Pasco commissioners approve 178-unit Enclave at Livingston with conditions after drainage, traffic debate

The Pasco County Board of County Commissioners approved a rezoning request for the Enclave at Livingston master planned unit development, allowing up to 178 townhome units on about 46 acres, after a lengthy hearing in which residents pressed the developer and county staff on traffic, construction access and downstream flooding.

The board approved the rezoning (PDE267781) by a 3-2 vote, with the motion carrying after the developer agreed to accelerate intersection and roadway work and to carry a larger-than-required stormwater program. The applicant and county staff said the project’s density — about 3.8 dwelling units per acre — is below the site’s Residential-6 future land use designation.

Commissioners, residents and staff focused most of the debate on two technical areas: mitigation of queuing and delay at the State Road 54–Livingston Avenue intersection, and a long-running downstream drainage blockage where a private driveway culvert constricts flow into Cypress Creek. Neighbors asked the county to require intersection improvements and to solve the blocked culvert before new homes are occupied.

Staff and the applicant offered several measures. The developer agreed to restripe and reconfigure the northbound approach at the SR‑54/Livingston intersection — converting lanes to add a shared through/right lane and a dedicated right‑turn lane — and to fund signal modifications and related pavement work. Traffic consultant Steve Henry of Links & Associates described the plan as a targeted mitigation and said, “we believe that this improvement will mitigate the impact to the intersection.” The board added and accepted language making the intersection improvements and related work a condition to be completed before the final building inspection for the first residential unit.

On drainage, project engineer Jeremy Couch said the site sits on a higher elevation and that project ponds would be sized to hold more runoff than required. Couch said the design would “reduce the discharges by 30% from our site” for the 25‑year design storm and would reduce peak discharge for the 100‑year event by roughly 11 percent. He said the team already holds permits with the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the county for the proposed stormwater designs.

Many residents remained concerned about a separate, existing constriction in the drainage system upstream of Cypress Creek. County Attorney Nikki Spiritos told the board the constriction is on private property, and the county lacks the legal right to unilaterally enter and replace a driveway culvert; she said the county previously offered to install a larger culvert at no cost but the property owner declined to grant an easement. Spiritos said county staff would pursue enforcement and other avenues but that private property rights and existing permitting history limit immediate county action.

Applicant and neighborhood commitments: the developer agreed to build and stabilize the Livingston Avenue extension to serve as construction access rather than using 20 Mile Level Road except for limited utility work; to provide a 10‑foot buffer and six‑foot vinyl fence adjacent to certain existing townhomes; and to provide the intersection restriping and signal work described above. Project materials show the developer also will dedicate right‑of‑way to extend the county’s “vision road” and contribute mobility and impact fees.

Public comment was strongly mixed. Neighbors raised safety and emergency access concerns, described earlier episodes of localized flooding, and urged that intersection upgrades be done before occupancy; applicant witnesses said the project’s own road and drainage commitments would reduce impacts compared with existing conditions.

The board’s action included an amended timing condition requiring completion of the intersection and signal work prior to the final building inspection for the first residential unit. The motion passed 3–2. The county will monitor construction access, drainage permit compliance and the county attorney’s follow-up with enforcement and negotiation on the private culvert issue.

The developer’s binding concept plan and traffic/stormwater studies were presented to the Planning Commission and staff (Planning, Development & Economic Growth recommended approval). The project record includes a SWFWMD permit application and engineering exhibits provided by Tampa Civil and Links & Associates.