Saint Leo - Ryan Homes Eyes 628 Unit Community
By Joe Potter
NVR/Ryan Homes, LLC, based in Tampa, has filed intentions with the Town Of St. Leo to develop a large subdivision on the Abbey Golf Course land at 33502 County Road 52. The plan would convert the property to a 628-unit community, potentially called Mohr’s Crossing Planned Unit Development (PUD).
What’s proposed - Land status changes: Ryan Homes seeks to reclassify 296 acres from Permanently Open Land (POL), Agriculture (AG), and Medium Density Residential (MDR) to MDR for the entire parcel. They also want to rezone from POL, AG, and MDR to a single PUD designation for the whole site.
The subdivision would include 128 attached townhomes on the west portion and 440 detached single-family homes on the east, with access primarily via CR 52. Interior streets would be owned and maintained by a Community Development District (CDD) within the development, linking the housing types.
Open space and environment: About 130 acres of open space would be provided, surpassing the town’s 25% minimum. Roughly 100 acres of wetlands and habitat would be preserved under a perpetual conservation easement.
Amenities and connectivity - A six-acre active recreation area would serve all residents, complemented by a network of walking paths and passive spaces. Ryan Homes also proposed a 12-foot-wide path to connect with the Orange Belt Trail (OBT), a regional multiuse corridor that could span Pasco County and link Trinity to Trilby if completed.
Process and public input: A formal request has not yet been filed. The town would need to prepare and advertise ordinances for the FLU and zoning changes in the Tampa Bay Times, with two public hearings required for each measure before adoption. Residents in St. Leo have voiced opposition to the project in the months since Ryan Homes first announced the idea in 2025. An updated application followed on March 12, 2025, but the course of approvals remains uncertain.
The project faces a multi-agency review process before construction can begin. Key milestones include: - Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Rezoning: Not yet started. - Engineering and Site Plan Review: April 2026 to February 2027. - Environmental Resource Permitting (ERP) with SWFWMD: June 2026 to January 2027. - Driveway and access permitting with Pasco County: June 2026 to January 2027. - Water and wastewater permits with FDEP: February 2027 to March 2027. - Final plat approvals (Town and Pasco County) and related infrastructure permits: February 2027 to August 2027. - Timing and phasing studies for road capacity (Pasco County Public Transportation), and utility connections (Pasco County, TECO), plus FDOT permits for any right-of-way work.
Notes on governance and access: The project would hinge on the Town’s adoption of Comprehensive Plan amendments and rezoning to permit a PUD. County and state agencies would also weigh in on engineering, utilities, environmental protections, and transportation impacts. Access strategy emphasizes minimizing local road traffic while prioritizing a primary entry via CR 52, with internal roads coordinated through the proposed CDD structure.
If approved, Mohr’s Crossing would mark a substantial shift for St. Leo, transforming a portion of the Abbey Golf Course property into a large, mixed-density community adjacent to St. Leo University and other local amenities. The scale of the project raises questions about traffic, school capacity, and infrastructure, balanced against the potential economic and housing benefits of a new development.
Ryan Homes’ plan represents a major growth opportunity for St. Leo, contingent on a lengthy sequence of local and regional approvals. As neighborhood concerns persist, the town will weigh development demands against long-term community goals, examining how best to integrate a 628-unit subdivision with the town’s existing character and infrastructure. Public hearings and formal filings will shape the path forward in the coming months. ♥
