Planning commissioners recommend County Line North PD and two adjacent MPUDs despite resident traffic and school concerns

The Pasco County Local Planning Agency recommended approval of a comprehensive plan amendment (County Line North PD) and two companion rezoning/master-planned unit developments (Sun City County Line North MPUD and Suncoast Village MPUD) after staff said the projects align with the county's North Market area vision.

Planner Ed Sodium presented the County Line North PD package, telling the commission the proposal is "approximately 38.68 acres" and would build "about 300 town homes and approximately 10,000 square feet of commercial and office space." He said the proposal includes a sub-area policy that limits density and places employment-generating uses on the arterial frontage, with residential behind.

The commission's nut graf: commissioners recommended the plan- and zoning-level changes to align the properties with neighboring PD and MPUD designations, while residents and two commissioners pressed staff and developers for more information about transportation improvements, sewer availability and school impacts.

In discussion, staff said Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is redoing the project development and environmental (PD&E) study for County Line Road and has not given a construction timetable; the FDOT concept shown to staff includes a 4-lane section with the multi-use path on the south side and a sidewalk on the north, but "FDOT has no timeline," staff said. Staff and the applicant also said sewer extensions to the area are underway: developers have worked with the county and utilities partner REPA to bring water and sewer to the corridor and construction of sewer extensions began in January (staff comment).

School assignment was raised: a county schools representative told the commission the development previously would have been assigned to Mary G. L. Elementary but the added parcel split the site between districts; staff said they will resolve school-zone assignment before any building permits are issued.

Public comment included traffic and safety concerns from Shady Hills residents and neighborhood groups. Pastor Jen Kerouac, of Shady Hills Mission Chapel, urged the commission to weigh transportation and public-safety impacts and asked whether any affordable-housing component would be included. Barbara Wilhite, representing the applicants, said the developers coordinated plans among the three adjacent projects to create internal connectivity, preserve park space and place commercial uses on County Line Road.

Commissioners asked for clarity on several technical items: how the interparcel connections will be aligned (staff said Northridge, which is ahead in permitting, effectively sets the alignment), how right-of-way dedication compares to Hernando County's side of the road and whether proposed variations from the Land Development Code (internal buffer/visual screening and emergency access design) were acceptable. Staff said interconnects and cross-access have been conditioned; emergency access modifications were requested because of spacing constraints on County Line Road.

Votes at the meeting: the Local Planning Agency voted to recommend the related comprehensive plan amendment (PC 12) and the two rezoning/MPUD items (PC 13 and PC 14) to the Board of County Commissioners. The three motions passed on voice votes in the Local Planning Agency meeting.

What happens next: the items will move to the Board of County Commissioners for final action. Staff said they will continue coordinating with FDOT and utilities staff on right-of-way and sewer timing, and the applicants will resolve school-zone assignment before vertical construction.

Ending: the planning commission closed the public hearing portion after motions and will forward the package and staff recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners.