed toll road right through the Farmland Preservation Area. While the toll road was stopped, development pressure has only increased. In these six years, growing community support for protecting Marion County’s iconic landscapes has strengthened the commitment to our mission.
We have worked hard to develop strong relationships and support from a broad spectrum of the community, including large and small horse farm owners, realtors, developers, and business owners. This collective strength and shared wisdom of our members has given us a seat at the table and the opportunity to impact land use decisions and to inspire the conservation of horse farms.
We are helping to build a Marion County land conservation success story. Here’s a review of the latest chapter:
Advocating for Smart Growth
Our most high-profile role is in advocating for smart growth and development. We monitor all development, zoning, land use and special use permit applications made to the County with a focus on any that could affect horse farms and the Farmland Preservation Area. When a proposed development threatens the Farmland Preservation Area, or is located outside of the County’s Urban Growth Boundary, HFF has been there at every meeting with the best professional support available that looks at all of the angles. Our goal in advocating for smart growth is to minimize land use conflicts, and thus, we also work toward making policy changes in the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code to help prevent future incompatible development applications.
This year we worked with the community to oppose the proposed RaceTrac truck stop deep within the heart of the FPA. This proposal would have opened pandora’s box, subjecting all parcels within the FPA to intense commercial development.
We also led the charge in halting the Jumbolair Aviation Community proposal to build 200 airplane hangars on rural lands which would have subjected the FPA to a never ending air-raid.
This Spring, we developed a campaign to bring awareness to an application to build a 500-vehicle storage lot on 15 acres directly adjacent to the Cross Florida Greenway. The application was withdrawn just an hour before the public hearing started.
In 2022, HFF successfully amended the Marion County Comprehensive Plan to add further protections to the FPA by more tightly defining rural character and compatible land uses. We have recently applied to amend the Marion County Land Development Code to add further protections from subdivision of rural parcels in the FPA.
Photos by Elma Garcia (foreground) and Mark Emery (background).
Protecting our Water and Springs
Finding a balance to growth and protecting our iconic landscape is paramount to protecting our farms and billion-dollar equine industry, which relies on the expansive pastures with mineral rich soils and water. The Farmland Preservation Area serves as the first line of defense in protecting two of Marion County’s First Magnitude Springs – Rainbow Springs and Silver Springs. In addition, 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, and over 25 second and third magnitude springs.
HFF is working with the county leadership and other stakeholders to refine the Transfer of Development Rights Program to make it more effective and functional, adding further protections to the FPA with conservation easements.
Guiding Growth Inside the Urban Growth Boundary
To help guide growth, HFF will be actively participating in Marion County’s evaluation of the Comprehensive Plan through a process known as an Evaluation and Appraisal Report, or in short, an ‘EAR’. These meetings are open to the public. Click below for the community meeting schedule:
Conversations About Conservation
Two of the most successful events over the past year include the 2023 Conservation Summit featuring Carlton Ward, Jr., and the 2024 Spring Speaker Series featuring Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and Florida Cattleman Jim Strickland. These events help create a community dialogue about conservation and inspire a culture of land preservation in Marion County.
In 2023, HFF held our Fourth Annual Conservation Summit featuring Carlton Ward, Jr., a National Geographic Explorer, who inspired us with his stunning photography and film of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Over 500 people attended and the Summit was also supported by over 60 businesses and organizations!
Iron Clad
With the iron clad support from the community and a growing land conservation ethic in Marion County, we can celebrate our 6-year anniversary knowing that our efforts have made a difference to help preserve the landscape that supports our 4.3 billion dollar equine industry and defines the character and culture of the Ocala area.
Cheers!
