The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Pasco public schools add capacity, make improvements

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As Pasco County’s public school system begins the academic school year, students aren’t the only ones who are busy in the district.

The school district continues to add, expand and upgrade its facilities to meet current and future needs.

During the 2022-2023 budget year, the district began or completed a number of sizable projects.

Those included:

  • Construction of Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation
  • Traffic improvements at Oakstead Elementary
  • Traffic improvements at River Ridge Middle and River Ridge High 
  • Food service renovations at Moon Lake Elementary
  • Safety and security improvements at various schools
  • Completion of Locke Early Learning Academy
  • Heating, ventilation and air conditioning projects at various schools

The district’s 2023-2024 capital budget includes these major projects:

  • Construction of Kirkland Ranch K-8
  • An addition of a classroom wing at Starkey Ranch K-8
  • Construction of Gulf High School
  • Design and construction of a new K-8 school in southwest Land O’ Lakes
  • Design and construction of West Zephyrhills Elementary School
  • Construction of the Angeline Athletic Complex
  • Design and construction of the cafeteria and an additional classroom wing at Pasco High School
  • Structural upgrades and roofing design and construction at Marchman Technical College
Kirkland Ranch K-8 is taking shape on a campus it will share with Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, off Curley Road in Wesley Chapel. The new K-8 school is slated to open next school year. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
A look at construction activities involving a charter school that will be operated by Dayspring Academy, and an athletics facility that will be used by Angeline Academy of Innovation. The site is off U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

Projects included in the district’s new budget were outlined during a Pasco County School Board workshop held July 18.

In addition to outlining proposed projects for the coming budget year, the district also included its 10-year capital plan summary, for 2023 to 2033, in a 51-page report provided in the board’s workshop agenda materials.

That report notes that “capital needs continue to outpace revenues, expanding the potential need for debt issuance.”

It also notes that the district’s current debt is $574.4 million.

On a bright note, the district’s local capital collections are increasing because of a 17.5% increase in the tax roll. That tax roll is projected to be $54.9 billion, which will generate approximately $79 million, according to the report.

Also, recent Penny for Pasco collections remain at their highest level since the Penny for Pasco began. The revenues are projected to be $48.3 million for 2023-2024.

The district’s capital budget for 2023-2024 includes about $241.5 million for construction projects. Those break down this way:

  • $210.7 million for new schools
  • $22 million for major remodeling projects
  • $462,000 for cafeteria renovations
  • $6.3 million for HVAC Repairs & Replace
  • $2.1 million for traffic improvements

The budget also includes about $16.2 million for maintenance projects. Those include:

  • $226,680 for fire alarm systems
  • $382,066 for flooring renovations
  • $67,480 for generator replacements
  • $4.9 million for other renovations
  • $134,288 for outside improvements
  • $475,000 for exterior painting
  • $1.1 million for pavement sealing
  • $8.6 million for roofing
  • $272,085 for water and sewer

Other capital projects include:

  • $2.2 million for athletics
  • $4.5 million for buses and motor vehicles
  • $113,340 for compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act
  • $235,000 for compliance with environmental regulations
  • $120,000 for energy retrofit programs
  • $180,876 for fencing
  • $67,480 for Habitat for Humanity

The budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year includes carryover funding, as well as new funding.

Business Digest 08/23/2023

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Pulte Homes plans ‘Vida’s Way’ on portion of DePue Ranch
Pulte Homes is planning Vida’s Way — a residential development — on a portion of a ranch owned by one of Pasco County’s oldest families.

Pulte Homes has purchased more than 332 acres of an 1,800-acre tract that has been owned by the DePue family since the 1800s, according to a news release.

(Courtesy of Pulte Homes)

Vida’s Way, will be built on one of Pasco’s largest undeveloped properties, the release adds. The property is in Wesley Chapel, less than five miles from State Road 54 and State Road 56 with close proximity to Interstate-75. Pulte Homes has acquired the northeast corner of the ranch for more than 700 homes, for its first phase of construction.

The single-home community’s name is an homage to the late Vida Clair Barnes DePue, the family’s matriarch. She was instrumental in managing the ranch through the 1900s and transitioning it into the cattle operation it is today. She was 88 when she passed away in 2010, the release adds.

Pulte Group’s West Florida Division began speaking with the family in early 2020 after the family expressed interest in selling a portion of the ranch.  

“Many developers have reached out to us over the years, but we were impressed with the extensive time and effort the Pulte team took to learn about and understand our rich family history,” Michael Nutt, grandson of Vida DePue,” said in the release. “We believe Vida’s Way will be a lasting tribute to her life. We hope this community provides many years of memories for the families who live there.” 

“Over the last three years, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know the Nutt family and visiting their ranch,” Sean Strickler, president of Pulte’s West Florida Division, said in the release.

“The result has been a highly collaborative working relationship and the development of a community that not only honors their decades of hard work, but also looks to the future with additional residential and commercial development. We are incredibly honored and excited to bring Vida’s Way to the market.”  

Residents at Vida’s Way will be offered a unique collection of homesites and amenities.

Floor plans for Vida’s Way are coming soon. 

Pasco EDC names finalists for awards
Finalists have been named for the Pasco Economic Development Council’s 35th Annual Awards celebration. Those selected to be honored have demonstrated innovation and exhibited economic and community impact, according to a Pasco EDC news release. The 20 in the running for the top honors are:

  • 4 & Co.
  • Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas & West Pasco counties
  • 43 Inc.
  • Amerikey Locksmith
  • Just Market It
  • AmSkills
  • K & K Food Industries
  • Architectural Signage & Printing
  • Marjorie’s Hope
  • NEAT Coffee Bar LLC
  • Baymar Solutions LLC
  • NFFANT Labs
  • Davron
  • Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Center
  • Florida Avenue Brewing Co.
  • Suncoast Clinical Research Inc.
  • Fraud Doctor LLC
  • Ultimate 3D Printing Store
  • Global ETS LLC
  • Vesh Catering

Pasco EDC’s Policy Council also selected Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent of Pasco County Schools, for its annual Leadership Award, which goes to someone who has made an exceptional impact to economic development and to the Pasco County community, according to the release.

The event is scheduled for Sept. 7 from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Instructional Performing Arts Center, 8657 Old Pasco Road, in Wesley Chapel. The event typically attracts more than 400 business and community leaders in Tampa Bay, as well as elected state, county and municipal leaders. Festivities include networking and dinner, as well as the awards presentation.

Tickets for the event are $85. For more information, contact , or call 813-355-0668. To register, go to PascoEDC.com.

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group (EPNG) meets on the second Tuesday of the month (except for December), at 7:30 a.m., at IHOP, at 13100 U.S. 301, in Dade City. The group’s meetings feature speakers from a wide array of backgrounds. Here is its upcoming slate of speakers:

  • Sept. 12: Todd Vande Berg, director of planning, City of Zephyrhills
  • Oct. 10: Nikki Alvarez-Sowles,  Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller
  • Nov. 14: Madonna Wise, author, local historian and retired educator

For more information about EPNG, contact Nils R. Lenz at 813-782-9491 or  

NTBC seeking nominations for awards
The North Tampa Bay Chamber is seeking nominations for its 2023 Celebrating Excellence in Business Awards, which will be presented on Nov. 16.

Award categories are: Excellence in Innovation; Excellence in Collaboration; Excellence in Integrity; Excellence in Inclusivity; and Community Hero.

The chamber invites nominations for businesses that have demonstrated excellence in areas such as innovation, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity, and community involvement, according to a chamber news release. Self-nominations are encouraged.

Applications are due by Oct. 6. They will be judged by a five-member independent panel between Oct. 9 and Oct. 13. The finalists will be announced on Oct. 27 and the awards will be presented at an event on Nov. 16.

For additional details, visit the chamber’s website at NorthTampaBayChamber.com.

Pasco plans to designate ecological corridor on 1,500 acres

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The land use designation on more than 1,500 acres in Land O’ Lakes would be changed from planned development to conservation, under a proposal sent to state officials for review.

The Pasco County Commission voted on Aug. 8 to send the proposal to the state, and then it will come back to the county board for final action.

The 1,517.89 acres proposed for the change are located south of State Road 52, north of State Road 54, east of the Suncoast Parkway and west of a CSX Rail corridor in Land O’ Lakes.

The property is in the area previously referred to as Project Arthur, but now known locally as the emerging community of Angeline.

The change will amend the county’s conservation map in the North Pasco to Crossbar Critical Ecological Corridor and the North Pasco to Connerton Ecological Corridor.

The proposed change is a result of a collaboration between the county’s Planning and Development Department and its Parks, Recreation, & Natural Resources Department, according to the county board’s Aug. 8 agenda packet.

The departments are working together to implement an agreement approved on Nov. 19, 2019, relating to Project Arthur ecological corridor sites.

The proposed land use change includes 843.50 acres for the North Pasco to Crossbar corridor and 674.39 acres for North Pasco to Connerton corridor, according to the agenda materials.

“The 843.50 acres of the North Pasco to Crossbar corridor were acquired by the Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program (ELAMP),” materials in the agenda packet add.

The county’s ELAMP acquired that land from Len-Angeline LLC and the James and Mabel Family Partnership LLP, et al, for $21,950,000, according to the background materials.

On another matter, the county board approved Carmen Chucrala and Doug Traub each to three-year terms serving as consumer representatives on the Pasco County Construction Board (PCCB).

That board has 10 voting members who have the jurisdiction and authority to hear and decide alleged violations of the county’s codes and ordinances.

The board is made up of volunteers representing these disciplines: an air conditioning or mechanical contractor, an aluminum contractor, an electrical contractor, a general contractor, a plumbing contractor, a general or residential contractor, a roofing contractor and three consumer representatives.

There are currently vacancies for an aluminum contractor, an electrical contractor, a general contractor, and a roofing contractor.

 In other action, the board approved:

  • Renewal of life and disability insurance, with Standard Insurance Co., for long- and short-term disability insurance and life insurance, for $591,000 annually. This is an increase from $330,611. The higher rate is primarily due to the county having a bad claim year and an increased number of county employees. The rates are guaranteed for the next three years.
  • Renewal of individual stop loss reinsurance coverage with Florida Blue for high dollar health claim protection, in the amount of $2,130,660. This represents a 5% increase over the current premium. The county is self-insured for health insurance and the county uses Florida Blue as its third party administrator and for the purchase of stop loss coverage. Stop loss coverage is intended to protect the county against large, unanticipated health insurance claims.
  • A request to rezone 4.99 acres at the northwest corner of State Road 54 and Livingston Road for general commercial uses. The applicant proposes to develop the property with a coffee shop with a drive thru, an eight-bay tire store and 10,000 square feet of day care. The applicant also has signed a voluntary deed restriction that requires the site to be developed with general commercial uses, in order to preserve employment-generating use of the land.
  • Amended a contract with the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas Inc., to increase funding for the Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program by  $104,864.94. Previously, the total contract amount was $752,838.97. It is now $857,703.91.
  • Approved the purchase of field maintenance equipment to be used at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex, at 3021 Sports Coast Way, in Wesley Chapel. The purchase is being made from Wesco Turf Inc., through a cooperative purchase — through Omnia Partners — in the amount of $379,086.80. The equipment will be used for upkeep and maintenance of five new soccer fields and two existing sports fields at the Wiregrass sports campus.

Published August 16, 2023

Pasco County takes action on residential lot sizes

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Pasco County has established a new minimum standard, relating to residential lot sizes.

The Pasco County Commission wants new residential lots to be at least 45 feet wide, except in specific situations.

The new policy will affect applications that had not yet had their first round of comments, as of the board’s meeting on Aug. 8.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Jack Mariano said that’s the fair approach to take.

The Pasco County Commission wants new residential construction coming to the county to create neighborhoods where, except in specific situations, houses are on lots that are at least 45 feet wide. The county board also wants to avoid having sidewalks that are less than 13 feet long, to keep park vehicles from overlapping sidewalks. (File)

“To throw the switch on them, would not be the right thing to do. We haven’t done in the past, with other things we’ve changed in the county. I don’t want to start doing that now,” Mariano said.

Martin Frame, incoming president of the Tampa Bay Builders Association (TBBA), told the board that the building community had expressed significant interest in when the new rules would be imposed.

“This was a hot-button issue for us because we have a lot of projects that have taken quite a while to get through comments,” Frame said.

Nectarios Pittos, director of planning and development for the county, gave the county board an overview of the rules that resulted from collaboration between the county’s staff and stakeholders from the building community.

“Forty-foot-wide lots will only be allowed in specific instances, in TNDs (traditional neighborhood developments) or TOD (transit-oriented developments,) or in 55-plus communities,” Pittos said.

Otherwise, the minimum lot width size will be 45 feet, Pittos said.

The TBBA initially pushed for a minimum lot width of 42 feet, Frame said.

“We’re at 45 today, and, while it’s not exactly what we want, we’re willing to support it because we know it’s a negotiation. We want a back-and-forth relationship with you all,” Frame said. “We have a lot of support internally. And, it’s not without some internal debate to get where we are today.”

Edward Briggs, of the Florida State Consulting Group, also addressed the board, on behalf of the TBBA.

“I think one of the biggest things that came out of all of this is options. That’s what you’re looking at today, is different options for homebuyers, different options for the market.

“This memo that you have before you today, the TBBA feels comfortable supporting.

“Is it everything that we want? No.”

“I think what this memo does — keeps the integrity of the market, allows those options to continue, allows for that flexibility of the homebuyer to be able to afford different particular price points, but also gives you something that we’ve heard over and over, which is quality product that will last the test of time,” Briggs said.

County commissioners have been discussing the need to create better-looking communities.

They don’t want neighborhoods that have too much concrete and not enough landscaping and trees. They don’t want rows of houses that all look the same, jammed up next to each other.

They don’t want vehicles that are parked in driveways to overlap sidewalks, and when there’s parking on the street, they want enough room for garbage trucks and emergency vehicles to get through.

When the discussion on lot size began months ago, Commissioner Ron Oakley said he wanted to do away with 40-foot-wide lots. Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, however, said she supports the 40s, but thinks that parking needs to be behind the homes on 40-foot-wide lots.

Discussion is likely to continue over these uses and other development standards, but the Aug. 8 session set the general tone of the county board’s expectations for a higher degree of quality for future residential development.

Published August 16, 2023

Business Digest 08/16/2023

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Chris Zarreke (Courtesy of Vistra Communications)

Vistra announces new officer
Vistra Communications has named Chris Zarreke as its new chief financial officer (CFO).

Zarreke, a Florida certified public accountant with decades of experience, is stepping into the position that had been held by Zoe Gustafson, who retired after seven years with Vistra.

Zarreke began his career as an auditor and consultant with PwC, also known as PricewaterhouseCoopers, before transitioning to private industry accounting and finance within metals, paper, food distribution, health care, and operations consulting.

“Chris Zarreke brings the right experiences and passion to help take us to the next level,” Brian Butler, president and CEO of Vistra Communications, said in a news release. “His leadership style and appetite for growth, excellence and creative innovation is a great fit for Vistra.”

As Vistra’s CFO, Zarreke is primarily responsible for directing the organization’s financial accounting and reporting, pricing, budgeting and cost management activities in accordance with accounting standards, company values and strategic plans.

“My goal is to help secure our company’s financial and organizational strength for the next decade of growth and success,” Zarreke said, in the release.

Creating a business plan
This webinar focuses on creating a business plan that can guide your company’s daily operation and activity toward the goals and objectives that you have established. You will learn what data is required to write a plan, review the techniques used to acquire the data and learn how to use it to establish realistic goals and objectives. The free webinar will be presented by Roberto Gregori, SCORE Pasco-Hernando member, on Aug. 16 at 5 p.m. To register, go to Score.org/pascohernando, and search for local workshops tab.

Women in Business Empowerment Conference
Women in business who are looking for inspiration, who want to learn about practical tools that can be useful for entrepreneurs and who want to meet other like-minded women may want to check out the Women in Business Empowerment Conference. The event has a slate of featured speakers. It is scheduled for Sept. 15 from 8 .m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Residence Inn by Marriott, 2101 Northpointe Parkway, in Lutz. The registration cost is $20; the deadline for registration is Sept. 8. Register via https://rb.gy/iduj0.

Small Business Executive Program
Are you a small business owner? If so, you can apply for the upcoming Tampa Bay Small Business Executive Program. The program will teach small business owners how to think differently and to work on your business in a classroom environment with 24 other entrepreneurs.

Small business owners can join the fall cohort for free and graduate with a certificate from the Jim Moran Institute and Florida State University, according to a posting in a North Tampa Bay Chamber newsletter. The Small Business Executive Program (SBEP) is ideal for CEOs, entrepreneurs, presidents of small businesses, and immediate successors of businesses.

To find out more and to sign up, reach out to the North Tampa Bay Chamber, at NorthTampaBayChamber.com.

Craig Miller (Courtesy of The Spectrum Companies)
Lane Stewart

The Spectrum Companies expands
The Spectrum Companies, a leading real estate development firm, has announced strategic personnel appointments and expansion initiatives designed to expand its presence in Florida’s multifamily market, according to a news release.

The company’s actions underscore its commitment to Florida as a core market for growth and innovation, according to the release.

Craig Miller, an industry veteran with substantial multifamily experience, has been named senior managing director/multifamily, spearheading The Spectrum Companies’ multifamily development business.

One of Miller’s ongoing projects is development of the master-planned community of Bexley, in Land O’ Lakes.

To support the company’s accelerated growth in Florida, Lane Stewart, who has 17 years of construction experience, including considerable experience in multifamily, will relocate to Tampa as the newly appointed director of development, the release added.

Commerce & Coffee
The North Tampa Bay Chamber hosts Commerce & Coffee on the fourth Tuesday of each month, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., at Raining Berries, 25595 Sierra Center Blvd., in Lutz. It’s a chance for chamber members to network, without an agenda, in a relaxed setting.

New school and new rules, as Pasco rings in the 2023-2024 school year

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Change is in the air, as Pasco County Schools’ students start the 2023-2024 school year this week.

The inaugural crop of students will arrive at Angeline Academy of Innovation, to launch the district’s latest magnet program, at 8916 Angeline School Way, near the Suncoast Parkway and Ridge Road.

The school initially will serve students in grades six through 10, but will phase in 11th and 12th grades.

The first crop of students will arrive this week at Angeline Academy of Innovation, in Central Pasco, as Pasco County Schools begins its 2023-2024 school year. The new magnet school is in the middle of Angeline, a new ‘city’ emerging in Land O’ Lakes, where Moffitt Cancer Center is developing its Pasco County campus. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

The school is opening in the emerging ‘city’ of Angeline, and will offer curriculum options and learning experiences aimed to help students prepare for an ever-evolving world of work.

The high school will offer career academies, as well as opportunities to merge some fields — enabling students to create a more personalized track.

The school will be near Moffitt Cancer Center’s Pasco County campus, which has been christened Speros FL. The Moffitt campus and surrounding areas in Angeline are expected to attract life science researchers and companies from around the globe.

In addition to opening the new Angeline magnet school, the district will be initiating a new school board policy relating to the use of wireless communications devices (WCDs) on campus.

In essence, the policy requires:

  • Students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade keep their WCDs on silent mode and completely out of view for the entire school day;
  • Students in grades six through eight keep their devices on silent mode and out of view throughout the school day, except for during the student’s lunch period, or when expressly authorized by a classroom teacher for a specific instructional activity;
  • Students in grades nine through 12 keep their devices on silent mode and out of sight for the entire school day, except for during the student’s lunch period, in between class periods or as expressly authorized by a classroom teacher for a specific instructional activity.

As defined by the board’s policy, WCDs include peripheral devices such as headphones, earbuds and watches.

Another big change involves school meals.

The district will be implementing the Community Eligibility Provision for the 2023-2024 school year, which means that all breakfasts and lunches served to the public school district’s students will be free.

No action is required on the family’s part for the students to receive the free meals.

This school year also ushers in the beginning of better pay for the district’s non-administrative employees. Voters backed salary increases for those employees by adopting higher taxes to pay for them. 

The voter-approved tax increase allows the district to impose up to a 1 mill increase for up to four years, to provide revenues for the improved pay.

Advocates of the new tax said increased salaries are needed to allow Pasco to compete with other school districts, which offer higher pay.

Another initiative being rolled out this year is a software tool called “Where’s the Bus?”

The tool uses an app that allows parents and schools to know where a bus is located.

Students use a card with a barcode to indicate when they get on the bus and when they get off of it, which lets parents know when they were picked up and dropped off.

Like school districts across the country, Pasco has had a hard time finding enough bus drivers to handle its routes.

Pasco County Schools continues to struggle with a bus driver shortage, but it is planning to deploy a new software tool called ‘Where’s the Bus?’ to help keep parents and schools informed of where a bus is, and the software is expected to provide useful ridership information to help route planning.

The system has used a number of strategies to address the issue, including the change of school start and ending times, combining bus routes, and eliminating “courtesy” riding for secondary students living within 2 miles of school.

During the Pasco County School Board’s Aug. 1 meeting, Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent of support services, told board members: “The news that I have is better than anticipated and significantly better than we’ve had the past two years.”

As of Aug. 1, the district was down 41 driving positions, but had hired 18 relief drivers — leaving a net of 23 positions with no drivers.

“I have spoken to counterparts across the state and some are in significantly worse shape than what we’re in,” she added.

Kuhn expects the new software tool, “Where’s the Bus?” to enable parents and schools to keep track of where buses are, and to help the district track ridership.

The district is rolling out the software tool at one of its garages, initially, but will be spreading it out across the system gradually.

It wants to learn from the initial rollout and then expand its use across the district, Kuhn said.

Parents will be notified when the tool becomes available on buses at their school.

The ridership data will help the district to consolidate routes, which has been its most effective way of addressing the bus driver shortage.

The district now has 274 routes, as compared to 420 routes two years ago, Kuhn said.

Get to school safely
The Pasco Sheriff’s Office offers these tips to help bike riders, pedestrians and drivers stay safe, as the 2023-2024 school year begins:

  • Those walking, driving or riding their bicycles should slow down and eliminate distractions, such as cellphones, when they are in school zones.
  • Drivers need to know Florida’s school bus stop sign laws.
  • Pedestrians and bicyclists should cross at crosswalks, where drivers expect pedestrians to cross. Wait for the crossing guard to indicate when you may pass.
  • Bicyclists should dismount and walk their bikes through crosswalks.
  • Follow the directions of a school crossing guard, traffic control officer, deputy or other public safety official present at the intersection.

Stay safe online
The Pasco Sheriff’s Office offers these pointers to help keep students safe online, as another school year begins:

  • Parents and guardians should talk with students about safe and appropriate behavior online.
  • Pay attention to what apps students are using. Ask the school’s resource officer for a list of apps that can exploit children.
  • Consider downloading apps your children are using, to make yourself aware of any potential dangers.
  • Consider employing parental controls, if available.
  • Advise your student not to talk to, or add people, in social media apps if they’ve never met them.

It’s important to have open conversations about potential online dangers to help keep students safe.

Published August 09, 2023

 

Higher park impact fees are coming to Pasco, so are more parks

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The Pasco County Commission has approved park impact fees of $3,450.15 per residential dwelling.

The higher fees, adopted by the board on July 11, take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

The new rate is a whopping increase from the current rate of $891.82 per single-family unit and $627 per multi-family unit.

Impact fees are charged to new construction to address demands caused by growth.

State law limits impact fee increases to 50%, unless extraordinary circumstances can be demonstrated.

Recreational centers, such as the Wesley Chapel Recreational Complex, are popular gathering spots for people of all ages. They offer a variety of programs — giving people a chance to keep fit and make friends. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

In addressing the board about the proposed rate hike, Keith Wiley, the county’s director of parks, recreation and natural resources, noted that Pasco hasn’t raised its park impact fees since 2002. He also pointed out that the county has experienced unprecedented growth, while also encountering steeper costs because of inflation.

Simply put, the county can’t keep up with increasing demands caused by Pasco’s increased population, he said.

The higher fees will support projects outlined in a master plan that addresses park and recreation needs through 2045.

The master plan includes more than 20 new parks, expansions or other facilities — aimed at providing more recreational opportunities throughout the county.

Joe Farrell, of the Central Pasco Realtor Organization, spoke during the county board’s July 11 public hearing.

“In general, we are supportive of impact fees. We understand there are needs in our community — and the answer, almost all of the time, is money, for those needs,” Farrell said.

However, he told the board: “One thing we’d like to see more expressly identified, or lined out in this ordinance, in the fee schedule area there’d be an exemption for affordable housing. The cost of housing is going up, that’s not news to anyone.

“What is unusual is that when interest rates are going up, the prices are either stabilizing, staying the same, or going up, too; that’s unusual and we’re seeing that throughout Tampa Bay.

“That means there’s still going to be an increased need and an increased cost for construction in our region.

“So, we’re really looking out for those kinds of folks — just basically for our workforce. For first-time homebuyers, it’s getting harder and harder,” Farrell said.

Farrell’s appeal found some support from Pasco County Commission Chairman Jack Mariano:  “They’re not looking for a full exemption, but maybe a partial.”

But Commissioner Seth Weightman said he could not support the request.

“I’m opposed to the exemption, until we understand the full impacts of the Live Local Act. I don’t think we need to be giving any further exemption to fees for affordable housing,” Weightman said.

The Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, provides a chance to sit on a bench and relax for a while, watch a ball game, go for a ride on a swing and do all sorts of other activities. (File)

The Live Local Act, approved by the Florida Legislature during its last session, allows land that has been zoned for commercial or industrial uses to be converted to multifamily development and to qualify for a tax exemption — provided the development meets requirements relating to a provision of affordable housing.

It is unclear, at this point, what impact the new law will have on the ability of local jurisdictions to promote economic development, and on tax revenues that support local budgets.

Weightman has been paying close attention to potential impacts.

“We have five (Live Local projects) in the pipeline,” Weightman said.

“I think we need to wait 12 months to understand the impact of this bill and what it can mean to our tax base before we make any decision on this particular exemption,” he said.

However, Weightman added, he would be willing to take another look at the issue in 12 months — after more is known about potential impacts from Live Local.

While stakeholders asked for the higher fees to be phased in, the Pasco County Planning Commission asked the board to consider a smaller increase.

The planning board pointed to other jurisdictions with lesser fees and to an economy that is not as strong as it was when the county board began talking about the increased park impact fee last year.

But the planning board’s concerns did not sway the county board.

After the rate increase was approved, Wiley said, via email, that the board’s action demonstrates that the county knows that parks, recreation centers and natural resources play an essential role in the community.

“The approval of the impact fee by the Pasco Board of County Commissioners shows the board’s tremendous and unwavering support for our team and the services we provide,” the parks department leader said.

“This increase will help us fund more than 20 major park projects across the county and will allow us to continue to improve the quality of life of Pasco County residents by providing even more athletic, recreational, cultural and educational opportunities,” Wiley said.

Published August 09, 2023

All Pasco school district eighth-graders will be able to take free PSAT 8/9 

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The Pasco County School Board has decided to give all eighth-graders in the district an opportunity to take the PSAT 8/9 for free.

The decision followed questions raised by school board member Colleen Beaudoin regarding the value of adding another test that she said would result in a loss of valuable instructional time for teachers.

District staff asked the school board to provide free PSAT 8/9 tests for eighth-graders, across-the-board.

The agenda item notes that the test provides early feedback on knowledge in areas that matter most for college and career readiness, including reading math, writing and language sections.

Vanessa Hilton, the district’s chief academic officer, explained the request this way: “We have tried to provide this opportunity for students, but there’s a little bit of inequity — or a lot of inequity in our district.

“We’ve been able to use Title 1 funds to administer at Title 1 schools,” Hilton said.

Pasco County School Board member Colleen Beaudoin questioned whether it was worth the loss of instructional time to give district eighth-graders the option to take the PSAT 8/9 test. (File)

Title 1 schools are those that have a high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals.

In other schools, the test was administered based on parents requesting it and paying for it, Hilton said. 

“What we didn’t want to happen is to continue that inequity. This is a way for us to create that opportunity, across-the-board,” Hilton said. “Rather than have it be, really just if you happen to know.”

But Beaudoin wasn’t so sure that the PSAT 8/9’s value outstrips preserving the instructional time it would replace.

“The PSAT is practice for the SAT, right? We do provide that opportunity at 10th grade, for all of our 10th-graders. That’s where they can qualify for National Merit Scholarships.

“It is available for ninth-graders and 11th-graders to take it at school, as well.

“I’m struggling to find where the value is, to do a pre-test for a pre-test, with the middle school.

“I’m concerned about the loss of instructional time. It’s 145 minutes, that’s two to three class periods. We already give so many assessments, that we should know where our kids are. Our teachers are giving assessments. We have the FAST test given three times a year.

“I don’t like the idea of losing more instructional time and adding in another test for kids, when we are already pushing forward with giving kids opportunities. We’re trying to get everyone to Algebra 1 in eighth grade.

“I just don’t understand why we would take away these easy three class periods, and whether it’s optional or not, we know that if half the class is going to take a test, they’re not going to be teaching the half that remain,” Beaudoin said.

But board members Cynthia Armstrong and Alison Crumbley said they think the PSAT provides  valuable information for students, parents and district staff.

“This would be more of a nationally normed test,” Armstrong said.

“That is correct,” Hilton responded.

“That’s where I see the value of it. It’s really going to compare them with students all across the United States to see where they stand,” Armstrong said.

Pasco County School Board member Cynthia Armstrong believes parents, students and district staff would benefit from information that would be provided by results from PSAT 8/9 tests.

“This is actually a test that would be meaningful to parents. Parents are going to use it because it gives them a benchmark that they can work with their kids on, because it is a nationally normed test. This gives parents something they can understand. They can see how their kids compare to students across the nation.

“I think it’s not only a tool for the schools, but I also think it’s a tool for the parents — that they can easily understand. Because how they perform on state standards, in their minds (parents’) doesn’t necessarily translate into how they’re going to perform in college.”

Crumbley added: “To Mrs. Armstrong’s points, you are getting a national gauge in a test — a lot of these kids are going to have to take the SAT a few years later. Well, they get to try the test because it’s very similar. They also get to see where they rank on national standards, which I think is very important. And, they identify weaknesses on another type of test that is different than the Florida (state) and the course tests.

“This is a whole different realm … that I think is important for the student, in particular, for the student that’s going on to college. They get to see where they are strong and where they are weak.

“This gives them a really good indication.”

Marcy Hetzler-Nettles, assistant superintendent for middle schools, said the results provide guidance to students and to parents on the accelerated coursework students could take in high school.

“The other information they do receive is more interest-based and aptitude-based, outside of academics, so that might lead them to a field of study that they hadn’t considered previously,” Hetlzer-Nettles added.

Superintendent Kurt Browning vigorously advocated for adding the opportunity to take the PSAT for all eighth-graders.

“The thing that excites me about the PSAT in eighth grade is that it does help us identify those students earlier for advanced coursework, before they get into high school and they start setting their high school trajectory, if you will.

“The value that we get from administering the PSAT in eighth grade exceeds the downside of that lost instructional time.”

Browning also noted that the information that’s gleaned from the PSAT is good for all students, not just some students.

The district has allocated $68,000 of its general revenue fund to cover the cost of the test.

After the tests are administered and the district collects and analyzes the data, a report will be brought back to the board, Browning said.

Armstrong said she also wants to know how the information from the results will be transmitted to parents.

“This could be a tool that could really help parents understand the capabilities of their child,” Armstrong said.

Published August 02, 2023

Pasco residents to face a higher school tax bill in 2023-2024

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Pasco County homeowners will be paying higher taxes under the school district’s 2023-2024 proposed budget.

The budget includes a 1 mill increase approved by voters to support higher pay for the district’s non-administrative personnel. One mill equals S1 per S1.000 of assessed value.

Kurt Browning, the district’s superintendent detailed some of the $1.9 billion budget’s highlights at the school board’s July 25 meeting.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning detailed some of the highlights in the proposed $1.9 billion budget for the district’s 2023-2024 budget year. (File)

It was the board’s first public hearing on the budget, and no public comment was offered.

The second public hearing is set for Sept. 11 at 6 p.m., at the board’s meeting room at district’s headquarters, at 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

The district’s $1.9 billion represents an increase of $178.2 million over last year’s budget. 

The total tax millage proposed for 2023-2024 fiscal year is 6.449 mils, that’s an increase of .933 mills, according to budget materials included in the school board’s July 25 agenda packet.

The district’s general operating budget is approximately $996 million.

The capital budget is $529 million — a reduction of $5.5 million, representing a 1% decrease.

Total tax millage for the 2023-2024 fiscal year is 6.449 mils — that’s an increase of .933 mills.

Under the proposed budget, the homeowner of a $350,000 house — assuming a $25,000 homestead exemption — would pay $2,096 in taxes, which is a $303 increase.

Approximately $53 million is expected to be generated from the voter-approved millage The pay raise generated from the additional millage will be divided among eligible employee groups, according to a summary of the district’s budget. The additional millage is expected to generate $52,672,826, according to district figures.

The budget summary includes this breakdown for distributing the additional funds for salaries:

  • An estimated $28,860,000 will go for instructional personnel pay increases
  • An estimated $10,410,000 will go for school-related personnel increases
  • An estimated $3,730,000 will go for non-instructional non-bargaining pay increases
  • An estimated $880,000 will go for professional-technical employee pay increases

The district’s increased operating expenses include the opening of Angeline Academy of Innovation, a magnet school in the emerging community of Angeline, where Moffitt Cancer Center is planning a sizable Pasco County campus.

Angeline Academy of Innovation ultimately will be for sixth- through 12th-graders, but is opening this year as a school for sixth- through 10th-graders.

The district also transitioned Mittye P. Locke Elementary, in Elfers, to Mittye P. Locke Early Learning Academy. The new center will provide a voluntary prekindergarten program (VPK) for early learners.

The district also will need additional staff to serve increased enrollment, and must spend more on retirement, health care, school resource officer contracts and increased costs for utilities, software licenses, charter school allocations and other needs.

On the capital side of the budget, the district is pursuing a number of projects.

Those include major renovations of West Zephyrhills Elementary School at Starkey Ranch K-8. It also includes construction of Kirkland Ranch K-8, Gulf High School, and the Angeline Athletic complex.

Additional projects include a classroom wing at Pasco High School, a new southwest Land O’ Lakes K-8 school, cafeteria renovations, replacement of HVAC systems, and infrastructure upgrades at various schools.

Pasco Schools Budget
The total budget for all funds for the 2023-2024 fiscal year is $1,984,819,738. This is an increase of $178,207,508 or 9.9%

  • The General Fund operating budget is approximately $996.2 million, a 17.2% increase over 2022-2023
  • The Capital Projects budget is approximately $529.1 million, a decrease of 1% over 2022-2023

Tax bills
Under the school board’s proposed millage rate,  the owner of a $350,000 house, assuming a $25,000 homestead exemption, would pay $2,095.93. That’s a $303.23 increase over 2022-2023.

Voter-approved pay increases
The voter-approved millage increase is expected to yield $52,672,826 to pay supplemental salary increases for Pasco County Schools’ non-administrative employees.

Published August 02, 2023

Pasco board signals approval for Seven Oaks zoning change

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The Pasco County Commission has indicated that it will approve a zoning change that will allow professional business offices on a site within the Seven Oaks community, as part of a mediated settlement agreement between Pasco County and SB Associates Limited Partnership.

The site is in the Seven Oaks community, on the north side of State Road 56, west of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

The Pasco County Commission has indicated it will OK a mediated settlement between the county and SB Associates Limited Partnership, involving a rezoning dispute. The site is expected to be used for business and professional offices. (File)

After the mediated settlement, Seven Oaks residents asked if SB Associates Limited Partnership would agree to limit the uses to those allowed in a Business Professional Office 1 (BPO 1) category, rather than the proposed BPO 2 category.

Jon Tomsu, a resident of Seven Oaks who sits on the community’s CDD board, also asked the applicant to abide by the BPO 1 lot coverage standards, which allows a maximum of 35% lot coverage.

Barbara Wilhite, an attorney representing the applicant, told the Pasco County Commission during its July 11 public hearing on the issue that her client is willing to accept BPO 1 uses, but wants to preserve the BPO 2 lot coverage allowance of up to 50%.

David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney, told county board members that he read the emails that came in on the issue and did not recall any raising an issue about lot coverage.

He said the emails focused on types of uses allowed.

Chelsea Waller, an attorney representing the Seven Oaks CDD, asked the county board to delay the request to give her an opportunity to confer with her clients.

But Wilhite objected to a delay and commissioners did not grant Waller’s request.

Wilhite also asked the board to close the public comment portion of the hearing and to continue the issue, so she and the county’s legal staff can amend the paperwork to bring back a request for BPO 1 uses, instead of BPO 2.

Commissioners agreed to delay the issue to allow time to change the paperwork before a final vote occurs.

Published August 02, 2023