CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — Citrus County is growing, but that growth doesn’t look the same in every community.
That was one of the topics residents brought up when Tampa Bay 28 held a Listen's Booth at Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters in Crystal River to hear directly from people about what matters to them.
WATCH: As Citrus County grows, Crystal River residents want to preserve small-town charm
In places like Lecanto, new homes and businesses are changing the landscape, while Inverness continues to grow around its historic downtown.
In Crystal River, residents and business owners say they see growth too, particularly in the number of people discovering the community.
“The tourism definitely has picked up for sure a lot more traffic too, but we also have new sidewalks, golf cart lanes and things like that that helped quite a bit,” business owner Lauren Stringer said.
It doesn't take long to understand what attracts people to Crystal River.
The water, manatees, parks, shops and restaurants are all part of a community where residents can walk or even take a golf cart around downtown.
For resident Jim McDonough, that combination is what makes Crystal River feel like home.
“Everything's convenient; everybody's nice. It's a small town, but it's got some beauty to know between the parks and the beach and the manatees and I love the name. I love saying I'm from Crystal River,” said McDonough.
Crystal River remains a small city, but it is surrounded by a county that is getting significantly bigger.
Citrus County has added nearly 18,000 residents since 2020, an increase of more than 11%.
Crystal River itself still has fewer than 4,000 residents.
The city's location around Kings Bay and its world-famous springs also means its population doesn't tell the entire story. Visitors come from around Florida and beyond to see the manatees, get on the water and spend time downtown.
That combination of tourism and population growth creates opportunities for local businesses but also raises questions about how much development residents want.
Realtor Allison Hubbard said she sees both sides of that debate.
“There's a political conversation about development: half of them really love it, half of them like to steer away from it and keep that small-town charm the half that's for the development. They're worried about job security,” said Hubbard.
Crystal River is now considering what the next phase of its growth should look like.
The state recently awarded the city $75,000 to develop a new strategic and economic development plan.
City planning efforts have emphasized issues including walkable neighborhoods, historic preservation and development that maintains the character of existing communities.
For many of the people Tampa Bay 28 heard from, the question isn't necessarily whether Crystal River should grow.
It's how to make sure that as Citrus County continues to change, Crystal River doesn't lose the small-town character that makes people want to live there in the first place.
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