The owners of a property in west Ocala near the Interstate 75 and State Road 40 interchange will seek final approval from the city on Tuesday to build a new RaceTrac gas station at the 5.86-acre site.
B I Realty, LLC and Racetrac, Inc. will seek approval from the Ocala City Council on Tuesday for multiple ordinances to annex, rezone, and change the future land use designation of the property located at 4040 W Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala.
According to the conceptual plan filed with the city, the new RaceTrac would incorporate five “high-powered diesel pumps” with “one-way access” and approximately “16 standard gasoline pumps.”
The property consists of two parcels at the intersection of SW 40th Avenue and W Silver Springs Boulevard, and previously featured a motel that was demolished in 2018.
The ordinances were read into public record during the council’s first meeting of the month.
In August, the Ocala Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-0 to recommend approval of the ordinances.
During and leading up to the PZC meeting, multiple residents and a local business owner expressed concerns with the proposed development, questioning the potential impacts on traffic, noise, property values, and the environment.
In a letter to the city, local property owner Mahesh Shah, who is CEO of T & M United Corporation and operates a Shell gas station near the proposed RaceTrac, said he is “very concerned” with the plans.
“We have been proud to have a thriving station in the heart of our community and supply fuel to others in the local vicinity; as part of our community, I hope you will take note of the concerns of local people for their economic environment and look for other, less damaging uses for this site,” reads the letter from Shah. He goes on to make reference to several “large supermarkets” within a few miles “in each direction,” saying that another large market would destroy the flow of traffic and have a negative impact on local jobs.
There are currently at least eight gas stations within a mile of the I-75, W SR 40 interchange, including a RaceTrac located at 3211 W Silver Springs Boulevard.
In addition to gas stations, that area of Ocala currently has several developments in various stages of progress:
- In September, a new Culver’s at 3637 W Silver Springs Boulevard was announced
- In August, Saving Mercy announced it would replace its motel at 3601 W Silver Springs Boulevard with a new homeless shelter
- In June, Wing Kings opened a new spot at 3630 W Silver Springs Boulevard
- In March, stayAPT Suites opened at 3509 W Silver Springs Boulevard
- In August 2023, Goodwill reopened its location at 2920 W Silver Springs Boulevard
