City planning staff briefed the Zephyrhills City Council on Sept. 8 about two county land-use petitions near the city boundaries and urged coordination before those petitions advance.

What staff reported
Todd Vandenberg, the city planning director, told council he had learned that two land-use and zoning petitions under county review would be considered by the county planning commission. Vandenberg said staff had asked the county to continue both hearings to allow city review and to explore coordination because the proposed projects raise questions about compatibility with the city's industrial corridor master plan, transportation plans, and available water and sewer service.

The two areas described in the meeting
- Clark's Landing (Old Lakeland Highway): The applicant proposed a subdivision with 40- and 50-foot-wide lots; Vandenberg said the tract abuts a proposed industrial corridor and that current county proposals for 40/50-foot lots would contrast with the predominantly rural existing lot pattern. Staff described the parcel as roughly 78 acres in the record and said the project sits near the CSX rail corridor and the city's identified industrial expansion area.
- Murphy property (County Road 54 / Forbes Road area): Staff said the project originally proposed about 672 units, that the applicant later reduced that number (the applicant cited a reduction to 434 units in the presentation), and that the site currently has a Res-9 future-land-use designation in county planning (9 dwelling units per acre). The record indicates zoning and density concerns and that utilities would likely be requested from the city.

Staff concerns and legal/process context
Planning staff emphasized water-supply capacity, the city's prior residential moratorium on certain land-use actions, and the need to coordinate with Pasco County before land-use entitlements are finalized. Staff noted the city and county have an existing interlocal agreement and joint planning area and recommended expanded coordination and potentially revising the interlocal agreement.

Senate Bill 180 (discussion)
Staff and council discussed Florida Senate Bill 180, which staff said contains language that could limit local moratoriums in areas within 100 miles of certain named storms and may have retroactive application to storms last year. Staff said legal analysis is ongoing and that the city attorney and other municipal legal resources are reviewing the statute and its implications for the city moratorium and other local land-use controls. No court action or statutory notice had been received at the time of the meeting.

Council direction
Council requested a workshop to review the county petitions, the city's joint-planning-area boundaries and interlocal agreements, water-service capacity and the city's permitting queue. Staff also said it had sent an informational letter to county planning staff and to the attorneys representing the projects requesting time for coordinated review; county staff had agreed to continue hearings to allow further discussion.

Next steps
Staff will prepare a workshop for council and coordinate with county staff and the applicants. Council asked staff to provide the letter sent to the county as background and to coordinate legal review regarding the implications of Senate Bill 180 for the city's moratorium and land-use controls.