Residents of Saddlebrook Resort packed the Pasco County Commission chambers again this week to comment on plans by its owner to update and further develop the resort community.
But some of the speakers actually spoke in favor of the proposal, in contrast to those who showed up for another hearing in February in opposition.
The application to change the land uses on the site was one of three major development requests heard by commissioners Tuesday that could transform parts of Pasco. The others would convert the massive 2,900-acre 4G Ranch in Land O’ Lakes into housing and change 300 acres in Shady Hills to industrial uses.
Each got the commission’s approval to move forward to the next level of review by the state Department of Economic Opportunity.
Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel
Two months ago, the County Commission deferred a decision on the Saddlebrook plan after hours of opposition and questions about owner Mast Capital’s plans. Those changes would add apartments on State Road 54 near the Wesley Chapel community’s scenic entrance, redevelop the two 18-hole Arnold Palmer golf courses into 27 holes and move the driving range on the highway to a more isolated spot.
The delay allowed more discussion between Mast, which bought the resort for $15 million a year ago, and residents. On Tuesday, residents were more evenly divided between supporters and opponents. After more than three hours, county commissioners voted 4-1 to approve transmitting a change in the county’s blueprint for growth to the state, an initial step for the 550-acre project to proceed.
Commission chairperson Jack Mariano voted no over continuing concerns about changing the iconic golf course and other plan details.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/QFHP4XI2E5DKZKC2FPJJ57BTV4.jpg "The 480-acre Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel has been sold to a Miami real estate investor for an undisclosed sum.")
Property owners with interests in the resort presented survey results that indicated they supported much-needed upgrades in amenities. The survey also found they are willing to trade the developer for those benefits by supporting new apartment and commercial development on the highway to provide capital for those projects.
They were also happy that Mast Capital agreed to a deed restriction that would protect the area of the golf course from development into something else in the future.
Other residents still did not want to see their signature golf courses changed, especially by building 465 apartment units and additional townhomes on State Road 54.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/I5FJWH3TVBD6LFU6OOWWEBL4I4.jpg "Keep up with all things Pasco County")
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Explore all your optionsThe specific development proposal would still require commission approval if the state signs off on the plan.
4G Ranch in Land O’ Lakes
Commissioners also pushed forward a proposed change to the massive 4G Ranch into a residential community in Land O’ Lakes.
The applicant is asking for up to 3,800 residences and 300,000 square feet of office and retail space spread across more than 2,900 acres of land. Located just over 2 miles east of U.S. 41 on the north side of SR 52, the ranch is one of several large parcels of undeveloped land designated as a transition area between the higher density development in West Pasco and more rural East Pasco.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/GNPB3PZJFNEINFOHE3WH2A5PKQ.jpg "The entrance to the 4G Ranch north of State Road 52 in central Pasco County.")
At last month’s Planning Commission meeting, the applicant’s representative said that half of the site was slated for development in the near term while the other half which contains the ranch house would remain in the family for the time being.
Surrounding land owners have met with the applicant to discuss buffering where the ranch property touches theirs. There was little comment at Tuesday’s meeting.
Shady Hills industrial site
Also winning commissioner approval Tuesday was a proposed conversion of 300 acres of land known as Greenfield Place West Industrial from residential and employment center land use to light industrial.
The site is located west of the Suncoast Parkway along Softwind Way approximately a mile and a half north of State Road 52.
Nearby resident Jen Kerouac argued that the location doesn’t work and told the planning commission last month that Shady Hills Road has four schools and increasing traffic. She and others in the neighborhood, worried about this project and the plastics plant approved for adjacent land to the north of the site.
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April 06, 2023 at 05:00PM
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Residents fear Pasco's Saddlebrook Resort could lose its curb appeal - Tampa Bay Times
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