A proposed Pulte Homes development that would transform nearly 5,000 acres of agricultural land in Charlotte County into a large-scale residential and commercial project stalled, not because of resident opposition, but due to incomplete and unexecuted agreements with the county.
County commissioners on Feb. 10 unanimously voted to rescind utility-related agreements previously approved with Pulte Homes and Florida Utility Operating Company LLC, known as Central State. The agreements were intended to provide water and wastewater services to the proposed development and surrounding area
County Attorney Tom David recommended rescinding the agreements, telling commissioners that required documents were never fully executed.
“If you do not have fully executed agreements, we do not have a meeting of the minds, and there is no contract,” David said.
The proposed development is located south of the DeSoto County line, north of Palm Shores Boulevard and east of U.S. 17, also known as Duncan Road. The plan calls for thousands of homes, a golf course and commercial development, with roughly half of the nearly 5,000 acres slated for development. The land is currently zoned for one residential unit per 10 acres.
Before the rescission vote, Derek Rooney, an attorney representing Pulte, told commissioners that amendments to the agreements were still needed. He asked the county to consider granting an extension to allow time for the amended documents to be completed and executed.
David cautioned against delaying action, warning that the passage of time could change circumstances in ways that could “result in damages to the county.”
Commissioners ultimately voted 5-0 to rescind the agreements with both Pulte and Central State.
After the meeting, Rooney provided additional context regarding the utilities component of the project. He said the development falls within Charlotte County’s Rural Settlement Area Overlay District, which requires properties in the overlay to be served by centralized utilities.
The overlay and surrounding area, Rooney said, are within the certificated service area of a utility formerly known as Sun River Utilities, which is no longer operating.
“The Florida Public Service Commission has placed it into a receivership with Central State Water Resources, who is tasked with managing the existing utility, which serves a number of homes on the west side of U.S. 17,” Rooney said.
He said existing facilities are in poor condition. Rather than expanding those facilities or constructing a new on-site system, Pulte and Central State were working with Charlotte County to purchase excess wastewater capacity from the county’s system.
Rooney said Central State is required to obtain court approval as part of the receivership process, which has taken longer than anticipated. He said changes to the agreements are expected and that amended documents will be brought back to the county once completed.
The stalled agreements come amid significant public opposition to the broader development proposal.
At a Dec. 9, 2025, land use meeting, residents packed the chambers to speak against the project. Despite the outpouring of opposition, commissioners voted 3-2 to transmit the proposal for review by state agencies, a procedural step that does not constitute final approval.
Residents warned that the development would permanently alter one of the last remaining open areas in Charlotte County. They said the land supports meadowlands and wildlife habitat and is surrounded by rural neighborhoods where many residents keep horses and cattle on 5-acre or larger properties.
A conceptual site plan outlines residential, commercial and open space areas within Pulte Homes’ proposed Rural Settlement Area Overlay District project in Charlotte County. The development spans nearly 5,000 acres.
Charlotte County government
Other speakers raised concerns about construction noise, traffic congestion, the need for expanded public services and potential environmental damage from stormwater runoff into local creeks and the Peace River.
Commissioners Stephen R. Deutsch and Chris Constance voted against transmitting the plan at the December meeting.
The proposal also failed to gain support from the county’s Planning and Zoning Board. In May 2025, the board voted 3-1 against recommending the project for approval by the Board of County Commissioners, citing concerns related to the project’s scale, compatibility with surrounding uses and impacts on infrastructure.
At the December hearing, Commission Chair Joe Tiseo emphasized that the meeting was a transmittal hearing, not a vote to approve the development or rezone the property.
While he voted to move the plan forward for state review, Tiseo said he had reservations and would have preferred a workshop before reaching that stage. He also said that when Pulte returns with revised agreements, the issue should be placed on a future agenda with an opportunity for public comment.
The rescission of the utility agreements leaves the project in limbo as the developer works to resolve contractual and regulatory issues before seeking further county action.