Ocala Council rejects commercial rezoning for apartments

The Ocala City Council meets at City Hall. [File photo by Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Ocala City Council members on July 15 unanimously approved rezoning 18.24 acres near Southwest 48th Avenue and Southwest 49th Place from multifamily residential to community business zoning, effectively halting a proposed apartment complex.

The decision reverses a 2022 zoning decision for a failed Thompson Thrift apartment project.

“Essentially, this request is just intended to revert the multifamily residential zoning back to commercial in order to accommodate future commercial development,” said Emily Johnson, Ocala Growth Management Department.

Attorney Jimmy Gooding, representing owner Circle Four, called the prior zoning a “downzoning” mistake.

Council member Jay Musleh joked, “Just an observation, so we’re not going to build an apartment here. That’s a first.”

City Council President Kristen Dreyer chimed in, “I hope the news media is watching.”

The Planning & Zoning Commission, in a 7-0 vote on June 9, and staff supported the change, citing incompatibility with State Road 200’s businesses like Chick-fil-A and no infrastructure issues.