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County Spotlight On Lake Hideaway

By MICHAEL D. BATES

Published: February 12, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - BROOKSVILLE - Call it Hickory Hill west.
Or more precisely, northwest.
Lake Hideaway, a massive residential-commercial development, will come before county commissioners Wednesday.
With a proposed 3,700 homes, 50,000 square feet of retail space and 150,000 square feet of offices on 886 acres, Lake Hideaway would rival the Hickory Hill project on the county's eastside.
Like that project, Lake Hideaway is considered a development of regional impact (DRI) because it has more than 1,000 homes. As such, the developer — Metro Development Group — is required to meet more stringent infrastructure and other land-use requirements.
The developer fired off a DRI application in June 2006. The Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council reviewed the project and issued its report last month.
Wednesday, it will be up to county commissioners to decide whether to approve the development order for Lake Hideaway.
A previous site plan showed Lake Hideaway would have an estimated 2,400 single-family homes and 1,300 townhouses and apartments.
This 3,700-home development is expected to be a huge magnet for families and create even more of a demand for a new regional park in that part of the county.
Commissioners today are expected to discuss concerns raised by the Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council, including more specific details about wetland protection sites, pedestrian walkways, water supply and hurricane shelters.
Lake Hideaway would be located on the east side of U.S. 19, about four miles north of State Road 50. The northern boundary is Hexam Road and the southern boundary is Star Road.
The land use hearing begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Hernando County Government Center, 20 North Main St. in downtown Brooksville.
Also on the agenda:
 A rezoning request from A&E Inter-Locking Pavers to store some of its equipment on a parcel near its existing building at Lark and Howell avenues. Planning and zoning board members recommended denial at their January meeting.
 An amendment to the county's land development regulations requiring developers to build neighborhood parks in their subdivisions. The park requirement would only apply to developments with more than 50 homes and the facilities would be maintained by mandatory homeowner associations.
 A $42,939 budget amendment associated with the county's purchase of the Peck Sink Preserve off Wiscon Road.