Marion County Parks

County and city officials updated on proposed commerce park

Ocala lawyer Steve Gray, who represents Ocala 489 LLC, developers of the so-called Magna project at U.S. 27 and Interstate 75, provided a lengthy overview of the obligations of all involved at the County Commission’s meeting.

Although no formal vote was taken, the commissioners’ individual comments indicated that the project had enough support for county approval.

The Ocala City Council was slated to hear the plan Tuesday evening.

County commissioners will hold their second public hearing for final adoption on Aug. 16.

But while the whole board was willing to proceed to that point, some commissioners signaled they wanted more from the developers.

According to Gray, the commerce park would be well on its way by March 2013 — when the city and the county are expected to have completed their respective road projects serving the interior of the site.

The city will extend Northwest 35th Avenue for about 1½ miles into the property, while the county will build a four-lane road for more than a half-mile into the property. That road starts at Northwest 27th Avenue.

Marion County’s part also entails four-laning Northwest 35th Street from 27th Avenue to U.S. 441. That portion is scheduled to be finished later in 2013.

Combined, the two projects are expected to cost the county more than $13 million.

The city also will provide water and sewer service. That, plus their road work, which includes other improvements to U.S. 27, is anticipated to run more than $9 million.

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Gray told the board that Ocala 489 LLC will build a $2.4-million railroad spur crossing 27th Avenue and tying in to a set of main tracks nearby. That link is a critical part of the whole plan, and would be the aspect completed first.

Gray told commissioners the rail spur could be completed within six months, once the contract is finalized. He also announced that CSX Transportation was set to give Magna top billing once that happens, even though the full project would not be completed.

CSX retains a list of 3,000 sites similar to Magna nationwide that it helps market. Magna, upon approval, would rate within the top 300, Gray said.

Yet that part of the deal hinges on a small piece of land.

Gray explained that a 1.5-acre parcel still needed to be acquired to obtain all the land for the spur.

But that land, he added, lies outside the authority of the city and the county to obtain the property through eminent domain, the process by which the government can take private land for a public purpose, provided it compensates the landowner.

FWC announces boat ramps will close in Marion County - at Lake ...

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will temporarily close two boat ramps in Marion County for repairs and improvements during the coming weeks.

On Orange Lake, the ramp at Heagy Burry Park will be closed Aug. 15-22. It is scheduled to reopen on Aug. 23. The FWC is coordinating the repairs with Marion County Parks and Recreation.

Beginning Aug. 22, the boat ramp at Lake Bryant Mobile Home and RV Park –- and the only ramp that accesses Lake Bryant -– will close for about four weeks while improvements are made. The FWC will replace the ramp, improve the parking lot and stabilize the adjacent shoreline.

These improvements are funded by the FWC through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sport Fish Restoration – Boat Access Program.

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