Pasco County secures 67.5 acres along Ehren Cutoff for conservation

Pasco County has purchased 67.5 acres of land along Ehren Cutoff to add to its conservation network. The transaction was announced on Oct. 22 via the county’s social media channels. The new parcel acts as a link between several protected areas in the central part of the county. It bridges the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Connor Preserve to the northwest and Cypress Creek Preserve to the southeast. The land also connects to the Connerton to Cypress Creek Ecological Corridor.

The county acquired the property through the Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program, or ELAMP. The purchase price was not disclosed in the announcement. Funding for the deal came from Penny for Pasco, a one-cent sales tax that directs approximately 20% of its revenue toward environmental land preservation. This acquisition is the latest in a series of large-scale conservation purchases in the region. These deals occur as the Pasco County Commission faces ongoing criticism regarding development pressures in the area.

In June, the county completed its largest land purchase to date. It paid $68 million for 1,893 acres of the 4G Ranch. That property sits along the same Ehren Cutoff, Connerton, and State Road 52 corridor. Earlier in September 2025, the Southwest Florida Water Management District announced a $30.8 million agreement to buy the 974-acre Kirkland Ranch in east Pasco. That transaction ensures the land will remain off-limits to developers. Since ELAMP began operations in July 2004, it has preserved approximately 8,688 acres of land.

Voters first approved the Penny for Pasco tax in March 2004. The measure has been renewed twice and is set to run through December 2039. The county projects the tax will generate $1.9 billion by its expiration. Officials estimate that 4,705 acres in targeted corridors still require protection. The county expects current tax revenue to fund the acquisition of 1,200 to 1,600 acres. Future revenue is expected to support the purchase of an additional 3,000 to 3,700 acres.

The new Ehren Cutoff purchase does not alter plans for nearby road infrastructure. The county is widening about seven miles of State Road 52 to four lanes. The project stretches from U.S. 41 to Bellamy Brothers Boulevard near the recently opened Amazon distribution center. The 4G Ranch purchase also does not affect these plans. The road project is currently in the design phase. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in fall 2027. Residents can find more information about the program at mypas.co/ELAMP.