Council approves rezoning request for SW Ocala

[Photo courtesy city of Ocala]

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Posted May 11, 2026 | By Jamie Berube, [email protected]

The Ocala City Council on May 5 approved a rezoning request to transform more than 251 acres of woods in southwest Ocala into a large-scale mixed-use community with approximately 2,300 residential units and nearly 600,000 square feet of commercial development.

Ordinance 2026-13 rezones the property located in the 3000, 4000 and 4300 blocks of Southwest 43rd Court from its current Planned Unit Development and Office Park zoning to a new Planned Development (PD) district. The applicant is KAS Ocala, LLC.

According to the city’s Planning & Growth Management Department’s staff report, the project will include:

• Up to 328 single-family homes at a maximum density of five units per acre on 65.63 acres.
• Up to 1,809 multifamily or attached residential units at up to 18 units per acre on 100.5 acres.
• Mixed commercial/residential areas allowing either additional housing or up to 306,335 square feet of retail, office, recreational and event space.
• A separate commercial area allowing up to 595,683 square feet of similar non-residential uses.

The site is west of Interstate 75 and is bordered by single-family neighborhoods, including Bear Track Ranch to the north and Timberwood to the south. It has remained undeveloped since the original West Ocala PUD conceptual plan was approved in 2007 and amended in 2010. A final PUD plan was never submitted.

City planning staff had recommended approval with conditions, including enhanced 30-foot landscape buffers along the northern and southern boundaries, a 100-foot-wide building-height restriction zone limiting structures to 35 feet where the project abuts existing single-family homes, underground utilities and an aviation easement due to the site’s proximity to Ocala International Airport. The proposal was found consistent with the city’s Medium Intensity/Special District future land use designation.

Ocala Public Information Officer Greg Davis clarified that council approval of the rezoning does not mean the project is fully approved. Additional approvals for subdivisions and site plans will still be required. The rezoning only grants the developer entitlements to the property, after which all detailed development plans must be reviewed for compliance.

As for when residents can see changes to the site, Davis said, “No construction plans have been submitted and there is currently no indication when construction is anticipated.”

Potential impacts to nearby schools and homes is also unclear.

“This will be a mix of commercial and residential,’’ Davis said. “It is unknown at this time until future development occurs. Buffering is being contemplated along the project boundaries and there is a 100-foot buffer width along the neighboring single-family residential areas that prohibits building height greater than 35 feet, which is the maximum height allowed in a single-family residential zoning district.”

On environmental and wildlife concerns, Davis noted that the project is an infill development.

“Prior to the start of construction, the development is required to receive approval by the appropriate state agencies regarding environmental studies/impacts,” he said.

Davis also noted that while the effect on nearby property values is unknown until specific development plans are submitted, full build-out of the property would increase ad-valorem tax revenue for the city.

Council members expressed a mix of support and concern, with Councilmember Jim Hilty raising concerns about the effect on longtime residents and property values.

“I got a few things that are starting to concern me,” he said. “Obviously, we all hear from all our constituents about overdevelopment, infrastructure and all that stuff. One thing we never consider is, what are we doing to our current residents as far as the values of their biggest asset. As we add more and more inventory, we are now reducing the prices that these houses go for. Some people are boxed in because they overpaid when prices were high, but they have the advantage of a very low interest rate that was happening at the time. I think we really need to consider the tax base that’s going to be reduced by the values of houses going down. All you got to do is look at Zillow and you can answer that question. You can see prices are falling and falling, that affects our constituents right in the pocketbook.”

Councilmember Kristen Dreyer pushed back on Hilty’s remarks.

“There are 3,571 active listings in all of Marion County; less than 10% are in the city of Ocala, less than 300,” she said. “So, the city of Ocala, I think, is insulated, pricewise, because this is where people want to be.

“If you were in Silver Spring Shores, which is out in the county, or Ocala Park estates, which is north in the county, people are seeing a price impact because of the new construction because there’s a lot of new development within those subdivisions themselves that are affecting the existing 2005-built homes. Within the city itself, though, you’re not seeing people’s prices go down. Prices are not going down. People may be listing too high because they want more than they’re worth, but that’s not the same as the true value of the house,” Dreyer said.

She pointed to strong market numbers, noting that of the 2,590[GH1] [jb2] [jb3]  single-family homes currently listed for sale across Marion County, a large share are in 55-plus communities, which the city of Ocala does not have. After removing those, she said only about 998 active listings were pending in the broader county. In the past six months alone, 3,185 homes have been sold, more than the number currently available. Of those sales, 1,551 were new construction, meaning roughly 2,000 existing homes sold during that period.

“This is not a detriment to people’s real estate. It’s just not,” she said, adding that the proposed development in this location could help improve property values in the area.

Dreyer emphasized that the project had received conceptual approval many years ago and the current vote was simply updating it to modern zoning standards.

Dreyer turned to attorney Fred N. Roberts Jr. and said, “I think it’s worth noting, and this is a true yes-or-no question, was this already approved many years ago?” to which Roberts said, “Yes.”

“We’re just pulling it into today’s zoning classification. There’s really nothing new to approve. The public is confused because it’s being presented as if we’re suddenly approving hundreds of new houses, but that’s not the case. We’re modernizing it,” Dreyer said.

She noted that even the termination of the old density-limiting agreement does not allow any greater density than what the developer could have built by right under previous zoning.

Dreyer acknowledged Hilty’s concerns while defending the project.

“I hear what you’re saying with your concerns, because they’re valid concerns,” she said. “But seeing what I see, knowing what I know, townhouses, I mean, there are 50 active townhouses, 53 sold in the past six months. We don’t have an overabundance of these things. I think people are unclear on what the building process looks like. So, they’re waiting to (get their certificate of occupancy) because we’re waiting to get final inspections. It looks like they’re empty, but a lot of these things are already pre-sold.”

A certificate of occupancy is an official document from the city that says a newly built (or renovated) building is complete, safe and legally ready for people to move in.

“This is a no-brainer. It is what it is. It’s already been approved many years ago… We do not have an overabundance of housing in this town. I would argue that we still don’t have enough. People don’t want to hear that, but the numbers don’t lie,” Dreyer said.

Councilmember Jay Musleh supported the project, calling it “well-thought-out.” He dismissed concerns about preserving the land as wildlife habitat, noting, “This property was never intended to be a wildlife refuge.”

Mayme Fisher, of the adjacent Bear Track Ranch neighborhood, remains strongly opposed. In a March 1 letter to the city, she wrote:

“I have been a resident of Bear Track Ranch for 46 years. I raised my family here, served this community as a nurse and welcomed countless neighbors who, like me, chose this neighborhood because of its larger lots, natural surroundings and peaceful character. Bear Track Ranch is one of the last neighborhoods in Ocala where residents can still enjoy open space without feeling crowded by overdevelopment.

“The proposed changes would erase the natural buffer of woods behind our community and replace it with dense townhomes and apartments. This would not only disrupt the quiet character of Bear Track Ranch, but it would also destroy valuable wildlife habitat. For decades, that wooded area has provided a home for countless species. Removing it will force displaced wildlife into neighboring yards and busy roads, creating unnecessary and avoidable human-wildlife conflicts,” the letter continued.

“When the previous developer engaged with our community, they at least considered adjustments, such as placing parking lots closer to our side rather than homes and preserving a significant buffer of woods and landscaping between the subdivisions. This new developer, however, has shown no willingness to listen to residents’ concerns. Without buffers or fencing, our privacy, safety, and property values will be directly compromised. Residents from the new development will have direct access to our backyards, an unacceptable intrusion into our homes and lives.

“I understand that Ocala is growing rapidly,” Fisher wrote. “Growth is not the issue — unchecked, poorly planned growth is. Within just a 10-mile radius, there are already numerous new apartment and townhouse developments, many of which still have availability. Timberline, Carlton Arms and both new Pointe Grand complexes are examples of projects with ample room for new residents. In addition, the luxury apartments off 38th Avenue are adding 476 units, with more than 50 still available today. This clearly shows that the demand for additional high-density housing is already being met in the area.

“Traffic and safety are also major concerns. The surrounding roads are already struggling to handle current levels, with regular backups and multiple accidents reported in the area. Adding another high-density development here could mean thousands of additional cars on the road every single day, further straining infrastructure, endangering drivers and reducing the quality of life for existing residents.

“All we are asking for is respect for the existing community,” Fisher added. “Ocala’s history is rooted in beautiful properties, farmland and open space. It is heartbreaking to see that heritage erased by overbuilding and short-sighted planning. At the very least, this project should include substantial wooded buffers, fencing and other measures to protect existing homeowners. Ideally, the city should deny this amendment altogether in order to preserve the character and livability of Bear Track Ranch.”