Hillsborough County neighbors share concerns over large Two Rivers Ranch development at informational meeting
PLANT CITY, Fla. - Dozens of residents in Hillsborough County gathered at an informational meeting in Plant City on Wednesday to share their concerns about the proposed Two Rivers Ranch development.
What we know:
The proposed development would be located on the land which is owned by the Thomas family, across from Hillsborough River State Park off of U.S. Highway 301 in Thonotosassa.
Currently, the site can only be considered for a little more than 700 homes.
However, the Thomas family is applying for consideration of up to 4,000 homes.
What they're saying:
For people like Carl Bailey, it's not about the growing development in Hillsborough County.
"The community knows development is going to happen," he said. "You can't live in Hillsborough County and not know development is coming."
However, he said it's about the amount of proposed homes that come with the project.
"This is pertinent to know, especially when you're in a drought. SWFMD called it a critical drought, I believe, as we are having a discussion in there to drop 3,900 more residences, which is 3,900 more straws into our water supply," Bailey added.
Why you should care:
Donna Holt agrees.
"I feel like everyone in Hillsborough County is a stakeholder because that's our drinking water," Holt explained.
She said there's no infrastructure in place to fix the current water or traffic situation.
"The infrastructure isn't there for the community," she added. "We're talking there's going to be 3,900 possible homes and the amount of cars and traffic. We are already inundated, and we are already bumper to bumper."
The other side:
The attorney for the Thomas family said they stand by their statement they sent us earlier this month. At the time, Kami Corbett told FOX 13:
"The proposed Two Rivers development represents a pioneering approach to environmental stewardship and community planning — permanently preserving the precious natural resources along the Hillsborough River and Blackwater Creek corridors while creating thoughtfully designed housing that honors the legacy of conservation and stewardship of the Thomas family for generations to come."
What's next:
There will be an upcoming Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners meeting on April 9 where the commission will decide whether to refer the application to the state for their opinion.
The Source: FOX 13 gathered the information for this story from an informational meeting hosted by the proposed developers for the Two Rivers Ranch community as well as prior reporting on the topic.