Development Brief: RaceTrac Truck Stop, CR 329 and 301/441 (On P&A agenda 11/27)

DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND: Paolo Mastroserio, PE, of Mastroserio Engineering, LLC, on behalf of Del Lago Ventures, Inc., filed a rezoning application to change ±11.06 acres of an overall ±38.62-acre parcel from General Agriculture (A-1) to Rural Commercial (RC-1). The overall property is currently an unimproved rural property situated on the corner of N US Highway 441 and W Highway 329, with the majority of the parcel sitting south of W Hwy 329, and a small portion clipped off by the highway and sitting northwest of the highway. There is a tree line that runs east-west through the northern half of the parcel. The request is intended to rezone the northeast ±11.06-acre portion of the parcel, north of the tree line, to Rural Commercial (RC-1) for the development of a RaceTrac gas station, convenience store, and truck stop, however, zoning changes are not conditional so all permitted uses must be considered. The site is located within the Farmland Preservation Area (FPA), the Silver Springs Primary Springs Protection Zone (SPSPZ), the Silver Springs Secondary Protection Zone (SSSPZ), and outside of the Marion County Utilities’ Utility Service Area.

2-      This site is close to the southbound merge of Highways 301 and 441 with a traffic light already in place at County Road 329.

3-      A Circle K convenience store and gas station is sited at the southeast corner of the intersection.

4-      The staff report notes: “The site’s Future Land Use Designation is Rural Land and the site’s zoning classification is General Agriculture (A-1). The proposed use is not consistent with the site’s future land use designation and/or zoning. Amendments to the Marion County Comprehensive Plan and the site’s Zoning Classification would be required in order to proceed with the proposed plan; such Amendments would be significant as the site is located in Marion County’s Rural Area outside the Urban Growth Boundary and within the identified Farmland Preservation Area and staff notes this area   is not readily serviced by urban level central utilities at this time.”

5-      Horse Farms Forever and Save Our Rural Area organizations both oppose this project.

This is on the agenda for discussion and individual consideration.