Jax Road LLC proposed PUD meets neighborhood opposition

[Image courtesy Marion County]

Almost three dozen neighborhood residents met March 11, 2025, at Woodside Baptist Church in northeast Marion County to plan their opposition to a development application proposed for the 1600-1700 block of Northeast 49th Street.

“We want lower density and playgrounds for the kids,” said neighbor Joe Amodeo, who attended the meeting. “We want sidewalks, good lighting and stronger buffers with privacy.”

Neighborhood organizer Denise Guynn acknowledged that the currently undeveloped pastureland, “will be developed. We understand that,” she said. “But our main concern is this request is for high density and that this isn’t compatible with the surrounding area.”

Guynn provided handouts with advice for residents planning to speak at a March 18 Marion County Board of County Commissioners meeting and provided notes and contact information for commissioners.

Meeting attendees talked through their concerns about the project, including the narrowness of the streets and whether fire rescue services could adequately access the new planned urban development, or PUD. Amodeo also expressed concerns about recreation for children in the neighborhood.

“There are no sidewalks and no amenities. Not a playground, nothing,” he said.

One meeting attendee expressed worry about the specter of a “corporate takeover” of the neighborhood and that the homes would all become rentals owned by an out-of-state business. Others were worried about the small size of the proposed homes, at about 1,200 square feet.

“These are not legacy homes, “Guynn stated. The surrounding area has some generational homes, she said, but the proposed PUD homes are “not forever homes. They’re starter homes at $270,000.”

Artwork passed around in the meeting showed homes of about 1,200 square feet without any garages; it appeared to be a duplicate of home concepts from another PUD proposed and withdrawn last month (Sutton Place) also on Northeast Jacksonville Road. There was no artwork of the homes in the staff reports or public record.

Current occupied subdivisions in the immediate area include Ashley Heights and Ocala Terrace to the northwest, Summerbrooke across Jacksonville Road to the east and Fore Acres to the east. Proposed developments that have been previously approved by development review or are in permitting stages include Woodridge Place, the Harrison PUD, Sabal Crossings, Northeast 36th Avenue, Millwood Estates and DR Horton at Northeast 35th Street. Those total more than 1,500 dwelling units.

The application will be heard Tuesday, March 18, at the BOCC 2 p.m. meeting. This will be in addition to a regular Planning & Zoning meeting on Monday, March 17, due to the high volume of development applications.

[Image courtesy Marion County]

Here is the development brief:
Location: North side of the 1600-1700 block of NE 49th Street, adjoining the Fore Acres, 1st Addition, Subdivision to the east
Type of request Land-use change from Public to High Residential, and rezoning from General Agricultural to PUD
# of dwelling units on # of acres: 170 single-family detached dwellings units on 29.51 acres
Parcel(s): 14976-004-00
# of commercial/retail space: None
UGB/FPA/POZ: Site is within the Urban Growth Boundary and in the Primary Springs Protection Overlay Zone
Links to staff report from agenda: https://marionfl.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7147986&GUID=D2D0BA0D-00B1-46DC-AD39-1CDFE36BE985
(From Planning & Zoning hearing, Feb 24, 2025)
Commissioner/council district contact: District 4, Carl Zalak
[email protected]

Affected schools and current capacities per county staff report “Ocala Springs Elementary (123%), Howard Middle School (71%), and Vanguard High School (91%). While the local schools within the area are experiencing overcrowding, the school district as a whole has ample capacity for any new students generated by this development.”

Notes of interest: *Marion County purchased the site in 2006 and it was initially slated to become a wastewater treatment plant. Subsequently, it was sold as surplus property in 2022. As a result, the parcel still holds a public use land use designation.

*”The site does not include any identified flood plain per the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps Series (FEMA FIRM); however, the Marion County Stormwater Division’s Watershed Management Program (WMP) identifies two potential flood prone areas – 1) southwest corner, and 2) centrally in the east ½ of the site.”

https://marionfl.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=13782265&GUID=3EECEAA9-616F-4765-AC86-F8265B99365C
*The Fire Services report stating an additional suppression unit and an additional transport unit is warranted. “If approved, additional resources are warranted to handle increased d demand from the proposed parcel.  The suppression units and transport units from three of the four closest fire stations are above the adopted capacity limits currently and additional growth will exacerbate these numbers.”

Previous recommendations: The Development Review Committee and Planning & Zoning commission recommended approval.
Agenda item: number not available at press time: The item is slated for individual consideration at the Marion County BOCC Planning & Zoning portion on March 18, 2025, at its 2pm meeting.