Two Rivers Megaproject and Its 35-Acre Surf Park Clear a Key Pasco Vote — Over Neighbors' Objections

Pasco County planners on Thursday, July 9, voted to recommend approval — with conditions — of sweeping changes to Two Rivers, a master-planned community in southeast Pasco that would add nearly 4,000 homes, 2,500 apartments, businesses, hotels and a 35-acre surf park along the SR-56 corridor near Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel. It's one of the largest developments in county history, and the vote pushes it a major step closer to reshaping traffic, schools and daily life for tens of thousands of residents.

The Pasco County Planning Commission took up the proposed amendments at its Thursday meeting. The project sits along SR-56 between Morris Bridge Road and Gall Boulevard, according to local media reports. After hearing public comment, the commission recommended approval with certain conditions.

That recommendation isn't the final word. The proposal now moves to the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners, which will hold public hearings before deciding — meaning residents still have a chance to speak before anything is locked in.

What's actually being proposed

Two Rivers is a roughly 6,000-acre master-planned community, and the piece that has grabbed the most attention is a first-of-its-kind attraction: a 35-acre surf park billed as Tampa Bay's first, with a targeted opening in 2027.

Here's the scale of the mixed-use plan advancing to commissioners:

The plans also call for businesses and hotels alongside the housing, according to local news reports — a full mixed-use footprint rather than a single subdivision.

The surf park draw

The proposed Peak Surf Park would occupy about 35 acres on the Zephyrhills side of the development, near U.S. 301. According to reporting on the project, developer Tony Miller — a longtime Tampa-area surfer and former marketing executive — spent roughly two years hunting for the right site before reaching a deal at Two Rivers.

The concept centers on a 360-degree "surf lagoon" with a central wave device in the middle that pushes waves outward in every direction, offering beginner-through-expert conditions at the same time. Reports describe roughly a half-mile of beach area, food and drink, and live music for visitors who never plan to touch the water.

An economic impact study Miller commissioned in 2022 projected the park could generate more than $1.3 billion in annual business output, about 700 jobs a year, and nearly $150 million in county tax revenue over a decade, according to project reporting. Those are the developer's figures, not the county's, and commissioners have not independently endorsed them.

Supporters see a destination

Backers argue the surf park could put Pasco on the map as a tourist draw. Two letters submitted to commissioners — from Florida's Sports Coast and the Pasco Economic Development Council — made the case that Peak Surf Park could help turn the county into a destination for visitors, according to local media outlets.

A developer connected to the surf park spoke in favor at the meeting, describing the amenity as a major asset for locals, local news reports said. At least one resident also spoke up in support, saying they were excited about the project and disappointed that so many neighbors opposed it.

Neighbors push back

More than a dozen people turned out Thursday, and many came to object. Speakers raised concerns about worsening traffic and flooding, lost green space and wildlife habitat, and added strain on local water resources, according to local media reports.

Residents at the podium framed the amendments as far more than routine tweaks, describing the plan as a large-scale transformation of the area and pressing commissioners on infrastructure and water protection rather than more rooftops, according to public comment reported from the meeting.

What happens next

Thursday's vote was a recommendation, not an approval. The Board of County Commissioners will take up the proposal at public hearings, where residents can testify before a final decision is made.

For a project of this size — one that could touch roads, schools, water and green space across southeast Pasco for years — the hearings ahead are where residents' input carries the most weight.

Stay with Pasco County Community Website for continuing coverage as Two Rivers heads to commissioners. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates, and join the conversation in our Community Forum. You can also read more government & politics coverage and follow local development news as this story unfolds.