The Ocala City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to rezone about 30 acres along West Silver Springs Boulevard from a previously approved mixed-use housing development to light industrial use, after the developer said apartment market saturation had stalled the original plan.
The property at 5019 W. Silver Springs Blvd. was approved in November 2024 for a planned development that allowed up to 468 multifamily residential units and 180,991 square feet of commercial space. Tuesday’s vote changes the zoning from planned development to light industrial, designated as M-1, removing residential uses.
“With the saturation of apartments we’ve experienced, that kind of went away,” said Rodney Rogers, who represents the property owner.
Rogers said the planned development was approved when the owner had a contract in place to build apartments. That contract is no longer an active one, and interest in multifamily development on the site has declined. He said industrial zoning better reflects the surrounding area and existing light industrial properties.
Located north of State Road 40 near Northwest 52nd Avenue, the surrounding area is largely industrial and heavily commercial, with nearby lands being used for distribution, warehousing and manufacturing.
Senior Planner Emily Johnson presented the rezoning request to the council, outlining the site’s zoning history and surrounding development patterns. Johnson said the request aligns with how the area is already being used, which is largely industrial and commercial. She added that no impact to public services were identified and that the property has access to city utilities.
According to city planning documents, the land is designated as an “Employment Center” which allows industrial, office and commercial uses. The Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-0 on Jan. 12 to recommend approval of the rezoning request.
The ordinance was considered a quasi-judicial public hearing, meaning council members were required to base decisions on substantial evidence presented during the meeting. The ordinance was approved on a roll-call vote, with each member of the council voting in favor.
The two properties were annexed into the city in 2018 and 2022 before being approved for mixed-use development in 2024.
During the meeting, a council member asked for clarification about what “nonconforming” meant and whether the homes were still occupied. Johnson explained that the approximately 30-acre property contains three single-family homes built as early as 1958 that would be considered nonconforming under industrial zoning and are not currently occupied.
Rogers told council members that one of the homes has already been demolished and another is undergoing environmental cleanup before demolition. The owner does not intend to continue residential use on the site. Rogers also added that neither of the remaining homes has been occupied since the rezoning application was submitted.
During the discussion of the proposal, a council member also asked whether the property was currently for sale. Rogers confirmed that the 30-acre property is being marketed for sale as a whole, though portions of the site, particularly along the frontage, may be sold separately.
The site is served by city utilities. According to transportation data, approximately 31,500 vehicles per day travel the segment of West Silver Springs Boulevard, which currently operates at a stable traffic flow. Any development generating significant traffic would require a traffic study during site plan review.
The rezoning comes as Ocala continues to see rapid population growth. According to U.S. Census Bureau statistics, the Ocala metropolitan area ranked No. 1 in the nation for percent growth between July 1, 2023, and July 1, 2024, increasing by about 4% in that time frame. The region’s steady population growth has coincided with continued development in the residential and industrial sectors.
With the proposed rezoning approved, the property can be marketed for light industrial development consistent with surrounding commerce park properties. No members of the public spoke during the hearing before the council voted unanimously in favor of the ordinance.