Tuscany plan lacks lagoon detail

Here’s the thing: I can’t get past the lagoon.

I’m referring to Tuscany Ranch, the mega development planned just north of Forest Ridge Boulevard in Beverly Hills that is the epicenter of the public’s angst on growth.

It’s huge, all right. I’ve seen different numbers, so I don’t want to get specific, but about 4,900 homes, apartments and townhomes. Commercial frontage along C.R. 491. The developer will provide right of way to widen the highway and give the county enough money to build a fire station.

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Tuscany Ranch is part of the original Beverly Hills development plan, so much of what this developer requests, in terms of density, is already on the books.

Boy, though, it’s huge. Did I mention that?

The county’s Planning and Development Commission will hear the application this morning at 9. Whatever the PDC recommends goes to the County Commission for a final vote.

Numerous JWC readers have asked me to pipe up about Tuscany Ranch in the hopes I’ll write in opposition to it. Not quite ready to do that. I’m reluctant to take sides in zoning cases; however, this is more than simply another Citrus County development. It’s the kind of development that could significantly alter the face of the community, particularly in Beverly Hills.

And the lagoon! We’ll get to that in a minute.

There are numerous documents associated with this agenda, but the staff report sums it all up rather well. So well that I’m not going to even try and explain the project.  

It’s upscale, that’s for sure. Check out the Metro Development website. These folks don’t build junk. 

The developer is offering to help build a fire station for the county, and possibly a charter school. And, although the overall number of homes isn’t higher than what’s now allowed, they want higher densities in certain places — 20 apartment units per acre instead of 10 as the code allows.

So, yeah, it’s a big development with numerous issues outlined in great detail by the county staff.

Except the lagoon. Remember the lagoon? That’s why we’re here.

Metro says the lagoon is a maybe. And the staff report barely mentions it.

“Placement of a recreational lagoon-type pool complex may be allowable” in the commercial areas of the development, the report states.

Not another word. From either developer or staff.

Naturally, this concerns me.

These lagoons are recreational lakes of 3 or 4 acres. Metro, no doubt, does very well in these lagoon communities. They’re building one right now just north of Weeki Wachee; neighbors are complaining about construction impacts.

We have…let me check…still looking…oh, here it is…ZERO lagoons in Citrus County. Never had one come across the regulatory desks here.

While I still have no opinion on Tuscany Ranch as a development, I certainly hope county commissioners will press Metro on this lagoon thingy before saying yay or nay.

— Semi-related, I’m happy to report the monthly “Look What’s Coming” is now available on the county website (here's the link). This report, issued by Land Development Director Joanna Coutu, is filled with permit and development activity. 

Take a look and you’ll see that this place is hopping.

Have a great Thursday, friends.

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