Marion County commissioners voted unanimously on Jan. 13 to deny a special‑use permit requested by Juan Manuel Rodriguez to park multiple commercial semi‑tractors and trailers on rural A‑1 property in the Rolling Hills area.

Kenneth Odom of Growth Services presented the request and staff recommendation, saying the site is in a secluded, rural area with narrow subdivision roads that the county engineer described as substandard for regular heavy vehicle traffic. Staff told the Board the initial request for six tractor‑trailers had been reduced to four but staff was recommending denial because the number of vehicles and the road conditions were incompatible with the surrounding agricultural residential neighborhood.

The applicant, represented by translator Daniel Perez, told the Board the business is a long‑haul trucking operation and that trucks come and go infrequently; he said vehicles initially arrived while the business moved from Miami and that many disabled vehicles on the site were being removed to auction houses. The applicant said trucks would be parked only during downtime and would not be loaded, unloaded or repaired there.

More than a dozen nearby residents testified in opposition, describing ongoing noise, equipment on the roadway, loading and mechanical inspection activities on the property, dust, damage to narrow roads, and concerns about water contamination. Several adjacent property owners said they had recorded multiple violations and asked that the special‑use request be denied.

Commissioner Stone made the motion to deny the special‑use permit; Commissioner McLean seconded. The motion passed unanimously. As part of the Board'action, commissioners gave the property owner 60 days to make alternate arrangements to remove commercial vehicles from the site before code enforcement action resumes.

Commissioners said they respect the role of truckers in the economy but that land use must be compatible with neighborhood zoning and road infrastructure. Several commissioners noted that semis and heavy commercial operations are permitted in commercial zones and that applicants should seek appropriately zoned property rather than operating a commercial trucking yard in a rural residential area.

Ending: The denial was accompanied by a 60‑day period for the applicant to move vehicles; the Board and staff offered to share information on commercial properties and resources that might be available to help the applicant relocate equipment to appropriately zoned sites.