What did Citrus Get?

At the BOCC meeting on Tuesday, commissioners voted 3-2 to accept the Tuscany Ranch development agreement. This is the largest development project in decades and likely the largest one for decades to come.

After a night of negotiations, what did Citrus County get from this development? Watch the video below or read the summary to find out!

VIDEO SUMMARY

On Tuesday, July 8, 2025, the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved the controversial Tuscany Ranch development project in a 3–2 vote following a nearly seven-hour quasi-judicial hearing. Commissioners Bays, Davis and Kinnard voted "Yes". Commissioners Barek and Finegan voted "No". Tuscany Ranch is a multi-thousand-unit residential and commercial project—the largest the county has seen in decades. The developer sought significant amendments to the original Development of Regional Impact (DRI) agreement from the 1980s, including increased density, building height, flexibility in housing placement, and reduced green space.

The entire approval process involved several delays and public hearings over more than a year. The July 8 meeting stretched into the night, featuring a lengthy applicant presentation (3 hours and 20 minutes), a 51-minute staff presentation, public comment, and a controversial rebuttal period. Although quasi-judicial rules prohibit introducing new evidence during rebuttal, the developer used this time to negotiate substantial changes to the development agreement live during the meeting—something that can be argued violated the county’s own quasi-judicial ordinance.

Key concessions granted to the developer include:

• Flexibility to build duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes anywhere in designated single-family zones.
• Increase in apartment building height from 1 to 4 stories—the tallest in Citrus County—with no binding requirement to provide additional green space in return.
• Higher density allowances: up to 20 units/acre in some multi-family areas, with an average of 10 units/acre across multifamily zones.
• Reduced setbacks and increased impervious surface ratios (more pavement, less natural land).
• Reduction in required recreational space from 147 to 113 acres.
• Expansion of business/commercial office (BCO) land to accommodate a lagoon or golf course.
• Impact fee credits for infrastructure they were already partially obligated to build, such as one lane of Hwy 491.

In exchange, the county received:

1. A park/trail/greenspace master plan after the 300th home—but only for informational purposes.
2. A phasing plan for amenities, also post-300 homes and not subject to BOCC approval.
3. Annual buildout reports for schools to use for planning purposes.
4. Fiber optics and solar-powered street lighting.
5. Additional drainage to allow Hwy 491 to expand to six lanes at some point in the future. Some of this was previously required.
6. An additional 20 feet of right of way (50ft total) on 491 in exchange for impact fee credits.
7. Reclaimed water use—when available.
8. No residential development in designated commercial zones.
9. Guidelines for negotiating a payment towards a four-bay fire station (developer is obligated for only two bays).
10. Vague promise of more green space in exchange for allowing four-story buildings—though not contractually required.
11. A potential charter school.

Commissioner Kinnard argued that approving the changes secured needed infrastructure contributions, while Commissioner Finegan countered that the developer was granted far more than they were giving.

I pointed out that the board agreed to complex changes without knowing their full implications—leaving attorneys to sort it out after the fact. This approval heavily favored the developer and could limit county oversight moving forward. This project likely does not come back to the board for any further approvals.

Ultimately, the Tuscany Ranch deal locks in expansive development flexibility for decades, with minimal enforceable gains for taxpayers. The main gain for the county is the additional 20ft of right of way along 491 to expand the road to 4 lanes. The approval now stands as a defining moment in the commissioners’ legacies—one whose full impact may not be felt for 20 years.