The Pasco County Commission has approved the purchase of 24.87 acres from Lennar Homes LLC, for $1.25 million, plus closing costs and $50,000 to be paid to Connerton Commercial Property Association, the closing agent.
The property is part of the Connerton Employment Center master-planned unit development.
The county’s Fleet Management department plans to use the vacant property, which is centrally located within the county, for the department’s future growth.
The property is strategically located adjacent to the 300-acre central campus of the Utilities Department and the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, according to the board’s Oct. 6 agenda materials.
Commissioners also passed a resolution declaring Oct. 4 through Oct. 10 as Fire Prevention Week in Pasco and acknowledging this year’s theme of “Serve up fire safety in the kitchen.”
The resolution notes that 2,630 people were killed nationally in home fires in 2019, including five in Pasco County. The resolution also points out that cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States, with two of every five home fires starting in the kitchen and 31% of these fires resulting from unattended cooking.
The resolution offers these suggestions to prevent fires related to cooking:
- Stay in the kitchen when cooking food on the stovetop
- Keep a 3-foot kid-free zone around cooking areas
- Keep anything that can catch fire away from stove tops
To reduce potential deaths, the resolution advises that residents have smoke alarms that are in working order, and practice fire escape plans.
On another matter, County Administrator Dan Biles told commissioners that the county’s Animal Services department is going to affected areas of Hurricane Sally and bringing back animals for adoption.
In other actions, commissioners:
- Approved a rezoning to allow up to 150,000 square feet of retail and commercial uses on approximately 38.62 acres at the southeast quadrant of Gunn Highway and State Road 54.
Plans call for construction of a maximum of 7,000 square feet for two fast food restaurants with drive thrus; a 10,000-square-foot day care (with a maximum of 180 students); 100,000 square feet of mini-storage; and, 33,000 square feet of general commercial.
- Approved a large-scale comprehensive plan amendment to the future land use map, which will allow light industrial and commercial on slightly more than 90 acres at the northeast corner of the Interstate 75 and Blanton Road interchange, extending northerly along I-75 to the Hernando County line. The previous designation was for an employment center and agricultural uses.
- Approved an increase of $304,000 in the fund used to pay for medical autopsies because of an increase in autopsies performed by the medical examiner this fiscal year.
- Approved up to $800,000 in purchases of library books, resource subscriptions, and related items within fiscal year 2021. The items will be purchased from various vendors.
Published October 14, 2020
