Heritage Pines gains approval for more houses

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© St. Petersburg Times, published July 7, 2000

HUDSON -- Heritage Pines, U.S. Home Corp.'s proposed 1,500-home retirement community in Hudson, won approval Thursday to build fewer assisted living and nursing home units and more single-family houses.

U.S. Home said a change in the market accounted for the change in plans, unanimously approved by the Pasco Development Review Committee. The committee, however, questioned the small size of the yards in some of the newly proposed single-family homes.

U.S. Home executive Bob Friedman told the committee that retirees are increasingly demanding "maintenance free" houses, meaning smaller yards that require less landscaping.

Sam Steffey, the county's growth management administrator, supported Friedman's contention. "This seems to be the wave, the trend right now," Steffey said.

Heritage Pines, which includes a golf course, is earmarked for 650 acres south of County Line Road, about a mile east of U.S. 19. U.S. Home is building a sister development called Heritage Springs in Trinity.

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