The Marion County Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 21 voted unanimously to amend the Castro Plaza planned unit development, allowing up to 225,000 square feet of commercial space and up to 190 residential units on a 43.62-acre site along U.S. 27 and Northwest 70th Avenue.

County staff and the applicant said the change responds to market demand for second-floor commercial space and a flexible mix of attached and detached housing. The project team said it will preserve large oaks along the U.S. 27 frontage, add buffers and construct required access improvements in coordination with the Florida Department of Transportation.

Staff recommended approval after reviewing a transportation impact analysis and finding that required road improvements and signal timing adjustments could address the added traffic. Amber Gartner of Kimley‑Horn, the project’s traffic engineer, told the board the study used standard seasonal and background growth factors and that the county’s long‑range planning for the corridor already accounts for the development.

Opponents and an independent consultant raised procedural questions about whether “committed” or vested trips from large nearby developments were fully accounted for in the study. County engineers acknowledged that the county’s traffic guidelines are internal procedures and said staff used established methodologies and long‑range studies in its review. The commissioners asked staff to ensure the agreed roadway and signal improvements are tracked during permitting and construction.

The developer, represented by Harrison Design Associates and traffic and civil engineers, agreed to build pedestrian connections, preserve mature trees at the U.S. 27 frontage, and deliver on-site amenities. The project will also be required to complete certain off-site and on-site road improvements identified in the approved traffic report as a condition of development.

The board approved two motions: one to adopt the PUD amendment and one to move the ordinance for final adoption. Both votes were unanimous.

County staff said the PUD will return to permitting with detailed engineering, and the county will place file notes and conditions requiring the developer to make the off‑site turn‑lane and signal adjustments required by FDOT and the county engineer prior to final plat/certificate-of-occupancy thresholds.

The PUD amendment’s approval adds an option for either detached single‑family homes or townhome‑style attached housing in parts of the residential area; developers said product mix will be driven by market demand.

The board did not change previously approved height or setback standards for the commercial buildings; the maximum building heights in the PUD stay at the levels the board previously approved.