LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A massive development that could double the size of a Lake County town is continuing to march along.

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It brings with it fears that the town of Mascotte could lose its rural identity and get swallowed up by the growing metro area 40 miles away from Orlando.

If planned housing development is approved, it would bring 2,800 homes and 7,000 new residents to the community of 6,600.

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Mascotte is part of a larger fight playing out all over Central Florida. Former farming areas like Apopka, Saint Cloud and Oviedo are now overtaken by homes and commuters as lawmakers struggle to contain the sprawl.

In the last decade, the census calculated the metro area grew by almost 30%. And with more people needing a place to live, Mascotte is now on the front lines.

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During a meeting Tuesday night, council members said the plan has issues. They don’t want the developer to cut corners by counting retention ponds as open space or building up to 280 model homes.

Four out of five council members are open to the project.

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