Hernando Approved Rezonings for Up to 907 Lots and 978 Homes Near I-75 and SR 50. What Does It Mean for Brooksville Buyers and Owners?

On October 6, 2026, the Hernando County Board of County Commissioners approved rezonings for two large communities in the I-75/SR 50 corridor east of Lockhart Road near Brooksville, according to signed county Resolutions 2026-188 and 2026-189. Ginny Grove is rezoned for up to 907 single-family lots, and Black Jack Ridge for up to 978 homes plus commercial space. For buyers and nearby owners, the key points are that a rezoning is not a construction permit, and that the companion development agreements are still pending, with county staff recommending a second public hearing on November 10.

Below: what was rezoned, what's still pending, what a rezoning does and doesn't mean (including schools), and how Brooksville and Spring Hill buyers and owners can use this.

What did Hernando County rezone near I-75 and SR 50?

Both projects come from Jack Melton Family, Inc. and sit in the county's I-75/SR 50 Planned Development District, the area around the I-75 interchange at SR 50 (Cortez Boulevard).

Ginny Grove (county file H-25-39)

• About 226.9 acres on the east side of Lockhart Road and I-75
• Rezoned from agricultural to a single-family planned development (Resolution 2026-189)
• Up to 907 single-family lots. The draft development agreement caps density at 4 homes per acre and height at 35 feet.

Black Jack Ridge (county file H-25-40)

• About 203.89 acres on the south side of Cortez Boulevard, east of Lockhart Road, about 944 feet from I-75
• Rezoned to a combined planned development: single-family, multifamily, and commercial (Resolution 2026-188)
• Up to 978 total homes (single-family and multifamily) and up to 300,000 square feet of commercial space (200,000 highway commercial plus 100,000 general commercial in the draft agreement)
• Per the staff report, 100,000 square feet of commercial and 320 multifamily units are interchangeable, so they can't both be built
• Planned uses listed include a hospital or urgent care, educational facilities, light wholesale and storage, and recreation such as pickleball
• One of the three parcels is owned by the Florida Department of Transportation, and the county's summary says transfer negotiations are ongoing

Where do these projects stand right now?

Here's the record so far, from county documents:

• March 9, 2026: the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of both rezonings to the County Commission.
• April 7, 2026: the County Commission voted 4-0 to postpone Ginny Grove.
• June 9, 2026: the Hernando County School Board signed off on school concurrency for both subdivisions on its consent agenda, the Hernando Sun reported.
• October 6, 2026: the County Commission approved both rezonings: Resolution 2026-188 for Black Jack Ridge and Resolution 2026-189 for Ginny Grove. Both are signed and dated October 6 and were posted to the county's Legistar files on October 7.
• Still pending: the two development agreements, which set out infrastructure and school terms. County staff recommended a second public hearing for adoption on November 10, 2026.

The county's agenda summaries also note that the draft development agreements leave out two items Florida law lists for these agreements, against the advice of county counsel. That means the agreements' details could still change before the November hearing.

Minutes from the October 6 meeting hadn't been posted as of October 9. The signed resolutions and county files are linked below.

Does a rezoning mean construction starts soon?

No. Even with the rezonings approved, the county staff report puts it plainly: rezoning "is a land use determination and does not constitute a permit for either construction on, or use of, the property, or a Certificate of Concurrency." Before anything is built, a project still needs site plans, permits, and other county approvals.

Schools are a key question for buyers. The School District's March 9, 2026 non-binding capacity analysis for Black Jack Ridge assumed all 978 units were single-family, which works out to about 294 students. It found:

• Elementary: room for all 135 projected students at Eastside Elementary
• Middle: no room at Parrott Middle, but space at West Hernando Middle in the adjacent zone
• High school: no room for the 91 projected students at Hernando High, Central High, or Weeki Wachee High

The district notes that there's no guarantee students would attend the named schools, and a formal school-capacity finding comes later in the process.

What could this mean for Brooksville and Spring Hill buyers and owners?

Large plans like these are part of a bigger trend. Momentum Realty's Hernando dashboard (Oct 7, 2026) shows new construction at about 24% of recent sales, and, citing Census data, 1,975 housing units permitted in 2025, down 21% from the prior year. The county's median sale price is about $299,900.

What these projects don't do is change today's home values on your street. A rezoned field isn't a comp. For owners near Lockhart Road and Cortez Boulevard, the practical questions are traffic, school assignments, the final development agreements, and what gets built next door over the coming years.

What buyers should do

1. If you're house-hunting near Lockhart Road, Cortez Boulevard, or the I-75 interchange, read the county files and master plans before you buy, so the neighborhood you see is the one you plan for.
2. Check school assignments directly with the School District. Capacity letters are non-binding and can change.
3. Plan for construction-era traffic on SR 50 and Lockhart Road as these projects move forward.
4. Looking near the I-75/SR 50 corridor? Call or text 352-587-9996.

What sellers should do

1. Price on today's closed comps, not on planned communities that haven't broken ground.
2. Be ready for buyer questions. Keep the county file links handy and stick to the documented facts.
3. Follow the November 10 development-agreement hearing if you own nearby. Public hearings include public comment.
4. Get a current valuation before you list: https://www.ageofexp.com/homevalue

Frequently asked questions

What is being built near I-75 and SR 50 in Brooksville?
Nothing yet. On October 6, 2026, the county approved rezonings for Ginny Grove (up to 907 single-family lots on about 226.9 acres) and Black Jack Ridge (up to 978 homes and up to 300,000 square feet of commercial on about 203.89 acres), both east of Lockhart Road. Development agreements, site plans, and permits still come first.

When is the next public hearing on Ginny Grove and Black Jack Ridge?
The rezonings were approved October 6. County staff recommended a second public hearing on November 10, 2026 to adopt both development agreements, which are still pending. The County Commission's next regular meeting is October 13, 2026.

Does a Hernando County rezoning mean homes will be built right away?
No. Per the county staff report, an approved rezoning isn't a construction permit or a school or utility capacity finding. Site plans and permits still come first.

Would Black Jack Ridge students fit in Hernando County schools?
A March 9, 2026 non-binding district analysis found room at Eastside Elementary and West Hernando Middle, but no high-school room for about 91 students at Hernando, Central, or Weeki Wachee High. The School Board later signed off on concurrency on June 9.

Looking near the newly rezoned I-75/SR 50 corridor, or own nearby and wondering what it means for you? Call or text 352-587-9996.

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James Adams
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Find out what your home is worth: https://www.ageofexp.com/homevalue

Sources

1. Hernando County Board of County Commissioners, Land Use Meeting Agenda, Oct 6, 2026 (printed Sep 29, 2026). https://media-002-us.cdn.govstack.com/hernandocounty-us/media/pynf001j/land-use-meeting-october-6.pdf
2. Hernando County Legistar, File 17999: Rezoning Petition, Jack Melton Family, Inc., Lockhart Road (H2539, Ginny Grove). https://hernandocountyfl.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8254835&GUID=8E86F01D-5A67-4E6C-B08D-ACC6BEB4C163
3. Hernando County Board of County Commissioners, Resolution No. 2026-189 approving rezoning H-25-39 (Ginny Grove), adopted Oct 6, 2026 (posted Oct 7). https://hernandocountyfl.legistar1.com/hernandocountyfl/attachments/73b8bf6a-2322-49c9-8380-6256c3faf7da.pdf
4. Hernando County Board of County Commissioners, Resolution No. 2026-188 approving rezoning H-25-40 (Black Jack Ridge), adopted Oct 6, 2026 (posted Oct 7). https://hernandocountyfl.legistar1.com/hernandocountyfl/attachments/a68215ac-fd7f-43e5-bacd-21aca8c5ae89.pdf
5. Hernando County Legistar, File 18000: Rezoning Petition, Jack Melton Family, Inc., Cortez Boulevard (H2540, Black Jack Ridge). https://hernandocountyfl.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8254951&GUID=1EA64EF3-8E91-47DE-B53E-7160ECEAA5D3
6. Hernando County Legistar, File 17281: Development Agreement, Ginny Grove. https://hernandocountyfl.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8254833&GUID=2EEDF598-3977-4249-A389-B39BFAB7A60A
7. Hernando County Legistar, File 17280: Development Agreement, Black Jack Ridge. https://hernandocountyfl.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8254827&GUID=762472F4-9D08-4D9F-BA51-61F700683F7C
8. Hernando County Planning Department, Staff Report H-25-40 (Black Jack Ridge), Oct 6, 2026 hearing packet. https://hernandocountyfl.legistar1.com/hernandocountyfl/attachments/9933bfe6-50af-43de-bdcd-0e25080028b6.pdf
9. School District of Hernando County, Non-Binding School Capacity Analysis, Black Jack Ridge (H2540), Mar 9, 2026. https://hernandocountyfl.legistar1.com/hernandocountyfl/attachments/76b9b771-8ba8-45ca-b495-3d5c67fc5357.pdf
10. Hernando Sun, "Hernando School Board Signs Off on Two Large Housing Developments," Jun 19, 2026. https://www.hernandosun.com/2026/06/19/hernando-school-board-signs-off-on-two-large-housing-developments/
11. Momentum Realty, Hernando County Housing Market (MLS-based dashboard; permits cite U.S. Census Building Permits Survey 2025), refreshed Oct 7, 2026. https://movewithmomentum.com/market/hernando-county/