Development Brief: “Margaritaville RV Park” Orange Lake/Citra
Request for PUD modification from RV park with private amenities to RV park with public amenities.
[Courtesy Marion County]
| Location | 18365 NW 45th Avenue Road, None assigned, south of Alachua County/Orange Lake; northwest of Lakeside Oaks subdivision; east of Grand Lake RV & Golf Resort and northeast of the Ocala Jai-Alai Fronton, accessed from County Road 318. Parcel number: 02781-000-00, 141 acres. |
| Type of request | 8M Holdings, LLC, represented by Fred N. Roberts of Klein & Klein, PLLC has requested a PUD modification from RV Park with private amenities to RV Park with public amenities. |
| # of dwelling units on # of acres | Up to 490 RV Park vehicle lots with recreational and community amenities. . |
| # of commercial/retail space | NA The project is located outside the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and within the Farmland Preservation Area (FPA), the Orange Lake Environmentally Sensitive Overlay Zone, the Countywide Secondary Springs Protection Overlay Zone and the Marion County Utilities NW Regional Service Area. |
| Links to staff report/ application info from agenda | https://marionfl.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7803872&GUID=044A109F-77C0-4CA2-B2A6-64A4E0DCFFCA |
| Commissioner/council district contact | District 4, Carl Zalak [email protected] |
| Affected schools and current capacities per county staff report | NA, not a residential project. |
| Notes of interest | Staff recommends approval with conditions From the staff report: “Northwest of the site is the existing Grand Lake RV & Golf Resort, while west/southwest are agricultural tracts that include homes and/or agricultural uses. Southwest of the site is the existing Ocala Jai-Alai Fronton and Card Room facility. The existing Grand Lake RV & Golf Resort and Ocala Jai-Alai Fronton are uses that have historically accommodated public access to their respective sites.” The parcel has commercial zoning and the PUD was initially approved in 2017. From the staff report: The proposed changes will clarify enabling potential non-RV user/public guest access for the RV Park’s features and amenities and qualifying that RV “lot” spaces may function as guest/vehicle parking locations at the determination of the developer subject to compliance with LDC requirements. The developer has verbally noted such non-RV user/public guest access will occur primarily in the “off-season” when RV occupancy decreases and enabling use of the RV Park facilities by non-RV patrons, while enabling “dual use” of non-occupied RV “lot” spaces for parking at that time.” “This application is for a PUD modification to enable expanded use of the site to accommodate non-RV Park “lot” users accessing the PUD’s recreational and community amenities, and provide for a specialized height allowance for the pool amenity slide complex.” Horse Farms Forever has published a position paper in opposition to the PUD modification with objections to the water slide and waterpark atmosphere and any public usage. https://www.horsefarmsforever.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Position-Statement-2-2-2026.pdf |
| BOCC Agenda item 15.3.4 | The item was heard by Marion County Planning & Zoning board on January 26, 2026 and approved in a 5-1 vote. The BOCC is scheduled to hear the application on February 17 at its 1:30pm meeting. |
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