OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Hillsborough County BOCC Public Hearing on Lutz Lake Fern Road Amendments and Zoning – March 26, 2026

Hillsborough County Archive View Page — Thursday, March 26, 2026
BodyHillsborough County, Florida
SessionHillsborough County Archive View Page
DateThursday, March 26, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:20:55

Transcript — Verbatim
1:56

Good evening and welcome to the Board of County Commissioners Comprehensive Plan Amendment Public Hearing.

2:01

The Board of County Commissioners will consider the transmittal and adoption of amendments in the comprehensive plan.

2:06

The board will also consider an application for rezoning, which will be uh considered concurrently with the related applications for future land use amendments.

2:14

Uh before we get started uh this evening, we have two commissioners that will be participating uh virtually, uh Commissioner Bowles and Commissioner Wolstall uh submitted a letter saying uh Commissioner Willstill uh will attend the upcoming public hearing virtually due to the recent birth of his baby girl.

2:30

So both of them will be participating virtually this evening.

2:34

Uh but before we begin with the agenda, there's a request for the continuance of CPA twenty-five-thirty-eight to the May 14, 2026 comprehensive plan amendment public hearing at six p.m.

2:45

Can we have a motion and vote to continue?

2:47

So moved.

2:48

Second.

2:48

Motion Commissioner Cohen, second commissioner Myers, please record your vote on the continuance.

2:54

Commissioner Bowles.

3:04

Commissioner Wolstall.

3:06

Commissioner Wolfell is that in the meeting.

3:14

Okay.

3:15

Um those others that are considering speaking this evening.

3:20

I'll ask you to uh please stand um so the clerk can square you in.

3:33

Do you swear or affirm that the testimony you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

3:40

Thank you.

3:40

You may be seated.

3:41

Okay.

3:42

Uh board members, we've got over uh 40 individuals that have signed up to speak this evening, uh, consistent with previous action.

3:48

I'd ask for motion for each individual to be given two minutes.

3:53

Motion Commissioner Cohen, second Commissioner Myers, please record your vote.

4:01

Commissioner Bowles.

4:03

Yes.

4:08

Motion carried six to zero.

4:10

Okay.

4:14

Yes, sir.

4:15

Thank you.

4:15

For the record, Melissa Linehard, Planning Commission staff.

4:18

Items B1 and B2 will be presented by Ms.

4:21

Gillian Massey.

4:22

Thank you.

4:24

Good evening.

4:25

Good evening.

4:25

Uh Gillian Massey with Planning Commission staff.

4:28

I'll be presenting first HC CPA 25-04, which is Lutz Lake Fern Road, the Urban Service Area Expansion Request.

4:38

This is a privately initiated large scale map amendment located on approximately 300 acres.

5:00

The board last held a public hearing on these two items on May 8, 2025, and approved the transmittal of the amendments to the state for further comment.

5:08

The location of the site is in the northwest portion of unincorporated county.

5:12

It's within the limits of the Keystone Odessa Community Plan and in the rural area.

5:19

This aerial photo shows the subject site outlined in pink.

5:22

The blue line represents the urban service area boundary.

5:25

The areas southeast of the blue line are currently within the urban service area border.

5:31

The surrounding development pattern is rural in nature with large lot single family residential to the west and south.

5:38

The smaller lot single family that you see to the east is due to clustering.

5:42

However, future land uses in the immediate area are at a rural scale density.

5:47

A portion of the site contains wetlands.

5:49

The site also contains significant wildlife habitat and is within the 100-year floodplain.

5:56

If approved, this amendment this request would expand the urban service area by approximately 300 acres and would also require connection to sewer and public water utilities.

6:07

The request was sent out for agency review, and you'll find those comments in your packet.

6:12

There were no formal objections.

6:13

However, the public utilities department mentioned that the existing potable water infrastructure may not have sufficient capacity to serve the development within the expansion area.

6:23

They also noted that the existing wastewater infrastructure does not have sufficient capacity to serve the development within the expansion area.

6:31

Conservation and environmental lands management raised the following concerns that the increase in density of structures allowed should the expansion be approved will would significantly increase the amount of wildland urban interface.

6:44

Their agency would have to mitigate to ensure public safety.

6:48

As mentioned earlier, both of the this expansion request and the land use change, which is the following amendment, were transmitted to the state for further review back in May of 2025.

6:59

Responses received were from the Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Protection, and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

7:08

When tasked with how the proposed amendments affect state resources, there were no objections from any of the state agencies.

7:16

The planning commission reviewed the proposal and found it to be inconsistent with the comprehensive plan.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning████████████████████████████████32%
Urban Planning██████████████████████████26%
Environmental Protection██████6%
Public Engagement██████6%
Community Engagement██████6%
Transportation Safety████4%
Legal████4%
Public Safety████4%
Procedural███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners Public Hearing – March 26, 2026

The Board of County Commissioners convened a public hearing on March 26, 2026, at 6:00 PM to consider two large-scale comprehensive plan amendments (HC/CPA 25-04 and HC/CPA 25-03) and a concurrent rezoning (PD 25-0934) for the Lutz Lake Fern Road area. The meeting also included a continuance, two text amendments, and a resolution for transmittal. Over 40 members of the public registered to speak, with most opposing the development proposals. The board voted to deny both comprehensive plan amendments, effectively ending the rezoning application.

Consent Calendar

  • HC/CPA 25-38 Continuance: A request to continue the Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment on ±4.36 acres at 11017 East 92 Highway to the May 14, 2026 public hearing was approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Opposition (majority of speakers): Residents, including representatives from the Keystone Civic Association, Terramore Homeowners Association, and individual property owners, expressed strong opposition to HC/CPA 25-03 and 25-04. Key concerns included:
    • Traffic congestion on Lutz Lake Fern Road, a two-lane road already at capacity, with projected increases of 6,565 daily trips, 160 AM peak hour trips, and 478 PM peak hour trips.
    • Overcrowding at local schools (Hammond Elementary, Martinez Middle, Steinbrenner High) – Steinbrenner already at 98% capacity.
    • Environmental impacts: wetlands, wildlife habitat (gopher tortoises, sandhill cranes), and the Brooker Creek Headwaters Preserve.
    • Water and sewer infrastructure deficiencies: existing potable water and wastewater systems lack sufficient capacity; residents cited concerns about septic systems, sinkholes, and lake levels.
    • Incompatibility with the Keystone-Odessa Community Plan, which calls for rural character and one unit per five acres.
    • The applicant’s history of legal challenges and the precedent of expanding the Urban Service Area (USA) into rural areas.
  • Support (applicant team): Attorney Jim Porter and Todd Pressman argued that the site is an agricultural enclave, surrounded by higher-density development (Pasco County to the north, Terramore to the east, Cheval to the south). They noted that the state agencies (Florida Department of Commerce, FDOT, FDEP, FWC) found no objections, and that the proposed 392 homes (1.38 units per gross acre) would preserve 70% of the site as wetlands and open space. They offered to drop the RV park option to address community concerns.

Discussion Items

  • HC/CPA 25-04 (Urban Service Area Expansion): Proposed to expand the USA by ±295.6 acres to include the subject site. The Planning Commission found the amendment inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan, citing failure to meet criteria for logical extension of development pattern and conflict with the Keystone-Odessa Community Plan. The board voted 4–3 to deny the amendment.
    • Vote: Motion to deny by Chair Hagen, second by Commissioner Bowles. Yes: Hagen, Bowles, Myers, Miller. No: Cepeda, Cohen, Wolstall.
  • HC/CPA 25-03 (Future Land Use Change to RES-4): Proposed to change ±308.89 acres from Agricultural Rural-1/5 to Residential-4, allowing up to 4 units per acre. The Planning Commission found it inconsistent with rural area policies and the community plan. The board voted 6–1 to deny.
    • Vote: Motion to deny by Commissioner Cohen, second by Commissioner Miller. Yes: Cohen, Hagen, Bowles, Myers, Miller, Wolstall. No: Cepeda.
  • Concurrent Rezoning (PD 25-0934): The rezoning to Planned Development for either 392 single-family homes plus 100,405 sq ft commercial or 392 RV spaces plus commercial was dependent on the CPAs. Since both CPAs were denied, no action was taken on the rezoning.
  • Text Amendments (C1 and C2): Both were approved unanimously.
    • C1 (HC/CPA 25-26): Renamed the “SouthShore Areawide Systems Plan” to the “South Hillsborough County Plan” within the Livable Communities Element. Approved 7–0.
    • C2 (HC/CPA 25-29): Added a new “Rural Light Industrial” future land use category and definition of “Limited Light Industrial Uses” to allow for small-scale industrial uses compatible with rural character. Approved 7–0.

Key Outcomes

  • HC/CPA 25-04 (USA Expansion): Denied (4–3).
  • HC/CPA 25-03 (RES-4 Land Use Change): Denied (6–1).
  • Rezoning PD 25-0934: No action taken; automatically withdrawn due to denial of companion CPAs.
  • HC/CPA 25-38 (Continuance): Approved to May 14, 2026.
  • HC/CPA 25-26 (Text Amendment – South Hillsborough Plan): Approved for transmittal (7–0).
  • HC/CPA 25-29 (Text Amendment – Rural Light Industrial Category): Approved for transmittal (7–0).
  • Resolution for Transmittal: Approved for the two text amendments (7–0).

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome to the Board of County Commissioners Comprehensive Plan Amendment Public Hearing. The Board of County Commissioners will consider the transmittal and adoption of amendments in the comprehensive plan. The board will also consider an application for rezoning, which will be uh considered concurrently with the related applications for future land use amendments. Uh before we get started uh this evening, we have two commissioners that will be participating uh virtually, uh Commissioner Bowles and Commissioner Wolstall uh submitted a letter saying uh Commissioner Willstill uh will attend the upcoming public hearing virtually due to the recent birth of his baby girl. So both of them will be participating virtually this evening. Uh but before we begin with the agenda, there's a request for the continuance of CPA twenty-five-thirty-eight to the May 14, 2026 comprehensive plan amendment public hearing at six p.m. Can we have a motion and vote to continue? So moved. Second. Motion Commissioner Cohen, second commissioner Myers, please record your vote on the continuance. Commissioner Bowles. Commissioner Wolstall. Commissioner Wolfell is that in the meeting. Okay. Um those others that are considering speaking this evening. I'll ask you to uh please stand um so the clerk can square you in. Do you swear or affirm that the testimony you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Thank you. You may be seated. Okay. Uh board members, we've got over uh 40 individuals that have signed up to speak this evening, uh, consistent with previous action. I'd ask for motion for each individual to be given two minutes. Motion Commissioner Cohen, second Commissioner Myers, please record your vote. Commissioner Bowles. Yes. Motion carried six to zero. Okay. Yes, sir. Thank you. For the record, Melissa Linehard, Planning Commission staff. Items B1 and B2 will be presented by Ms. Gillian Massey. Thank you. Good evening. Good evening. Uh Gillian Massey with Planning Commission staff. I'll be presenting first HC CPA 25-04, which is Lutz Lake Fern Road, the Urban Service Area Expansion Request. This is a privately initiated large scale map amendment located on approximately 300 acres. The board last held a public hearing on these two items on May 8, 2025, and approved the transmittal of the amendments to the state for further comment. The location of the site is in the northwest portion of unincorporated county. It's within the limits of the Keystone Odessa Community Plan and in the rural area. This aerial photo shows the subject site outlined in pink. The blue line represents the urban service area boundary. The areas southeast of the blue line are currently within the urban service area border. The surrounding development pattern is rural in nature with large lot single family residential to the west and south. The smaller lot single family that you see to the east is due to clustering. However, future land uses in the immediate area are at a rural scale density. A portion of the site contains wetlands. The site also contains significant wildlife habitat and is within the 100-year floodplain. If approved, this amendment this request would expand the urban service area by approximately 300 acres and would also require connection to sewer and public water utilities.

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