Time to chat about Cabot Citrus

Let’s start the week talking about something the County Commission should be talking about.
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Cabot Citrus Farms.

That’s the Canadian-based golf course developer being gifted 324 acres of the Withlacoochee State Forest in northern Hernando County for more golf resort development.

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Not just any state forest land. This acreage abuts Citrus County, and the developer has already reached out to OUR commissioners.

I was visiting Key Largo when several JWC readers sent me the Tampa Bay Times story about the “swap” of 324 acres of the state forest in exchange for 861 acres in Levy County that Cabot Citrus doesn’t even own yet. There is no public purpose to any of this. It’s for Cabot Citrus Farms, which bought the World Woods golf course in 2021, to expand. That’s it.

The company's name registered with me immediately. I recognized it as a developer that had sought out individual meetings with Citrus County commissioners several months ago.

(So you know, nothing unusual about that, OK? Potential developers contact local politicians all the time to get an idea of the landscape.)

Good ol’ commission email. I scoured through the emails and found what I was looking for.

In June, just days after the governor and Cabinet (with no public notice) approved the land swap, Cabot Citrus representatives sent emails to individual commissioners.

“Clark Stillwell has asked that I reach out to you to extend an invitation to visit the new Golf Resort Project, Cabot Citrus Farm in Brooksville, Florida. Daniel Knight would be extremely pleased to meet with you. Daniel was the VP and Managing Director of Cabot Citrus Farms; however, he has recently been appointed Cabot’s Regional Vice-President, Land & Acquisitions — US and Caribbean.”

In a separate email to one commissioner, the representative wrote that Knight “would be sharing Cabot’s investment in Hernando County and future plans in Citrus County.”

Whoa, Nellie.

These 300 acres of public forest sit between Cabot Citrus and Suncoast Parkway off U.S. 98 at the Citrus County line. I’ve heard from a few places that the company is looking to buy about 100 acres across the county line in Citrus.

Then there’s this Bay News 9 quote from Cabot's Daniel Knight:

“Development breeds more development. We’re excited about seeing not only the growth here through our investment at Citrus Farms but also the downstream effects that we’ve seen projects can have on local areas. Fast forward 10 years, how we can continue to support the county and how this area continues to grow.”

Oh. My. Goodness.

Cutting to the chase.

First off, at Tuesday’s board meeting I certainly hope a citizen during public comments asks commissioners what they know about the Cabot Citrus project. This should turn into a very public discussion immediately. Commissioners should tell us everything the Cabot Farms folks told them about their plans for Citrus County. 

Let's all get on the same page. 

Secondly, commissioners may consider telling the state to keep its mitts off public property.

I realize this places commissioners in the uncomfortable position of either disappointing citizens or their well-connected friends, but this seems like a no-brainer. Raise your hand if you support golf course housing developments creeping into the last remaining rural parts of our county. And…I see no hands.

The county commission should unite in opposition to the forest land swap. Period. End of discussion.

Indecision or delay is unnecessary. Commissioners can’t claim this is all new. The company reached out to them in June. Now it’s September. We all just found out last week what they’ve known for two months.

(And I hope commissioners don't insult us by suggesting their opinions don't matter to state higher-ups. It's actually just the opposite. The Suncoast Parkway at C.R. 486 is proof. That interchange will exist ONLY because Citrus County commissioners asked for it. So, maybe we have some sway.)

The Land Acquisition and Restoration Council, which has the final say, meets Thursday. Nothing about Cabot Citrus on the agenda but considering this was bum rushed through the Cabinet, I don’t think anyone’s trusting the process.

That leaves our commissioners no time to hem and haw. No time for the attorney to write up a formal proclamation with all the bells and whistles.

Just five voices telling the state: Citrus County says no dice on this land swap. Five voices telling Cabot Citrus: Good luck with your Brooksville project, but Citrus County options shouldn't include getting to us through the state forest.

Five voices. Our voices. We need 'em now.

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