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Commission recommends increased commercial and housing capacity for Martingale PUD with conditions; traffic study under review
Summary
The commission recommended approval of a planned‑development amendment that raises commercial floor area and residential units (to 225,000 sq ft and 190 units respectively) for the Martingale PUD, keeping buffers and heights intact; staff continues to review an updated traffic study and required turn‑lane improvements are conditions of approval.
The Marion County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of an amendment to the Martingale Planned Unit Development that increases the project's potential commercial floor area and residential units while retaining previously approved buffers, building heights and amenity commitments.
Chris Risen of Growth Services summarized the amendment: the applicant seeks to increase commercial entitlement from roughly 100,000 square feet to 225,000 square feet (adding second‑story office/professional space within existing height limits) and increase residential units from 140 to 190 to provide flexibility in market response. Staff noted the site remains consistent with a commercial future land use inside the urban growth boundary.
Applicant representatives including Terry Keogh (Castro Properties), architect Bernard Austin and engineer Richard Bush presented design strategies to keep second‑floor commercial space visually compatible with a walkable, equestrian‑vernacular commercial district and to preserve and enhance extensive buffers. Keogh said the change in access demanded by FDOT — which would limit the central access to right‑in/right‑out and shift a primary full‑movement access point east — prompted reallocation of land along U.S. 27 to commercial use rather than residential.
Traffic consultant Amber Gartner told commissioners an updated traffic study has been submitted and is under county review. The draft identified required turn lanes and site access improvements; Gartner said the planned Marion County widening of NW 70th Avenue and identified turn‑lane work will provide sufficient roadway capacity. The commission’s recommended conditions require implementation of any mitigation identified in the final traffic study and completion of identified turn‑lane improvements as part of development.
Neighbors and stakeholders spoke to traffic and buffer details; Golden Ocala’s representative signaled they will review the updated traffic study and request additional landscape details as needed. Commissioner Andy (last name not stated in transcript) moved that the commission "agree with staff findings and recommendations" and recommend the PUD amendment to the Board of County Commissioners; Don Johnson seconded and the commission voted in favor. The commission’s recommendation includes conditions from staff’s report and directs that any required off‑site or on‑site improvements identified by the final traffic study be implemented.
