Bergeron Loses One In Ocala
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Ron Bergeron may have the golden touch in Broward County, but it faded to fools gold in Marion County.
The Marion County Commission turned down his company, Marion Acres LLC, which wanted to build a mud-bogging pit on 392 acres near Ocala.
There are a lot of city folks who don’t know what “mud-bogging” is. It is described by the Ocala Star-Banner as facility which would “offer four various-sized mud pits for use by trucks, buggies and all-terrain vehicles.”
Sounds noisy. And messy. And rednecky.
The project was led by Lonnie Bergeron, who is Ronnie’s son. So maybe we shouldn’t blame Ronnie Bergeron, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Comservation Commissioner and Everglades advocate, for the project.
A news release from the county commission say the group had very good reasons for turning the project down. I underlined some of them.
Here is the news release from the county commission dated June 15 (Surprisingly on June 17, the Sun-Sentinel wrote that the project was still pending.):
Immediate Release
from Larry R. Brown for a horse racing track located near the Marion-Sumter County line. (which was approved.)
In the first case, with a 3-2 vote, with Commission Vice Chair Stan McClain and Commissioner Charlie Stone dissenting, the majority of commissioners rejected the special use permit application for Marion Acres, LLC.
The applicant had requested a special use permit to convert a sod farm into a motorized vehicle racetrack and practice facility on 392 acres. The land is located approximately three miles north of the intersection of Highway 40 and Highway 315. The facility would have included mud bogging areas, ATV trails and wash areas.
The Marion Acres property is located in a springs protection zone and Ocklawaha flood plain. Wetlands are also located on the property.
For those reasons, Marion County Growth Management staff recommended denying the proposal, stating that the use was not compatible with the general character of the area. Staff also said the facility was not consistent with Marion County’s Comprehensive Plan and could adversely affect the public interest. The majority of commissioners agreed.
June 21st, 2010 at 4:00 pm
Sounds like he came damned close to getting it passed. Without knowing anything about it, looks like a pretty good effort, even if it did come up short by one vote.
June 21st, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Why doesn’t he try west Broward, like the Pembroke Pines area??? Bet it would be a popular spot with all the airboats and buggies around here.
FROM BUDDY: That’s a good idea. The problem would be finding the land.
June 21st, 2010 at 6:43 pm
How about the “unused” city center space????
June 22nd, 2010 at 4:10 pm
Cowboy Bergeron must have not done his homework. People in most of this state want to keep their way of life, which includes protection from the noise of ATVs.
June 23rd, 2010 at 9:39 am
http://www.triplecanopyranch.com Look it up and see what mud bogging is. This particular owner is making a fortune charging $30 per day, has food vendors, medics, towing, gasonine…anything you would need out in the sticks and all he needs is mud. It’s a very lucrative business and you MUST sign a release of liability to enter.
June 25th, 2010 at 9:23 am
Bergeron likes to talk about saving the Everglades. Then he goes and digs up half of west Broward. This guy should not be a Florida Fish and Wildlife commissioner.
February 20th, 2013 at 10:42 pm
Hey Lonnie I am down in South Floruda trying to get a hold of you for a project. Email me please.