An attorney representing a new RaceTrac in west Ocala said the planned development and associated realignment of a nearby intersection is a “big win for the city” in addressing a long-standing problem.
On Tuesday, November 19, the Ocala City Council unanimously approved ordinances to annex, change the future land use designation, and rezone a 5.86-acre property at 4040 W Silver Springs Boulevard in west Ocala.
The property is owned by B I Realty, LLC, and RaceTrac, Inc and is comprised of two parcels.
It is situated near the intersection of SW 40th Avenue and W State Road 40, around 1,000 feet away from the roadway’s interchange with Interstate 75.
In August, the Ocala Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-0 to recommend approval of the ordinances.
During Tuesday’s meeting, city staff recommended approval of the ordinances, saying the property was contiguous to city limits, would diminish an existing enclave, and was compatible to the surrounding areas.
The site previously featured a motel that was demolished in 2018.
“This is a really big win for the city. We’re going to be able to realign the intersection that has been a project in progress for a very long time,” said Robert W. Batsel, Jr., a local attorney representing the company, in reference to the busy intersection at W SR 40 and SW 40th Avenue.
Batsel said a “significant portion” of the property would see improvements to “square up” the intersection and fix “what’s been a long-standing problem.”
That area near one of Ocala’s busiest interchanges has seen consistent, major road work and commercial development over the past several years, with new additions of RaceWash and a Wawa that opened in 2019. A new Culver’s recently broke ground near the interchange as well.
According to a conceptual plan filed with the county, the new RaceTrac will feature approximately 16 standard gasoline pumps and five “high-powered diesel pumps” with “one-way access.”
The new RaceTrac will be located within a mile of at least eight other gas stations that have been developed around the popular interchange.