Developer, Tampa General seek Citrus Hills DRI changes to allow 400‑bed hospital, helipad

The Citrus County Planning and Development Commission at its March meeting recommended approval, by a 6‑1 vote, of amendments to the Citrus Hills development of regional impact (DRI) that would allow Hampton Hills LLC and Florida Health Sciences Center doing business as Tampa General Hospital to develop approximately 53 acres in Parcel A for a hospital site, including provisions for a medical helipad and increases in allowable nonresidential square footage.

The commission’s recommendation sends the application (PUD 3064) to the Board of County Commissioners with conditions including a required Type C buffer where the expanded business/commercial office (BCO) use would abut residential land to the north. The motion, moved by Commissioner Robert Sherra and seconded by Commissioner Michael Facemeyer, passed six‑one; Commissioner David Bramblett recorded the lone opposing vote.

Why it matters: Applicants and county staff told the commission that Citrus County’s existing hospitals and emergency departments are frequently at capacity and that a centrally located regional hospital would serve a gap in acute care. The application proposes a multi‑phase hospital project (applicant materials show an initial phase of roughly 120 beds with later expansion to a 400‑bed facility), a helipad, added commercial square footage to accommodate the hospital and related uses, and limited land‑use shifts within the DRI.

Applicant presentation and requests Eric Abel, vice president of Hampton Hills LLC, and Addie (“Ady”) Clark, director of entitlements for Gardner Brewer Hudson, presented the proposal on behalf of the developer and Tampa General Hospital. They said Tampa General holds a contractual interest in 53 acres of Parcel A and proposes a top‑tier regional hospital with supporting medical office buildings, parking and a ground‑level helipad. Clark said the hospital’s planning reflects current ED capacity issues at the county’s two existing hospitals and anticipated population growth, adding that phase 1 could be roughly 120 beds with later build‑out to 400 beds.

Abel and Clark described four principal requests: (1) increase allowable BCO/nonresidential development to accommodate hospital square footage (the original filing sought 2,000,000 square feet and was revised to request 1,300,000 square feet and an allowance expressed as up to a 400‑bed hospital); (2) authorization to design, construct and operate a medical helipad on Parcel A, subject to permitting; (3) a 10% increase in certain nonresidential categories (community commercial, neighborhood services and community facility); and (4) flexibility to create nonresidential outparcels with internal access drives, subject to county engineering approval. Clark said helipad permitting would require FDOT Aviation and/or FAA approvals.

Staff recommendation and conditions Joanna Cattu, Land Development staff, summarized the DRI history and the staff recommendation. Staff’s proposed conditions included: increasing maximum BCO square footage (and adding an allowance expressed as a hospital sized to 400 beds), allowing a helipad subject to FAA/FDOT and permitting requirements, increasing community commercial/neighborhood services/community facility square footage by 10%, permitting internal access‑drive outparcels with county engineering approval, and affirming all other existing DRI conditions. During the meeting staff and the applicant agreed to add a requirement for a minimum Type C buffer where expanded BCO abuts residential lands to the north of Parcel A; the commission adopted that buffer as part of the recommendation.

Public comment and issues raised About a dozen residents spoke during the public comment period. Speakers’ concerns clustered around traffic and access (particularly Forest Ridge Boulevard and nearby school traffic), potential noise from helicopters and ambulances, parking and stormwater/retention impacts, topography and the practicality of surface versus structured parking, and the proximity of commercial BCO uses to existing residential areas. Several speakers supported the helipad and additional hospital capacity as a life‑safety improvement.

Addie Clark characterized the county’s existing emergency‑department situation to the commission: “It’s kind of when you’re at the emergency room, and then you are being … kind of stuck in that waiting,” she said, describing ED diversion and long waits as part of the rationale for a centrally located hospital. Bruce Miller, a Terra Vista resident, told the commission he supported the helipad because of lives that could be saved. Eric Abel said the applicant would accept a buffer between the proposed BCO expansion and Forest Ridge Village: “We agree, and we’re in full agreement with that idea,” he said.

Commission discussion and outcome Commissioners who spoke cited the county’s need for expanded acute care, the site’s central location, and a mix of practical concerns about traffic, buffers and topography. Commissioner Michael Facemeyer said the application met a critical need and described personal familiarity with care received at Tampa General. Commissioner David Bramblett said he would not support the conversion of a portion of high‑density residential to BCO that abuts Forest Ridge and asked that concern be noted; the final motion included the Type C buffer condition but did not remove the BCO conversion.

Votes at a glance - Motion: Recommend approval of application PUD3064 (Hampton Hills LLC / Tampa General Hospital) with staff conditions and the added Type C buffer where BCO abuts residential lands. - Mover: Commissioner Robert Sherra. - Second: Commissioner Michael Facemeyer. - Vote: Passed 6‑1 (Yes: Richard Varmez; Robert Sherra; Stuart Boseman; Jeanette Collins; Michael Facemeyer; Kurt Stone. No: David Bramblett.)

Next steps Staff recorded that the application is scheduled for consideration by the Board of County Commissioners on April 8 at 5:01 p.m.; the commission’s recommendation and the record from this hearing will be included in that BOCC packet.

Ending County staff and the applicant will return to the Board of County Commissioners for final action. County engineering, FDOT/FAA permitting for the helipad and any site‑level development applications will follow the land‑use approvals and are expected to address detailed traffic, parking, stormwater and access plans.