BROOKSVILLE — A plan to rezone 314 acres across 10 parcels in the eastern part of the county, near the Pasco County border, moved forward at the Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 13 despite concerns from nearby residents and commissioners.
Riopelle Properties LLC is seeking to rezone the land from agricultural and industrial uses to allow residential development, including both single-family homes and multifamily housing.
The development would include single-family detached homes, townhomes and villas, with the townhome and villa units on the northern portion transitioning to single-family homes to the south. The developer proposes 988 units total, with the final mix to be determined during conditional plat approval.
The site sits at the southeast corner of Kettering Road and Dashbach Street.
Riopelle Properties requested deviations on setbacks, maximum building coverage, minimum lot width and minimum lot size.
Proposed lot widths for single-family homes have become contentious in Hernando County. While 45-foot widths were approved for some developments, officials now regret those decisions because of density issues.
Chairwoman Kathryn Birren said she didn’t want any more 45-foot-wide lots in the county and urged the petitioner to change the widths to 55 feet, even if it meant fewer homes. Other commissioners agreed.
Nearby resident Bob Morgan said the push for 45-foot lots could be summed up in one word starting with G: greed.
National developers moved into the county and pushed 45-foot lots because that’s what happened in Pasco County, he said, and now they want it to happen in Hernando.
“I would support a 10-foot minimum setback, and 55-foot lots,” he said.
Pamela and Cedric Ware own property on Thoroughbred Drive, just south of the proposed development. A 10-acre park in the southern part of the development would sit next to their property, Pamela Ware said. She and her husband moved there in 2020 to live an agricultural lifestyle, and had been assured the 10 acres would not be developed.
“We were dismayed and horrified when we found out about all the development,” she said.
In addition to a vegetation buffer, the Wares want a wall installed.
Without one, she said, “there would be no privacy for them and us.”
Don Lacey of Coastal Engineering, representing the applicant, said the park would be “passive,” the property owner already has a fence, and there would be a 60-foot buffer with vegetation on the development’s side.
After a lengthy discussion about lot widths and density, commissioners voted 4-1 to recommend approval. The matter now goes to the County Commission.
Member Axl David cast the dissenting vote.
In other action
The vommission voted 5-0 to approve a family’s request for rezoning for a hobby farm.
The panel voted 5-0 to deny a property owner’s request to build a single-family home on land at Waterfall Drive and Eden Circle in Spring Hill. A nearby resident said the land has turtles and wildlife, and people in the community walk their dogs there and don’t want development. The petitioner did not appear for the hearing.