A local microdistillery known for its premium spirits is in jeopardy of losing a special permit that has allowed it to operate in southwest Ocala since 2012.
The special permit request from Jacquelyn Brady and FishHawk Spirits will be discussed during the Marion County Board of County Commissioner’s regular meeting on Tuesday, August 19.
In late July, the Marion County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended denial of the permit. That decision came after staff cited a pattern of “repeated noncompliance” with multiple conditions that had been levied on the property in previous years.
FishHawk Spirits operates its artisanal microdistillery at 16350 SW 20th Lane in Ocala. The new special permit request comes in light of a previous longstanding special use permit that expired in December 2024.
During the last special use permit renewal in 2021, officials approved FishHawk Spirits’ request despite staff recommending denial. At the time, conditions were attached to the approval that required the company to submit a major site plan within 30 days and secure building permits within 90 days.
During the July PZC meeting, county planner Kathleen Brugnoli told the board those conditions were never met and several unregulated buildings remained on site.
“These items have not happened. There’s no major site plan in for review. There are no building permits in for review,” Brugnoli said, adding that public tours and private events at the distillery posed risks in unpermitted structures.
The planner also noted the site’s well and septic system were designed for residential use, not commercial gatherings, and raised concerns about an unpermitted restroom. Brugnoli additionally stressed that using the distillery as an event venue went beyond the scope of its original permit.
In response, FishHawk representative Joseph Faino acknowledged the group failed to meet past requirements, citing confusion over whether a minor or major site plan was needed. He said the company has since hired a contractor and architect and intends to submit a plan, though costs had delayed progress. He also questioned why the business would need a food permit when it does not prepare or serve food.
Staff recommended denial, though they outlined a possible path to approval with new conditions, including requiring all buildings be permitted within 90 days and that the special use permit expires in 2030. The permit would be “automatically revoked if a site plan” is not reviewed by the city within 45 days from the date of potential approval.
The Marion County Board of County Commissioners next meets on Tuesday, August 19, at 9 a.m. at the McPherson Governmental Complex at 601 SE 25th Avenue in Ocala.
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