Residents regularly write letters to Ocala-News.com about development in Ocala. Here are a few more of those letters:
“I totally agree with Mr. Ridenhour. You can see the weather changes already. The storms are getting worse because there are no majestic oak trees left. They are tearing them out and burning them and replacing them with 10 foot seedlings. You can also notice the heat index changing. It is becoming unbearably hot since we don’t have the trees- only more black top. Ocala is on a tragic end game. Everything we loved about Ocala is being destroyed for the sake of inferior houses being built. The builders don’t even wait 30 days before throwing the trusses. Homes are sinking and walls are cracking. We are going to be stuck with all these inferior homes and people who can’t afford the property taxes a year after buying their homes when their taxes are being doubled or tripled when they didn’t have the exemption while the builder had their properties under agriculture tax structure. Foreclosures are imminent. These new home buyers are being misled when they buy into these developments when they base their finances on the day they buy the house without knowing the future fees, taxes and up charges with HOA’s. Please pause the construction- fix the infrastructure and stop tearing down the oak trees. We need to save Ocala – Horse Capital of the World, the whole situation is tragic.” – Betty Kramer, Ocala
“It’s absolutely appalling to drive through our once beautiful city and to see the lands riddled with housing and apartments. The infrastructure that should have been the priority, is getting worse with roads littered with potholes and broken asphalt. I moved to Ocala 12 years ago, and have been witnessing the construction and mass development- beautiful oaks gone and the landscape leveled. All this for what. More people, congestion and traffic. Rather it be our commissioners or city officials, someone is to blame for this mess.” – Neil Kimball, Ocala
“I agree 100% with Mr. Lennox, Ocala and Marion County seems to have stretched it’s infrastructure to it’s limit. Yet they continue to approve more and more houses, apartment complexes and strip shopping centers. It’s maddening. I live in SW Ocala off SR 200, the only thing lacking is a Green starting flag and a Checkered flag at the traffic lights. I really believe the folks making the building decisions, and traffic engineers never attempt to navigate 200, any time of the day, it’s crazy.” – Judy Buster, Ocala
“I agree with the previous letter concerning the over building of Ocala. Ocala is so far behind in building the infrastructure, roads, to handle the huge increase of population since covid. Stop approving new homes! The roads have become mine fields of filled in potholes. Still have 4 way stop signs where there should be a signal light, on 103rd street. 49TH street is still only two lanes! Stop this madness for everyone’s sanity. Vote for property tax reform in November.” – John Reed, Ocala