Located on Browning Rd., Lithia Ranch consists of 48 private lots and two community-owned lots managed by the Lithia Ranch Home Owners Association (LRHOA). Before the neighborhood was built, Lithia Ranch was Blackadar Dairy Farm and much of the property was used as pasture land. In order to preserve the rural nature of the property the developers established lots with a minimum of five acres, with some as large as 10 acres, to allow agricultural activities like farming and livestock on the properties.
The spacious properties allow residents to enjoy wide-open spaces and not worry about being in their neighbor’s backyard. Many resident property owners selected Lithia Ranch for their homes so that they can enjoy a rural lifestyle while maintaining a higher standard of living. Cattle, horses and donkeys can be seen on many of the properties, and early in the morning roosters can be hear crowing. This neighborhood of tightly knit families organizes annual events such as a fall festival, garage and barn sales, Spring Flings and neighborhood clean-up days.
Across the street is the Chito Branch Preserve which is a South West Florida Water Management property that allows public access to hiking, biking and equestrian trails. Residents can enjoy traversing through a pine forest, oak hammocks and palmetto fields along with plenty of bird watching opportunities in the cypress knolls. There is an abundance of wildlife that lives on the property and it is not unusual to see wild hogs, deer, hawks, owls, various reptiles and coyotes. There are also small ponds sprinkled around the land that prove great fishing holes, but beware of alligators.
Minimum mowing requirements were established in the covenants to ensure these larger lots would not become overgrown and undermanaged becoming an eyesore to neighbors. In the LRHOA covenants each lot in Lithia Ridge must be mowed three times per year, centered on the growing season June through October. Residents can choose to mow the land themselves, hire a mowing service, or permit a local farmer to mow and bale the property.
The LRHOA extends an open invitation to individuals interested in properties on Lithia Ranch to attend one of its meetings or call a member of the board to learn more about the community. For more information, visit www.lithiaranchhoa.net or write to Lithia Ranch Homeowners Association at P.O. Box 663, Lithia, FL 33547.
