The Ocala Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval to rezone a 15.46-acre property in southwest Ocala for the future development of affordable housing for Ocala’s workforce and senior communities.
The rezoning request was presented by the Housing Finance Authority of Marion County to the commission during its regular meeting on Monday, December 9.
Now that the measure has been recommended for approval, it will have a second reading and will be up for adoption at the next meeting of the Ocala City Council on December 17.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Housing Finance Authority Executive Director Keith Fair provided additional details about the new development.
Situated approximately 900 feet northwest of the intersection of SW College Road and SW 20th Court, the site is located across the street from the Marion Senior Services building.
Fair says the property, which is deeded to the HFA’s Central Florida Community Land Trust, Inc., will be used to build workforce housing and senior housing, all of which will be affordable.
“Both of [the communities] will be completely affordable properties,” said Fair. He went on to state that the senior housing would likely be on the west side of the site, while the other 9 acres would be used for workforce housing.
When asked about the potential traffic impact by the commission, Fair said that if the group receives approval from the Ocala City Council next week, they will begin the process of putting out a request for proposals and will conduct a traffic study before a site plan is submitted for additional review.
The property is comprised of two parcels that are currently undeveloped. According to city records, one of the parcels was split off from a city-owned parcel in 2017 and sold. The other, larger parcel was previously utilized as a solid waste landfill that ceased operations in 2013. It has since been donated to Habitat for Humanity.
Although the site will likely require “remediation for groundwater and soil contamination” because of its prior use as a landfill, city staff made note in their report that it is surrounded by other, mixed residential development.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Fair said that during an inspection of the property, it was noted that any potential issues would be resolved with infill and the construction of a parking lot at the site.
Fair concluded his remarks by suggesting that the senior housing portion would be comprised of approximately 78 units, that it would be age-restricted, and that, along with the workforce housing, it would be “very affordable.”
Any future site development will still be subject to prior site plan review, regardless of whether it consists of multi-family or single-family housing.
The Housing Finance Authority of Marion County was formed in 1980. The group seeks to unite both “public and private entities to serve all areas within the county, as authorized by Chapter 159 Part IV of Florida Statutes,” according to a statement from the organization’s website.
“Our main goal as the HFA is to help families and individuals in Marion County by helping with affordable housing options,” reads the website.
The HFA board is comprised of five members who are appointed by the Marion County Board of County Commissioners.
Earlier this year, the HFA established the Central Florida Community Land Trust to maintain and acquire land and rental units within Marion County that will “stay affordable for 99+ years,” according to the organization’s website.
The Ocala City Council next meets on Tuesday, December 17, at 4 p.m. at City Hall (110 SE Watula Avenue).
UPDATE: This story originally reported the property as being in “northwest” Ocala.
