A property owner’s request to rezone a site in northeast Ocala to construct a new, 50+ home development will be introduced into city record next week.
An ordinance to rezone the 12.61-acre property will be introduced during the Ocala City Council’s regular meeting on Tuesday, November 5.
According to city records, the property is owned by Green Family Trust. The developer is Boyd Real Estate, LLC, and the agent representing the group is Tillman & Associates Engineering, LLC.
If approved during its second and final reading, the ordinance would rezone the property, which is situated at the northeast corner of NE 25th Avenue and NE 28th Street, from institutional (INST) to planned development (PD). The property is cattycorner to Woodside Baptist Church, less than a mile northeast of Ocala Fire Rescue Station #5.
In late October, the Ocala Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning ordinance.
During that meeting, the developer’s agent indicated that the group was waiting on the results from geotechnical tests to determine the final number of lots, but that it would be between 53 and 55.
According to the city, 55 lots would constitute an overall density of 4.36 dwelling units per acre at the site. The PD plan previously reflected a total open space calculation that was significantly lower than the current iteration, which calls for 55.04% of open space.
A portion of that open space would be devoted to a pavilion, a playground, and a perimeter walking trail, according to the PD.
During the PZC meeting, multiple residents voiced concerns about the new community. Those residents voiced concerns of incompatibility and an increase in traffic that could accompany potential development.
The property, which is currently undeveloped and vacant, was zoned institutional in 2015, according to city records.
According to the PD, lots would each be a minimum of 40′ x 115′ in size, and façade colors will be low reflectance, subtle, or neutral tone colors.
The buildings would include architectural features that “recognize local character,” according to the PD.
Although the rezoning ordinance and planned development standards will be introduced during the Ocala City Council meeting on Tuesday, the council will not issue a final vote on the items until its meeting on November 19.
The Ocala City Council regularly meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month at Ocala City Hall (110 SE Watula Avenue) at 4 p.m.