Residents packed a Charlotte County hearing to oppose a large Pulte Homes proposal covering nearly 4,900 acres. Concerns focused on scale, wildlife impacts, traffic and infrastructure. Commissioners voted to transmit the plan for state review, while noting reservations and calling for further discussion.
Residents filled the Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners chambers Dec. 9 to oppose a proposed large-scale development by Pulte Homes during a land-use transmittal hearing.
The proposal would rezone nearly 4,900 acres of agricultural land for a mixed-use project that includes thousands of residential units, a golf course and commercial development. The site is located south of the DeSoto County line, north of Palm Shores Boulevard and east of U.S. 17, also known as Duncan Road. Roughly half of the property would be developed under the plan. Current zoning allows one residential unit per 10 acres.
Opposition to the project has been ongoing since earlier in the year. In May, the Charlotte County Planning and Zoning Board voted 3-1 against the proposal, citing concerns related to project scale, compatibility with surrounding rural areas and infrastructure impacts. Those concerns were repeated throughout the hours-long public comment portion of the Dec. 9 meeting.
Commission Chair Joe Tiseo emphasized that the hearing was limited to deciding whether the proposal should be transmitted to state agencies for review, rather than approving or denying the development itself. While he voted in favor of transmittal, Tiseo said he had reservations and would have preferred a workshop before moving forward.
Commissioners Chris Constance and Stephen R. Deutsch voted against transmitting the plan, saying the magnitude of the development warranted additional local discussion before state review. Commissioner Ken Doherty supported transmittal, stating that obtaining feedback from state agencies was a necessary step in the process.
Residents warned that the development could permanently alter one of the county’s remaining rural areas, which includes meadowlands, wildlife habitat and agricultural uses. Speakers raised concerns about impacts to protected species, increased traffic, construction noise and strain on emergency services, schools and law enforcement. Environmental issues, including stormwater runoff and effects on waterways that supply treated drinking water, were also cited.
Former state legislator and Realtor Lindsay Harrington raised concerns about downstream impacts, infrastructure demands and the potential need for new transportation connections. Wildlife photographer and author David Sussman spoke about species he said depend on the land.
During the hearing, commissioners questioned Pulte Homes attorney Derek Rooney about reducing the project’s scale. Rooney said the developer would reduce residential units by 2,000, bringing the total to 6,000, and cut planned economic development space from 1.5 million SF to 1 million SF. Planned commercial space of 500,000 SF would remain unchanged.
Following the vote, the proposal was transmitted for review by state agencies, including environmental, transportation and water management authorities. The plan is expected to return to the board for an adoption hearing tentatively scheduled for March.