Dozens of residents packed the Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners meeting Dec. 9 to voice opposition to a large-scale development proposed by Pulte Homes that would transform nearly 4,900 acres of agricultural land into a sprawling residential and commercial project.
The proposal calls for thousands of homes, a golf course and commercial development on property located south of the DeSoto County line, north of Palm Shores Boulevard and east of U.S. 17, also known as Duncan Road. About half of the acreage would be developed under the plan. The land is currently zoned to allow one residential unit per 10 acres.
The project has faced resistance since earlier this year. In May, the county’s Planning and Zoning Board voted 3-1 against the proposal, citing concerns about scale, compatibility and infrastructure impacts. Those concerns resurfaced during the hours-long land-use portion of the Dec. 9 meeting, where residents repeatedly urged commissioners to halt the project.
A location map shows the proposed Pulte Homes development site south of the DeSoto County line, north of Palm Shores Boulevard and east of U.S. 17 in Charlotte County.
Charlotte County government
Commission Chair Joe Tiseo reminded speakers that the meeting was a transmittal hearing, not a vote to approve the development or rezone the property. The purpose, he said, was to determine whether the proposal should be sent to state agencies for review. While Tiseo ultimately voted to move the plan forward for that review, he said he had reservations and wished the board had held a workshop before reaching that point.
Commissioner Chris Constance shared those misgivings and voted against transmitting the proposal, joined by Commissioner Stephen R. Deutsch. Both said the scope and potential impacts of the development warranted additional local discussion before state review.
Charlotte County Commission Chair Joe Tiseo speaks during a Dec. 9 land use hearing on the proposed Pulte Homes development, emphasizing the meeting was a transmittal hearing rather than a final vote.
Charlotte County government
Residents who spoke warned that approval of the project would irreversibly alter one of the last remaining open areas in Charlotte County. The land, they said, supports meadowlands and wildlife habitat and is surrounded by rural communities where many residents own horses and cattle on 5-acre or larger homesites.
Wildlife photographer, artist and author David Sussman told commissioners, “This project would destroy a large part of our environment and wildlife that resides there.” He listed several species he said rely on the land, including some that are endangered or federally protected.
Other residents raised concerns about construction noise, traffic from thousands of additional vehicles and strain on public services. Speakers cited the possible need for a new or expanded fire station, increased law enforcement presence, additional school buses and potentially a new school. Some also warned of higher taxes to pay for infrastructure improvements.
Environmental issues also were a recurring theme. Residents expressed fears about runoff from development flowing into creeks and the nearby river that supplies potable water to the area after treatment. Former state legislator and Realtor Lindsay Harrington urged commissioners to reject the proposal, raising concerns about downstream impacts and infrastructure demands.
Wildlife photographer, artist and author David Sussman addresses county commissioners Dec. 9, citing environmental and wildlife concerns related to the proposed Pulte Homes development.
Charlotte County government
Harrington said approval of the project could eventually require a bridge connecting Sandhill Boulevard in Port Charlotte to Palm Shores. He also warned that construction could disturb phosphate and limestone deposits beneath the river, potentially increasing the risk of sinkholes.
During the meeting, commissioners questioned Derek Rooney, an attorney representing Pulte Homes, about whether the developer would consider reducing the scale of the project. After consulting with his client by phone, Rooney said Pulte would reduce the number of residential units by 2,000, bringing the total to 6,000. He also said the amount of land reserved for economic development would be reduced from 1.5 million square feet to 1 million square feet, while 500,000 square feet of commercial space would remain unchanged.
Rooney noted that Pulte previously increased the number of residential units and economic development space, citing higher-than-expected project costs and expenses related to studies and a pattern book prepared for the development.
A conceptual site plan outlines Pulte Homes’ proposed large-scale development in rural Charlotte County, which includes thousands of residential units, commercial space and preserved open areas.
Charlotte County government
Tiseo pushed back on that explanation, telling Rooney he could not recall approving a transmittal or application because a developer said the project needed to grow because it “costs too much.”
Commissioner Ken Doherty, who voted in favor of transmitting the proposal, said the review process should continue. “It wouldn’t be responsible for us not to transmit to state agencies for their comments,” he said.
The proposal now will be reviewed by multiple state agencies, including the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Department of Transportation, Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Department of Economic Opportunity.
Following that review, the plan is expected to return to the Board of County Commissioners for an adoption hearing, tentatively scheduled for March.