Light-up McIntosh December 15
Light-up McIntosh will begin at the Civic Center at 6:30 p.m. The event will host Santa Clause and an area choir from six local churches will sing.
08.01.06 -- EDITOR'S NOTE: Shiloh development on Marion County Commission Agenda
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Editor's note: The following is information from an e-mail circulating in the community about 1,200 acres of land between Micanopy and McIntosh up for rezoning at the county level near Shiloh.
The Marion County Commissioners will hear a rezoning petition from developer that could potentially allow a large number of homes to be built in an area rich in wetlands and farm country. I first saw in this in a flier at the Pearl Station with the slogan, "Keep our country, country" this weekend but the content in the flier was unsigned and I didn't want to post something I couldn't source.
After a McIntosh resident dropped me a couple e-mails this afternoon, I was able to speak to Gail Stern with the Marion County Citizens Coalition.
Stern explained community members in the Micanopy, McIntosh and Shiloh area are holding a meeting tonight at Shiloh Church to discuss a gameplan for Thursday's commission meeting. She said the developer's petition to the Marion County Commissioners is in two phases. The first would set up the area as a "conservation community" and the second could reduce the number of acres required for a home -- feasibly down to one acre which could bring as many as 1,200 new homes to the Shiloh community.
Stern said the concerns are not only environmental. She said these plans don't account for the infastructure needed to support sizable growth -- like schools and roads. It also could open the flood gates to other development in this area.
"This would forever change the fact of McIntosh-Micanopy-Shiloh area," Stern said.
I did notice when I read the Sun article that county staff are recommending these petitions be denied.
For those who are interested, there is a meeting tonight at Shiloh Church. I hope to have more definitive information on that later this afternoon. I've included the info sent to me in e-mail below.
Other info on this subject:
Originally in Ocala Star Banner, reprinted in Gainesville Sun:
“Rural Shiloh Country may give way to development” http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060801/LOCAL/208010337/1078/news
From an e-mail circulating:
Commission meeting concerning this proposal:
Thursday, August 3rd at the Marion County Commission Auditorium
601 SE 25th Ave in Ocala at 9 a.m.
A developer that owns 1,200 acres north of County Road 320 and west of County Road 329 (this is located between Shiloh and Wacahoota) is petitioning the Marion County Commission to change the land use zoning from "rural" to "low density residential." This amendment would allow the owner to divide this parcel into lots as small as 1 acre. Amendment is another proposed text amendment which is loosely worded and would essentially give developers free rein if they designate a development a "conservation community."
This proposal also needs to be defeated in its current form.
This part of northwest has been designated a "Farmland Preservation Area" by the commission which prevents any new development having from having lots of less than ten acres. The amendment will be the first test of the commission's comprehensive land use plan which is designed to keep this pristine area of free of a major development.
If you are against these amendments:
1. Please show up at the Marion County Commission meeting on Thursday, August 3rd at the Marion County Commission Auditorium
2. Please contact all five county commissioners at (352)438-2323 or email them.
To send an e-mail to the Marion County Commission, you have to go to their website at http://www.marioncountyfl.org/CO211/CO_home.htm
On the right side of the page it lists each commissioner. Click one and scroll to the bottom of the page and click on email commissioner. (e-mail addy's are included below)
601 SE 24th Avenue
Ocala FL, 34471
The Marion County Commissioners are:
District 1 - Andy Kesselring andy.kesselring@marioncountyfl.org
District 2 - Jim Payton - Chairman jim.payton@marioncountyfl.org
District 3 - Stan McClain stan.mcclain@@marioncountyfl.org
District 4 - Randy Harris - Vice Chairman randy.harris@marioncountyfl.org
District 5 - Charlie Stone (this is the district that we live in) charlie.stone@marioncountyfl.org
posted by Cher @ 1:23 PM,
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Editor
Editor and Publisher:
I'm Cher From McIntosh, FL I'm a graduate student at the University of Florida working on a master's degree in Mass Communication. While I was finishing my undergrad degree in journalism last year, I reported on McIntosh, Fla. for an in-depth reporting class. I figured that the reporting and the public record files should go somewhere people can access them. Reporters don't report to keep the information they find to themselves. Some of that reporting is included here in a forum that allows response. McIntosh suffers because with no news coverage, the local government and the rumor mill have too much potential to run rampant over residents. I moved to McIntosh in the fall of 1999. My profile
About This Blog
The primary purpose of this blog is to accurately reflect what happens in town public meetings and dispel rumors. I record the meetings and make them available for download. One of the goals of this blog is to offer residents a place to voice opinions. The comments, views and opinions expressed there are not necessarily those of the editor.
