Last Thursday, Pasco County planning commissioners voted to recommend a major expansion of the Two Rivers master-planned community, clearing the way for roughly 4,000 homes, 2,500 apartments and a 35-acre Peak Surf Park along the SR-56 corridor near Wesley Chapel. The decision followed a packed public meeting where neighbors pressed officials on water use and other infrastructure questions as the county continues to deal with stubbornly dry conditions.
As reported by the Tampa Bay Times, planners advanced the amendment with conditions and directed developers to lock in key details of the surf park before the proposal heads to the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners. The Times notes that the Planning Commission’s recommendation is not final and that additional public hearings at the commission level will take place before any county decision.
Water shortage frames the debate
The pushback from residents is happening under a broader conservation order. The Southwest Florida Water Management District has extended a Modified Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage through Oct. 1, 2026, limiting outdoor watering to one day per week across Pasco and neighboring counties. SWFWMD notes that emergency orders are in place and reservoir levels are lower than normal, and neighbors at the meeting argued that a large surf lagoon could further strain local water supplies.
What Peak Surf Park would include
The project inside Two Rivers is pitched as Peak Surf Park, a roughly 35-acre surf lagoon built around Surf Lakes wave technology, with about a half-mile of beach, dining options and event space. Developer materials cited by Patch project several hundred jobs and a significant economic impact tied to the park, numbers that supporters say would help turn Pasco into more of a regional destination.
Neighbors pressed planners on impacts
Speakers at the July 9 meeting lined up with a long list of concerns, including traffic, habitat loss, school capacity and especially water availability, and urged county leaders to slow down approvals until park operations and water-supply plans are clearer. Coverage from the Pasco County Community Website notes that the room was dominated by questions about whether the area can support more water-intensive uses under current drought restrictions.
Next steps for the project
The Planning Commission’s recommendation advances a substantial modification that county filings show would allow about 4,047 single-family units and 2,500 multi-family units, along with commercial and hotel space. The package now heads to the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners for public hearings and a final vote. Agenda listings tracked by AgendaTrace indicate commissioners will schedule hearings where residents can testify before any zoning changes are adopted.
