The purpose of the Ocala 2035 Vision is to describe how the community wants the City to look and function in the future. The visioning process evaluated and answered the following key questions regarding community
building in Ocala for the year 2035 and beyond:
• How do people move around the community?
• How are the streets designed, used, and connected?
• What is the relationship of buildings to
streets?
• What do the buildings, neighborhoods, commercial districts, and open spaces look like? The recommendations of the Ocala 2035 Vision will be used to establish priorities for future decision-making. The Ocala 2035 Vision provides a road map for the future, built upon community consensus to promote continued
support and implementation over time. To obtain diverse community feedback and encourage public participation, the City of Ocala invited key community members to participate on the “Community Form & Design Visioning Leadership Group”. The Leadership
Group was a diverse group of citizens, responsible for actively encouraging other citizens to actively participate in the visioning process. It evaluated all public comments and feedback received during public meetings and
prepared the final Ocala 2035 Vision Plan recommendations and implementation strategies for presentation to the City of Ocala City Council. The Ocala 2035 Vision represents a composite of ideas generated by the Leadership Group and the public through public meetings, workshops, and a two-day design conference. It reflects broad views from the community of
how Ocala will be viewed in the future regarding its physical character and function. The following vision principles describe what “Ocala Is” to be in the year 2035 and beyond:
…a community of natural and man-made beauty
…a community of neighborhoods
…a vibrant hub of residential, retail, office, governmental, cultural, and entertainment activity
…the County Seat, a vitally active center for regional employment in Marion County
…a city with viable mobility options for all citizens and visitors
…a city that welcomes residents and visitors through attractive gateways that invite people to experience our dynamic and friendly community
The Ocala 2035 Vision Implementation Strategies provide action plans and recommendations to support and achieve the Vision. Implementation strategies include the following:
1. Adopt the Ocala 2035 Vision by resolution and as a component of the Ocala Comprehensive Plan
2. Evaluate and prioritize all Planning and Capital Improvement Projects to support implementation of the Ocala 2035 Vision.
3. Initiate Comprehensive Plan Amendments to be consistent with the Ocala 2035 Vision.
4. Continue Leadership Group participation as champions of the Vision.
5. Use the Ocala 2035 Vision to guide the development review process
