Hillsborough County Public Schools picks up more land in Plant City
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: May 28, 2024

Hillsborough County Public Schools is taking note of Plant City's booming population.

The school district paid $20.25 million for 46.3 acres in Plant City on May 20, according to Hillsborough County property records. The property is southwest of the intersections of Midway and Charlie Taylor roads and north of Top View Lane. The seller was Martin Bezdek of Tampa, property records show.

It is the second time in less than a year that Hillsborough Schools has purchased land in Plant City. A spokesperson for the school district told the Tampa Bay Business Journal that the property is for "future school use" for a middle or elementary school.

The location is just over 3 miles from another Plant City property the school district picked up in August 2023. That property, in North Park Isles, is just over 50 acres. The 2023 purchase, the district said at the time, was to ensure "we have land for future school builds based on the large growth around Plant City."

Two Plant City communities — North Park Isle and Varrea — were among Hillsborough County's fastest-growing single-family home communities, the school district noted in its most recent growth management plan. Due to Plant City's growth, the consultants hired by the school district for the growth management plan also conducted a long-range plan for the area.

"The scenarios developed suggest that if moderate growth occurs, there may be a need for two new schools over 15 years (one elementary and one high school). However, if proportionally, Plant City receives 11% growth, then a total of six schools (over 15 years) may be needed to serve the anticipated growth," the consultants found.