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Commissioners approve Meritage Homes rezoning on Livingston Avenue over residents’ compatibility and traffic concerns
Summary
By a 4–1 vote, Hillsborough County commissioners approved a rezoning to allow 86 single‑family homes on Livingston Avenue despite residents’ objections about neighborhood compatibility, road capacity and reliance on future improvements.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY — Hillsborough County commissioners on July 21 approved a rezoning that will allow Meritage Homes to build 86 single‑family homes on a 45.89‑acre parcel adjacent to Interstate 275, a decision that drew sustained opposition from nearby residents over traffic and neighborhood character.
The board voted 4–1 to approve PD260560 after legal and expert argument on both sides; Commissioner Hagan was recorded as the lone dissent. The applicant presented the proposal as a reduced‑density option — 1.87 dwelling units per gross acre — with increased lot widths and enhanced buffering to ease transitions to adjacent, lower‑density properties.
Why it mattered: Neighbors said the subdivision is out of scale with the rural‑character neighborhoods immediately north of I‑275 and that Livingston Avenue is already operating poorly. Opponents pressed the board to prioritize compatibility and to avoid approving a development that would rely on hypothetical or long‑range road widening.
What opponents said: Attorney Alan Vernick, representing residents, told the board the recommendation ‘‘misapplies the Lutz Community Plan’’ and argued that plan compliance alone does not prove compatibility. Resident Valerie Rebecci summarized traffic findings from the record and said Livingston Avenue is ‘‘a substandard two‑lane rural collector road operating at level of service F’’ and that the project would increase daily trips from about 621 to 959 per day. Resident Maria Elena D’Amico urged the board to consider the Lutz Community Plan’s purpose of preserving East Lutz’s semi‑rural character.
Applicant’s case: Counsel and project experts said the proposal is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and the Lutz Community Plan for the portion of the site inside the urban service area. Traffic consultant Michael Yates said intersection analyses showed acceptable levels of service for the project entrances under the data used in the applicants’ study and described right‑of‑way dedications, a proposed northbound left turn lane, paved shoulders and a five‑foot sidewalk as part of the frontage improvements.
Board discussion and conditions: Commissioners debated compatibility and infrastructure. Several noted the applicant had cut density and added buffers in response to prior concerns. As part of the motion to approve, the board directed removal of an emergency access connection on Curry Road and asked that mobility fees be applied toward improvements near the project frontage on Livingston Avenue.
Outcome and next steps: The rezoning was approved 4–1 (Commissioner Hagan voted no). The record shows planning staff and the Zoning Hearing Master recommended approval. If the project proceeds, the county will track required site improvements, right‑of‑way dedications and any mobility‑fee agreements and conditions attached by the board.
Context: The item drew sustained public comment and expert testimony and was treated as a quasi‑judicial matter; the board’s decision turned on the record of consistency with the Comprehensive Plan and whether the proposed design provides a compatible transition to neighboring lots.
