On Tuesday, the Hillsborough County Commission gave the approval for a former-sod farm to turn into suburbia. The vote was unanimous. Jeffrey Hills’ (President - Eisenhower Property Group) “301 Wimauma LLC” will rezone 909 acres of agricultural land into a residential development consisting of 1,816 homes. The land is located south ff SR-674 close to the Hillsborough-Manatee border.

The county reworked development rules for south county in 2021, after the two-year moratorium on rezoning applications in Wimauma and Balm. Commission concerns that caused the pause included that rapid growth would outstrip the county’s ability to provide adequate fire, transportation, utility, and other services in the areas.

The development project will have to comply with the new county development rules. These rules were made to provide extra benefits to the existing Wimauma community. These include a pedestrian and bicycle trail, elementary school site, 180 affordable housing units, a public park, and a village center that allows space for civic uses.

No one spoke in opposition to the development at the hearing held on Tuesday. Concerns about south country traffic has called for using public transportation fees to widen the two-lane SR 674 and to install traffic lights at busy intersections. Previously, a rule that has since been discarded required that a specific number of jobs be available to residents of new houses. This was to curb the commuter traffic pattern that clogs I-75, U.S. 301, and SR 674. The rule was controversial and has since been discarded.

The development will use a provision that allows most planned houses to be moved onto a portion of the available land that the group owns. 270 acres on the northern parcel (the sending site) will have just two homes and remain largely undeveloped. 1.814 homes will be built on 638 acres to the south (the receiving site).

Hills’ 301 Wimauma LLC acquired the 909 acres of land in early 2022 in a series of purchases for $22.5 million. Eisenhower Property Group are the developers behind the project.