The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

County outlines Ridge Road construction timeline

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Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles recently laid out the time frame for the completion of the Ridge Road extension, a project that eventually will provide a new east-west corridor between Moon Lake Road and U.S. 41.

The project is broken into two phases, with a groundbreaking for the first phase held earlier this week.

County Administrator Dan Biles recently outlined a time frame for completing the Ridge Road extension, a new east-west connection for motorists. (File)

During the Pasco County Commission meeting last week, Biles laid out the time frame for the project — which the county has pursued for two decades. It finally received a permit for the project in December from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The first phase will build a new stretch of Ridge Road, which will extend from Moon Lake Road east to the Suncoast Parkway.

The second phase will continue the extension eastward, linking the Suncoast Parkway to U.S. 41.

Biles laid out these project milestones:

  • To Town Center Boulevard by Sept. 16
  • Two lanes to the Suncoast Parkway: July 20, 2021
  • Four lanes to the Suncoast Parkway: July 20, 2022
  • Four lanes to Sunlake Boulevard: September 2022
  • Four lanes to U.S. 41: September 2025

Although the first milestone calls for completion by Sept. 16, Biles believes that work will be finished sooner.

“We believe we will be able to get two lanes of traffic, if not all four lanes, before school starts, even if they’re not all done and buttoned up with that section,” Biles said. “We’re working with the school district to make sure that happens.”

There have long been complaints about traffic safety issues at River Ridge Middle and River Ridge High. The Ridge Road project would provide a second entrance and exit to the schools, improving safety.

The county is using an incentive system to encourage construction work to beat deadlines.

Biles told commissioners that the dates he outlined are considered to be “zero dates.”

“So, if they beat that date, there’s a bonus,” Biles explained.

The two lanes to the Suncoast also includes the entrance to the Moffitt/Excalibur piece, Biles said, referring to a massive “city within a city” type of project planned for Central Pasco.

The schedule, Biles said, “gets us two lanes of traffic to the Suncoast by the hurricane season in ’21,” one of the primary aims of the extension.”

Four lanes to the Suncoast Parkway would be completed the following year, he said.

“Four lanes to Sunlake (Boulevard) is part of the development agreement between us and Len/Angeline, and Moffitt plays a role,” Biles said.

The four lanes to U.S. 41 are expected to be finished in late 2025, completing the project, he added.

Biles told commissioners: “I would not go out there and tell people we are going to get all of the way to (U.S.) 41 in ’22 or ’23. I think ’25 is a backstop, and if it happens earlier, great, but ’25 is a backstop.”

But, Commissioner Jack Mariano observed: “I think if the folks over at Connerton, if they want to see that connection, they may try to work an agreement with us to help fund it, to get it there quicker.”

Biles responded: “It’s always possible.”

Published January 15, 2020

Pasco’s economy is on a roll

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Single-family permitting was up 21% in Pasco County in 2019, compared to the previous year — and for the first time, the county’s single-family residential average permit value topped $300,000.

Those were among the statistics that County Administrator Dan Biles shared with the Pasco County Commission during its Jan. 7 meeting.

A Cardel Homes home is being built on Tour Trace, in Bexley, a subdivision in Land O’ Lakes. (Christine Holtzman)

“As you know, there’s typically a two-year lag between when something gets a permit to when it hits the tax rolls. But, this gives us an idea that the builder community thinks the economy is still heading in the right way because they are still pulling a tremendous amount of permits, from a new single-family home construction perspective,” Biles said.

The increase in the average permit value also demonstrates that “not only are we building more, but we’re building at a higher value,” the administrator added.

Biles said the statistics indicate “the builders are thinking the economy is still going to be strong through the next 12 to 18 months. Otherwise, they would start pulling back.”

Biles also noted that commercial activity is up, too, with a 7% increase, according to county figures.

The total number of permits issued in 2019 was nearly 52,000. A lot of those permits were for remodels, changing out water heaters, air conditioners and so forth, Biles said.

Overall, the total value of new construction in the county topped $1.6 billion last year, the administrator said.

That figure, he said, indicates “tremendous confidence in the economy, not just from the builders but from the people doing renovations, repairs and remodels in their own homes and their commercial buildings.”

Pasco economy:

Single-family residential permits
2019: 4,335
2018: 3,586
2017: 3,527
2017: 2,732
2015: 1,979
2014: 1,809

New commercial permits
2019: 498
2018: 464
2017: 350
2016: 333
2015: 447

Total permits issued
2019: 51,902
2018: 49,517
2017: 45,391
2016: 39,776

Total permit value of new construction
2019: $1.6 billion
2018: Around $1.4 billion
2017: Around $1.4 billion
2016: Around $1 billion
2015: $600,000

Source: Pasco County

Published January 15, 2020

Pasco adopts new standards for mini-warehouses

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After months of research and outreach, Pasco County has developed new regulations relating to the placement and design of mini-warehouse and self-storage units.

The Pasco County Commission adopted the ordinance regulating these types of facilities in December.

In crafting its regulations, county planners considered standards in Dade City, St. Petersburg and Miami, as well as in Portland, Oregon; Beaufort, South Carolina; and New York, New York, according to a county agenda memo.

Pasco County has adopted new land use regulations regarding the placement and design for mini-warehouse and self-storage units. (File)

Planners also gathered input from a commercial development visual preference survey and from stakeholders.

In general, the ordinance seeks to preserve and enhance “the visual and functional characteristics of specific corridors through building location and building form.” It also seeks to enhance aesthetic quality, value and livability through “effective community-design standards, codes, programs and practices.”

Planners produced the proposed regulations at the request of the Pasco County Commission, after members of the board raised concerns about the proliferation of mini-warehouse and self-storage developments, particularly along the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor.

Mike Moore, now the commission’s chairman, repeatedly voiced concerns about mini-warehouses occupying land that he thinks would be better used for businesses that generate jobs.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey expressed similar concerns.

The county’s planning staff has estimated that mini-warehouse facilities typically consume about 5 acres of land, and produce, on average, about five jobs.

The county also imposed a temporary moratorium on new requests for mini-warehouses and self-storage units while the new regulations were being drafted.

Though the issue was contentious at times, no one spoke during the public comment portion of the ordinance adoption hearing on Dec. 10. Commissioners approved the ordinance unanimously.

Published January 15, 2020

Continuing to make strides against human trafficking

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Pasco County has made strides in combating human trafficking, but statistics continue to paint a sobering picture about the prevalence of the problem.

Some of those statistics were reported during the Pasco County Commission’s Jan. 7 meeting, where commissioners praised local efforts that are being made to battle the problem, and passed a resolution declaring January as National Slavery and Human Traffic Prevention Month, to cast a spotlight on the issue. Commissioners also declared Jan. 11 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

Liana Dean, chair of the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking, thanked commissioners for their support.

“Human trafficking continues to be an ongoing problem, both in the state of Florida and here in Pasco County,” Dean said. “In 2018, Florida again ranked third in the nation in the number of cases of human trafficking.”

Dean gave commissioners an overview of what the human trafficking commission has been doing in its attempt to take aim at the problem.

“We have continued with our efforts to educate and make the community aware. We have trained over 10,000 people in Pasco County and across the state on the issue. We’ve spoken at forums across the state, most recently at the Human Trafficking Summit in Orlando.

“We also have reached more than 1.5 million people with our marketing and advertising campaign.

“We led the state in terms of getting human trafficking curriculum into schools, for which I would like to thank our superintendent for his partnership in that effort,” she said.

Pasco County was a year ahead of the state in getting curriculum about the problem into its public schools.

“We are also working ahead in addressing the Super Bowl, that will be in Tampa in 2021,” Dean said. “So, we will be launching several campaigns around educating the public about that, and preventing trafficking from happening here in Pasco County, and partnering with other trafficking task forces in the area, and also supporting law enforcement efforts to arrest traffickers and buyers of sex trafficking here in the area.”

County Commissioner Ron Oakley praised the human trafficking commission’s efforts.

“I’m telling you, they’ve been nationally acclaimed for all of the good work that they’ve done,” Oakley said. “I think they have people who want to copy us because they’ve done such a good job, as the Human Trafficking Commission, here in Pasco County.”

Published January 15, 2020

Business Digest 01/15/2020

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This new crispy lemon Girl Scout Cookie carries a message, too. (Courtesy of Girl Scouts of West Central Florida)

Girl Scout cookie season kicks off
The Girl Scouts of West Central Florida are kicking off the Girl Scout Cookie season and, this year, there’s a new choice available for patrons. The new Girl Scout Cookie is called Lemon-Ups, and it’s a crispy lemon cookie that carries a message.

This year, the official day for the beginning of cookie booth sales is Feb. 14, through the West Central Florida district, which includes Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sumter counties.

 

 

Tampa Veterans Job Fair
DAV and RecruitMilitary will host the Tampa Veterans Job Fair on Jan. 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Amalie Arena, at 401 Channelside Drive, in Tampa. This free event for veterans, military spouses, transitioning military, National Guard members and Reservists features employers ready to hire.

Webinar series on taxes
This webinar series, entitled “Understanding and Taking Control of Your Federal Income Taxes,” contains three segments, according to a Hillsborough County news release.

The session dates and topics are listed below. Each session is from noon to 1 p.m.

Jan. 16: “What’s Your Tax Rate?”

Jan. 23: “Tax Deductions and Credits”

Jan. 30: “Free Tax Preparation Programs and Resources”

To register and obtain the webinar links, go to the local events calendar at  sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough.

For more information, contact Lisa Leslie at or (813) 744-5519, ext. 54143.

Greater Pasco Chamber breakfast
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce general membership breakfast meeting is set for Jan. 17 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at the Seven Springs Golf & Country Club in Trinity. Cost for the breakfast is $20 members, $30 for nonmembers. For more information, call (727) 842-7651 or (813) 909-2722. To register, go to , and click on the events tab.

Goodwill job fair
Goodwill Temporary Staffing is having a job fair on Jan. 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., to fill openings at the Goodwill store in Wesley Chapel. The job fair will be at the Goodwill superstore, 2390 Willow Oak Drive in Wesley Chapel (off State Road 56 and Interstate 75). The store is recruiting for an assistant sales manager, retail employees and donation processing positions. Full-time and part-time positions are available.

Business development week kick-off luncheon
Michele Smith, a double Olympic Gold Medalist with the U.S. National Team, will be the keynote speaker at the kick-off luncheon for Business Development week. The event is set for Jan. 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Spartan Manor, 6121 Massachusetts Ave., in New Port Richey. The cost is $30 for members of the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce and $40 for nonmembers.

For more information, call (813) 909-2722. To RSVP, go to .

Numerous sessions are set up for that week. Check the chamber’s event page for more information.

East Pasco Networking Group
Bob Hatfield, of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis’ office, will be the featured speaker at the Jan. 28 meeting of the East Pasco Networking Group. The group meets at 7:30 a.m., at the IHOP, at 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

Pasco EDC economic luncheon
The Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., will present Robert “Tim” McGee at its annual economic luncheon, which is planned for Jan. 31.

McGee is the director of macro strategy and research for U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management. The event is planned for Hyatt Place Tampa/Wesley Chapel, 26000 Sierra Center Blvd., in Lutz.

To register go to PascoEDC.com, and click on the events calendar tab. Or, for more information, email .

Want to be a better business planner?
You can learn how to guide your company’s daily operations toward its goals and objectives at this free Pasco Hernando Score workshop. The session is set for Feb. 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes. To register, go to PascoHernandoScore.org.

Charitable contributions top $800,000 mark
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s office has raised more than $800,000 for 76 charitable organizations since Fasano created a charitable giving program in 2013. “It was important to me that our office become a place to help people in need,” Fasano said, in a news release. “Many people think of us merely as a location to pay property taxes and renew driver’s licenses. However, due to the hard work of our staff and their commitment to helping those in need, we also are a place where our customers can come and support our Charity-of-the-Month program and other fundraising efforts throughout the year.”

Organizations that have an IRS 501c3 designation and that serve Pasco County are eligible to be considered for the giving program. To find out more, contact Greg Giordano, assistant tax collector at (727) 847-8179 or .

Women-n-charge
Women-N-Charge is a group of professional women who support and assist each other in  managing their businesses more effectively, furthering their professional goals, and promoting their health and financial independence. The group meets on the first Friday of each month, with the next meeting set for Feb. 7, at Plantation Palms Golf Club 23253 Plantation Palms Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Doors open at 11:15 a.m., with a lunch buffet served at 11:45 a.m., and the meeting to start at noon. Members pay $15 and guests pay $18, if they preregister and pay online.

For more information, go to the group’s website, Women-n-Charge.com, or call (813) 600-9848.

 

Pasco County is eyeing new rental registry

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The Pasco County Commission is considering a new regulation that would require a registry for all vacant and rental properties in unincorporated areas of the county.

The registry would be implemented and maintained by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, and would require owners to designate a property manager to be responsible for receiving legal warnings, notices and citations for vacant and rental properties, according to a county agenda memo.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells wants Pasco County to adopt a new regulation that would require a registry for all vacant and rental properties in unincorporated areas of the county. Having the registry, he said, is a life-safety issue. (File)

The proposed ordinance requires annual renewal of registrations and updates, when information changes.

It also gives owners the ability to ask for notification when a tenant or occupant is warned or cited by the county or the Sheriff’s Office for violating county codes, and gives the owner the opportunity to partner with the Sheriff’s Office to trespass any persons found on the property.

The registry does not include an inspection component or require owners to provide services, such as garbage, electric or water, the agenda memo says.

Also, there will be no fee to register, update or change information in the registry.

There will be a fine, however, if after a warning the owner does not comply with the registration requirements.

The County Attorney’s Office has recommended a fine of $125 for the first offense, which would double for each violation thereafter, up to a maximum of $500 per day.

The fine amount will be set by resolution, at the time of the ordinance’s final adoption, the agenda memo says.

The idea for the rental registry came up in April, when Commissioner Mike Wells said the county needed to have a way to find property owners quickly, when the need arises.

He characterized it as a “life-safety” issue.

At the time, Commissioner Kathryn Starkey threw her support behind the idea, noting she thinks a tool is needed to be able identify who is accountable for code violations and other issues at properties.

The county now appears ready to move forward with the ordinance and is planning a public hearing in January.

Published January 08, 2020

Spotlight on Talent marks 37th year

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While television talent competition shows, such as “America’s Got Talent,” “American Idol” and “Dancing with the Stars” draw massive audiences — a local event has those national programs beat in terms of staying power.

This will be the 37th year that Spotlight on Talent has invited young people with assorted talents to show off their skills at a regional competition.

Showstoppers took first place among older competitors in the group competition with their musical theater number during a previous Spotlight on Talent. (Courtesy of Heritage Arts Center Association)

Besides communities in east and central Pasco County, competitors come from such places as Brooksville, St. Petersburg, Tampa and West Pasco, according to a news release from the Heritage Arts Center Association, which puts on the annual contest.

Typically, hundreds compete for a chance to perform in the showcase. A wide range of acts compete, including vocalists, dancers, musicians and various entertainers that can include baton twirlers, bands, gymnasts and others.

Students — up through 12th grade — may compete individually, as part of a group, or both.

There are two age divisions, with younger contestants competing during the matinee performance and older ones competing at night.

This year’s deadline for applications is Jan. 23 and tryouts will take place on Jan. 27.

The final competitions are set for March 7, at noon and at 7 p.m., at the Center for the Arts at Wesley Chapel, 30651 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel.

Winners vie for bragging rights, trophies and $4,000 in cash prizes.

Awards are presented in numerous categories, and the senior scoring the highest number of points receives a $1,000 scholarship.

The competition aims to encourage aspiring performers, according to the news release.

Many former competitors have gone on to receive college scholarships and be selected for positions with performance organizations.

Just a couple of years ago, Zach D’Onofrio, gained notoriety when he competed in 2018 on “American Idol.” Last year, he won the $1,000 Pasco Heritage Scholarship by receiving the highest score in the Spotlight competition.

Typically, hundreds of people attend each show, giving contestants a chance to experience what it feels like to deliver a live performance.

It’s a tough competition, too.

Participants are judged primarily on talent, with additional points for stage presence.

Judges for the competition are from Central Florida and are outstanding in their respective fields, the release says.

Information about the competition is available on the HeritageArts.org website, and also is distributed to each school music teacher in Central Pasco and East Pasco; many dance, vocal and instrumental studios; and, local chambers of commerce.

Each year, the Moonlight and Ivory Concerts raise money to help support scholarships in the visual and performing arts. This year, the matinee and evening Moonlight and Ivory Concerts are set for Feb. 1, at the Historic Dade City Woman’s Club.

37th annual Spotlight on Talent
This youth talent competition gives young performers a chance to show off their talents and possibly win a trophy or cash award.
Important dates:
Application deadline: Jan. 23
Tryouts: Feb. 8
Final competitions: March 7 (matinee at noon; evening show at 7 p.m.)
Applications and information are available at HeritageArts.org.
For more information, contact Barbara Friedman at (352) 567-1720 or .

“Moonlight and Ivory” Concerts
The 23rd  annual “Moonlight and Ivory” concerts sponsored by the Heritage Arts Center Association help to support the arts, including two annual $1,000 scholarships — one in the performing arts and the other in the visual arts.

Here is the information about this year’s concerts and art exhibitions:

What: Moonlight and Ivory Concerts: Event includes music, art and refreshments
When: Feb. 1 at 2 p.m., with art exhibition following the concert; and, 7 p.m. art exhibition, followed by a 7:30 p.m. concert.
Where: Historic Dade City Woman’s Club, 37922 Palm Ave., in Dade City
Details: Local musicians perform in a variety of styles – jazz, classical, folk, sacred and Broadway among them. Refreshments are served during intermission, and an art show is included in both concerts.
Cost: Tickets are $15 for the matinee and $25 for the evening show. They may be purchased at  The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce; American Eagle Antiques in Dade City; or online at HeritageArts.org.
Info: Contact Jessica Werckman at (561) 400-1404 or .

Published January 08, 2020

Business Digest 01/08/2020

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Greater Pasco Chamber luncheon
The Greater Pasco Chamber membership luncheon is set for Jan. 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at SpringHill Suites Tampa North-Land O’ Lakes, 16615 Crosspointe Run, Land O’ Lakes. For more information, call (727) 842-7651.

Greater Pasco Chamber breakfast
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce general membership breakfast meeting is set for Jan. 17 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at the Seven Springs Golf & Country Club in Trinity. Cost for the breakfast is $20 members, $30 for nonmembers. Receive a $5 discount if registered and paid by Jan. 14. For more information, call (727) 842-7651 or (813) 909-2722. To register, go to , and click on the events tab.

Dade City chamber breakfast
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce will have its breakfast meeting on Jan. 21, beginning at 7 a.m. for networking, followed by breakfast and the program. This month’s meeting focuses on the Pasco County Fair, and will be at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, Madill Building, 36722 State Road 52 in Dade City. Cost is $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers, prepaid. Go to the chamber’s website, DadeCityChamber.org, and click on the events tab to prepay.

Tampa Bay named among top Tech Towns
The Tampa Bay area is now home to more than 150 tech startups, with nearly 43,200 IT jobs posted last year and IT jobs estimated to grow by 6% during the next five years, according to an association known as CompTIA, which is based near Chicago. Because of that activity and investment, the region is considered to be one of top 20 Tech Towns, according to a news brief published on Hillsborough County’s website. Tampa ranked No. 19 on the list. Jacksonville ranked No. 18.

How to create a business plan
Learn how to create a successful business plan. You will learn what data is needed to create a plan and how to acquire it. You will then learn how to use the data to set realistic goals and objectives. The session will be on Jan. 21 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2918 Collier Parkway. This free small business seminar is being offered by Pasco Hernando SCORE. To register and to find out what other free classes are being offered, go to PascoHernando.score.org.

Business development week kick-off luncheon
Michele Smith, a double Olympic Gold Medalist with the U.S. National Team, will be the keynote speaker at the kick-off luncheon for Business Development week. The event is set for Jan. 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Spartan Manor, 6121 Massachusetts Ave., in New Port Richey. The cost is $30 for members of the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce and $40 for nonmembers.

For more information, call (813) 909-2722. To RSVP, go to .

Numerous sessions are set up for that week. Check the chamber’s event page for more information.

Webinar series on taxes
This webinar series, entitled “Understanding and Taking Control of Your Federal Income Taxes,” contains three segments, according to a Hillsborough County news release.

The session dates and topics are listed below. Each session is from noon to 1 p.m.

Jan. 16: “What’s Your Tax Rate?”

Jan. 23: “Tax Deductions and Credits”

Jan. 30: “Free Tax Preparation Programs and Resources”

To register and obtain the webinar links, go to the local events calendar at  sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough.

For more information, contact Lisa Leslie at or (813) 744-5519, ext. 54143.

Business and education summit
CareerSource Tampa Bay has announced a business and education summit called Vision 2020, which is aimed to understand the business and education demands for the Tampa Bay job market.

The event will be on Feb. 28, with check-in starting at 7:30 a.m. The event will include business networking and a continental breakfast at 8 a.m. Registration for the event is required.

The forum is expected to attract more than 250 business, education and community leaders, and will feature industry recognized speakers sharing their insights on the current economic positions and vision for the future of work, according to a CareerSource news release.

Cost to attend is $50. For details on conference speakers and breakout sessions, visit CareerSourceTampaBay.com/vision2020.

Sponsorships are still available. Seating for the event is limited.

Main Street Zephyrhills news
Main Street Zephyrhills, in a news release, announced these new businesses in Zephyrhills:

  • Acme Fence, 5844 First St.
  • Brewer Law Firm, PA, 5537 Gall Blvd.
  • Mastercraft Construction and Homebuilding, 5343 Sixth St.
  • Pet Supplies Plus, 5953 Gall Blvd.

In other news, Main Street Zephyrhills also announced a $2,000 annual program sponsorship from Cash King Realty.

And, the organization reported that matching Façade Grants are now available in the downtown area, for new businesses or businesses looking to freshen up their existing building. The address must be within in the Community Redevelopment Agency district to qualify.

To find out more, call the Main Street Zephyrhills Office at (813) 780-1414 or the Community Redevelopment Agency office at (813) 780-000, ext. 3506.

Recent Pasco government approvals
Here are some recent approvals by the Pasco County Commission:

  • Conditional use permit for the sale of beer, wine and alcohol for on-premise consumption at Glory Days Grill, on the south side of State Road 54, 1,500 feet east of Wiregrass Ranch Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.
  • Conditional use permit for the sale of beer, wine and alcohol for on-premise consumption at Cigars International, in conjunction with a specialty retail store on the east side of Creek Grass Way, about 350 feet south of State Road 56, in Lutz.
  • Conditional use permit for the sale of beer and wine at a retail building owned by Pasco Ranch, Inc., on the south side of Sierra Center Boulevard, about 450 feet east of Marshbend Way, in Lutz.

Thomas Promise Foundation receives grant
The South Central Chapter of Joy in Childhood Foundation has approved a grant for $10,000 for the Thomas Promise Foundation. Joy in Childhood Foundation is an independent 501 C3 organization, powered by Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins Brands, their partners, franchisees and guests. The grant will provide more than 20,000 meals for Thomas Promise, which provides meals to feed students who may not have access to meals when school breakfast and lunch programs are not in operation.

 

Pasco County ‘hottest county around,’ commission chairman says

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When Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore moved to the county in 2007, it was a different place.

When he arrived, the State Road 54/56 corridor — with it shopping malls, restaurants, car dealerships, hotels, residential subdivisions, medical offices, state college and industrial development — looked nothing like it does today.

The Shops at Wiregrass wasn’t even there yet, recalled Moore, who had made the move from nearby New Tampa for a larger home in Seven Oaks.

“They just built the JCPenney, without the mall. When I first moved here, we were still going to Hillsborough County and to New Tampa for a lot of things,” he said.

That was then.

“You think about how hot Pasco County is right now. We’re the hottest county around,” said Moore, now serving in his second term, and recently named county commission chairman.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore is bullish on Pasco County. He sees bright prospects for 2020, and said the county’s pro-growth attitude is creating more opportunities for its residents. (File)

“Wesley Chapel has the highest income in the Tampa Bay region.

“New restaurants and businesses are coming every single day.

“I do so many ribbon cuttings my fingers are tired,” Moore said.

New businesses are bringing jobs to the county, and there’s even some Class A office space popping up.

“That’s what’s amazing, you look at the growth and opportunity that we have in this area now, compared to what we had when I first moved here in ’07.”

Now, he said, “I don’t need to leave Pasco County, unless I need to go to the airport.”

Statistics paint a favorable picture of the county.

The number of homeless is down; job growth is up. Tourism hit the million-visitor mark for the first time this year, and numerous companies have set up shop in Pasco, or have announced plans to do so.

Moore said a strong economic development team, a streamlined approval process and a pro-growth board have combined to create more interest in Pasco.

County staff and the private Pasco Economic Development Council, Inc., work together to recruit new businesses, he said.

“There are certain things that (Pasco) EDC can do — being a private entity,” Moore explained.

“A lot of companies don’t want to make it public beforehand. People have employees who might have to relocate. There are investors involved, if they are public companies.”

“The EDC can work behind the scenes.”

The county also has focused on reducing bureaucracy, Moore said.

“One of the things that we have encouraged — as a commission, as a whole — is to make it as easily navigable as possible, to come here and start from the ground up,” Moore said.

“Our economic development group needs to make sure that when they (prospects) come here and they’re ready to do business, that it’s a smooth process,” he added.

The economic development team’s job is to make the area enticing, but it goes beyond that Moore said. They also need to help the companies through the county’s process.

Public support for economic development has played an important role, Moore said, noting that a portion of the Penny for Pasco tax proceeds is earmarked for that purpose.

The county has a number of tools it uses to entice businesses: It waives mobility impact fees and permit fees. It rewards job creation. It supports work force training. It forgives loans. It uses tax and job creation incentives.

The commission’s Dec. 10 meeting — where two companies announced intentions to locate in Pasco — offered a glimpse of how such strategies are paying off.

Encompass Health Corporation, based in Birmingham, Alabama, announced plans to bring 179 jobs to Central Pasco. Rooker Properties, LLC, a company based in Atlanta, Georgia, unveiled plans for an industrial park on a site off Old Pasco Road, expected to generate hundreds of jobs.

Meanwhile, financial services company Raymond James — also receiving a number of incentives — is expected to break ground in 2020 for a campus expected to have hundreds of employees, in the Wiregrass Ranch area of Wesley Chapel.

“That will be significant for our area. We’ve all been waiting for it,” Moore said.

Aside from the economy, the county is making strides in efforts to improve its quality of life, Moore said.

Numerous road construction projects are in various stages of progress.

Most recently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit to extend Ridge Road, initially from Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey to the Suncoast Parkway, but ultimately it will extend to U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes.

The county has pushed for the east-west corridor for 20 years, and securing the permit marks a major milestone. As of last week, it remained unclear if opponents — who object to the project’s path through the Serenova Tract of the Starkey Wilderness Preserve — will wage a legal challenge.

Meanwhile, over in Wesley Chapel, construction continues on the diverging diamond, a project aimed at easing congestion at the Interstate 75/State Road 56 interchange.

And, in another significant development, the extension of State Road 56 between Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills was wrapped up in July, creating a new east-west corridor between the two communities.

The county also has been making strides on civic projects, Moore noted.

Four voter-approved bond issues are supporting the construction of additional fire stations, the renovation of libraries, improvements at county parks and a jail expansion.

The county also recently announced a record-breaking $22 million acquisition of environmental lands, to preserve ecological corridors.

And, within recent months, the county opened its first barrier-free playground.

Moore championed the idea, after noticing there wasn’t a place where children with disabilities could play at Wesley Chapel District Park.

Keith Wiley, who oversees the county’s parks departments, got involved — and the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club, Lennar Foundation and AdventHealth Wesley Chapel stepped up to help pay for the project.

The barrier-free playground was a first for Pasco, but Moore expects that it won’t be the last.

Six things to watch in 2020

The Laker/Lutz News asked Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore to identify the top things to watch in 2020. He provided these six, along with some observations:

  • Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex: The 98,000-square-foot Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex will open, creating a new destination for amateur and youth travel teams. It also will have programs during the week for local youths. The facility is expected to boost county tourism, as teams travel to Pasco from around the country and even internationally. The facility also will add to the local economy, as visitors stay at hotels, shop at stores, eat at restaurants, buy gas and so on.
  • Interstate 75-Overpass Road interchange: Work will begin on a design-build project to create a new interchange at Interstate 75 and Overpass Road, 3.5 miles south of State Road 52. The new diamond interchange will include a flyover ramp for westbound Overpass Road access to south I-75. To accommodate the new interchange, Overpass Road will be widened from two lanes to four lanes between I-75 and Old Pasco Road and to six lanes between I-75 and Boyette Road. Blair Drive will be realigned to connect with Old Pasco Road; and, McKendree Road will be realigned to connect with Boyette Road.
  • U.S. 41 Redevelopment: Redevelopment and revitalization along U.S. 41/Land O Lakes Boulevard is expected to occur, as U.S. 41 is widened, south of State Road 52 to alleviate backups at State Road 52/U.S. 41. There also will be increased efforts to improve the corridor’s appearance, through landscaping projects and redevelopment.
  • Job growth in Pasco County: The county is attracting more companies because of its policies that support growth and that is expected to continue. Quality of life improves when citizens can work closer to home, and new developments, such as Raymond James, which is expected to occur in early 2020, offers one example of increasing job opportunities in Pasco.
  • Improved quality of life through public projects: New looks for Centennial Park Library and New River Library will be unveiled in 2020, with modernized interiors and makerspaces. The county is also engaged in more than 30 projects in its parks, ranging from new roofs and gutters on buildings to updating playground equipment.
  • Ridge Road Extension: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit to Pasco County on Dec. 20, to begin on Ridge Road Extension, initially to connect Ridge Road to the Suncoast Parkway. Plans also call for eventually extending the road to U.S. 41. The project will provide a new east-west corridor, giving motorists another travel option and providing another evacuation route during emergencies.

Editor’s note: These observations were edited for brevity.

Published January 01, 2020

Growth and change are hallmarks at area schools

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As 2019 becomes 2020, area schools continue to respond to growth, while also changing academic options available on some campuses.

Recently, Superintendent Kurt Browning announced an initiative that will create significant change in West Pasco-area schools to bolster academic performance, but he also outlined some coming projects within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, as well.

This is what the new Instructional Performing Arts Center, to be built on the campus shared by Cypress Creek High School and the new Cypress Creek Middle School, will look like. The campus is at 8701 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

Specifically, Browning said the district plans to add a grade 6-12 STEM/STEAM magnet school in Land O’ Lakes that is proposed to open in August 2023 and a grade K-8 STEM/STEAM Magnet in Wesley Chapel, proposed to open in August 2024.

That’s on top of previously announced plans, which include an Eastside Technical High School, opening in August 2022.

District officials envision a magnet technical school that doesn’t fit the traditional educational mold.

They say it will combine a rigorous curriculum along with technical skills training — and will seek community partnerships to give students real-world experiences.

The idea is to prepare students to have many options when they leave high school — whether, say, they want to work as a welder for someone else; or, they want to have their own welding business.

While that school is still a couple of years off, the district plans to open Cypress Creek Middle School in August 2020.

It will be located on the same campus on Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel, where Cypress Creek Middle High has been serving grades six through 12.

Once the new middle school opens, it will serve grades six through eight, while the high school serves grades nine through 12.

The Pasco County School Board approved boundary changes — which primarily affected the Seven Oaks community in Wesley Chapel — to reassign students from that area to Cypress Creek Middle and Cypress Creek High. The boundary changes will relieve crowding at John Long Middle School and Wiregrass Ranch High School.

In the fall of 2020, Pasco County Schools is scheduled to open Cypress Creek Middle School. It is being designed for 1,600 students, making it the district’s largest middle school. The middle school will join Cypress Creek High and Pasco Hernando State College’s Instructional and Performing Arts Center. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

On the same Cypress Creek campus, the school district donated land to Pasco-Hernando State College for the Instructional Performing Arts Center, now under construction, which will be known as IPAC.

The new performing arts center is expected to provide both educational opportunities and entertainment. It also is expected to benefit middle school through college students, through its programming.

Cypress Creek Middle School was designed to be compatible with the performing arts center, too. It will have a state-of-the-art black box theater, as well as facilities for dance, orchestra and chorus.

Meanwhile, the district also plans to open Starkey K-8 School in August 2021. It’s the first district school designed deliberately to serve kindergarten through eighth grade.

The school is the second phase of a partnership between Pasco County Schools, Pasco County government and Wheelock Communities, the private developers of Starkey Ranch, a community off State Road 54 in Trinity.

One part of the project is the Starkey District Park, which opened its first phase in November 2017. Two additional phases are planned for the park.

The school will be near the district park.

There’s also a third part of the project that involves construction of what’s been dubbed TLC, which stands for theater, library and cultural center.

In addition to new construction, the district also is working to improve existing facilities.

Most recently, it wrapped up a massive makeover of Land O’ Lakes High School — which involved five phases, and required considerable coordination to complete while students and staff remained on campus.

The work was done in stages to avoid sending students and staffs to another campus, or using split sessions.

The project involved reconfiguring spaces to improve campus flow, and modernizing facilities.

It involved tearing out walls, redoing plumbing, electrical and upgrades to technology. It also included a five-classroom addition to the science wing.

The school recently celebrated the project’s completion with a rededication ceremony, and on another night, it offered public tours.

Major Pasco County Schools projects, 2019-2020:

  • Zephyrhills High campus-wide renovation
  • Land O Lakes High campus-wide renovation, final phase
  • Cypress Creek Middle construction
  • Starkey K-8 construction
  • Starkey Library Theater construction
  • East Technical High construction
  • SunlakeHigh design and construction of classroom wing
  • Bexley Elementary design and construction of classroom wing

Source: Pasco County Schools

Published January 01, 2020