Commission transmits Lutz Lake Fern urban service area expansion and companion map amendment to state review

The Board of County Commissioners voted May 8 to transmit HCCPA 25-04 (urban service area expansion) and HCCPA 25-03 (map amendment for Lutz Lake Fern Road) to state review, despite Planning Commission staff and the Planning Commission finding both amendments inconsistent with the Hillsborough County Comprehensive Plan and the Keystone-Odessa community plan.

The privately initiated HCCPA 25-04 would expand the county’s urban service area by about 295 acres; its companion map amendment HCCPA 25-03 seeks to change approximately 308 acres from Agricultural Rural 1–5 to Residential 4. Planning Commission staff told the board the site contains wetlands, significant upland wildlife habitat and portions in the 100‑year floodplain; the site also contains a borrow pit operation and lies immediately adjacent to the Pasco County line.

Staff and the Planning Commission concluded the requests are inconsistent with rural-area policies that expect low-density development (1 dwelling unit per 5 acres) and with the Keystone-Odessa community plan’s aim to preserve rural character. Review comments from county utilities and EPC raised concerns: Public Utilities said potable water and wastewater distribution infrastructure may not have capacity without upgrades, the School District said nearby schools are projected to be overcapacity if buildout occurred, and EPC warned of permitting challenges due to wetlands. The Planning Commission recommended the board find the amendments inconsistent and not forward them.

The applicant’s team argued the area is functionally contiguous with existing clustered suburban development to the north and east, is within a metropolitan service corridor near the Veterans Expressway, and said the proposed development would be clustered to avoid wetlands and access available utilities; the applicant also stressed this is a transmittal hearing and said final decisions would return to the board later with a companion PD for site-level controls.

During the public hearing a large number of residents and community organizations — including the Keystone Civic Association and multiple homeowners abutting the property — urged denial. Speakers cited the Keystone-Odessa community plan’s intent to keep low density, the presence of wildlife habitat and Brooker Creek headwaters, the borrow-pit footprint, and school and road capacity concerns. Several speakers also referenced prior denials and case law that upheld the county’s decisions to preserve the area’s rural character.

After debate the board moved to transmit both HCCPA 25-04 and HCCPA 25-03 to the state review process; the motions to transmit carried (HCCPA 25‑04 passed 6‑1; HCCPA 25‑03 passed 5‑2). Commissioners recorded votes against from Commissioner Hagan on the USA expansion and Commissioners Cohen and Hagan on the map amendment vote.

Board members and staff noted this was a transmittal action, not a final approval, and state agency review and return hearings would follow. The transmittal will trigger standard state and county technical reviews including utility capacity assessments, school-capacity analyses and wetland/permitting reviews.