Citrus County launches update to its comprehensive plan aiming toward 2050

Steve Howard, host of the county program Citrus County in Focus, said the county must update its comprehensive plan, which was first drafted 35 years ago, and warned that “Hope is not a plan.”

An unidentified county staff member said the plan was last updated in 1990 and that Citrus County has partnered with Inspire Planning and Design to create “a clear vision for our county in 2050.” The staff member said the comprehensive plan is required by Florida Statutes and that the update will guide land use, infrastructure and resource protection for the coming decades.

The staff member outlined topics the update will cover, including housing, transportation, economic development, land use and recreation, and said the county will hold several workshops and pop-up events around Citrus County. Residents can also complete a brief online survey and participate in a community forum to post ideas and follow a project timeline.

County officials framed the outreach as an opportunity to set priorities for growth while preserving the Nature Coast’s character. The staff member encouraged residents to visit the project website and take the survey to share input on priorities such as housing affordability and infrastructure planning.

The county did not provide a decision timeline or specific dates for workshops in the transcript; staff said a project timeline is available online. The transcript does not specify an ordinance or draft language being considered at this stage — the update was presented as a planning process and public-engagement effort.

The next procedural step, as described on the program, is continued public outreach through events and the online portal; no votes or formal approvals were recorded in the transcript.