The future of one of South Lake County’s largest undeveloped properties is becoming clearer.

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners voted September 1 to approve the rezoning of approximately 2,241 acres in southeast Lake County for the Panther Run Planned Unit Development. The project, located north of Sawgrass Bay Boulevard and south of Schofield Road, stretches from the U.S. 27 area toward the Orange County line and is part of Lake County’s long-planned Wellness Way corridor.

The vote passed 3-1, moving the massive development one step closer to construction.

Panther Run is expected to eventually include approximately 2,600 homes, more than 1 million square feet of employment and commercial space, parks, trails, tourist accommodations and significant areas of preserved land.

The development is being proposed by GT USA, which purchased the property in 2024 for approximately $165 million in what was reported as the largest land sale in Lake County history.

A Different Kind of Development?

While the sheer size of Panther Run has raised concerns among residents about continued growth in South Lake County, developers say the project is designed to be more than another residential subdivision.

Approximately 72.5% of the 2,241-acre property is planned to remain as open space, including wetlands, lakes, parks, conservation areas and a wildlife corridor.

The project also includes more than 11 miles of walking, jogging and cycling trails and 20 community parks.

A proposed two-mile nature trail would run through portions of the preserved landscape, while the wildlife corridor is intended to help connect areas of habitat within the larger Florida Wildlife Corridor.

The development's name may suggest otherwise, but developers say there are no Florida panthers living on the property. The name was chosen in part to reflect the project's conservation focus.

Thousands of New Homes

The biggest concern for many residents, however, remains the number of homes coming to an already rapidly growing area.

The current plan allows for approximately 2,600 residences, including single-family homes, townhomes, age-targeted housing and other residential options.

Although that number is significant, the developer points out that the residential component is consistent with Lake County’s existing Wellness Way planning framework, which was established years before Panther Run was proposed.

Rather than seeking a new comprehensive plan amendment to introduce the development, the project is moving forward through the Planned Unit Development process established for the Wellness Way area.

Still, for residents living around Clermont, Sawgrass Bay and other portions of South Lake County, the continued expansion of residential development is likely to remain a major topic of conversation.

The Jobs Question

One of the most notable aspects of Panther Run is the amount of land dedicated to employment and commercial uses.

The development plan calls for roughly 1 million square feet or more of employment space, with developers and county officials anticipating the potential for more than 3,000 jobs.

The goal is to attract industries such as healthcare, technology, finance, research and development, advanced manufacturing, hospitality and tourism.

A grocery store, retail uses and employment centers are also planned along major roadways.

That employment component is particularly important to the Wellness Way vision, which was created around the idea of developing a community where residents would eventually be able to live, work and recreate in the same general area, rather than adding thousands of homes without corresponding economic development.

Roads Will Be a Major Part of the Project

For many Clermont-area residents, the biggest question may not be how many homes are coming—but how everyone is going to get around.

Panther Run includes more than four miles of new roadway, including planned improvements involving County Road 455 and connections to State Road 516.

The developer says the new road network is intended to improve mobility and help reduce congestion in South Clermont and the Sawgrass Bay area.

The project also includes plans for connections to the broader Wellness Way transportation network.

Exactly how traffic will ultimately move through the area will become clearer as engineering, road construction and future phases of the development progress.

A Future High School and Public Safety Complex

Panther Run also reserves land for public facilities that could become increasingly important as South Lake County continues to grow.

The development includes land for a proposed new high school, as well as an approximately 8-acre public safety complex that could include a fire station and sheriff's substation.

According to the Panther Run development team, the proposed school site is approximately 50 acres. The project website says the state has already approved $214 million in funding for a new South Lake County high school, although the final location will ultimately be determined by the Lake County School Board.

Construction Could Begin in 2027

With the rezoning now approved, GT USA is targeting the first quarter of 2027 for groundbreaking.

Early work is expected to focus heavily on clearing, grading and roadway construction, with residential development projected to follow.

The scale of Panther Run means construction will not happen overnight. The community is expected to take years to build out, meaning the effects will likely be felt gradually throughout South Lake County.

What Comes Next?

Panther Run represents another major milestone in the transformation of South Lake County from a largely rural landscape into one of Central Florida's fastest-growing regions.

Supporters point to the project's planned conservation areas, new jobs, infrastructure, parks and public facilities as evidence that growth can be planned more intentionally.

Opponents remain concerned about the cumulative impact of thousands of new residents, traffic, pressure on schools and the loss of agricultural land and natural habitat.

For Clermont and the surrounding communities, those competing concerns are unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

What is clear is that Panther Run is no longer simply a proposal.

With Lake County's approval now in place, one of the largest developments ever proposed in the region is moving toward construction—and its impact will likely shape South Lake County for decades to come.