Hernando County commissioners approve Pinery Community Development District for 1,072-acre project

The Hernando County Board of County Commissioners voted 4-0 to adopt Ordinance No. 2025-04 on the petition to establish the Pinery Community Development District, a proposed special-purpose unit covering roughly 1,072 acres east of Mayberry Road.

The CDD petition was filed by SV Tampa Land LP. The district, commonly referred to in public remarks as the Seville or The Dunes project, would be used to finance and operate public infrastructure — utilities, stormwater, roads and other internal improvements — for a large residential development that speakers said could ultimately include thousands of units.

County staff and the petitioner framed the hearing as a limited decision about the financing and maintenance entity rather than project layout. "What we're talking about today is what sort of entity is going to [finance and] operate maintenance of the infrastructure," said Jarrett Earlywine of QTAC Brock, representing the petitioner. Earlywine and other petitioner representatives noted the CDD is authorized under Chapter 190 of the Florida Statutes and that the petition met the county's statutory criteria.

Opponents and nearby residents who spoke raised concerns about public safety, flood control, traffic and home sizes. "We don't see law enforcement there now," said resident Ken Sedario, describing the existing neighborhood and expressing worry about policing if thousands of new homes are built nearby. Resident Michael Katane asked about minimum home sizes and how new construction would relate to 14 existing lots adjacent to the project.

Commissioner Champion said he is wary of CDDs and how their assessments affect homeowners over time, saying, "I hate CDD fees. I hate these things because they stick with the community forever." Petitioner representatives and county staff responded that a CDD places assessment funding into a trustee account and that county taxpayers are not liable for CDD debt; petitioner counsel cited Chapter 190 and said county debt obligations would not arise from the district.

Staff and several speakers explained the property has long-standing entitlements through an earlier, large-scale development approval (a vested DRI/master-plan entitle­ment). County Development Services Director Omar De Pablo described existing public infrastructure in the area: an access road from U.S. 19, a county well field and a pump station and force main that run to a regional wastewater treatment facility. Those existing features affect how the project can be built and how drainage is handled.

The board added a clarifying statement on the record — that if portions of the property were to escheat to the county, the county could return certain parcels to the CDD to avoid carrying costs — and approved the ordinance by roll call vote: Amsler, Alaco, Champion and Vice Chairman Campbell voting "Aye." The motion was made by Commissioner Alaco and seconded by Commissioner Champion.

What the board approved was the CDD entity and related ordinance; detailed project approvals (lot sizes, road realignments, conditional plats) will continue through the county's planning and permitting processes. Petitioner and staff said the first phase already in a conditional plat calls for roughly 708 units, and any future change to entitlements would require a separate master-plan process.

The board's action: ordinance adopted 4-0 to establish the Pinery Community Development District. Public comments and staff clarifications at the hearing focused on law enforcement coverage, drainage and how CDD assessments affect homeowners — items petitioners and staff said will be addressed as the project moves through platting and engineering review.