Proposed sale of Sand Hill Scout Reservation land draws opposition in Hernando County

HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — A proposal to sell a large portion of the Sand Hill Scout Reservation is renewing a debate over the future of the Hernando County property and whether hundreds of acres could eventually be developed.

For generations, the Sand Hill Scout Reservation has been a place for Scouts to camp, explore and experience the outdoors.

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Forrest Bennett, founder of the Nature Coast Action Team, is among those who believe the property should remain that way.

"Larry DiePolder, a wonderful gentleman, World War I veteran, gifted 1,300 acres to the Scouts to always be a Scout reservation. And, failing the Scouts, going out of business, would be a county park to serve 'the youth of Hernando County.'"

But the future of a large portion of the property is uncertain.

The Greater Tampa Bay Area Scouting Council is looking to sell about half of the approximately 1,300-acre reservation.

Bennett believes financial pressures facing Scouting are driving the effort.

"The Scouts, because of various issues that they have nationally, are broke. They're looking for money for Tampa Scout Council, which has nine counties, and looked at this as a cash cow."

Tampa Bay 28 first reported on the controversy two years ago, when dozens of people protested the possibility of part of the reservation being sold.

"This kind of snatching up land. Snatch and grabs. Under our noses by development, is just unacceptable,” one opponent said at the time.

Residents are particularly concerned about the possibility that the land could be rezoned and eventually sold for development. The property is located along Cortez Boulevard across from Oak Hill Hospital.

"It's outrageous that Mr. DiePolder, who generously gave 1,300 acres; he's rolling in his grave right now. It's horrible," Bennett said.

The Greater Tampa Bay Area Scouting Council did not respond to an email from Tampa Bay 28 this week.

In a statement posted on its website in 2024, the Council said it would not sell land being used for the campground and that proceeds from any sale would be used to make improvements at Sand Hill and its other properties around Florida.

The Council also disputed claims that it was going against DiePolder's wishes.

"The idea that the Boy Scouts are using some sort of a loophole to consider selling part of this property. It's pure fiction and frankly is insulting."

The controversy drew hundreds of people to a community meeting this week, where potential environmental impacts were also a major concern.

The property sits above the aquifer connected to the Weeki Wachee River and contains a system of caves and springs.

"We had hydrologists. We had folks who are cave divers, who explored Diepolder 2. We had geologists. We had land use, people," Bennett said.

The Scouting Council says selling a portion of Sand Hill would provide money for improvements to the remaining property and help support Scouting programs.

Coastal Engineering, which is representing the Council through the land-use process, says cave entrances associated with sinkholes would remain on property owned by the Scouts.

Any land-use change allowing development on the property would ultimately require approval from Hernando County commissioners and review at the state level.