The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Library system advisory board to rule on book appeals

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During public comment portions at Pasco County Commission and Pasco School Board meetings in recent months, speakers have urged the elected leaders to remove materials they deem to be too sexually explicit to be appropriate for children. The county board has adopted a new process for challenges made to library materials. (File)

The Pasco County Commission has shifted authority to the county’s Library System Advisory Board to rule on appeals relating to requests involving reconsideration of library materials.

The board voted unanimously to expand the advisory board’s authority during its April 18 meeting.

In the past, the Library System Advisory Board has served in an advisory capacity only, with the Pasco County Commission having the final word.

In recent months, speakers have turned out to Pasco County Commission and the Pasco County School Board meetings to criticize books available in Pasco County libraries, urging the boards to protect children from materials they described as sexually explicit and inappropriate, especially for children.

They called upon the board to take a harder look at the materials that children can access.

The county has a process that allows the public to request reconsideration of library materials.

The county board’s April 18 action now gives the library advisory board the county’s final word on appeals regarding such reconsiderations.

Under the new ordinance, anyone wishing to challenge the library advisory board’s decision would need to take their appeal to court, not to the county board.

The library advisory board’s new authority becomes effective upon filing of the ordinance with the Department of State, which was expected within 10 days of its April 18 adoption.

Published April 26, 2023

Planning board rejects setback variance on a split vote

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What’s a few feet, give or take?

In the case of a new house in East Padgett Estates — the difference of a few feet is proving to be a costly mistake.

The house, at 4537 Victoria Road, in Land O’ Lakes, was built with improper setbacks.

The violation of county regulations has sparked neighborhood disputes, led to lengthy public hearings and caused a substantial loss of money for the builder.

The fate of this house in East Padgett Estates remains uncertain. The Pasco County Planning Commission denied a request for a variance that would have allowed it to be occupied. The builder now has the option to appeal the decision to the Pasco County Commission. (Mike Camunas)

The Pasco County Planning Commission voted 4-3 on April 6 to reject SoHo Builder’s request for a variance to the side yard and front yard setback requirements.

If the request had been granted, the county could have issued a certificate of occupancy. Since the variance was denied, the house can’t be occupied.

The applicant now has the option to appeal the planning board’s decision to the Pasco County Commission.

The zoning district where the house is located requires a 10-foot minimum side yard setback on each side and a 25-foot minimum front yard setback.

But the house is 73-feet wide on a 90-foot-wide lot, meaning that it fails to meet the side yard setbacks by a total of 3 feet.

The structure also was built with a 20-foot front yard setback, instead of the required 25 feet.

Patrick Plummer, a representative for the builder, appeared before the planning board twice, seeking a variance.

The board denied it in January and did so again on April 6.

Plummer acknowledged that he erred during the process, but he also pointed out mistakes made by the county.

Plummer said once the setback error was discovered, a new site plan and set of building plans was submitted — for a 70-foot-wide house.

But county officials said there’s no evidence in the county’s records that the new plans were submitted.

Still, the county shares in the blame, according to Scott Carley, chief field inspector for Pasco County’s building construction services.

He said the county uses a system that allows different departments to see the same plans simultaneously.

In this case, zoning flagged the setback issue, but that didn’t prevent electrical, mechanical, plumbing and building from proceeding, Carley said.

“Forty percent is on us,” Carley said, noting this case has been a learning experience for the county.

Plummer asked the planning board to grant the variance.

“This was a bona fide error. We did not intentionally build a larger house. We did not try to circumvent anything,” he said.

But a former president of the area’s homeowner’s association said the buyer should have known the long-established required setbacks for the house.

Planning board member Jaime Girardi said he understands that the builder isn’t the only one at fault, however, he added: “You built something out there that’s drastically different from the rest of the neighborhood.”

Girardi also raised concerns about drainage issues and the insufficient landscaping plan.

County planning staff recommended denial of the request, saying that substantial evidence had not been submitted to justify a variance.

The planning board was divided.

While noting the builder should have spotted the error and stopped the building process to avoid having a completed house that failed to meet requirements, they also acknowledged that errors within the county’s process contributed to the problem.

Planning board member Jon Moody made a motion to support staff in its recommendation for denial and was joined by board members Peter Hanzel and Chris Poole.

Board Chairman Charles Grey and board members Derek Pontlitz and Girardi voted against Moody’s motion.

That left a 3-3 vote, requiring board member Chris Williams to break the tie.

Williams voted in favor of the staff’s recommendation to reject the variance.

In casting that vote, Williams said it was a tough call, but added: “It’s a big mistake. It’s going to be there a long time.”

Williams, planning director of Pasco County Schools, normally only votes on planning requests that involve school district issues. However, he’s also the designated tie-breaker, in the rare events that the planning board is evenly divided.

Published April 26, 2023

Bus driver shortage persists in Pasco County Schools

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The Pasco County School Board has adopted school starting and ending times for the 2023-2024 school year, and despite tweaking and tightening bus routes, the district still has some schools beginning after 10 a.m.

While adopting the schedule for next school year, school board members said they realize that some of the starting and ending times pose difficulties for families.

It boils down to not having enough bus drivers to allow the school district to have more routes, which would reduce the amount of time it takes for buses to make their rounds — and thus be available for another run.

Pasco County Schools — like other school districts across the nation — continues to struggle to fill its bus driver openings. That shortage affects the starting and ending times for schools. (Mike Camunas)

School board member Colleen Beaudoin told her colleagues and district staff: “I heard from a number of concerned parents about the bell times.”

She said she received the greatest number of concerns relating to Wiregrass Elementary, but said she also heard from families in New River and Seven Oaks.

The approved 2023-2024 start times for those schools are: Wiregrass Elementary, 9:40 a.m.; New River Elementary, 10:10 a.m.; and, Seven Oaks Elementary, 9:40 a.m.

“I know this is due mostly to the bus driver shortage,” Beaudoin said. But she added: “I feel for the families. I know this is extremely disruptive. It’s challenging for families. I want to acknowledge that.”

Betsy Kuhn, the school district’s assistant superintendent for support services, said many of the bell time changes being made this year are within either 10 minutes or 20 minutes, and many of those are being welcomed.

Still, she wishes the district did not have any 10:10 a.m. start times.

The schedule has been set up with the goal of getting students to school on time.

“If we lose a bunch of drivers, we could be in a very different position,” Kuhn said.

The school district has 319 routes and currently has openings for 45 bus drivers and 60 relief drivers. It also has schools of varying sizes and different programs.

Plus, it has six bus compounds and four bell tiers. 

All of that adds up to a complicated scheduling system.

Beaudoin noted that trying to change the bell times for one school has a domino effect on other schools, so there are no easy solutions.

School board member Cynthia Armstrong said she’d received lots of emails from parents at Starkey Ranch K-8. The approved start time there for 2023-2024 is 8:10 a.m.

Armstrong said she thinks part of the issue is the lack of consistent bell times from year to year.

But Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning responded: “I wouldn’t get too wed to consistency anytime soon. We’re growing so fast, we’re adding a school a year.”

“As long as it grows, we’re going to have challenges with transportation,” Browning said.

Published April 26, 2023

Pasco assumes operations of Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus

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The Pasco County Commission and RADDSports Pasco Wiregrass LLC have reached a mediated settlement, which turns over the operation of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus to Pasco County, and results in over $3 million in payments to RADDSports Pasco Wiregrass LLC.

The Pasco County Commission approved the settlement as part of its consent agenda on April 18. The consent agenda includes a number of items that are approved in a single action, unless someone pulls an item for discussion.

RADDSports had been operating the Wiregrass Sports Campus under a sports park operations and maintenance license agreement approved by the county on Aug. 15, 2017.

A look from a lofty angle at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus, in Wesley Chapel. It plays a key role in Pasco County’s sports tourism marketing efforts, and under a settlement agreement with RADDSports Pasco Wiregrass LLC, county staff will be assuming management of operations and marketing for the facility. (Mike Camunas)

Disputes arose between the county and RADDSports, and the county issued the Notice of Default on Nov. 4, 2022, informing RADDSports that the county planned to take over the operations.

RADDSports subsequently filed a lawsuit against the county on Nov. 18, 2022, “seeking declaratory relief, injunctive relief, and damages for the county’s alleged violations of the Florida Public Records Act and breach of the Sports Park Agreement,” according to materials in the county board’s agenda packet.

The parties met in a mediation session Nov. 28, 2022 and, while not reaching a settlement, made progress and agreed to take part in another mediation on Feb. 8, 2023. Meanwhile, the lawsuit was put on hold.

At the continued mediation session, County Administrator Mike Carballa and RADDSports reached a full settlement and entered into an agreement, subject to the county board’s approval of the settlement.

The settlement approved by the board directs the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller to issue a check to RADDSports for $1,094,000, which will be held in escrow until pre-conditions of the settlement have been met.

The clerk’s office also has been directed to issue four additional checks, in the amount of $500,000 each, with payment dates of April 18, 2024; April 18, 2025; April 18, 2026 and April 18, 2027.

Those checks will be held in escrow by the county attorney’s office and delivered to RADDSports on the first, second, third and fourth anniversary dates of the turnover — after the county attorney’s office has confirmed that RADDSports is complying with the settlement agreement, according to the agenda materials.

The county’s $3 million in payments are being made to “buy out” the remaining term of the Sports Park Agreement from RADDSports, providing the company complies with the settlement’s conditions.

The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus, at 3021 Sports Coast Way, in Wesley Chapel, plays a significant role in Pasco County’s sports tourism efforts.

The county board and RADDSports opened the 98,000-square-foot facility in the summer of 2020 to attract tournaments and talent from around the country and the globe. The sports campus features volleyball and basketball courts, a dedicated cheer zone, outdoor fields and other amenities.

The county’s sports marketing experts and its parks and recreation managers now will oversee the facility, according to a Pasco County news release.

“The Florida’s Sports Coast team will focus on booking outside events and attracting outside visitors to our county,” according to the release.

Pasco’s sports partners will continue to enjoy events and activities, with an existing pipeline of economic impact-generating events already on the books, the release adds.

Despite the legal dispute with RADDSports, the county expressed appreciation to RADDSports.

“We thank RADDSports for helping design this amazing facility, which essentially serves as the centerpiece of Florida’s Sports Coast, and for its cooperation to allow the county to bring in-house the going forward operation of the facility,” the release says.

“Pasco County and RADDSports are working together to ensure a seamless management transition to minimize disruptions of Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus programming and events.  Pasco County Parks, Recreation, & Natural Resources is honoring all prior event contracts, making sure local sports enthusiasts continue to have access to our world-class facilities,” the release adds.

The county built the $29 million sports campus with tourist development tax dollars on land donated by the Porter family, which has had a hand in shaping much of the development of Wesley Chapel.

Acreage once owned by the Porters now is occupied by a multitude of developments, including The Shops at Wiregrass, Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, and public schools, neighborhoods and businesses.

Published April 26, 2023

Pasco Schools administrator wins statewide award

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Pasco County Schools’ Amy Ponce has been named The Florida Association of School Nurses’ School Nurse Administrator of the Year.

She joined Pasco County Schools as a school nurse in 2013 and has been overseeing the district’s School Health Services for two years.

Ponce said while she has been singled out for recognition, it really belongs to her entire team.

“That award should go to them, I think, more than me. I appreciate all that we’ve accomplished in Pasco,” she said.

Amy Ponce knew since third grade that she wanted to be a nurse. But it took a few life changes during her career before she realized that using her skills to serve students was her true niche in nursing. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Ponce said she knew at an early age that she wanted to become a nurse.

“I just will never forget it. It was Mrs. Wood, she was my third grade teacher and she asked me —  and it was just something that I’ve always wanted to do.

“I love helping people and being invested,” she said.

Though she knew she wanted to be a nurse, she wasn’t sure what path she would take.

At first, she thought she would work in adult hematology and oncology, but that was before her last clinical was in pediatrics.

Within a half-hour in pediatrics, she thought to herself: “This is where I want to spend my life, in nursing.”

Of course, life had its own ideas.

Her family moved to Puerto Rico for a couple of years and she took a bit of a hiatus from nursing. Then, she worked in roles that delved into different parts of school nursing.

Next, she stopped nursing all together for a couple of years to care for young children.

Then her youngest child was born with a cleft lip and palate that required multiple surgeries, so she was focused on that.

After that, her husband lost his job and she went back to work, as a school nurse.

She said she chose that path because it fit into her life of being a mom.

After all of those twists and turns, though, she discovered that being a school nurse is truly her niche.

“This is what I love to do,” she said.

“The impact that we can have on children just far outweighs anything else that there could potentially be,” said Ponce, who worked at Cypress Creek Middle High School before becoming a district supervisor.

Just because she’s a supervisor, though, doesn’t mean she’s isolated in a district office.

“I can’t lead from behind a desk. I have to be a part of it, so I can see what’s happening,” she said. “I’m in schools. I help conduct health screenings. I go in and do clinic visits.

“They (her staff) know if they need to call me and I need to go in a school to help, then that’s what I’m going to do,” she said.

Ponce thinks that many people — including nurses working in different settings— do not understand what school nurses do.

“People kind of forget that children are diagnosed with some difficult, challenging medical conditions,” Ponce said. “It impacts their life at school.”

School nurses can help those children to have the same kinds of experiences as their peers.

“You know, it’s a game-changer.

“We can kind of help them navigate (their medical condition) in this (school) setting, but then it’s life skills that they take with them forever. Because this (medical) condition doesn’t go away,” Ponce said.

School nurses are on the front lines
Nurses working on school campuses played an invaluable role in helping to navigate through COVID-19.

And, when it comes to dealing with mental health issues, Ponce said, “It’s all hands on deck.

“Anxiety, depression, we would see — but not to the magnitude that we have now.

“I  think the last time I researched it, it said about 32% of our time was spent on mental health, in school health. I’ll tell you that it’s probably double that now.

“It’s scary to see what our children are having to confront and to do, and the challenges that lie in front of them. It’s great that we can provide those supports to help them get through their day,” she said.

“I got into this profession 12 years ago. My job looks nothing like it was, 12 years ago,” Ponce said.

“I think COVID sort of catapulted us into really looking at what our role was and the impact that we have,” she said.

It forced a closer look at the work school nurses do — and, at what things they needed to let go of, to address the issues of mental health.

During COVID, many children were home and weren’t socializing.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning poses for a selfie with school district nursing staff, including Amy Ponce, who is the district supervisor of school health services. (Courtesy of Amy Ponce)

When they came back to school, they needed to learn how to be in a social environment and learn again how to make friends, she said.

Plus, the pressures from social media on kids “are really surreal,” she said. “It’s amazing how one little thing can have a ripple effect.”

On top of all that are family stressors. For instance, when a parent loses a job that can lead to a family losing its home, everyone in the family feels the effect of that, she said.

Many children lack access to the providers they need, Ponce added.

To help address that, the Pasco public school district began rolling out telemedicine this year.

Students can stay in school and parents can stream in on the call, which provides an opportunity to address students’ basic needs.

“That’s been a great experience for us,” Ponce said.

To be a school nurse means to be in touch with the current environment and to learn new ways to address emerging trends, she added.

In Pasco public schools, health services are delivered by clinic assistants; by licensed practical nurses who work with medically fragile students; and by registered nurses, who provide another layer of care and service.

School nurses work in partnership with school psychologists, social workers and counselors, Ponce said. “We work together as a unified, multi-disciplinary team to really help students get through.

“We have a great program in Pasco. I have to give great kudos to Lisa Kern, who just recently left us, two years ago. She really catapulted us into the right direction for school health,” Ponce said.

There are challenges
“We need more time. We’re spread thin. It is difficult to always meet the need that’s in front of us,” Ponce said.

Remaining fully staffed is an issue, too.

“Our turnover has been high,” Ponce said. “It’s hard to keep nurses due to, I think, the pay, and the workload.

“I think a lot of nurses come in, I think anticipating this profession to be something that it’s not.

“I think they envision that they’re just putting Band-aids on, and looking at kids as they’re coming in.

“We depend very heavily on our clinic assistants, who are sitting in our clinics, to do that kind of work.”

School nurses, she said, “really are that care coordination piece. We educate. We train. We’re working with doctors. We’re connecting with resources,” she said.

At its core, school nursing is a profession that has its intrinsic rewards,” Ponce said.

Being able to touch students’ lives is gratifying, she said.

“I had a student that I worked with for four years. She struggled in high school.  There were just so many different components. She just never gave up. We walked the journey together. She graduated. She’s gone on to get her master’s. She’s successful in life.

“To get that card in the mail that says, ‘Thank you for never giving up on me,’ — that’s why we’re here,” Ponce said.

“I do it because I love to do what I do.

“This is my calling,” Ponce said.

Making a lifelong impression
A photograph in Amy Ponce’s office reminds her why she’s in school nursing.

Ponce now oversees health services in Pasco schools, but before she was promoted to her current role, she was the school nurse at Cypress Creek Middle High.

She was helping out in the clinic one day because a clinic assistant was out, when a call came in from the school’s field.

A student out there was not doing well.

Amy Ponce, center, stands with Lona Mazzeo and Sam Mazzeo. Ponce’s quick actions revived the student who collapsed and was unresponsive on a school field. Ponce used CPR and an AED to revive him. Ponce says this photo of Sam and his mom reminds her why she’s in this profession. (Courtesy of Amy Ponce)

Ponce began heading that way, with a trauma bag and wheelchair.

Then, another call came in: The student was unresponsive.

Ponce began running.

“We called 9-1-1.”

She and Tim Light, an assistant principal at the time, took turns administering CPR.

As she worked to revive the student, she recalls thinking: “We cannot lose you.”

She recalls telling the young man: “Let’s go.”

He remained unresponsive and she let him know that wasn’t an option.

“We can’t do this,” she told him.

“I remember trying to give Tim (Light) directions (on CPR). He was like, ‘Amy, you taught me. I know what to do.’”

When the AED arrived, it was applied immediately.

“He did not respond. We had to shock him once and he responded after that.

“He was never really awake when he was with me on the field,” she said, but he was breathing.

Ponce credits her team for getting the AED quickly to the field.

“The doctors were very clear. That’s really what saved his life,” she said.

The experience has left a lifelong impression on Ponce.

“He reminds me — and keeps me grounded — of why I’m here and what I do,” Ponce said.

What people are saying
Amy Ponce has been named the School Nurse Administrator of the Year for 2023 by the Florida Association of School Nurses.

She received a number of nominations for the award, including one from Tim Light, who was an assistant principal when Ponce worked as the school nurse at Cypress Creek Middle High.

He described her work as a school nurse this way: “She applied the necessary actions to address student medical needs whether it be a student discussed in our School Intervention Team, a student who was identified with multiple medical-related absences, a student in need of a medical care plan, a student in need of a safety plan, and/or a student in need of emotional, behavioral or mental support. Never did she falter and always, she provided the necessary means and resources to assist the student.”

He recalled an incident on Feb. 23, 2018, when Ponce’s skills saved the life of a 10th-grader who had collapsed on the field. She administered CPR and applied an AED to revive the unresponsive teenager.

Here are excerpts from other letters nominating Ponce for the statewide honor:

“Amy Ponce is the epitome of professionalism, dedication and optimism. During the COVID epidemic, she was on the front line representing the school district in the community at a crucial time. Her planning and input into the ever-changing landscape around COVID protocols was invaluable….

“Among her many responsibilities, she is tasked with leading a group of more than 50 members serving our school community of over 100 school sites …”
-Kurt Browning, superintendent of Pasco County Schools

“Mrs. Ponce brings a laser-like focus on school improvement to every aspect of her work and has been instrumental in helping our district improve health services and enables us to provide differentiated assistance to schools and students, based upon need.”
-Melissa Musselwhite, Pasco County Schools’ director of school support programs and services

“Her (Amy Ponce’s) leadership ability is unquestioned, and her analytical and communication skills continue to lead our school health program to new heights with commitment and resiliency.”
-Angel Hernandez, Pasco County Schools’ student services senior supervisor

Published April 19, 2023

New state law pushes for affordable housing

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A new state law has made it much easier to develop affordable housing across Florida.

Lawmakers have imposed a requirement on local governments that they must authorize multifamily and mixed-use residential as allowable uses in any area zoned for commercial, industrial or mixed-uses — if at least 40% of the residential units meet the definition of affordable housing. Those units must remain affordable for a period of 30 years.

David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney for Pasco County, explained the new law to members of the Pasco County Planning Commission at their April 6 meeting.

“In this affordable housing bill, the Legislature effectively rezoned a lot of property in Pasco County,” Goldstein told the planning board.

(Mike Camunas)

“The concern that’s been raised by staff and some of our board members is that areas you are zoning today for industrial, commercial, mixed-use – under this bill, there is no guarantee they will be industrial, commercial, mixed-use,” Goldstein said. “Literally, you could be zoning the property C2 (general commercial), under this bill, it could become multifamily, not even necessarily mixed-use multifamily, just plain multi-family.”

The law also provides the county grant the maximum density allowed, which in Pasco County is 32 units per acre, Goldstein said. Plus, the county can’t regulate the height of the buildings in these developments.

The affordable housing defined in the bill is typically referred to as low- or moderate-income housing, or sometimes called workforce housing.

“The caveat that 40% has to be affordable might dissuade some folks from doing this. I don’t know because it depends upon the other incentives that were put into the bill. There are some property tax exemptions. There are some direct incentives they can get from the state,” Goldstein said.

The legislation Goldstein is referring to is Senate Bill 102, which he said is commonly known as the Live Local Act.

The law doesn’t require the planning board to recommend a new multi-family development and the county board doesn’t have to approve it.

“But if they locate on commercial, industrial or mixed-use zoning district, they will never come to you,” Goldstein told the planning board. “It (the law) actually says they have to be administratively approved by staff.”

The county will be able to regulate parking, setbacks, stormwater and other typical development requirements, Goldstein said.

It also can ask applicants seeking new commercial, industrial or mixed-use projects to voluntarily submit a deed restriction that requires them to do those types of projects — rather than substituting a multifamily project, with 40% designated for affordable housing.

“If you are approving a new industrial, commercial or mixed-use zoning, you do have the right to ask the property owner if they’re willing to restrict it themselves,” Goldstein said. “It’s a worthwhile question to ask.

In fact, during a recent Pasco County Commission meeting, the county asked an attorney if her client would be willing to voluntarily agree to a restriction. The client is seeking an industrial designation on land near the Suncoast Parkway.

The attorney said she discuss the request with her client.

While the county may be able to get property owners to voluntarily agree to restrict their property with new requests, Goldstein is concerned about the amount of property around the county that’s already zoned for commercial and industrial use.

“There’s no guarantee that you will get what you zoned under this bill,” he said.

He said he understands there’s a need for affordable housing, but he’s not sure this is the best way to pursue it.

For the past few years, the county has made a concerted effort to identify more sites for job-generating uses.

“One might argue that if you don’t  have a job, you can’t afford housing. It doesn’t matter how affordable it is, and we’ve reserved some of these areas for job production,” Goldstein said.

The county is also concerned about creating jobs that it has been working to identify large tracts that would be suitable for industrial development, with the hope it could bring more jobs to a county where a large percentage of its workforce commutes daily to other counties.

Planning board members voiced concerns about the automatic approvals creating a situation that could create an infrastructure nightmare.

Planning board member Jon Moody said the new law takes a one-size-fits-all approach.

“This may work for Metro Dade, but it may not work for Pasco County,” he said.

Planning board member Chris Williams agreed: “That’s my concern. We’ve done (zoned industrial sites) to try to plan for the future. Now, somebody comes in and approaches in the middle of an industrial zone and says, ‘Hey, I want to put a bunch of apartments up.’”

Published April 19, 2023

Proposed cell tower prompts discussion over competing interests

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A request for a 195-foot tower at the Plantation Palms Golf Course recently sparked a discussion over how to best protect the interest of area residents.

On one hand, the lease for the cell tower would provide revenue, which could help for the upkeep of the golf course — which under previous ownership had fallen into a state of disrepair, threatening property values throughout the Land O’ Lakes golf course community.

On the other hand, a couple living near the proposed towering pole aren’t exactly enamored by the idea of having that become part of their view-shed on a daily basis. They also worry their property values could suffer because of their proximity to the cell tower.

This cell tower at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, at 3032 Collier Parkway, cannot accommodate the kind of antenna that T-Mobile wants to install, so a request has been made to add another cell tower on property at nearby Plantation Palms Golf Course. That request has been delayed for another public hearing. (Mike Camunas)

There’s also the argument that the entire community would benefit from improved service for their electronic devices.

Those were some  of the issues discussed by the Pasco County Planning Commission on April 6, during a public hearing on a requested conditional use permit for the proposed tower.

Mattaniah S. Jahn represented the applicants — Ace Cheval, Inc/VB BTS, LLC/T-Mobile South, LLC – 195 — who are seeking permission for a 185-foot monopole along with a 10-foot lightning rod.

The proposed tower would go on a site on the north side of 20 mile Level Road, about 1,550 feet east of Collier Parkway. The subject site consists of a maintenance facility and is designated as a recreation center, on the Plantation Palms master-plan, according to materials in the planning board’s agenda packet.

The pole would be erected within a 3,819-square-foot fenced compound area, on a parcel of approximately 1.89 acres, agenda materials say.

The proposed anchor tenant, T- Mobile, currently has antenna equipment on a flagpole-style cell tower, which is about 1,150 feet southwest of the proposed request, at the Land O’Lakes Recreation Complex, at 3032 Collier Parkway, in Land O’ Lakes.

T-Mobile proposes to terminate its tenancy on that pole because it is unable to physically support the antennas and equipment necessary to meet the area’s traffic needs, agenda materials say.

Verizon Communications, Inc. is the anchor tenant at that site.

After hearing neighbors’ concerns, planning board member Jaime Girardi asked about the possibility of moving the tower farther away, onto the county’s parkland at the rec center.

Jahn said that since there’s already a cell tower on that site, it may be impossible to locate another one there.

Cell tower leases typically contain non-compete clauses, Jahn explained.

Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein said he would need to review the lease to determine if it contains a non-compete clause.

That would be a moot point, though, Goldstein said, if the planning board is interested in helping Plantation Palms preserve its ability to generate money from the cell tower lease — to support its golf course operations.

Girardi said he wanted to know the options before taking a vote.

Planning board member Peter Hanzel said he was ready to support the conditional use request because the golf course needs the revenue and cell phone towers are a necessity to support today’s technology needs.

Planning board member Chris Poole said if it’s possible to get it, he’d like more information about the impacts that cell towers have on property values.

The board voted to continue the issue until its May 4 meeting in Dade City, to allow additional information to be gathered before it takes a vote.

Published April 19, 2023

Business Digest 04/19/2023

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Clara Reynolds, left, is honored by the Hillsborough County Commission. She stands next to the podium near Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan. (Courtesy of Crisis Center of Tampa Bay)

Good Government award
Clara Reynolds, the CEO of Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, has been named the recipient of the 2023 Ellsworth G. Simmons Good Government Award.

The annual honor is bestowed by Hillsborough County to an individual or individuals who play a significant role in improving government through their leadership and vision.

Reynolds has worked alongside government officials at both a local and state level to ensure that positive change was being made to help community members, according to a news release.

She has overseen expanded partnerships with the tax collector’s office, public schools and the airport; collaborations with fire and law enforcement agencies; the addition of a human trafficking care coordinator ahead of Tampa hosting the Super Bowl; and most recently, the addition of a second dedicated Sexual Assault Services location in south Hillsborough County, the release says.

Coffee & Commerce
Join members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber for casual networking and coffee on the fourth Tuesday of each month, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Raining Berries, 25595 Sierra Center Boulevard, in Lutz. This month the gathering is on April 25. Bring some business cards and mingle.

Greater Pasco Chamber luncheon
John J. Allgeier, the senior director of real estate development for Moffitt Cancer Center’s Pasco County campus, will be the featured speaker at the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce’s general membership luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on April 25.

He will provide updates on what’s happening at the new campus, which is expected to attract researchers from around the world in the quest to cure cancer, and to create thousands of jobs in the area.

The luncheon will be at New Beginnings, 18935 Michigan Lane, in Land O’ Lakes.

The cost is $30 for chamber members and $35 for non-members. Those registering by 5 p.m. on April 24 will receive a $5 early registration discount.

To register or for more information, call 727-842-7651 or email

United Kingdom company to open
Fusion5, a technology brand originally from the United Kingdom, is setting up an assembly line in Pasco County, according to an announcement by the Pasco Economic Development Council, Inc. (Pasco EDC).

Fusion5 is leasing a 5,000-square-foot building in the West Pasco Industrial Park, where it will invest more than $250,000 in lease-hold improvements and equipment, and plans to hire 30 employees. 

“Fusion5 is no stranger to expanding globally, and we are thrilled they see the additional value and resources Pasco County can continue to provide them with as they grow,” Bill Cronin, president/CEO, Pasco EDC, said in a news release. “As they continue to look for new markets to export to, we can help through our international program and partnerships, and the company already plans to utilize our local Foreign Trade Zone 193.” 

The assembly line will prioritize the production of high-quality and affordable Microsoft Windows Operating System devices made in the United States, which will allow the company to compete with some of the biggest names in the technology industry, the release says.

The laptops and tablet computers produced at the assembly line will be designed to meet the diverse needs of customers in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Fusion5 currently works with retailers like Amazon, Walmart, among others. 

Fusion5 also maintains a production facility in Frisco, Texas. 

“We strongly believe that technology plays a vital role in people’s lives. That’s why we are passionately committed to providing high-quality products at affordable prices, so that everyone can have access to the latest technology and improve their quality of life,” Gandhi Perla, founder & CEO, Fusion5, said in the release.

“When I was looking for a new location for our assembly line, I saw the number of technical schools and training programs Pasco County had to offer, as well as the area’s potential for future expansion. I knew right away that this was the right choice for our business,” Perla added.

New Brightway Insurance office
Jessica Spivey, who lives in Lutz, has opened a new Brightway Insurance office in Wesley Chapel. Brightway, The Spivey Agency offers customized home, flood, auto, boat, condo, renters, personal articles, RV, motorcycle, umbrella and life insurance policies from numerous companies. Visit online at BrightwaySpivey.com, or call 813-513-0808.

Pasco School Board puts cell tower issue on hold

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The Pasco County School Board tabled a request relating to a cellphone tower after it ran into a slew of complaints from parents and opposition from Al Hernandez, who sits on the board.

The board had been scheduled to vote on Pasco County’s request for an access and utilities easement to a cell tower planned on county park land.

Pasco County Schools and Pasco County have a joint-use agreement involving Starkey Ranch K-8, the library and the county park, and it has always been contemplated that there might be a cell tower on shared-use property, according to district background materials.

A study was conducted in 2010 relating to the cell tower at John Long Middle School. The Pasco County School Board wants to know if the tower now has any 5G antennas on it. If it does, they’d like an updated study, to see how it compares to the previous findings. (Mike Camunas)

The information also says that Pasco County has negotiated a cell tower ground lease agreement with Vertex to place a cell tower on shared-use property on the south side of the football/soccer field. 

The revenue from the cell tower lease is intended to  go to the shared escrow account to help to maintain the shared-use facilities, according to district materials.

Parents appeared during the public comment portion of the April 4 meeting, urging a “no” vote.

Serena Arnold, who lives on Burdick Loop, told the board: “According to American Cancer Society, RF (radiofrequency) waves from cellphone towers have not been proven absolutely safe. Most expert organizations agree that more research is needed to help clarify this, especially for long-term effects.

“People, we can’t say they’re (cell towers) safe,” added Arnold, who has children attending Starkey K-8.

“Please understand that more than 240 scientists published an appeal to the United Nations to reduce public exposure and called for a moratorium on 5G, citing established adverse biological effects of RF radiation.

“Peer-reviewed research has linked a myriad of adverse effects to wireless, radio frequency radiation, including headaches, cancers, DNA damage, tumor promotion, impaired growth and so many more.

“At best, we can say that a ‘yes’ vote today is an iffy decision. More research is needed, especially for long-term effects,” Arnold said.

Another parent told the board that more than 680 people had signed a petition in opposition.

Alex Hamilton, another speaker, said: “Nobody can tell you 100% if this does, in fact, cause some sort of issue.

“We just don’t want it to be too late before we find out this was the wrong answer.”

Hernandez told his colleagues: “I feel extremely concerned, and it makes me pause, to have a (cell) tower” near a K-8 school.

School board member Colleen Beaudoin, however, said  the district already has cell towers at numerous schools and she thinks they’re needed for safety reasons.

She said that she’s heard that the Starkey Ranch area has patchy cell coverage and she wants to ensure it has good communications.

Her primary concern is the ability to communicate, in the event the unthinkable occurs, she said.

“That weighs extremely heavily on my mind. That’s why I would lean toward having a tower, to boost that communication. I’m very concerned about the communications piece, during a crisis,” Beaudoin said.

One parent noted that in response to a request for information, the school district responded by citing a study that was done in 2010.

That was before 5G was developed, the parent noted.

School board member Alison Crumbley said she wants more information.

“We don’t have studies on 5G,” Crumbley said. “There’s an exponential difference between 3G and 5G.

Pasco County Schools has cell phone towers on several of its campuses, including Wiregrass Elementary School.

“I’m concerned about the years of exposure, from pre-K and up, not only to the students, but to the neighborhood and to our staff who work there,” Crumbley said.

Armstrong noted that even if the board rejected the county’s request, it wouldn’t kill the cell tower project. The county could seek another way to access the property.

She said she wants to work cooperatively with the county, and she said the public needs to understand that the county has the final say on the cell tower.

Hernandez responded: “Even providing easement, I just don’t feel comfortable.”

School board chairwoman Megan Harding said she sees both sides of the issue.

Chris Williams, the district’s planning director, said the study done at John Long Middle School was conducted in 2010, before 5G was developed.

“They took readings before the cell tower went live and then also after the cell tower went live.

“Actually, the highest reading was measured before the cell tower went live,” Williams said.

“That radiation, if you will, is already in existence from a variety of sources,” the planning director explained.

The highest reading recorded at the school was 6.3% of the level the FCC considers safe, and that was recorded before the tower went live, Williams said.

The study — commissioned by the school district — was conducted by an independent engineer, who is an expert in the field, Williams said.

Since the school board’s vote isn’t the final word on the cell tower, Superintendent Kurt Browning suggested the board table the issue until after the county board’s April 18 decision.

A majority of board members agreed and tabled the request.

Meanwhile, Armstrong suggested the district see if John Long Middle has any 5G antennas on its tower, and if so, to seek additional measurements to compare against the previous study.

“That makes sense,” Beaudoin said.

Hernandez said if the county approves the lease and the issue comes back to the school board that his position will not change.

“I don’t think that (cell) towers should be at any schools that are K-plus,” Hernandez said.

Published April 12, 2023

Should there be a regional MPO in Tampa Bay?

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A group of elected leaders from Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties gathered recently in Odessa to discuss whether the time is right to pursue a regional approach to transportation planning.

Representatives from Pasco and Pinellas counties expressed support for the idea, while Hillsborough and Tampa officials voiced opposition.

These construction materials offer a visual clue that a road project is underway. The possibility of the creation of a regional Metropolitan Planning Organization to tackle transportation needs is in discussion. Some leaders embrace the idea; others, not so much. (File)

The discussion was held at the March 24 meeting of the TMA, at Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, in Odessa. 

The TMA is a subcommittee of the Sun Coast Transportation Alliance. Its membership is made up of local representatives of the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Hillsborough County Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) and Forward Pinellas, which is the lead planning organization for transportation and land use in Pinellas County.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, chairwoman of the TMA, is a staunch advocate of regional transportation planning and reiterated her support of that approach.

Pinellas County Commissioners Dave Eggers and Janet Long also spoke in favor of taking a regional, big-picture view when it comes to setting transportation priorities.

“We’ve got to think bigger,” Eggers said. “This is an opportunity for us to be leaders in the area. To me, it’s something that we should have been doing some time ago.

Despite the hassles posed by construction, these signs generally indicate that road improvements are on the way.

“The partnerships with the cities, the counties, the chambers and the businesses all have to be at the table. The mechanism for regional improvement has to include the mechanism to protect our local efforts,” Eggers added.

Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman shares that perspective.

Essentially, there are two different ways of governing, Weightman said.

Tackling regional issues requires a multi-county approach; addressing local issues can be done by elected leaders within that specific locality, he said.

“So, there’s two different lanes,” Weightman said.

But Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp and Tampa City Councilman Joseph Citro expressed skepticism.

Kemp said she’s against merging MPOs.

“The MPOs were created to protect local populations, local communities, local neighborhoods, and diverse, disadvantaged communities,” Kemp said.

”Massive roadways have hurt the structure of Tampa and its economic opportunity,” Kemp added. “Debates in the region have been largely about the impacts on Hillsborough County residents — over and over again.”

Citro said he’s concerned about Tampa getting lost in the shuffle.

Tampa residents feel the brunt of the daily crush of commuters coming into the city and leaving each day, he said.

If a regional transportation planning agency emerges, the issue, of course, is how projects are prioritized for funding.

“The population in the city of Tampa doubles each and every day, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.,” Citro said. “I can’t emphasize this enough.”

If a regional approach is adopted, Citro said Tampa should be granted greater representation on the governing board because it bears a greater impact than other places in the region.

Citro said the Port of Tampa and Tampa International Airport also must be able to weigh in on n regional transportation issues.

Starkey responded: “I agree the airport and the port should have a voice on here.”

But the TMA chairwoman added: “To me, those are details that get fleshed out as we go more through the process, more in-depth.”

Starkey said she understands concerns that local governments may have, if a regional planning approach is adopted.

“We have our fears, as a small fish, but the devil is in the details, and if other communities around the country can figure it out, I think we can figure out how we keep our local identity but work on a regional identity, as well,” Starkey said.

David Gwynn, secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation’s District Seven office said estabishing a regional MPO may create a better opportunity for securing federal funds for projects.

“With 3.2 million people in an MPO, you’re going to be the largest MPO,” Gwynn said.

“We believe we’d be able to be more successful in bringing more money to the entire region,” Gwynn said. “All boats should rise, if the tide rises, right?”

“I think a lot could go right,’’ added Gwynn, whose FDOT district covers the Tampa Bay region.

Published April 12, 2023