VOLUME 7 ISSUE 9
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OSO’s Golden Anniversary Gala Page B2 February 20 - 27, 2026
Fish Hawk Spirits to leave Marion County following permit denial
Margaritaville RV Park in North Marion County approved by BOCC
By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
F
ish Hawk Spirits, a farm-to-bottle distillery that has operated in Marion County since 2012, announced plans to move its operations out of the county following a denial of its Special Use Permit by the Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 17. The decision came after a six-month continuance granted in August 2025 expired without the distillery bringing its facility into compliance with county codes. County staff recommended denial of the permit extension, citing a history of unpermitted construction, infrastructure deficiencies, and the operation of a commercial business within a residential and agricultural zone.
THE COST OF COMPLIANCE
At the center of the dispute were the requirements set forth by the Development Review Committee (DRC) to bring the site at 16350 SW 20th Lane up to code. To remain at the location, the distillery was required to obtain site plan approval, secure building permits for structures that were previously built without them, and upgrade infrastructure to handle commercial traffic. According to distillery representatives, the requirements were financially impossible. David Molyneaux, speaking on behalf of Fish Hawk Spirits, told commissioners that the infrastructure demands included paving the unpaved road leading to the property. “We were told we got to pave from South [25th] avenue. It’s almost a mile. So, it’s a million dollars a mile to pave a road. These are just unreasonable requirements. We can’t do it,” Molyneaux said. See Fish Hawk Spirits page A4
The Margaritaville RV Park is shown in Orange Lake on Feb. 17, 2026. [Michael Warren/Special to the Ocala Gazette]
Opposition to the PUD revision came from Horse Farms Forever, Save Our Rural Area and residents nearby. By Belea T. Keeney belea@magnoliamediaco.com
I
n a 4-1 vote, the Marion County Board of County Commissioners approved the application for a proposed Margaritaville-themed RV park on County Road 318. In the late-day hearing on Feb. 17, about 30 members of the public watched the discussion and 16 people spoke out during the public comment portion of the hearing. Two expressed support for the project and 14 were opposed. Commissioner Craig Curry voted against the project. At issue were revised plans for the RV park, changed from a traditional park with residential use only of its standard amenities to a Margaritaville-themed water park with a restaurant, bar and enlarged water recreation area, with a plunge pool and flume/ride water slide, that would allow public access for a fee.
The parcel is located south of Orange Lake, east of the former Jai Alai Fronton (which at one time also housed Ocala/ Gainesville Poker) and adjoining the Grand Lake RV Resort. “The nature of the business has changed,” said Curry. “It’s a theme park, not an RV park.” The original Planned Unit Development (PUD) was meant for use by its residents only, not the general public, he said. The B-1 zoned parcel is in the Farmland Preservation Area (FPA) and he had concerns about the horse farms in the area. Jim Wiseman, president of Margaritaville Development, countered the comment, saying, “You can’t retroactively stop something.” He was referring to the FPA’s implementation in 2005, which came after the PUD’s original approval back in 1998. “We intend to be good neighbors,” he said.
Opposition came from Horse Farms Forever, Save Our Rural Area and more than a dozen neighbors. Evangeline Linkous, a land-use consultant and director of the master’s program in urban and regional planning at the University of South Florida, was hired by Horse Farms Forever to evaluate the application. Linkous presented a findings memorandum that stated, in part, “The identified intent and character, including amenities, of the approved PUD is Recreational Resort. The approved PUD does not include public amenities and, to the degree that amenities are identified, these are private and smallscale and align with Recreational Resort… These identified amenities (a themed water park with bar and restaurant facilities for which day passes will be sold) dramatically change the uses, intent, and character from the approved PUD.” See RV Park, page A9
Impactful individuals Legacies of Love 2026 honors Dr. Tina Chandra and Casius “Cash” Pealer, Ph.D. By Susan Smiley-Height susan@magnoliamediaco.com
T
he annual Legacies of Love luncheon is hosted by Interfaith Emergency Services to honor men and women who have made a significant impact in the community.
This year’s event took place Feb. 13 at the College of Central Florida’s Klein Conference Center and the honorees were Dr. Tina Chandra and Casius “Cash” Pealer, Ph.D. According to materials provided by Interfaith, Chandra is a skilled cosmetic and neuromuscular dentist who
practices advanced dentistry at Chandra Smile Designs and the Chandra Wellness Center. She is actively involved in philanthropic and community projects. She has served as chairman of the North Central Florida Medical Expo for more than 15 years, is a leader on the board of the India Association and a past chairman/
active member of the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” initiative. She also volunteers her dental services to the poor and underprivileged at the FreeD.O.M. Clinic Inc., Deliverance Outreach Ministries and Interfaith. See Legacies of Love 2026, page A3
Cash Pealer, Ph.D., and Dr. Tina Chandra. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
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