03/25/2026
Thursday, March 26th at 6:00pm
We are fighting one of the biggest land use assaults on our community and we need your help!
HC/CPA 25-03 and HC/CPA 25-04 are comprehensive plan amendments which will fundamentally alter the rural character of 300 plus acres along Lutz Lake Fern Road (the Dibbs property), just west of the Suncoast. Right now, the land is agricultural/rural land and outside the urban service area. The proposed changes will increase the allowed amount of development by 20-fold and allow up to 1235 homes and 175,000 square feet of commercial uses on site. It places this rural property in the urban service area even though infrastructure cannot handle it. The Planning Commission already found these changes to be unacceptable but it is now up to the Board of County Commissioners to make the final decision. At the same hearing, Rezoning application RZ 25-0934 proposes 100,000 sq feet of commercial use with either a 392 space RV park or 392 single family home development.
These final decisions are scheduled to be heard on Thursday, March 26th at the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners Public CPA hearing.We need EVERYONE to attend this March 26th hearing!!
This hearing begins at 6:00pm. We are first on the agenda.
County Center, 2nd Floor Boardroom
601 E. Kennedy Blvd
Tampa, FL 33602
Please wear your Keystone buttons. There will also be buttons available on Thursday night.
The land use amendments and rezoning affect the rural Keystone community, Tarramor, Cheval, Ivy Lakes, Stonebriar, Villa Rosa, Heritage Harbor and those in Lutz who live and work on Lutz Lake Fern Rd.
Please call and email ALL county commissioners (and their aides) to tell them to oppose HC/CPA 25-03 and HC/CPA 25-04. (See bottom of email for contact information)
If you would like to speak, please sign up for the HC/CPA 25-03 and HC/CPA 25-04 amendments only. We have limited time of 10 minutes on the rezoning application RZ 25-0934 so please only sign up to speak for HC/CPA 25-03 and HC/CPA 25-04. These two amendments will be combined so you have up to 3 minutes to speak.
Sign up to speak here (link)
CPA Public Hearing | Hillsborough County, FL
CPA Public Comment Signup Form - Intellistack
The links are not live yet. You will be able to sign up 48 hours beforehand up to 5:30 pm day of the meeting, online. After that, sign up at the hearing itself if needed.
We do need volunteers who want to speak on specific bullet points. Please let us know ASAP if you are interested and we can help coordinate. [email protected]
If you sign up to speak and have pictures, maps, and/or videos showing our Keystone rural area, please bring them with you!
The Commission is voting on three different approvals, each contingent on the other for approval.
HC CPA 25-03: proposes to change adopted future land use of Agricultural Rural (1/5 – one unit per 5 acres) to a future land use designation of Residential-4 on 308.89 + acres on Lutz Lake Fern Road, west of the Suncoast. This increases the number of allowable dwelling units 20-fold on site, from 61 to over 1235 units! It also increases the allowable commercial square footage allowed from 40,000 sq feet to 175,000 sq feet.
HC CPA 25-04: expands the Urban Service Area northward by 295.6± acres to include the Dibbs property, which in turn allows the land use to change to increase density. This opens the door to changing the land use from agricultural to res-4. Without it, the land use cannot be changed. The request would also create a need for public infrastructure (county water and sewer) to be planned for this area. This is also a permanent change and has lasting impacts on the growth potential in the area, meaning it will not go away if Dibbs sells his property.
Rezoning (RZ 25-0934): approval for either a 392-unit RV park or 392 single family homes, plus in both options, 100,000+ sq feet of commercial use on site. This cannot be approved without the two items above being approved.
If you elect to speak and/or write commissioners, here are some helpful topics to address and focus on:
Doesn’t fit surrounding area: Request is not extension of existing surrounding development pattern in immediate area
Conflicts with Keystone Odessa Community Plan
Traffic problems, inadequate transportation analysis
Schools overcrowded, potential for redistricting :
Hammond Elementary, Martinez Middle and Steinbrenner High Schoos are projected to be over capacity
No need for additional population growth or job growth in area.
Strain on public infrastructure, creating inefficient use of land to provide public services.
Potable water and wastewater issues
Environmental sensitivity of area/trails/ wellhead protection act
The proposed expansion will result in a significant increase in the density of houses adjacent to ELAPP lands. This increase in density could potentially limit the ability of CELM or other agencies or contractors to manage the adjacent nature preserve with prescribed fire. As a result, the affected nature preserves, and adjacent homes could be vulnerable to damaging wildfires.
Flooding issues
Increase in density- 20 times more plus opening door to much more intensive commercial uses on site
Rural character of area- agricultural/large lots- pictures/bring this to life/maps/viability of agriculture in area/ noise/safety/character/
This amendment could impact Fire Rescue's call and response times due in population and road traffic, consideration of adding additional FR units to stations closest to this area is recommended to accommodate the increase.
Keystone-Odessa community plan addresses no utilities in the rural service area. This Urban Area Expansion would allow the extension of utilities into Keystone.
The existing potable water infrastructure may not have sufficient capacity to serve development within the expansion area.
The existing wastewater infrastructure does not have sufficient capacity to serve development within the expansion area.
Keystone-Odessa Community plan directs commercial zoning to Gunn Hwy/North Mobley. This proposed commercial zoning is outside of these boundaries
Here are some tips for speaking:
Do’s
Say where you live in relation to the project. Explain how you are more impacted than an average person
Focus on one or more of the topics above, tailoring it to whatever is most personal and compelling to you.
Be concise. You will have 3 minutes, or possibly less if there is a huge turnout.
Include specific personal experiences, photos, maps, stories, and documents.
Bring printed copies of photos to show on overhead at hearing or photos or powerpoints on a thumb drive
Make sure to sign in beforehand online, get there around 6, and be prepared to wait a while to speak. If you have photos or other visuals, it is best to email them to Jillian Massey beforehand at [email protected] and/or print them out and present hard copies to the BOCC. There are 7 members of the Commission plus the clerk so make sure to bring enough for everyone.
Don’ts
Don’t focus on general opinions without tying it to something specific and meaningful to you
Don’t get sidetracked on talking about just the RV park, which is just one example of something that can happen to this property if the applications are approved. Instead, focus on the comprehensive plan amendments which open the door to any number of very problematic developments on site, with up to 1235 units plus up to 175,000 sq feet of commercial
Don’t try to testify as an expert on something unless you genuinely are one. (For example, don’t say “traffic is dangerous because this road was poorly designed and cannot support these extra trips.” Instead, say “I witnessed these types of crashes occur on these dates (more specific the better)
Do not attack any member of the council or staff. You never know who will be on your side!
Do not speculate facts.
Do not bring inflammatory signs. Instead, bring individually printed photos of traffic, neighborhood character, etc
We cannot stress the importance of a large attendance of community members at this hearing. We all need to come together as a community and fight!
Please contact me with any questions.
