Pristine Place HOA seeks permit for sports court in Hernando County

A small amenities project in Pristine Place is now in front of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and the main issue for neighbors is not the court itself but the drainage, parking and stormwater changes that come with it.

The district received Environmental Resource Permit application number 941852 from Pristine Place Homeowners’ Association, Inc., listed at 4131 Gunn Hwy, Spring Hill, FL 33618, for a project called Pristine Place Sports Court. The proposal covers 0.173 acres in Section 10, Township 23, Range 18, in Hernando County and calls for a sports court, sidewalk, parking, landscaping and modifications to existing stormwater management facilities.

That stormwater language is the part residents should watch most closely. In plain terms, the HOA is asking to reshape part of a neighborhood amenity area while also changing how rainwater is handled there. Southwest Florida Water Management District says an ERP is required before construction that could affect wetlands, alter surface-water flows or contribute to water pollution, and the review is meant to make sure a project does not harm water resources or conflict with the public interest. The notice also says the site is not in an Outstanding Florida Water area and not in an aquatic preserve.

For Pristine Place, an established gated subdivision in southern Hernando County near the Suncoast Parkway, even a compact project can matter. The community already includes a pool, clubhouse, common areas and gate access, and local listings put the neighborhood at roughly 700 parcels and about 650 homes. In a subdivision like that, changes to parking circulation, runoff patterns and construction activity can affect daily life long after the work crew leaves.

Residents who want to review the filing can inspect the application at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North in Tampa, Florida 33637, or through the district’s online application and permit search tools. Written comments must include application number 941852 and must be received within 14 days of the notice. Anyone seeking notice of intended agency action or an administrative hearing must also reference that number and send the request to the district’s Regulation Bureau in Tampa or submit it through the district website.

Hernando County has also said its Permit Application Status and Property Search Portal, launched March 3, can help residents track permit activity and property history. For accessibility requests tied to the district notice, the listed contacts were 813-985-7481, 1-800-836-0797 and TDD 1-800-231-6103.