[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6524951,"mediaKeyId","3843048-d37e472171504a01ca630f13f073c730","parentId",3843048,"title","Commissioners approve land-use change for Smallridge/Conrad property on CR‑484; zoning continued while utilities and conditions are negotiated","audioSeconds",3108,"startMs",10555000,"endMs",13663000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3843048-d37e472171504a01ca630f13f073c730&start=10555&end=13663","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3843048-d37e472171504a01ca630f13f073c730/thumbnail_10555000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6524951/Marion-County/Florida/Commissioners-approve-land-use-change-for-SmallridgeConrad-property-on-CR484-zoning-continued-while-utilities-and-conditions-are-negotiated","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6524951-88363871c157be1001743615ce6898d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770717651&Signature=DtplitfEw62toHH~PAIljlsL86cpzeFxke4~hyzujsPcl0yFu77tHhR6r31U2VT5uMONUVXSGXXNNljjN5daVF~aBpM29LcujU~uDJsc~DMwzo6qa0YUTCf~VKDaJRYMG2AJcFo5~7g3FJPQ80rGc~gWTdqNoYaTv3rxXYR3nxxkXfqocPtU6Kt5NfIQ332GDFEfcB5QdYp6CYYBEQizI0nhG~c0i4WVA2ZHWRpu~TsyCjUqN4Qd9oyIPwN7yYZoYvJMCPdW1zZPu4DgpwucaHDL~Nf~fnvx2EBe7bXnAJi1WasrtdOvcQa-5Vj-QWmbcaUFRm8JtTQm52irdkuzNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Marion County","date","2025-06-16T00:00:00Z","article","The Marion County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve a small‑scale comprehensive‑plan amendment requested by property owners Gary Smallridge and Thomas Conrad that changes roughly 30 acres along County Road 484 from Rural Lands to a Commerce District land‑use designation, but the board postponed a companion zoning decision to allow more time for applicants and staff to resolve water‑and‑sewer and design questions.

Staff summary and review: Growth Services staff advised the board that the subject property sits amid a mix of rural residential parcels and historical industrial parcels; staff recommended denial of the amendment and rezoning because of concerns about traffic at the nearby I‑75/CR‑484 interchange, the absence of public water and sewer to the site, and compatibility with the surrounding rural neighborhoods. Staff cited several comprehensive‑plan policies and traffic‑capacity metrics (high volume/capacity ratios along the corridor during peak hours) as reasons for caution.

Applicant presentation and proffers: Gary Smallridge and Thomas Conrad told the board the property has been in the family for generations and described a phased plan to develop contractor/flex buildings, covered outdoor storage and a self‑storage component, and to reserve some lots for family members to operate a welding business and other small industrial tenants. The applicants said they originally applied for M‑1 zoning but were willing to reduce the request to a B‑4 (commercial/contractor) classification and to proffer a developer’s agreement providing for on‑site water treatment and to connect to a public supply if and when it becomes available. The applicants said they intend to construct an internal access road and small parcels for rentals and family-owned businesses.

Why it matters: County staff and several commissioners stressed the lack of public utilities and the operationally deficient intersection at I‑75 and CR‑484 as substantial concerns for permitting intense industrial or contractor uses in the near term. Applicants countered that the family owns adjacent parcels and that a negotiated approach—dropping to B‑4 or using a PUD—would allow planned, limited development and mitigate impacts.

Outcome and next steps: The board approved the small‑scale land‑use amendment (Rural → Commerce District) by unanimous vote. The zoning request (A‑1 to M‑1 as submitted) was not decided; the applicant asked for a continuance while staff and the applicant negotiate a developer’s agreement addressing water treatment and connection timing and (alternatively) to consider a reduced zoning classification (B‑4). The board set a date‑certain continuance for the zoning item to August 19 at 10:00 a.m. to allow the parties to work with staff and bring back a final proposal.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Marion County - Board of County Commissioners Planning and Zoning on 2025-06-16 1:00 PM - Jun 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Marion County commissioners approved a small‑scale land‑use amendment for roughly 30 acres on County Road 484 but continued a companion zoning decision so the owners and county staff can negotiate water‑supply safeguards and an appropriate zoning classification.","taxTitle","Marion County, Florida","taxId",4897,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6524954,"Board approves SECO service center near 475A with added landscape, fencing and visibility conditions",5759,4277000,10036000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3843048-d37e472171504a01ca630f13f073c730&start=4277&end=10036","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3843048-d37e472171504a01ca630f13f073c730/thumbnail_4277000.jpg","/articles/6524954/Marion-County/Florida/Board-approves-SECO-service-center-near-475A-with-added-landscape-fencing-and-visibility-conditions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6524954-80f59bffb9e249b566933b88e6b3f69c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770717651&Signature=Fp5NvxQiqZT8DlnlFW3jCRFhbpmnY~7kF-s6Kd7D3eFkZ9eIVo7b1vn5uYYSE7Q7ByUxxBfxrdeYBtKFFFJgZFNSvWPbPnoj53ma7MQ3RNqXbXszmPdvvyHHf6JJ1ZMwPGRnqKm3jRJGVlWGolsb7APZPpGH8J7v3a0BbBh3~Ke4KmquXYJSaOEALJl9-pKc0-fFu2W6ajcTzs2Ez8Go1JaDzl4P~mMNsGL5osjq5VpK3Ts6wBIJTlEt0l3mkGjP9LnwvH8G0WOntcEB8~DlsaLkvhdqi8AuP~B~kLBQ6531wr4~hNExtPsi~DG61Ftb2qp6xSa7-k9c93FdP3rWqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Marion County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a rezoning and a special-use permit for Sumter Electric Cooperative to build a new operations and equipment yard near County Road 475A, a gateway corridor to the Florida Horse Park.

The board approved two companion items: a rezoning for a portion of the parcel to Community Business (B-2) and a special-use permit to allow an electrical utility service yard with outdoor material storage and laydown areas across approximately 79.2 acres. Chris Rising of Marion County Growth Services told the board the site is in the county’s employment-center future land-use designation and lies within the County Road 475A visual enhancement overlay.

Why it matters: SECO said the new facility would be a modern base for about 45 frontline employees now and plans for roughly 89 employees over the next decade. The cooperative argued a county-limited utility yard is less traffic- and land-use intensive than many possible commercial developments that could occur under the current comprehensive-plan employment-center designation. SECO’s team said the project represents a significant capital investment and includes enhanced landscaping and setbacks designed to protect nearby rural and equine uses.

What was proposed: SECO’s application covers three contiguous parcels totaling roughly 79.2 acres; the rezoning request applied to the northern parcel (about 39.2 acres) to align zoning with the employment-center land use. The conceptual site plan presented by the applicant shows an office and warehouse complex set back hundreds of feet from adjacent property lines, paved operational areas, stabilized grass staging areas, and separated gated access points for public/employee access and for equipment. SECO and its consultants told the board they will preserve large portions of existing tree cover and install enhanced buffer plantings: larger canopy trees at planting (14–16 feet), understory and ornamental plantings, a 3-foot berm and decorative three-board fencing along 475A with a landscaped area, and an eight-foot opaque security fence interior to the site.

Conditions and modifications: County staff initially recommended denial of the special-use permit over concerns about visibility of outdoor storage, dust, noise and the site’s scale within the overlay. SECO revised its plan and agreed to multiple conditions. The board approved the special-use permit with staff-drafted conditions and two modifications the applicant requested: (1) SECO may use Bahia grass (an alternate allowed turf) on some open areas; and (2) along the I‑75 frontage the applicant may use a three-board fence with a landscaped 15‑foot buffer and a chain-link security fence set back behind the plantings rather than an eight‑foot opaque metal fence. The board also accepted a proffer that no laydown materials will be visible from adjacent external properties. Other conditions approved by the board include parcel consolidation, dark‑sky lighting requirements, paved operational areas, decanted staging areas and minimum landscape installations prior to operations.

Support and opposition: The Florida Horse Park’s executive director, Jason Reynolds, and Horse Farms Forever’s conservation director, Busy Shires, praised SECO’s outreach and said the revised plan and added buffers fit the corridor. Several nearby property owners told the board they had been involved in community discussions and supported the revised plan. Staff and the applicant discussed traffic studies and how the cooperative’s proposed use would generate far fewer daily trips than some commercial programs that could occur by-right under the existing future land use.

Vote: The board voted unanimously to approve the rezoning and, separately, the special-use permit subject to the conditions and the two applicant-requested modifications.","Sumter Electric Cooperative won county approval to rezone and build a 79.2‑acre service center and storage yard in the County Road 475A overlay after the cooperative and staff negotiated substantial setbacks, enhanced plantings and conditions to limit visibility of outdoor storage.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6524958,"Commissioners continue Bellevue rezoning for proposed Circle K after neighbor concerns",2937,1307000,4244000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3843048-d37e472171504a01ca630f13f073c730&start=1307&end=4244","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3843048-d37e472171504a01ca630f13f073c730/thumbnail_1307000.jpg","/articles/6524958/Marion-County/Florida/Commissioners-continue-Bellevue-rezoning-for-proposed-Circle-K-after-neighbor-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6524958-71b3b3c06a0c152c931880a7d4b36655/orig.mp4?Expires=1770717651&Signature=AjFIi-c3x6Lsg4BJPxcknyoJU7uzP7zrR1GqSjOeuQHdcoR2GWdVY6mCM8AnxTCJ6pR~SNlQKr0H61KzSnLVnosNa5JHVs9JlW~MbVWpQGnVO~DnBjBNdOUnsCkqcUIF~0XbYJPIlaCYAgPbSiv9dE6wsG~qKJ0yRsiLaVE9Bvt0PvAFbG0mSUi9xzOLxMy1RTxeHgOaT0VearNvzOlob1f0z6M7U7tA6ELOMbBrtXFdsUczZb98dahG8ZaA3iSpI4vFZRzsvxX16Va3uo1AAPVm64jra48dykPzc8leX9cSXJs8uOVpkhLNV9NTda8m8HeM18sfjC6ZVqHwt2tuag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Marion County Board of County Commissioners on Monday continued action on a request by Bellevue Property Holdings LLC to rezone two parcels on South U.S. Highway 301 so an applicant could develop a Circle K convenience store with gasoline pumps.

The item was pulled from the consent agenda for separate consideration after a neighbor objected. Staff recommended approval of the rezoning from General Agriculture (A-1) to Community Business (B-2), saying the B-2 classification is compatible with nearby commercial parcels and the site’s commercial future land-use designation. Eric Kramer, planner with Marion County Growth Services, told the board the property sits inside the urban growth boundary, is within a springs protection zone and is in Bellevue’s utility service area.

Why it matters: neighbors said the proposed gas station would sit immediately adjacent to working farmland and homes and could harm livestock, reduce property values and increase traffic. Ashley Yates, who said she owns a roughly 13–14 acre farm immediately abutting the site, told commissioners she keeps cattle, horses, chickens and goats and raised “environmental impacts of a gas station being right there” as a concern. Her husband, Jason Yates, said his driveway and paddocks are immediately adjacent to the proposed buffer line and said he was worried about impacts to animals and safety from a high-traffic drive-through and fuel operations.

Applicant Herb Green of Cad Jazz Engineering (representing Cajas LLC, the applicant) said the development would be a modern Circle K convenience market with a roughly 5,000–6,000 square foot building, a multi-pump fueling canopy and only passenger-vehicle fueling (no truck parking). He said the applicant has completed a tree survey, will preserve on-site trees where they are on the applicant’s property and is prepared to meet the county’s buffer and masonry wall requirements.

County staff and the applicant described the code buffer requirements: a Type D buffer (15 feet wide) with a six-foot opaque wall and specified tree plantings between the wall and property line, and the applicant said they would plant and maintain the required vegetation and provide the masonry wall. Staff also noted the property carries a ‘‘Policy 1.20’’ grandfathering letter tied to historic use; rezoning would revoke that letter. The growth services director told commissioners the code allows an applicant to seek B-2 zoning without a site plan and that many specific operational details are handled later at development review.

Board concerns and outcome: several commissioners said they wanted to see a more complete application before approving a rezoning that would permit multiple by-right uses in the B-2 category. Commissioner Stone said he considered the application incomplete and asked for a conceptual site plan showing building placement and buffers. Commissioner McClain proposed continuing the item so staff and the applicant could provide additional details. The applicant agreed to provide a conceptual layout and to meet with staff on buffer and wall details.

The board voted unanimously to continue the item to a date certain: August 18 (county zoning meeting time announced by the clerk). The motion carried 5–0.

Next steps: Staff and the applicant will work on a conceptual site plan, buffer and wall details and any developer agreement the applicant wishes to proffer. The item will return to the board on the date certain for further consideration.","The Marion County planning board continued a request to rezone two parcels along South US Highway 301 to allow a convenience store with gasoline pumps after nearby residents raised environmental, noise and property-value concerns and asked for more detailed site plans and buffer assurances.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commissioners approve land-use change for Smallridge/Conrad property on CR‑484; zoning continued while utilities and conditions are negotiated

Board approves SECO service center near 475A with added landscape, fencing and visibility conditions

Commissioners continue Bellevue rezoning for proposed Circle K after neighbor concerns