The Ocala City Council met on May 19, 2026 at 4:00 PM in Council Chambers. Mayor Ben Marciano presided. Council members present: Kristen M. Dreyer, James P. Hilty Sr., Barry Mansfield, and Council President Ire J. Bethea Sr.; Pro Tem Jay A. Musleh was excused. The meeting included proclamations, consent agenda, public hearings, general business, public comments, and department reports.
All consent items were approved by a 4‑0 roll‑call vote (moved by Dreyer, seconded by Mansfield). Items included:
9a. Ordinance 2026‑15 – Mockingbird Ridge Community Development District (169.31 acres) – Chief Planning Official Endira Madraveren presented the request to establish a CDD to finance and maintain public infrastructure. Staff found it consistent with the comprehensive plan and recommended approval. Adopted 4‑0 (moved by Dreyer, seconded by Mansfield).
9b. Resolution 2026‑30 – Amendment to Kenward at Heathbrook Planned Development (32.22 acres) – The amendment would change building types from duplexes to quadruplexes (146 units, same density), reduce minimum lot width to 15 feet, increase open space from 41% to 53%, and modify access (two points on Tartan Road, removal of SW 66th Street access). Staff recommended approval despite the Planning & Zoning Commission’s recommendation for denial due to wetland reconfiguration. Public comments: Three residents (Thomas Burkhart, Brian Hayes, Kelly Haynes) spoke in opposition, citing traffic congestion, wetland destruction, wildlife loss, and aesthetic concerns. Applicant’s presentation: Rob Batsel (Eisenhower Property Group) argued the revised plan preserves high‑value wetlands, improves drainage, and includes enhanced landscaping. Engineer Bo Clymer detailed that 6.41 acres of wetlands exist, with 1.6 acres of impact; state environmental review is underway. Council discussion: Hilty voted no, citing the wetland impact. Adopted 3‑1 (Dreyer, Mansfield, Bethea aye; Hilty nay; Musleh excused; moved by Hilty, seconded by Mansfield).
9c. Resolution 2026‑31 – Amendment to Saving Mercy Planned Development (9.31 acres) – The amendment increases residential units from 144 to 200 (20 duplexes + 180 multifamily), maximum building height from 35 to 45 feet, and revises the layout into four phases. Density remains within Employment Center future land use limits. Staff and P&Z recommended approval. Public comment: Chuck Pigeon (Adore Group) explained construction delays due to material shortages; the 45‑foot height allows a smaller footprint and more open space. Mayor Marciano and Council Member Dreyer praised the affordable housing project as high‑quality. Adopted 4‑0 (moved by Dreyer, seconded by Mansfield).
9d. Resolution 2026‑32 – Amendment to 60th Avenue Parcels Planned Development (61.4 acres) – Minor amendments to layout, setbacks, roadways, signage, and allowance for ancillary structures up to 35 feet within the 100‑foot height‑restricted buffer. Density/intensity unchanged (11.88 acres commercial, 750 residential units). Staff and P&Z recommended approval. Applicant’s representative confirmed conditions are acceptable. Adopted 4‑0 (moved by Mansfield, seconded by Dreyer).
10a. Resolution 2026‑33 – Adoption of Ocala Safety Action Plan – Deputy City Engineer Noel Cooper reported the City received a FY23 Safe Streets and Roads for All grant ($104,000 federal + $26,000 city match). Public engagement included two community meetings, a project website, and a Council workshop on May 12, 2026. The plan guides roadway‑safety improvements and positions the city for future grants. Adopted 4‑0 (moved by Hilty, seconded by Mansfield).
10b. Additional expenditures for citywide painting services (up to $350,000) – Gary Crews (Facilities Division) requested approval to complete remaining CIP 2026 locations. Approved 4‑0 (moved by Dreyer, seconded by Hilty).
10c. Award of contract to HDR Engineering for SunTran comprehensive operational analysis ($215,998) – Funded by FTA capital funds with no local match. Council Member Mansfield questioned the cost and necessity; staff (Transit Administrator Tom Duncan and Growth Management Director Jeff Shrum) explained the analysis will assess efficiency, financial sustainability, and inform the upcoming Transit Development Plan. Approved 4‑0 (moved by Dreyer, seconded by Hilty).
10d. Purchase of inventory items for Ocala Electric Utility ($217,084) – Doug Peebles (Utility Director) noted 30% of costs reimbursed by developers. Approved 4‑0 (moved by Mansfield, seconded by Hilty).
10e. Retroactive approval of SHIP funding overage for Simpson rehabilitation ($8,277) – James Haynes (Community Housing Services) explained a compliance monitoring revealed costs exceeded the internal limit; retroactive approval avoids repayment to the state. Approved 4‑0 (moved by Dreyer, seconded by Mansfield).
10f. Budget Resolution 2026‑142 – Appropriation from East Ocala CRA Reserve for redevelopment grants ($358,000) – Roberto Ellis (Economic Development) noted CRA board approved. A resident, Jonathan Tom Have, spoke in support of continuing historic district renewal. Adopted 4‑0 (moved by Hilty, seconded by Dreyer).
Maintains the same density and entitlements of the prior PD zoning district, which is consistent with the overall Heathbrook DRI. The PD plan is consistent with the minimum standards of the PD district, Section 122942 of the code of ordinances. That city utilities are available and no level of service issues have been identified. At their meeting in April, P and Z voted to recommend denial based on the reconfiguration of wetlands that is proposed with this PD amendment. As you may have seen, the agenda packet has some minor revisions from the P and Z packet that was provided to them. Staff has reviewed these changes. Staff does not change our recommendation of approval. I am happy to answer any questions. Okay, ma'am. Proud to you answering questions, I have a few comments from the public. So I'm gonna let them come up and then you can come back, okay? Yes, sir. Thank you. Thomas Birdhart. Will you give your name and address, please? Yes, sir. I'm Thomas Burkhart. I live at 6580, Southwest 51st Court in Heathbrook Hills neighborhood. Thank you, Council. I'll be brief. I won't take up a too much of your time. I have three areas of concern I'd like to address. Number one, the access to 66 has been removed. I know the trips that were approved are staying the same, but with the access going solely to Tartan Road. That's gonna create quite quite the congestion. I think that uh 66 is much more uh capable to handle that traffic. It doesn't have a shopping center, it doesn't have the median single lane 66, I believe, is gonna get expanded to four lanes. So taking that off, I believe is gonna create quite the problem. Uh the second area of concern is going to be the wetlands. Of course, I know Ocow is growing, and I'm part of that growth. I moved here three years ago, and I'm not opposed to growth, but I just hope we grow with conservation in mind. I uh I know you're aware of the huge development across 66, and a lot of that wildlife is being displaced into that wetlands. I constantly see coyotes, bobcats, possums, raccoons, I mean, you name it, we see it. I love that wildlife. I love the wetlands, and I'd hate to see it displaced. And lastly, I'd like to bring up um the reconfiguration goes from cul-de-sacs to dead ends. And I know that Heathbrook has an aesthetic. Um fit into that. I think that the look of Heathbrook with the cul-de-sacs and the gated communities to throw in dead ends is just gonna I believe it's gonna interfere with what we have. So I would uh hopefully you take that under consideration as well. Thank you for your time. Thank you, sir. Brian Hayes. Uh good evening. My name is Brian Hayes, and I live at 6560 Southwest 51st Court in Ocala, Florida. Uh I have some papers that I'd like to hand out if it's all right for the uh one more. Um what I have what I've handed out is basically a visual representation of you know what is approved currently approved right now that in the developer's hands. The top sheet shows you know what has been approved. Um and it and it shows how the developer, you know, a few years ago did a great job of does designing the project to go around the wetlands and preserve them. What you see on the second page is basically it shows the wetlands, but it shows how the developer is now, you know building right on top of the wetland, you know, and I concur with uh Thomas.