Staff presents companion plan amendment and urban service area expansion for large Lutz Lake Fern tract; commissioners flag wetlands and density credits

Planning commission staff briefed the board on companion privately initiated amendments that together seek to expand the urban service area and change future land use on a large tract north of Lutz Lake Fern Road near the Pasco County line.

Krista Kelly and Alexis Myers (presenting related items) described the package: HCCPA 2503 is a large-scale future-land-use amendment proposing a change from Agriculture Rural 1-to-5 to Residential 4 on roughly 208–300 acres; HCCPA 2504 would expand the urban service area by approximately 295 acres to include the same general area. "The proposed change to residential 4 would allow up to 1,235 dwelling units," Kelly said, noting the current agricultural designation allows up to about 61 dwelling units. The companion urban service area amendment would, at minimum, require connection to public water and sewer if approved.

Commissioners raised environmental and practical constraints. Commissioner Bowles and Commissioner Miller asked about wetlands and borrow pits on the site and whether the acreage cited would realistically support the theoretical maximum unit counts. Staff repeatedly cautioned that map amendments are high-level and that wetland density-credit calculations and Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) review occur at rezoning or site-plan stage. "A significant portion of that site is wetlands," planning staff said, and the allowable density at zoning would be subject to the wetland density credit calculation. The staff noted a prior example where a theoretical yield was reduced after density-credit calculations were applied.

The nut graf: together the two amendments would materially increase theoretical residential capacity across a large rural tract, but staff and commissioners emphasized that environmental constraints, wetland density-credit rules and site-level approvals will determine the actual developable yield.

Speakers also noted proximity to existing suburban development across the Suncoast Parkway and nearby preserves such as Brooker Creek Headwaters. Staff said agency comments are expected and will be included in the packet for public hearings; no formal vote was taken at the briefing.

Staff recommended that agency comments and environmental analyses be considered at the transmittal and adoption hearings and reiterated that detailed upland/wetland calculations and EPC review are required before zoning or site development could proceed.