A bill creating an independent stewardship district in South Hillsborough County is set to go to the House Floor – but there are concerns about developing the rural area.
According to the news site Florida Politics, a Land Reserve Stewardship is a special district designed to plan, finance, and manage infrastructure and public services.
The proposed Land Reserve Stewardship District would cover areas between the Little Manatee River to the north, I-75 to the east, the Manatee-Hillsborough County line to the south, and US-41 to the west.
The planning area was expanded to include acreage to the east of I-75 and west of US-41.
Republican State Representative Michael Owen sponsors HB 4061.
“The bill is a local bill, and it was unanimous through the delegation. This is an effective way for private money to pay for public roads, the stewardship district does not supersede local government, and is subject to the comp plan.” Rep. Owen said.
Amanda Brown is a concerned citizen, and calls it a ‘death knell’ for rural lands.
“This needs to be brought to the public, to the surrounding community, down in the little Manatee area, Wimauma, the Sundance area,” Brown told WMNF.
She says the area for development has been rural for years and development may cause flooding in surrounding areas, and it deserves more consideration from local elected officials and residents.
“Currently, that area has been rural since time began. Lots of farms down there untouched.” Brown said.
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This article appears in Feb. 19 – 25, 2026.