Seven Oaks Mixed-Use Apartment Project Moves Closer To Reality Next To Sam’s Club

Seven Oaks Parcel S-19 Multifamily, located between Sam’s Club and S.R. 56, east of Ancient Oaks Blvd., may finally be ready to move forward with a mixed-use residential/commercial project. (Map source: Pasco County, modified by NN) 

More than three years after it was first reported that a developer had finally secured approval for the long-discussed Seven Oaks mixed-use apartment project just north of S.R. 56 and east of Ancient Oaks Blvd., new details indicate that construction on the long-vacant land next to the Wesley Chapel Sam’s Club could begin at any time. 

The mixed-use development, currently referred to in county documents as “Seven Oaks Parcel S-19 Multifamily,” is planned for the still-empty lot immediately adjacent to the Sam’s Club parking lot (see map). 

While the project does not yet have an official marketing name, its scope and design are now firmly in place. 

According to recently submitted plans, the developer applied for a site development placard in November 2025, signaling that the project has cleared most major hurdles and is eligible to move forward. 

Final construction plans were submitted to the county at the beginning of 2026, another key milestone that positions the project for an imminent groundbreaking. 

The Seven Oaks Parcel S-19 project will span approximately 10.6 acres and feature a blend of residential and commercial space designed to complement the rapidly developing S.R. 56 corridor. 

Plans call for two four-story buildings containing a total of 320 apartments — 188 one-bedroom/studio, 113 two-bedroom and 19 three-bedroom apartments. Similar to The Flats at Avalon Park Wesley Chapel project, the apartments will all sit above ground-floor commercial space, creating a walkable, truly mixed-use environment. 

The commercial component will include approximately nine flexible retail or office ground-floor suites, located on the north side of Building 2A, totaling 26,099 square feet. These spaces are expected to attract a mix of small shops, professional services or (hopefully, at least from our standpoint) dining options that will cater to both residents and nearby shoppers. 

A number of amenities are a major part of the project’s design. A central swimming pool will be located in the middle of Building 1, providing a shared outdoor space for all residents. Building 2A will include a four-story parking garage, helping to manage traffic and reduce surface parking. 

In total, the site will provide 610 parking spaces, exceeding minimum requirements to accommodate residents, visitors and commercial tenants alike. 

The land has remained vacant for years, despite its prime location, just steps from Sam’s Club and minutes from I-75. 

When the Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News first reported on the project in November 2022 in an article entitled “Developer Finally Gets Approval for Seven Oaks Project,” many residents expressed cautious optimism that the property would finally be put to use after it was met with significant pushback — after the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners had placed a moratorium on new apartments in the Wesley Chapel area. 

Now, with permits for the project advancing and construction authorization in place, that optimism appears increasingly justified. 

While no official groundbreaking date has yet been announced, county records suggest construction could begin at any time, now that the site development placard has been requested. 

Once under way, this mixed-use project is expected to bring new housing options, additional commercial services and increased activity to one of Wesley Chapel’s already-busy central intersections. 

And, as growth along S.R. 56 continues, the Seven Oaks Parcel S-19 development represents another significant step in the area’s transformation from suburban crossroads to a denser, more urban-style commercial and residential hub. 

Residents can expect to see additional updates in these pages as construction begins and leases for the commercial tenants are announced. 

Compromise Reached On Seven Oaks Parcel Adjacent To Clubhouse 

A dispute between the residents of Seven Oaks and Crown Community Development, which developed the master-planned community, has been settled with an impressive compromise, brokered in no small part by Pasco County District 2 Commissioner Seth Weightman, who represents Seven Oaks and most of Wesley Chapel on the Board of County Commissioners (BCC). 

Since 2017, Crown has been trying to re-zone a vacant parcel of nearly 1.2 acres (see map) that is adjacent to the Seven Oaks Community Club for both office and possible recreational uses. 

The unspecified recreational uses, which could have been anything from a park to a bowling alley to a putt-putt golf course, was the cause of the dispute between Crown and the residents of Seven Oaks, led by Seven Oaks Community Development District (CDD) supervisor Jon Tomsu. 

The concern was that these types of recreational uses would attract large numbers of cars to not only travel, but also possibly park, on Seven Oaks’ primary north-south thoroughfare, Ancient Oaks Blvd. 

The BCC had turned down Crown’s rezoning request back in 2018, but a mediator ruled in June of 2020 that the Parcel 12 could be divided in two, with the 16.8-acre CDD maintaining its ownership of Parcel 12A (which includes the community center), and Crown retaining the 1.2-acre Parcel 12B, with the ability to add office uses. 

The fate of the parcel still had not been decided when Covid hit in 2020 and the possible rezoning wasn’t brought back to the BCC for a vote until its July 11 meeting. 

Weightman brought Tomsu and Crown attorney Barbara Wilhite together to settle the dispute, with Tomsu saying that although he was OK with a less intrusive PO-1 office use for the 50,000+-sq.-ft. space, he would not agree to any “recreational use” on the site. 

After Wilhite agreed to the office-only stipulation, the agreement was brought before the BCC and unanimously approved. 

“That was a great coming together of two parties — the residents of Seven Oaks and Crown Development,” Weightman said. “Ultimately, the CDD leadership and Crown came together to go with office space and match what was already there. It was a nice negotiation and agreement to have that issue come to an end and I think it was the best possible resolution for that site.” 

Weightman’s legislative aide Andy Taylor agreed. 

“When they were talking about recreational uses, like a Main Event-style use, where people would be coming in and parking on the roads in Seven Oaks, everything about it just didn’t make sense. It was nice to see it finally get resolved amicably.” 

The rezoning was officially approved at its second reading before the BCC on Aug. 8, without objection. Public comment also was not permitted, per Wilhite’s request at the meeting on July 11.

Developer Finally Gets Approval For Seven Oaks Project

The third time was apparently the charm for developers seeking to build a 320-unit apartment complex in the Seven Oaks Master Planned Unit Development (MPUD) Master Plan.

After having their efforts rejected by the Pasco County Planning Commission last year and the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) in January, and appealing the decision and going to mediation in the spring, developer DD/SR 56 LLC finally got the vote it needed to build the apartment project.

On Oct. 11, commissioners voted 3-2 in favor of modifying the MPUD and clearing the way for the new apartments and 25,000 square feet of commercial and retail space on 10 acres on Ancient Oaks Dr., just off S.R. 56, adjacent to Sam’s Club (see map).

DD/SR 56 LLC only needed to change one mind, and it succeeded. District 1 Commissioner Ron Oakley, who voted against the project in January, joined Dist. 3 Commissioner Kathryn Starkey and Dist. 4 Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick by voting in favor of the project.

Dist. 2 Commissioner Mike Moore, who lives in Seven Oaks, and Dist. 5 Commissioner Jack Mariano remained opposed. They argued that the commercial designation for the 10 acres should remain because the area needs new jobs more than it needs multi-family housing.

Oakley, whose quote from the January meeting — “I’ve always felt that the size of the project is too large for the site” — was cited on a few occasions by opponents during the four-hour BOCC meeting, said his concerns about parking, traffic and pedestrian safety had been eased by the developer’s changes to the project.

“It’s a better fit on the site than it was prior,” Oakley said.

During the mediation process, the developer made a number of changes to its application, including a new site plan that includes two multi-story buildings. There will be vertical parking, and developers increased the commercial and retail space from 20,000 square feet to 25,000, which will be on the ground levels of the buildings.

There also were pedestrian safety and traffic issues that were resolved, including plans to extend and improve a walkway to Sam’s Club from the complex

Opponents argued that allowing 320 apartments on 10 acres was too dense and would not only create additional traffic and safety issues, but also would set a problematic precedent for the future.

“The 32 units per acre will set a dangerous and irreversible precedent,” said Chelsea Waller of Waller Law, who represents the Seven Oaks Community Development District. “Every developer is going to come into the county demanding the same density, and there goes the unique character of Pasco County.”

A presentation by opponents claimed that the 32 units per acre exceeds that of nearby apartments The Enclave (7.2), Bonterra Parc (10), MAA’s Colonial Grand (15.9) and the Windsor Club (16.3).

More than a dozen Seven Oaks residents spoke in opposition at the Oct. 11 meeting, citing mostly traffic concerns and compatibility with the rest of the MPUD. The location off S.R. 56 and the traffic congestion already in that area were the primary concerns.

One resident warned that such projects would lead to Wesley Chapel becoming like San Francisco (“If you go back there right now you understand what your future may look like if we approve this kind of stuff”), and another warned that the multi-story buildings could cause “sky and sun blocking.”

Waller argued that the changes made by the developers were insufficient to warrant approval. The project belonged in South Tampa or Orlando, she said, and was not compatible with Wesley Chapel’s urban dynamic.

But Joel Tew, the land-use attorney representing DD/SR 56 LLC, said that’s exactly what the developers are seeking.

“This is the poster child for a vertical mixed-use infill project,” Tew said, adding that it is supposed to look like Westchase Park or Hyde Park. “The whole point is to create a walkable look.”

While developers appear to have prevailed in their efforts to proceed with the project, an appeal could still be forthcoming, although it would likely take more than a year to get back to the BOCC.

LOCH IT IN!

Angie Ng, top left, celebrates swimming the length of the Loch Ness Lake with her team of friends, and poses in front of the stories lake the day before the swim. (Photos: Courtesy of Angie Ng)

As it turns out, there is a Loch Ness monster.

Her name is Angie Ng.

Swimming the final 1,500 meters on a four-person relay, after already logging 6,000 meters on two previous legs, Angie (above) churned her arms and fluttered her legs faster than she ever remembered, cutting through the famous Scottish Lake Loch Ness, the seconds ticking away.

When she finally reached the end, tripping and falling on the rock-covered beach, the Seven Oaks resident had helped set a Loch Ness record for a 4-person relay team in the 23-mile long lake.

Not bad for a 52-year-old mother of two.

Angie, and her friends Eliza Chang, Ryan Leung and Chun Kong Mak, finished the July 27 swim in the frigid lake in 11 hours, 29 minutes, 27 seconds. The British Long Distance Swimming Association still needs to certify the record, but for now it tops the 11:38.20 mark set in 2019 by a four-person all-male team.

“Two days before the swim, we realized breaking the record was doable,” Angie says. “But our goal was just to complete a skin swim (without a wet suit) in the cold Loch. We tried our best and are very happy with the results.”

It was an eventful final leg. 

Angie, who didn’t think she would be needed again after her two previous legs, was told by one of the observers she needed to swim the final 1,500m. Oh, and she had to do it in roughly 38 minutes if they wanted to set a record.

“At that moment, I realized the burden to break the record has landed on a 52-year-old mom who has not been competing in 30 years, and who just re-started training barely six months ago,” Angie says. 

Those months of doing laps in the early morning at the Seven Oaks Clubhouse pool were about to pay off. It was a tough swim – the current seemed to be taking her to the right, so much so that, at one point, the boat had to move from her left side to her right to keep her from swimming into a channel where there were other boats.

“I sprint and I sprint,” Angie says, adding that she focused on her breathing and keeping her shoulders loose.

 She swam the final 200 meters alone, as the boat could go no further, due to the depth of the lake. 

 Because her luggage was lost when she arrived in Scotland, Angie was without her contact lenses and prescription goggles. She says that all she could see was a big patch of yellow, which was the beach, “and I was told just swim straight into it. So I swam and swam, yet the beach was so near yet so far, like it can never be reached.”

 She finally saw some rocks on the lake floor, and crawled and fell and crawled and fell again across the slippery rocks on the shore. When she was completely on shore and not touching any water, the swim was officially over.

 â€śI raised my arms, signaled to the boat and there, we completed our marvelous Loch Ness swim,” Angie said.

Not only did Angie finish her swim in borrowed goggles, she was fortunate enough to get the last one-piece swimsuit in her size from Primark, a discount store, for six pounds, or seven U.S. dollars.

Angie has been swimming since she was 3 years old, her mother starting her in the pool to combat her bronchitis.  She continued to swim as she grew up, competing on the Chinese National Team in international and Junior Olympic events.

Angie trained for her swim almost every day at the Seven Oaks clubhouse pool.

She also swam competitively for two years at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, before work, marriage and children took her out of the pool.

Despite participating in the mile-long Hong Kong Cross Harbour Race in 2016 and 2018, the last year the event was held due to Covid (until resuming in December 2021), she barely has had time to get in the pool.

But, now that daughter Kristen is at the University of Central Florida and son Kelvin is at the University of Washington (in Seattle), Angie’s mornings are free for swimming.

She just needed a mission.

In January, she found one when Eliza called with the crazy idea to swim Loch Ness. Angie eagerly jumped into training to be part of the first relay team from Hong Kong to even attempt the challenge.

While Angie trained at the 89Âş Seven Oaks pool, the water in Loch Ness averages around 59Âş in July. It was 55-57Âş during her swim.

Because she was rusty, she could only swim 500 meters when she started training, but soon added more distance, with 24 laps becoming 250 laps and more this summer. Most days she swam 5,000 meters, or a little more than three miles, and even managed a few longer (10,000m) workouts.

In preparation for chilly Loch Ness, she filled her bathtub at home with ice and water 3-4 times a week, taking 15-minute soaks hoping it would prepare her for the lake.

 Angie and her team started a Facebook page documenting their preparation, and to raise money for charity. A nurse practitioner at the University of South Florida, Angie is donating 100% of her portion to Doctors Without Borders.

As for Nessie, Angie can’t be sure if Loch Ness’s famed monster was around or not, because she didn’t have her goggles. 

But, if Nessie was there, she wasn’t the only monster in Loch Ness that day.

Developer Not Taking No For An Answer On Seven Oaks Apts.

After failing to convince Pasco County commissioners to accept one of their proposed projects in Seven Oaks, SD Wesley Chapel and Stock Development, LLC, are appealing the decision under the state’s Land Use and Environmental Resolution Act.

At the Feb. 22 Pasco Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting, county attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder told commissioners that SD Wesley Chapel and Stock Development are claiming the 3-2 vote against their project was “unreasonable and unduly burdensome.”

Steinsnyder said the appeal was rare. “It’s been a while since we had one,” he said.

SD Wesley Chapel and Stock Development LLC want to rezone a 10-acre parcel (S-19) at the southern portion of Seven Oaks (just north of S.R. 56; see map above) currently zoned for commercial and retail so it can build a high-end 320-unit apartment complex as part of a vertical mixed-use development.

The proposed apartment complex would include a pool, a dog park and open space for gatherings in the southern portion of the complex.

Steinsnyder said the developers and county have agreed to meet with a special magistrate, David Mechanik, who is a Florida Supreme Court-certified mediator.

While a site for that meeting hasn’t been chosen, the public is invited to attend, especially those who are affected by the proposed development. If a resolution can be reached, another public hearing would be held and the BOCC would have to vote on the project again. 

Pasco’s Planning Commission originally voted down the plan to rezone the 86,000 square feet of retail and office space in September due to a number of concerns.

After the developers amended their original plan, the BCC voted 3-2 against it at the Jan. 11 meeting, with District 2 commissioner and Seven Oaks resident Mike Moore joining District 1 commissioner Ron Oakley and commissioner Jack Mariano of District 5 in opposition.

The Seven Oaks application was submitted prior to the BCC’s current apartment moratorium.

At the exceptionally long Jan. 11 meeting, dozens of Seven Oaks residents showed up to speak against the project.

Gary Lemberg, the president of the Seven Oaks Property Owners Association, told commissioners at that meeting that he hadn’t talked to a single Seven Oaks resident that favored the project. “Our board is definitely against it,” he said.

 The arguments against the project varied, from traffic concerns on Ancient Oaks Blvd. (a major north-south route through Seven Oaks) to the effects on school capacity to general compatibility.

Opponents of the project, including attorney Chelsea Waller-Douthard of Waller Law, mentioned the number of apartment complexes already in that area.

Windsor Club at Seven Oaks to the east has 240 units on 14.7 acres, and the Colonial Grand at Seven Oaks rental community to the west has 318 units on 20 acres.

In addition, the Enclave at Wesley Chapel has 312 units on 43 acres, and Bonterra Parc has 264 units on 26.3 units. Both are located across the street from Seven Oaks, on the south side of S.R. 56.

The proposed project “is double the density of any apartment community in Seven Oaks, and two-and-a-half times the density of other apartments in the area,” Waller-Douthard said, adding that it was more of a fit for South Tampa or Orlando than Wesley Chapel.