Submitted By: Emily W. Johnson
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Presentation By: William E. Sexton
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Department: Growth Management
OFFICIAL TITLE (Motion Ready):
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Public Hearing PH25-0003 to appeal the decision of the Building Official/Growth Management Director per Section 122-111 regarding the fee for digital off-site advertising signs, per Section 110-191(e)(2) of the Code of Ordinances.
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OCALA’S RELEVANT STRATEGIC GOALS:
Economic Hub, Quality of Place
PROOF OF PUBLICATION:
N/A
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• Applicant: Ashley Hoffman Lukis, GreyRobinson P.A.
• Property Owner: Lorven Holdings LLC
BACKGROUND:
The subject property, identified as Parcel 23656-014-01, is part of the Ocala Industrial Park platted subdivision (Plat Book H, Page 46) and originally developed in 1970. The site operates as a medical laboratory, which is a permitted use in the M-1, Light Industrial, zoning district.
On May 22, 2025, a minor site plan application (SPLM25-0008) was approved for new digital off-site advertising signs by View Florida LLC on the southwestern corner of the property. A building permit application for the digital off-site advertising signs was subsequently submitted (SGN25-0009). On October 3, 2025, the applicant remitted a $300,000.00 permitting fee under protest and filed a Notice of Appeal. The building permit was approved on October 24, 2025.
The code pertaining to digital and tri-vision off-site advertising signs, Section 110-191, was originally adopted on November 17, 2011 via Ordinance 2012-13, and further amended on October 16, 2012 via Ordinance 2012-57. Pursuant to the code, Section 110-191(e)(2) establishes a permitting fee of $150,000.00 per sign. This permitting fee is assessed on new digital and tri-vision signs when an owner of such sign has insufficient square footage credits issued for the removal of existing off-site advertising signs. The permitting fee is waived when an owner has sufficient removal credits on file. There are no removal credits on file for View Florida LLC (the billboard owner) nor Lorven Holdings LLC (the property owner).
In accordance with the historical application of Section 110-191(e)(2), the Building Official/Growth Management Director determined that signs oriented in opposite directions and located on the same structure require the fee in lieu of removal for two signs (one for each sign orientation) is $300,000.00. Section 122-2 defines the building official as the director of building, zoning, and licensing department. The City Manager has appointed the Growth Management Director position to serve in this capacity.
The City attorney will present staff’s information and case details and the attorney representing the sign owner will present their case information and details at the hearing.