Submitted By: Emily W. Johnson
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Presentation By: Emily Johnson
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Department: Growth Management
FORMAL TITLE (Motion Ready):
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Ordinance 2026-1 to amend the code of ordinances for permitted uses in the M-1, Light Industrial, zoning district to include churches/places of worship located on major and minor arterial roadways subject to supplemental regulations (COD25-0003)
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OCALA'S RELEVANT STRATEGIC GOALS:
Economic Hub, Quality of Place
PROOF OF PUBLICATION:
N/A
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* Applicant: A Plus Homes Inc.
* Agent: James W. Gooding, III, Gooding and Batsel, PLLC
BACKGROUND:
This is an applicant-initiated text amendment to the city's Code of Ordinances to allow for a church/place of worship as a permitted use within the M-1, Light Industrial zoning district. The applicant owns M-1, light industrial-zoned property along SW 17th Street (SR 464), a classified arterial roadway. The surrounding area between US 441 and SW 19th Avenue Road maintains the M-1, Light Industrial zoning designation consistent with the redevelopment of the area (previously Taylor Field) as the Ocala Industrial Park. While a rezoning request is an option for the applicant, the area contains a mixture of industrial, retail, and office uses, and a rezoning request for a single property within this area would raise concerns regarding spot zoning and overall compatibility. The applicant chose to apply for a text amendment to the Code of Ordinances to allow for the church/place of worship use within the M-1 zoning district. Through discussions with staff, the text amendment includes certain restrictions to ensure that location (including major and minor arterial roadways) and compatibility are maintained. Specifically, the amendment consists of the following changes to the permitted uses chart and supplemental regulations for churches/places of worship:
* Amends the permitted uses chart and associated legend (Section 122-287) to reflect churches/places of worship as perm...
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