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Environmental Protection A High Priority For Planned Community

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By LAURA KINSLER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 19, 2008

THONOTOSASSA - Hillsborough County commissioners have rezoned nearly 2,000 acres just north of Hillsborough River State Park to be the county's first environmental planned community.

Two Rivers Preserve, just off U.S. 301, has evolved as a partnership between rancher Robert Thomas and Sierra Properties, which also developed Avila and West Meadows. They also have teamed up to develop a master-planned community on 3,500 acres of ranch land in Pasco County.

Development in the Hillsborough County tract would be limited to limited to 972 single-family units; the zoning requires that 200 units must be housing for seniors. Special care will be taken to protect wetlands, creeks, wildlife corridors and the Hillsborough River. No development would take place within 2,000 feet of the river.

Project manager John White said a start date for construction has not been determined.

"We've still got a good bit of land planning to do," he said.

As a condition of the rezoning, the developer will not be permitted to build more than 110 homes before July 1, 2012.

Plans call for a 45,000-square-foot retail center that would be developed within the same "old Florida style" as the rest of Two Rivers Preserve. Other possible features include an equestrian center, a tennis complex and/or a golf course.

Those decisions will be finalized over the next year, as the developer completes more intensive environmental studies. If the developer elects to build a golf course, it would seek Audubon certification. Audubon courses typically use less water, fewer chemicals and native landscaping, and act as a wildlife and bird sanctuary.

White said that Sierra Properties opted not to apply for a development of regional impact for the Pasco County project. Instead, the company is seeking a comprehensive plan amendment, which would allow it to rezone the ranch property for mixed use development. The Pasco project would include 6,400 residential units and 630,000 square feet of commercial space built in and around a 2.67 million-square-foot corporate office park.

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 865-4844 or lkinsler@tampatrib.com.

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