Two Rivers' Nearly 4,000 Homes and a 35-Acre Surf Park Clear Pasco Planning Commission — Despite a Room Full of "No"

The Pasco County Planning Commission voted Thursday to recommend approval of major changes to Two Rivers, the roughly 6,000-acre mega-development on Wesley Chapel's eastern doorstep — a plan that would add nearly 4,000 single-family homes, some 1,900 apartments, hotels, offices, retail and a 35-acre surf park along the State Road 56 corridor. The recommendation came despite more than a dozen residents lining up to speak against it, and it sets up a bigger fight ahead: the final decision belongs to the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners, which will hold its own public hearings first.

For anyone who drives SR-56, sends kids to schools in the area, or worries about how much the region's water and roads can absorb, this is one of the largest projects ever proposed this close to Wesley Chapel — and it is now one big step closer to reality.

What's actually being approved

Two Rivers stretches along SR-56 from Morris Bridge Road toward Gall Boulevard, straddling the area near Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel, according to local media reports. The property is being built out by Eisenhower Property Group across the Thomas family's former Two Rivers Ranch, with multiple homebuilders working the individual neighborhoods. Construction on the Pasco side began in late 2022, and entire streets have gone up fast since.

The changes reviewed this week update the development's county entitlements — essentially the maximum of what can be built. The current list is substantial:

Notably, an earlier plan for a 1,125-home 55-and-older community was removed, replaced in part by the 300-bed assisted living facility. The apartment count also climbed from roughly 1,400 to about 1,900. The plans further call for a combined K-8 school for around 2,000 students, a high school, and an 85-acre district park — land the county agreed to buy last year in what was reported as a record purchase for Pasco.

The surf park everyone's talking about

The headline amenity is Peak Surf Park, a 35-acre attraction planned inside Two Rivers, first announced in late 2024. According to reports, founder Tony Miller spent nearly two years searching for a site before settling on central Pasco for its access to the wider Tampa Bay region.

The park is built around a wave lagoon using Surf Lakes technology from Australia, designed to produce consistent waves for all skill levels. Plans also describe about a half-mile of sandy beach, concert and event space, restaurants, bars, retail, and wellness facilities, with roughly 700 parking spaces on the site. A developer connected to the project told commissioners it would be a standout asset for locals, according to local news reports. The park is targeting a late-2027 opening.

Supporters have leaned hard on the economics. Letters submitted from Florida's Sports Coast and the Pasco Economic Development Council argued the surf park could help turn Pasco into a visitor destination. A commissioned economic impact study projects an estimated $1.3 billion in annual business output within the park's first decade, roughly 700 jobs a year, and close to $150 million in combined state and county tax revenue over 10 years.

Why residents pushed back

The enthusiasm was far from universal in the room. Most residents who spoke came to oppose the changes, raising familiar Wesley Chapel-area concerns: traffic, flooding, the loss of green space and wildlife habitat, and added strain on local water supplies.

One speaker told commissioners the proposal was not a minor adjustment but a transformation of the community on a massive scale, according to local media reports. Another said Pasco doesn't need more development — it needs better roads, less traffic and stronger protection of its water. At least one attendee spoke up for the project, saying she was excited and disappointed by the level of opposition.

The planning commission ultimately recommended approval with certain conditions. That's a recommendation, not a green light.

What happens next

The proposal now advances to the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners. Those elected commissioners will hold public hearings before casting the final vote — meaning residents who want to weigh in still have a formal chance to be heard before anything is locked in.

For now, one thing is clear: the pace of growth along SR-56 isn't slowing, and Two Rivers is set to reshape the eastern edge of the Wesley Chapel area for years to come.

We'll keep tracking this one through the county hearings. For more coverage, visit Wesley Chapel Community and read more government & politics stories and development news. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X, and join the conversation in our Community Forum — do you want a surf park next door, or not?