A group of Hillsborough County teenagers has been testifying before county commissioners and state legislators against a proposed 3,900-home development that opponents say threatens the drinking water supply for communities across the county, including Apollo Beach and Ruskin.
The project, called Two Rivers Ranch, would allow up to 3,900 homes on roughly 8,000 acres stretching from U.S. 301 to State Road 39, across from Hillsborough River State Park in Thonotosassa. The Thomas family, which owns the land, has applied to increase density from a maximum of 704 homes. The Hillsborough River would run several miles through the development, and the site encompasses a wildlife corridor home to bald eagles, gopher tortoises, deer and bobcat.
The county commission was scheduled to consider referring the application to the state for review on Thursday, April 9. The outcome of that vote has not been confirmed in available public records, and the current status of the application remains unclear.
4-H club leads local opposition
The opposition effort is led in part by Donna Holt, a Plant City native who has run the On-Target 4-H Club for 10 years. The club meets twice monthly at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds in Dover and draws members ages 5 to 18. Holt told the Observer News that club members have researched land-use issues and presented their findings at multiple levels of government.
"The property owners have petitioned county commissioners to approve a land-use change that would increase potential density from 704 homes to 3,900 homes, which would impact our vital water supply for the entire county," Holt said.
Growth projected to strain shared watershed
The water concern connects directly to South Shore residents. Plan Hillsborough forecasts that the county will add 393,770 residents by 2050, with much of that growth concentrated along the U.S. 301 and SR-39 corridors. Apollo Beach is projected to grow 113%, adding 36,700 residents, while Ruskin is expected to grow 69%. All of these communities draw from the same Hillsborough River watershed.
At a March 25 informational meeting in Plant City, Holt told Fox 13 the existing infrastructure cannot handle the growth, saying roads are "already bumper-to-bumper."
Teen testimony cites flooding, habitat loss
Her 15-year-old son, Gabriel Holt, has testified before commissioners and state officials. He argued that converting rural land to impervious surfaces would reduce aquifer recharge, increase flooding and shrink wildlife habitat. Gabriel, along with fellow members Eliana Holt, Nicole Humphries and John Humphries, presented concerns to state legislators during 4-H Day at the Capitol in Tallahassee.
Developer points to conservation pledge
The Thomas family has defended the project. Attorney Kami Corbett said in March that the development would "permanently preserve" natural resources along the Hillsborough River and Blackwater Creek corridors. The statement did not specify what form that preservation would take.
Separate Lithia proposal also opposed
Holt's group is also opposing a separate 120-acre density increase off SR-39 in Lithia, though no application number or named applicant has been publicly identified for that proposal.
What's next
The next Board of County Commissioners Land Use Meeting is Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 9 a.m., though it has not been confirmed whether either project is on that agenda. Residents can track items and submit public comment at hillsboroughcounty.legistar.com.
