The City of Ocala is seeking approval of an agreement to purchase a $600,000 parcel of land in northwest Ocala that would become the site of a new fire station.
After analyzing multiple sites for the proposed fire station, city staff is recommending that the City of Ocala purchase a 7.8-acre parcel of land located just south of U.S. 27 and west of NW 44th Avenue. This property, which is owned by Armstrong Land, LLC, is located south of the Dollar General and fronts on NW 45th Terrace.
Armstrong Land is associated with the Heath Preserve single-family subdivision, which is located south of the property.
According to city staff, the proposed fire station would be constructed on the northern portion of the parcel, since this 3.6-acre area has been deemed “suitable for development.”
During the upcoming Ocala City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 16, council members will vote on whether or not to approve the purchase agreement between the City of Ocala (buyer) and Armstrong Land (seller) for the 7.8 acres of land.
While the property was appraised at $612,000, the City of Ocala and Armstrong Land have agreed on a price of $600,000. Under the proposed agreement, the City would pay $523,599 in cash with $76,401 in future fire impact credits for the Heath Preserve development.
City staff recommends approval of the agreement and highlights that this location would support the need for a fire station in northwest Ocala, especially west of Interstate 75.
The Ocala City Council regularly meets at 4 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month at Ocala City Hall, which is located at 110 SE Watula Avenue.