Following city approval for the final section of the Heathbrook development, new plans have been submitted detailing a three-phase, 493-home single-family residential subdivision that will span nearly 170 acres.
The detailed conceptual plans for Mockingbird Ridge, a massive new residential neighborhood slated for development in southwest Ocala, will be reviewed by the Ocala Planning and Zoning Commission as the project transitions from its initial zoning approvals to specific phase-by-phase planning.
The submittal follows the Ocala City Council’s unanimous approval of a rezoning request and resolution for the final section of the Heathbrook Development of Regional Impact (DRI).
The Heathbrook master community was originally established in 1999. In March, the Ocala Planning and Zoning Commission voted six to zero to recommend approval of the project and in April, the requests had their first reading and were introduced to the Ocala City Council.
While previous reports on the council’s approval highlighted a maximum capacity of up to 592 homes allowed for this final phase, the newly filed site plans narrow down the actual planned buildout to 493 single-family residential lots.
According to city records, the Mockingbird Ridge development will feature the 493 single-family lots, five tracts, and 3.74 miles of new roadway across 169.38 acres. The development is being spearheaded by Boyd Development LLC, with the formal plans drafted by engineering firm Kimley-Horn & Associates.
The conceptual plan outlines a three-phase development timeline to bring the homes to fruition.
According to project specifications, individual lots within the subdivision will feature a minimum width of 50 feet and a minimum total lot area of 6,000 square feet. The building guidelines establish home setbacks at 20 feet for the front yard, 10 feet for the rear yard, and 5 feet for the sides, with a 20-foot setback required for street-facing side yards.
The neighborhood’s infrastructure design features standard 50-foot residential rights-of-way equipped with concrete curbs and gutters. It will also include 10-foot utility easements and 5-foot sidewalks constructed on both sides of every street.
Once built, the community’s roadways, drainage retention areas, and stormwater conveyance systems are proposed to be privately operated and maintained by a homeowner’s association and a community development district.
Conversely, the community’s potable water and sanitary sewer networks will be turned over for public maintenance following a standard, one-year, initial maintenance period.
The findings note that the submittal is designed in accordance with the city’s approved planned development guidelines. A formal developer’s agreement must be recorded prior to final plat applications.
Additionally, the development features a central amenity center, designated on the blueprints as Tract C, which will require its own independent site plan review before construction can begin.
To manage traffic and community flow, the neighborhood’s primary access will center around SW 40th Avenue, which will eventually bisect the neighborhood and connect to SW 66th Street. An additional neighborhood access point is planned along Tartan Road, also known as SW 60th Street Road.
What are your thoughts on the upcoming layout and plans for the Mockingbird Ridge neighborhood? Share your perspective in a comment below or write a letter to the editor.