Plans for a new Home Depot in southwest Ocala have advanced to the next stage of development review following the submission of a detailed major site plan to officials this week.
A major site plan for the new Home Depot was filed with the Marion County Development Review Committee before its meeting on Monday, May 18.
The filing comes six months after the Marion County Board of County Commissioners’ approval of a critical special use permit for the project in late 2025.
According to the newly submitted architectural and engineering schematics, the new retail center will feature a combined footprint of 134,807 square feet.
The gross square footage is divided between a main retail building spanning 106,651 square feet and an attached, outdoor garden center covering 28,156 square feet.
The massive development, officially designated as The Home Depot – Ocala South, is being spearheaded by national engineering firm Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.
The site plan covers a 13.25-acre portion of a larger 22.62-acre parcel owned by On Top of the World Communities, LLC. Strategically positioned near the intersection of State Road 200 and SW 99th Street Road, the new home improvement hub is directly bordered to the east by TownPlace Suites and to the south by Cody’s Original Roadhouse.
Review records indicate the complex project has been navigating a meticulous review process since its original application date in July 2025. County staff documents show that the design underwent four distinct rounds of modifications to fully resolve rigorous technical guidelines mandated by local departments.
Among the primary hurdles resolved during the final compliance evaluation were expansive stormwater quantity criteria managed by Office of the County Engineer reviewers, along with public utility connection confirmations coordinated through the Bay Laurel Center Community Development District service area.
The site plan also details the execution of the strict buffering parameters that served as a core condition of the project’s initial zoning adjustments.
During public hearings last year, immediate neighbors from the adjacent retirement community expressed sharp concerns regarding prospective industrial noise from the lumber yard, forklifts, and outdoor seasonal display areas.
In response, the certified design confirms the integration of structured landscape shielding and specialized screening walls to heavily mitigate light, visibility, and noise spillover directly into neighboring properties.
The upcoming center represents a milestone for local shoppers, marking only the second Home Depot location to establish a presence within Marion County. The brand’s sole existing local storefront continues to operate at 3300 SW 35th Terrace on the opposite side of Ocala.
Once final physical stamps are processed and the official development order is generated by county administration, on-site construction and ground clearing can formally commence.
What are your thoughts on the new Home Depot coming to Ocala? Share your opinions with us in a comment or, if you have more to say on the topic, write a letter to the editor.