A plan to develop approximately 468 apartment units and several commercial buildings at a 30-acre parcel along W State Road 40 is coming up for a final vote this week.
The ordinance and resolution related to the development of “Ocala West” will be presented to the Ocala City Council during its regular meeting on Tuesday, November 19.
The property is comprised of two parcels that are 27.27 acres and 3.22 acres in size, totaling 30.49 acres. Located at 5019 W SR 40, it is situated less than a mile from the Interstate 75, W SR 40 interchange.
The ordinance and resolution for Ocala West were read into city record during the council’s first meeting this month, while the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the items during a regular meeting last month.
A portion of the site is currently unzoned, while the other portion is zoned as wholesale business (B-5).
The property is owned by CHI Ocala Rancho, LLC, which is registered to Steven Mendez, an Ocala business owner.
According to property records, CHI Ocala Rancho, LLC purchased the 27.27-acre parcel for $4.4 million in March 2022 and purchased the remaining 3.22-acre parcel for $225,000 in April 2023.
A conceptual plan submitted by the agent representing the project, Paolo Mastroserio, shows that the multi-family residential portion would consist of approximately 24.58 acres and would be located behind the commercial portion.
The plan calls for development of approximately 13, 3-story buildings, each with 36 residential units.
Those multifamily buildings would be situated around a large open space that features a retention pond, a bocce court, a clubhouse, a pool, a volleyball court, and a pickleball court, among other amenities.
To the south of the residential buildings, the “Ocala West Shoppes” portion of the development would measure about 5.54 acres and offer frontage along W SR 40 to multiple commercial tenants.
An image posted to LoopNet.com by Boyd Real Estate shows a rendering of the potential multi-family and commercial development in west Ocala.
According to a city staff report, the property currently has an agricultural exemption and was previously used for agricultural purposes, with three single-family residences built on the site decades ago.
In November 2023, a neighborhood meeting was held between the agent and nearby residents, who asked questions about proposed uses and buffers at the property.
The city’s staff report states that one of the most important factors of this particular PD rezoning request is that it introduces “multi-family residential uses to a predominately commercial and industrial area.” The report says that residential uses in that part of the city will promote “more housing options within” in west Ocala.
The Ocala City Council next meets on Tuesday, November 19, at 4 p.m. at Ocala City Hall (110 SE Watula Avenue).
