Council approves first reading for Springside Crossing rezoning after lengthy public debate

The Brooksville City Council approved on first reading an ordinance (Ordinance No. 984) to rezone roughly 462.3 acres in the Southern Hills/Cascades area into a single planned development, branded by the applicant as "Springside Crossing," after more than three hours of testimony, technical presentation and public comment.

City planning director David Hainley had qualified as an expert witness and staff recommended the rezoning as consistent with the city comprehensive plan; the ordinance passed on first reading by a 4‑1 roll call vote. The rezoning folds a recently annexed 49‑acre tract on U.S. 41 into the remaining phases of the Cascades master plan, lowers the previously requested unit count and adds public‑facing commitments by the developer.

Why it matters: The approved zoning determines what type of housing and infrastructure can be built and where traffic and stormwater impacts will be concentrated. Residents who live along Powell Road and nearby agricultural parcels raised concerns that development could change historical drainage patterns and increase flood risk to properties downstream.

Developer and plan changes Cliff Manuel of Coastal Engineering, representing the applicant, told the council the project is compatible with existing city approvals dating to the early 2000s and that the developer, a national builder, acquired a 49‑acre tract on U.S. 41 and proposed to combine it with the uncompleted Cascades phases 3 and 4 into one PDD. Manuel said the applicant reduced the proposed total unit count from the original submittal to 888 units, removed a commercial frontage planned earlier, increased buffers and agreed to reserve a roughly 3‑acre parcel on U.S. 41 for up to three years for city consideration as a fire station site.

Manuel also described engineering work and referenced the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and FEMA watershed mapping for the Powell Road watershed, noting that Powell Road is in a basin that SWFWMD and FEMA have previously modeled: "When SWFWMD came here, they told you that the Powell Road watershed is the only one of the three district watersheds in that area that has been formalized and completed with FEMA," Manuel said.

Staff responses and conditions Community Development Director David Hainley told council staff had worked with the applicant on several changes requested by residents: larger undisturbed buffers, a 50‑foot setback from Powell Road for housing, removal of the originally proposed commercial area adjacent to U.S. 41, and a transportation study at preliminary plat review. Hainley also noted the site plan handed out at the hearing (showing the fire station parcel) should be referenced if council motions to approve.

Public concerns Dozens of residents testified, with objections focused on drainage and compatibility with surrounding agricultural land. Michael Delohy (19108 Powell Road) described repeated flooding on and near Powell Road and urged the council to stop further impacts: "You can stop it. We can't keep doing this to the people and flood us and all the other stuff," he said. Multiple residents from the Squirrel Prairie/Powell Road area and Hernando Oaks described prior flood events and disputed whether older watershed studies still reflect present conditions after more development.

Applicant replies and commitments The applicant said construction access would not be from Powell Road and that buffers and berms would be used to manage runoff; Manuel also agreed to reserve the U.S. 41 parcel for a potential fire station and to work with the city on additional mitigation measures such as berming along Powell Road where appropriate.

What the vote did and next steps Council approved the ordinance on first reading, 4‑1. The council required the record incorporate the updated site plan distributed at the hearing (which shows the fire station parcel). The rezoning will return for second reading and final action; staff and the applicant will prepare conditions and a revised ordinance for that hearing. If the rezoning is adopted at second reading, subsequent development phases will require construction plans, transportation studies and SWFWMD/FEMA compliance for drainage.

Ending note The council's first‑reading approval moves the Springside Crossing master plan forward while leaving scope for additional technical review and conditions at final hearing and during platting and permitting.