New Rider Up in the Executive Director Post
Horse Farms Forever Welcomes New Executive Director Emily Holmes & Thanks Outgoing Executive Director Sara Fennessy for Her Service
Horse Farms Forever is pleased to announce Emily Holmes as incoming executive director. She will officially take over the role as executive director on May 1. During her tenure as Events Coordinator and Director of Events at the Florida Horse Park, she assisted in developing the facility to its current infrastructure and brought multiple competitions in-house. In addition, Holmes was influential in obtaining an FEI 4*S competition to add to the Ocala International Festival of Eventing. Holmes is also a freelance organizer of USEA/USEF Horse Trials and FEI Eventing competitions across the country and has her USEF “r” Eventing Technical Delegate’s license.
Roll Call! New and Renewing Members
Those who love our open spaces and beautiful places can no longer ignore the growth coming to Ocala/Marion County. We are so thankful for our members, new and renewing, who enable us to keep inspiring CONVERSATIONS about CONSERVATION of our precious farmland. Together, we can turn our concerns into smart planning for a future that both grows our economy and protects our horse farms.
CR 318/I-75 Interchange Slated for High Density Development – Includes Sunny Oaks RGAC
The proposed 453-acre Sunny Oaks PUD is a catalyst project that will forever change the rural and scenic character of the intersection at CR 318 and I-75 in Irvine. The community and local residents are justly very concerned about the long-term impacts of the proposed 4 million square feet of commercial and warehouse space on traffic and their quality of life.
Because this project is located within the Farmland Preservation Area (FPA), Horse Farms Forever has recently spent hundreds of hours researching the proposed Sunny Oaks Zoning Request. We consulted with our land use attorney, key stakeholders and land use planners to better understand the complex legal issues and the scope of the previous development agreements and determine if there was a role for the organization. This is a summary of what we found.
The Master Plan For I-75
Improving I-75 is one of the most significant transportation issues facing the county.
There is no doubt that I-75 is near capacity. To accommodate the projected population growth and increased truck traffic, the road’s capacity will have to be expanded.
Horse Farms Forever recently met with the team from the Florida Department of Transportation to learn more about the Master Plan to improve nearly 50 miles of I-75 in the Marion County area. I-75 also runs through the Farmland Preservation Area, so we are watching this project closely.
Marion County Five-Year Strategic Plan Takes Farmland Preservation Into Account
Every five years, the Marion County Commission adopts a five-year Strategic Plan to help guide growth and development. The draft Marion County Administrative Strategic Plan 2022 – 2026: Empowering Marion for Success, was presented to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) at a workshop held on July 7, 2021. The purpose of the workshop was to present the draft plan to the County Commission and receive their input on staff’s recommendations.
Future Growth is Here: Map of 36,000 Permitted Residential Units Presented at Budget Planning Workshop
The Marion County Commission held a Strategic Planning workshop on February 2 to kick-off the annual budgeting process. County staff presented updates on the Financial Projection, Animal Services and Fleet Facilities plan, Health Self-Insurance plan, and a Classification and Compensation Study.
In addition, a map and a list of the residential development projects approved within the last five years in the County and in the City of Ocala, was presented by Tracy Straub, Assistant County Administrator of Public Works and Growth Services.
Zoning 101 – Distinguishing Between a Regional Activity Center and a Rural Activity Center
The “R” in RGAC stands for Regional. Areas with this zoning emphasize high-density uses and activities. According to the Marion County Comprehensive Plan, Objective 10.3, the Regional Activity Center (RGAC) Overlay is to “allow for compact, high intensity, high density multi-use development which may include a mix of the following uses: retail, office, housing, cultural, recreational and entertainment facilities, hospitality facilities (hotels and motels), and industrial uses that serve a regional area.”
New To The Herd
What does it mean when a Marion County business aligns with Horse Farms Forever by joining as a member? Quite simply, it means that they care about our open spaces and beautiful places. It means that they are willing to support farmland preservation and our unique equestrian heritage. Thank you, new and renewing members!
Conversations About Conservation Summit 2021
The Summit was a great success! Over 400 people attended, virtually and in-person. See our photo essay and link to media coverage. View feedback from guests.
UPDATE: SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue Road-Widening
At the Marion County Commission meeting on Tuesday, the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) was approved for the 10.5-mile segment of SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue. This road will be widened to four lanes, starting at SW 90th Avenue to 0.5 miles north of US Hwy 27. Funding for design of phased portions of the corridor is available in the current budget.
Paul Wildman, P.E., from Guerra Development Group, presented the PER, a 900-page document with detailed maps and conceptual designs of the proposed road. The PER report is the first phase. The next three phases are: design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction.
Help Protect Our Farms - Join Today!
Together, we can help preserve the character and culture that horses, horse farms and the Farmland Preservation Area make unique to Marion County.
Join the herd. Every voice matters.
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When the farmland watchdogs sound the alarm, you’ll hear first.