The proposed amendment to the LDC is one sentence that says: “Invasive species located within the area of the project proposed to be developed are required to be removed (and) ongoing maintenance to prevent the establishment of prohibited, invasive species is required.”
This recommended change to the LDC came after county staff withdrew from consideration a proposed new ordinance, which was several pages long, specifically addressing the control and eradication of invasive species.
This occurred after the July 11 planning commission meeting in which answers were not available regarding how and by whom the proposed ordinance would be enforced if it was adopted.
Jennifer Seney, a Wesley Chapel resident and longtime environmental advocate, told planning commissioners on Aug. 8 she was disappointed that the original proposed ordinance had been withdrawn. Some neighboring counties, including Hillsborough, have ordinances specifically addressing invasive species, Seney said.
The Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) will hold its first reading of this proposed amendment to the LDC on Aug. 21, and it will be scheduled for possible adoption on Sept. 3. This is because the BCC has the final authority on whether to adopt the proposed amendment since the planning commission only acts in an advisory capacity regarding such matters.
It was also recommended to the BCC that all applications for car washes should be considered as conditional use requests, similar to those required for cell telephone towers.
This recommendation was made following a lengthy presentation and discussion regarding whether proposed amendments to an ordinance addressing car washes were consistent with the county’s Comprehensive Plan.
Their recommendation specifically stated that car wash conditional use requests should be required to meet design standards as currently presented by staff, and that a special set of conditions, similar to those used for cell towers, be created for car washes.
Planning commission members agreed this would make it simpler for both the public and car wash applicants to understand what was going to be required for such applications to be approved. Also, county staff would be granted flexibility in determining what conditional use conditions would pertain to each car wash applicant.
The BCC will hold its first reading of this proposed ordinance on Sept. 3 and it will be scheduled for possible adoption on Sept. 17.
In other business, planning commission members:
- Recommended that the BCC approve with conditions a rezoning request made by Kokolakis West MPUD – SR 52 Limited Partnership and Jen Holdco LLC on approximately 177.48 acres located in central Pasco County.
The property is currently zoned A-C Agricultural District and it’s being requested that the zoning be changed to a Master Planned Unit Development District (MPUD) to allow for the maximum development of 155 single-family detached dwelling units, 67 single-family attached dwelling units, 168,799-square-feet of Support Commercial, and 125,000-square-feet of Corporate Business Park/Target Industry/Light Industry and Associated Infrastructure.
- Recommended that the BCC approve with conditions a rezoning request made by Fletcher MPUD, et al, for approximately 100.6 acres near the Pilot Country Airport in north central Pasco County. The applicant wants to be allowed to develop 350 Multi-family Dwelling Units, 160 Town Home Dwelling Units, and 100,000-square-feet of Commercial and Associated Infrastructure there.
The current zoning of the property is A-C Agricultural District and R-1MH Single-Family/Mobile Home District and the applicant wants it to be changed to a Master Planned Unit Development (MPUD). The Pilot Country Airport didn’t oppose the request that the BCC will consider at its Aug 21 meeting in New Port Richey.
- Continued a decision until Oct. 17 on whether a special exception and a zoning change requested by Lakeshore Blvd LLC should be recommended for approval by the BCC.
The applicant wants to be allowed to use approximately 3.62 acres of property located at 13939 Lakeshore Blvd., in Hudson, for freestanding commercial and recreational vehicle and boat storage purposes. The property is currently zoned PO-2 Professional Office and MF-2 Multifamily Medium Density District and it is requested that it be changed to C-1 Neighborhood Commercial District. The property is approximately 233 feet southwest of Fivay Road.
The applicant would be required to repave the portion of Lakeshore Boulevard to where it connects with Fivay Road. A separate entrance would have to be incorporated into the project design, complete with a gate and a fire truck turn-around for emergency access.
The possible expense of repaving the appropriate portion of Lakeshore that is necessary so it would meet county standards was one of the reasons for continuing a decision. This occurred after Lakeshore Blvd LLC’s representative indicated the applicant wanted to see if other people who would benefit from improvements would be willing to share the costs. Planning commission member Jon Moody said he didn’t think neighbors would be willing to chip in on the cost to repave that portion of the road.
Planning commission members also wondered why the property couldn’t be used instead for professional offices that could be occupied by medical doctors, due to its close proximity to Bayonet Point Hospital.
Published August 21, 2024
