UPDATE: Little Manatee South Still Needs Your Voice

UPDATE: Little Manatee South Still Needs Your Voice
The future of Little Manatee South is still being decided, and our community cannot afford to sit this one out.

Hillsborough County is currently conducting an Urban Expansion Area Planning Study that could determine whether this predominantly rural, agricultural, and environmentally sensitive area is opened to future urban development. At the same time, transportation planning is moving forward on the I-75 at Fort Hamer Road feasibility study, adding to concerns about the infrastructure that could enable major development in this area.

We know many residents are wondering whether speaking up will actually make a difference. Some feel the decisions have already been made. Maybe they have. But maybe they haven't. What we do know is that silence guarantees our concerns won't be part of the record.

Little Manatee South is home to farms, wetlands, wildlife corridors, the Little Manatee River, and thousands of acres of ecologically sensitive lands. It is a community whose existing plan explicitly recognizes its rural character and the importance of protecting these resources for future generations.

This is the time to speak up. Not after the roads are built, the land is cleared, and the development is approved.

PLEASE TAKE 2 POINTS OF ACTION:
1️⃣ Complete the Hillsborough County Urban Expansion Area Study Survey.
Tell the County what you think should happen to Little Manatee South and why protecting its rural and environmental character matters.

👉 Survey:

bit.ly/LMSUrbanSurvey

2️⃣ Submit a comment on the FDOT feasibility study for an I-75 interchange at the proposed Fort Hamer Road.
FDOT is actively gathering input, and your comments become part of the public record. Tell them why you believe this area needs to be protected from the additional development pressure an interchange could create.

👉 FDOT Comment:

bit.ly/FDOTComment

And please share this update with a neighbor or friend who cares about the future of Little Manatee South. The more people who participate, the harder it is to say our community wasn't paying attention or didn't speak up.

We may not know exactly how this ends. But we do know that our community deserves to be heard before decisions are made that cannot be undone.

Protect Little Manatee South. Protect its farms, wetlands, wildlife, water, and rural character. For us and for generations after us.

Thank you for caring!