SUBJECT:
Title
250204SU - Sumter Electric Cooperative, Inc., Special Use Permit to Allow for Utility Company Service Yard Including Office Building, Warehouse, and Outdoor Equipment and Material Storage “Lay-down Yard,” in a Community Business (B-2) Zone, 79.20 Acre Tract, Parcel Account Numbers 41200-012-00, 41200-020-00, and 41200-020-01, Site Addresses 12644, 12830, and 12940 SW 16th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34473
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INITIATOR: |
DEPARTMENT: |
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Kenneth Weyrauch, Deputy Director |
Growth Services |
DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND:
Victoria Diaz with Bowman Engineering, Inc., on behalf of Sumter Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SECO Energy), filed an application for a Special Use Permit on ±79.20 acres for a utility company service yard to including office building, warehouse, and with outdoor equipment and material storage "lay-down yard" in a Community Business (B-2) zone (see Attachments A, B, and C). The Property Identification Number(s) associated with the property are 41200-012-00, 41200-020-00, and 41200-020-01, the street addresses are 12644, 12830, and 12940 SW 16th Avenue, Ocala. The subject property’s future land use designation is Employment Center. The subject property is outside the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and the Farmland Preservation Area (FPA) but within the Marion Oaks/I-75/Hwy 484 Urban Area, in the Silver Springs Secondary Springs Protection Overlay Zone (SSPOZ), in Marion County Utilities’ Southwest Utilities Service Area, and in the CR 475A Visual Enhancement Gateway Development Overlay (CR 475A Overlay). A concurrent Rezoning Application to rezone the northern ±39.20 acres of the site to Community Business (B-2) is under consideration in relation to this request; that application must be approved in order for this Special Use Permit Application to proceed for consideration.
Letters of opposition and support have been received regarding the request.
Staff recommends DENIAL of the Special Use Permit due to the request being insufficient to address the necessary findings and not consistent with the Marion County Comprehensive Plan, as required by LDC Sections 2.8.2.D, 2.8.3.B, and Division 5.8. A list of potential development conditions has been prepared for reference and guidance in the event the Board make a finding that the applicant’s request is consistent with the Special Use Permit Findings, consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, and the CR 475A Overlay.
At the request of the applicant, consideration of this request was continued by the Planning and Zoning Commission from January 27, 2025, to March 31, 2025, and then subsequently continued to May 28, 2025, where on motion by Commissioner Lourenco, second by Commissioner Fisher, the Planning and Zoning Commission disagreed with staff's findings and recommendation and voted (6-0) to recommend approval of the Application to include the Alternative Approval Conditions identified by staff.
BUDGET/IMPACT:
None
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
Staff recommends denial. Planning and Zoning Commission recommends approval with conditions.
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