The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Political Agenda 10/05/2022

By

Vote-by-mail and sample ballots
Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley has announced that he sent out 116,500 ballots on Sept. 29 to voters who requested vote-by-mail ballots for the Nov. 8 General Election, according to a news release.

Corley’s office also announced that ballots were sent on Sept. 23 to uniformed and overseas citizens.

Votes cast by mail must be returned to the elections’ office by 7 p.m. Election Day, Nov. 8.

Corley asks voters to allow sufficient time for first-class delivery by the U.S. Postal Service, or to hand-deliver ballots to any of the three Pasco County Supervisor of Elections’ Offices.

Voted mail ballots also are accepted at early voting sites, however voted mail ballots may not be turned in at the polls on Election Day.

Early voting sites and office locations are available online at PascoVotes.gov.

For eligible voters who did not previously request a ballot, they are still available by calling the elections’ office, by submitting the request in writing, or by using the online request form on PascoVotes.gov.

Requests must include the voter’s Florida Driver License number, Florida ID Card number, or the last four digits of voter’s SSN, date of birth, and Pasco County residence address. Written requests also must include the voter’s signature.

Vote-by-mail ballots cannot be forwarded but can be mailed to a temporary mailing address if outside of Pasco County. Voters are encouraged to confirm their mailing address when ordering a vote-by-mail ballot. The deadline to request a ballot to be mailed is 5 p.m. on Oct. 29.

Written or telephonic requests for vote-by-mail ballots must come from the voter, an immediate family member, or legal guardian on behalf of a voter.

Voters were able to pick up ballots for themselves at any of the three elections’ offices beginning, Sept. 26, but not for someone else until Oct. 30, which is nine days before the election.

Those picking up ballots on behalf of someone will need a written request from the voter, designating them as the person authorized to carry out the ballot.

The designee will be asked to provide a photo ID and to complete an affidavit before the ballot will be released to them.

Corley also has announced that sample ballots for the Nov. 8 General Election are now available online at PascoVotes.gov, and will be mailed to Pasco County voters on Oct. 10.

He encourages voters to look over their sample ballot and familiarize themselves with the candidates and issues before going to the polls.

To expedite the voting process, voters also are encouraged to bring their completed sample ballots with voting early or on Election Day.

An Accessible Sample Ballot is available on PascoVotes.gov. It is a web-based, interactive sample ballot for all voters. It is audio-enabled, multilingual, and fully accessible for voters with disabilities and compatible with all major screen readers, tactile switches, closed captioning, and sip and puff systems. It allows voters to view and mark an accessible sample ballot and print a reference sheet with their selections.

The direct link to sample ballots is PascoVotes.gov/Elections/Sample-Ballots.

The Precinct Finder option is available to voters who are unsure of their precinct number, at PascoVotes.gov/Precincts/Precinct-Finder.

Sample ballots are mailed to the address of record on the voter registration file. If your voter registration is not up to date with a current address, you can update it at any time online at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov/home, or by calling 800-851-8754.

Republican Club meeting
The Wesley Chapel Republican Club will meet on Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m., at Myrtle Lake Baptist Church, 2017 Riegler Road, in Land O’ Lakes. The guest speaker will be U.S.  Rep. Byron Donalds.

After the guest speaker, there will be a showing of the film “2000 Mules.”

All are welcome. Admission is free, and there will be coffee and dessert.

Public forum meet-and-greet
A candidate meet-and-greet cosponsored by the Pasco Unit of the League of Women Voters of Hillsborough County and the Pasco NAACP is scheduled for Oct. 8 from noon to 2 p.m., in Rooms 3 and 4, of the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

This is a public forum.

Each candidate will have 5 minutes to speak. When speeches by the candidates are completed, voters may visit the tables set up for each candidate to ask questions, pick up brochures and so on.

All candidates representing some or all of Pasco County on the Nov. 8 ballot have been invited to participate. This includes candidates for Pasco School Board, District 1; Pasco County School Board, District 4; 6th Judicial Circuit State Attorney; Florida State Legislature; Florida State Cabinet (CFO, Agriculture Commissioner and Attorney General); and, U.S. House Districts 12 and 15.

Email for more information.

Pasco tamps on brakes for TBARTA funding

By

The Pasco County Commission has decided to stall a decision on whether to provide funding for the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority, until at least January.

The board took that action at its Sept. 20 meeting.

Cathy Pearson, an assistant county administrator, told the board: “We’re presenting a recommendation that we delay this until January. The total fee for this would be $95,521.”

“There’s been a little bit of challenges with the TBARTA board, we’ll put it that way,” Pearson said.

The regional transit authority’s purpose is to plan, develop, fund, implement and operate a regional transit system to serve Pasco, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pinellas and Manatee counties.

Finding a regional planning solution is becoming increasingly important, as the region continues to grow and it lacks an easy way for people to get around.

Efforts to create a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network that would carry commuters through the region have been stymied because there’s a lack of agreement by the counties about the plan.

Hillsborough County essentially sits in the middle of the five-county region. But it has raised objections to plans to route a BRT through Hillsborough, using lanes within the existing right of way on Interstate 275.

There’s also been discussion lately regarding whether TBARTA should become part of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council.

At this point, though, it is unclear what direction the regional transit agency will go.

The Pasco County board wants more information before allocating funds for TBARTA.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey said: “As your TBARTA member, I’m in support that we kind of wait and see what happens, after November and into January.”

She’s made previous reports to the board indicating that Hillsborough County doesn’t appear to want to be part of the regional planning efforts.

 “Talk about frustration. If you don’t have a player in the middle, things fall apart,” she said, during the county board’s Sept. 20 meeting.

Commissioner Mike Moore added: “I have a sneaky suspicion that TBARTA will be going bye-bye by our legislators come next session. I would probably put a wager on that.”

Starkey interjected: “Stay tuned for another direction, in a different way. That’s all I can say.”

Moore made a motion to continue the vote on the proposed payment until January.

“The last thing we want is our money sitting there and getting gobbled up because how do you get it back, once you give it?” Moore said.

Published October 05, 2022

Hale Road rezoning gets ‘no’ vote from divided planning board

By

In the end, a majority of the Pasco County Planning Commission voted to recommend denial of  a rezoning requested for a 109-home subdivision in Land O’ Lakes.

The proposed site for the development is on the southwest and northwest corner of the Hale Road and Collier Parkway intersection, straddling Hale Road. It is approximately 5,700 feet east of U.S. 41, according to documents contained in the planning board’s Sept. 22 agenda packet.

The planning board voted 3-2 to recommend denial.

Opponents to a proposed rezoning on Hale Road want the request to be rejected. The sign also indicates a backlash against elected leaders, springing from dissatisfaction regarding Pasco County’s continued growth. (Mike Camunas)

That vote followed about four hours of testimony, with representatives for the applicant claiming the proposed single-family development is compatible with the sea of single-family developments surrounding it.

Opponents questioned the claim of compatibility, raised issues about Hale Road’s ability to handle the additional traffic, voiced concerns about potential environmental damage that could arise and cautioned against setting a precedent for increased development on similar properties on Hale Road.

In calling for denial, the planning board cited Hale Road’s substandard road conditions, incompatibility with surrounding development, and other issues.

County planners, however, had recommended approval of the request.

Next, the Pasco County Commission will consider the request. It has final jurisdiction on land use and zoning issues.

Cyndi Tarapani, of Tarapani Planning Strategies, represented KB Home, at the planning board’s meeting.

She told the planning board:  “We believe we made every reasonable effort to be a good neighbor.”

The future land use designation for the property allows up to six homes per acre, Tarapani noted. This proposal calls for 2.5 homes per acre.

The future land use designation would allow up to 214 homes. The applicant’s initial request was for 150, but that has since been reduced to 109, Tarapani said.

The developer also plans to use 50-foot lots on areas adjacent to neighboring subdivisions and plans to provide buffering, even though none is required, the professional planner added.

Plus, the developer will pay $281,600 to mitigate traffic impacts and will provide a left-turn lane into the property, she said.

But none of the developer’s changes appeased the opposition.

Opponents came ready for battle
An army of objectors — many wearing green shirts and some carrying signs — turned out to the public hearing.

The contingent included students from Land O’ Lakes High School who argued against the rezoning, based on research showing potential environmental threats.

Opponents repeatedly raised concerns about safety hazards on Hale Road, which the county deems a substandard road.

Mike Della-Penna, who lives nearby, said: “There haven’t been many improvements on Hale Road in the 32 years I’ve lived there and I don’t expect many to be happening.”

Others said the proposed density is contrary to existing lot sizes in nearby developments.

“You have an established pattern of development on Hale Road, and these lots don’t meet that standard,” said Lisa Moretti, who opposes the rezoning.

This sign urges rejection of a proposed rezoning on Hale Road, which would allow a subdivision of 109 houses on Hale Road. A portion of the proposed site is next to the Rosebud Continuum, at 22843 Hale Road. (Mike Camunas)

Moretti cited eight approved developments on Hale Road, which have larger lot sizes.

“The proposed development is 109 lots, over 2 ½ times as many as the largest approved development already there and over five times greater than the average approved development,” Moretti said.

“This (proposed) development is totally an aberration of compatibility,” Moretti said.

Dr. T.H. Culhane, another opponent, stepped up to the podium wearing a Patel College of Global Sustainability T-shirt.

“I request, respectfully, that you recommend denial for this land-grab application for this last tiny refuge of wildlife, this last sanctuary of sanity, in an increasingly sprawl-filled neighborhood,” said Culhane, a University of South Florida professor.

Culhane talked about working for six years at the Rosebud Continuum, at 22843 Hale Road. It’s a place that focuses on promoting sustainable living practices.

“I and my professional colleagues — graduate students — have conducted landscape research, habitat restoration and wildlife surveys.

“We’ve worked hard on invasive species removal and repatriation of Florida native plants and wildlife,” Culhane said.

“I scuba-dived Lake Rosebud to observe the alligators and fish, therein, and watched and delighted with the sandhill crane families and gopher tortoises that are all over making their nests, now that we’ve re-wilded the property.”

The Rosebud Continuum relies on the area’s existing character, he said.

“On the world stage, we know we can be far more innovative than the current Hale proposal,” said Culhane, who told the planning board he holds a master’s degree and PhD in urban planning from the University of California Los Angeles.

Michelle Dillard, a nearby resident, raised concerns about the potential runoff causing pollution of nearby lakes. Residents near King Lake already have spent thousands to improve the water quality in that lake, she said.

“We have to keep our lakes safe. We have to keep them alive,” Dillard said.

Speakers asked the planning board to protect the interest of current residents, rather than accommodating developers.

Brian Bishop — whose mother, Maryann Bishop, owns the property occupied by the Rosebud Continuum — said he’s concerned about adding traffic to Hale Road.

“I think we’ve already established that the situation on Hale Road is not a desirable one,” he said. “To me, this is a no-brainer.”

He asked the planning board to not allow KB Home “to make a bad situation worse.”

One resident invited the planning board members to come out to the area to watch traffic when school lets out. She said there’s one particular bicyclist, who has a large backpack on — that she’s seen nearly get hit on more than one occasion.

Russell Watrous, another rezoning opponent, voiced concerns about a potential precedent being set by approval of this request.

“There are four pieces of property on Hale Road, very similar to the one KB Home wants to develop right now,” he said. “We’re at a turning point in Land O’ Lakes, and you can see it. Almost every one of these feeder roads and back, secondary roads are being developed,” Watrous said.

Published September 28, 2022

Rezoning request prompts concerns about flooding

By

A request for a new master-planned development in Wesley Chapel has prompted questions about drainage issues in the general area.

Applicant Sandhill Flats LLC is seeking approval for Remington, a master-planned unit development on the south side of Tyndall Road, about 3,950 feet west of Curley Road. The request is seeking a maximum of 127 single-family detached units on approximately 44.2 acres.

County planners recommended approval of the request, which also received a recommendation of approval from the Pasco County Planning Commission.

The request now goes to the Pasco County Commission for a final decision.

Only one person spoke during the public comment portion of the public hearing on Sept. 22.

Michael Pultorak, who  lives on Kenton Road, said he doesn’t oppose growth, in general.

“I don’t have an issue with houses; I don’t have issue with development; putting houses on lakes is a little bit of an issue, but I’m not going to go there,” Pultorak said.

The request is in the area of King Lake.

“It’s a beautiful lake. Pasco has two King Lakes. This is the one in Wesley Chapel, out toward Dade City,” Pultorak said.

He raised issues about potential flooding in the area, which he said could be triggered by new development, unless steps are taken to address drainage issues.

He raised the same issue during a previous appearance at a planning board meeting, involving another rezoning request in the general area.

Regarding that project, Pultorak said, “I tried to shed light that 106,000 square feet of commercial and 527 homes was going to shed about 1.7 million square feet of water during the storm season.

“We got with SWFMD (the Southwest Florida Water Management District). The north outflow and the south outflow apparently is just fine. They have no issues with it.

“That leaves us one outflow for the entire lake.

He showed the planning board photographs of flooded roads and flooded fields to illustrate his concerns.

“This is right on Kenton Road. This is one of four places where we had water over the roads and washing out the road from this single lake because the stormwater issue hasn’t been resolved,” he said, referring to a photo.

“There’s no place for the water to go.

“This was a river. It took four-wheel drive vehicles to get through here. Every place I’m showing you brought in truckloads of limestone because the water has to go somewhere.

“This is Kenton Road, right in front of the prior project we spoke about.

“This was a river for about 10 days straight.

“This water could be redirected and reused. It could be sent right back. We could use it for irrigation. The problem is, right now there is no stormwater management plan and that water is not being diverted anywhere.

“I have 8 acres behind my home and the actual Kenton Road, proper. Two-thirds of that has been holding water underwater for the past three weeks.

“That’s not fair. I have cows out there. I have a herd of black Angus out there. The water level is 6 ½ feet too high.

“It sounds like in most of the county the development is causing stormwater issues. Let’s not become like South Tampa here.”

Planning board member Jon Moody asked Pultorak if he objected to the Remington rezoning.

Pultorak responded: “I object to this project only because it’s going to add to the stormwater issue. If we could create a solution for the stormwater, put houses all of the way around it. I’m not opposed to the houses, but you can’t flood out the existing residents because we’re going to continue all the way around this lake.”

Attorney Clarke Hobby told the planning board “the subject site that we have is on the north side of King Lake. He’s talking about the west side of King Lake and he’s probably focusing on an area that’s between .75 and a mile and a half away from our site.

“We actually discharge to the west.

“This is 120 units on 40 acres. We do not even abut the lake,” Hobby said.

Ultimately, the planning board recommended approval of the request, but also called for there to be communication between the applicant and Pultorak during the stage when drainage plans are drawn up at the development stage.

Published September 28, 2022

Higher park impact fees are expected in Pasco County

By

Pasco County is expected to raise its park impact fee to help provide new facilities to address recreational demands caused by new growth.

The county hasn’t increased its park impact fees for 20 years.

The Pasco County Commission voted 4-1 at its Sept. 20 meeting to direct staff to take the necessary steps to pursue raising the fee to $3,450.15, per residential unit, whether that dwelling is single-family, or multi-family.

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 ride for a ride on a swing and do all sorts of other activities. Pasco County is looking to increase its park impact fees to expand recreational options to address needs created by the county’s burgeoning growth. (Mike Camunas)

The current park impact fee is $891.82 per single-family unit and $627 per multi-family unit.

Impact fees are aimed at paying for impacts caused by growth. They cannot be used for maintenance expenses.

The main reason the county is pursuing using a per-unit approach, regardless of whether it’s single-family or multi-family, is because data did not reveal much difference regarding the number of people living in both types of units, said Keith Wiley, the county’s director of parks, recreation, and natural resources.

Wiley said that county staff has been working on updating the impact fee since 2015, when the board adopted the master parks plan.

He also noted that voters approved a General Obligation bond in 2018 to raise revenues to address deferred maintenance.

The capital plan addresses the county’s parks needs through 2045, Wiley said.

It’s a plan-based approach, which means it specifically focuses on projects.

The benefit of using that type of approach is that people can see what they’re going to get for the fees they’re paying, he said.

“We received a lot of positive input on that,” Wiley said, noting the plan’s transparency has helped propel it forward to the board for its consideration.

“I just wanted the public to know that this is not something we’ve thrown together. It’s been a long, a very long journey to get here,” he said.

The proposed impact fee is an effort to “true up” a fee that’s been unchanged for 20 years, Wiley said.

In order to raise an existing impact fee by more than 50%, the county must “demonstrate extraordinary circumstances,” he said.

“It’s an easy demonstration. We’ve had unprecedented growth, we’ve all seen it,” Wiley said.

The county is inundated with requests for field use, he added.

“Pretty much all of our facilities are at capacity. This proposal to increase the impact fee is an effort to update all of those costs so that we can actually do what we need to do,” Wiley said.

“Costs of materials have increased. Land values have increased,” he said.

“Basically, to date, over the last 15 years, we’ve pretty much negotiated around six district parks — the land for those facilities. We’re seeking the money to get those facilities built,” Wiley said.

“So, originally, when we went out to the consultant, we said, ‘We’re kind of behind, so we really want to get this done in the next 15 years. So, we set a horizon of 2035,” Wiley said.

The total cost is around $266 million for several projects.

To complete the work by 2035 would require an impact fee of $4,820.19, Wiley said, acknowledging that would be “a  pretty substantial increase.

“After talking to stakeholders, we stretched the term out to 2045,” he said, which lowered the proposed fee to $3,450.15 per unit.

At the Sept. 20 meeting, county staff asked the county board to trigger the process to change the comprehensive plan to clean up the level of service per the impact fee study, and then to follow that up with land development code change that would ultimately result in the impact fee increase.

Staff recommended the county follow a recommendation by stakeholders to phase in the increase over two years.

But Commissioner Jack Mariano instead made a motion to go straight to a $3,450.15 fee, without phasing it in, once the board adopts it.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey said the county needs another source of revenue to help pay for park improvements.

She suggested a Municipal Services Taxes Unit, which would mean taxpayers across the county would help pay for park improvements.

“This is how other counties pay for their parks,” Starkey said. “I don’t think it should be a high number. I think it should be a number that’s $10 to $20. It’s bondable and we can start building stuff right away,” Starkey said.

Her suggestion, however, failed to gain any traction with her colleagues.

When the board voted on Mariano’s motion, Starkey dissented.

“I’m more inclined to do my idea. I support an (impact fee) increase, but my preference is a blend (with a MSTU), so we can get working right away,” Starkey said.

Published September 28, 2022

Library system outlines its priorities, plans

By

(MIKE CAMUNAS)

The Pasco County Library Cooperative has identified priority areas in its 2021 through 2024 Strategic Plan, and has developed a list of activities it plans to take to address them.

The library system outlined those goals in an agenda item that came before the Pasco County Commission during its Sept. 20 meeting.

The board approved the item, without discussion, as part of its consent agenda. Items on that agenda are generally considered to be non-controversial and are voted on in a single action.

The three priority areas identified in the library system’s strategic plan are community, education and culture.

Goals identified by Pasco County Libraries include:

  • Expanding service offerings and increasing awareness to attract new users
  • Expanding outreach opportunities for community members and organizations to encourage more involvement
  • Providing access to a collection of print, non-print, and electronic resources that support the diverse needs and interests of the Pasco County citizens
  • Providing resources and programming to support lifelong learning and skill and knowledge development across multiple literacies
  • Providing programming and activities that support self-expression, innovation, and community-based well-being
  • Fostering culture within Pasco County by offering a wide range of cultural programs at the branch libraries and outreach locations

The 2021 through 2024 plan identifies these strategies to achieve priority goals:

  • Establishing pop-up library services to expand access to resources and services
  • Providing 20 hours of service per month
  • Promoting the library’s resources at a minimum of 20 meetings per year for community groups, civic organizations, nonprofits, and government agencies
  • Coordinating with the Friends of the Library on an annual campaign to help increase membership and raise funds
  • Partnering with the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco and Hernando Counties to provide four programs per year
  • Developing an Adult Literacy/ESL training program and training 15 volunteers per year to teach basic literacy and ESL to Pasco County citizens
  • Offer two digital literacy activities per quarter to increase skill development in finding, evaluating, creating, and communicating information on digital platforms
  • Creating a Library of Things to circulate nontraditional materials with a focus on items that support makerspace activities. Adding three new items per year to the Library of Things.
  • Selecting 15 new items per year to be added to the Adaptive Toy Collection
  • Providing at least one staff training session per quarter focused on skill development related to content creation
  • Offering two programs per quarter that educate the public on how to produce professional content for various media platforms
  • Deploying the Mobile Makerspace three times per quarter to provide hands-on learning experiences
  • Collaborating with local performers, artists and experts to expand cultural experiences and learning opportunities
  • Offering 20 cultural programs or events per year at any location in the county
  • Offering two programs per quarter that showcase cultural content created in association with the Pasco County Library Cooperative
  • Supporting the development of a cultural affairs advisory council in Pasco County by hosting at least four meetings per year and serving as a liaison/coordinator for the council

In other action, the county board:

  • Approved a task order with EnviroBuild LLC, for ongoing construction services required for the renovations of the civil department of the Clerk’s Office at the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center in Dade City, for the amount of $189,050, in fiscal year 2022
  • Approved a change order with Fleischman and Garcia Architects and Planners, AIA, PA (FGA) to perform gopher tortoise relocation and related services for the design and construction of Fire Station No. 18, on Chancey Road in Zephyrhills. The change order is in the amount not-to-exceed $18,590, for a new cumulative not-to-exceed amount of $279,820.00. There are potentially 20 active burrows on the site.
  • Approved an agreement between the county and the Sixth District Medical Examiner relating to reimbursement of service fees. The agreement takes effect on Oct. 1 and continues until terminated or at the option of providing a 90-day notice from either party. The compensation to the Medical Examiner for services will be based upon the fees outlined in the agreement. Since the Medical Examiner’s compensation depends on the demand for services, the county’s Office of Management and Budget estimates that $1.8 million in funding will be needed for fiscal year 2023.

Published September 28, 2022

Pasco approves commercial land use change over planners’ objections

By

The Pasco County Commission has approved a land use change that will clear the way for consideration of a wide variety of commercial uses on two lots totaling 3.47 acres at Galen Wilson Boulevard and Ridge Road.

The board approved the request at its Sept. 20 meeting, despite its planning staff’s recommendation for denial. Planners based their recommendation on an effort to preserve the land for future industrial uses, rather than strip commercial development.

In rejecting the planning staff’s rationale, the county board followed the lead of the Pasco County Planning Commission’s recommendation, which also disregarded the planners’ recommendation and voted to approve the request.

Planning staff cited a number of county land use policies in recommending denial.

They argued that the current light industrial designation should be preserved because it has the prospect of producing more and higher-paying jobs than commercial uses would generate.

But Steve Booth, an attorney representing the applicant, noted that as it stands now, the land already can be used for support commercial uses, as part of the industrial development.

The problem is that the current list of potential uses in the support commercial category doesn’t mesh with market demand, Booth said.

By changing the future land use category to commercial, the list of potential uses would be broader, he said.

Booth also argued that since commercial already would be permitted under the current designation, the planning staff’s argument about preserving the land for industrial uses doesn’t hold up.

Nectarios Pittos, the county’s director of planning and development, said: “There are uses in C3 (support commercial) and in I-1 (light industrial) that can locate on the two parcels that are before the board today.

“The developments that are happening to the south in the same industrial park are the same size buildings that you might expect on the two parcels that are the subject of this proposal.

“The key thing to remember is that while the corridor itself is overwhelmingly commercial, there is limited industrial in the West Market Area, in general, and in this particular area.

“The Harbors Redevelopment Plan calls for the need to prevent further retail strip development along major corridors and to provide a healthy mix of uses and create a community destination,” Pittos said.

“The conversion from IL to COM would reduce the mixture of uses along the corridor, and Ridge Road has to be thought of as a corridor because it does connect now to the strategic intermodal system, which is the Suncoast Parkway and beyond to U.S. 41, eventually.

“This area is sort of key now to the West Market Area and the preservation of industrial land,” Pittos said.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley said, “I understand that this board gave staff a direction for these kind of properties — and not to lose anymore industrial.

“This board actually gave them direction that we didn’t lose employment,” Oakley said, which is why the staff is opposed to the proposed change.

Booth told the board there currently are deed restrictions on the land that prohibit it from being developed as apartments, a service station or for storage uses.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey said, “The one thing that gives me a little heartache is the school district next door and the amount of traffic that some uses might generate.”

But she added: “The chances of you getting industrial up front there, I don’t know. And, they’re allowed to do commercial anyway, so my thought might be to make sure … I would be in favor of making sure it’s not the commercial uses that take a lot of traffic.”

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder asked Booth if his client would be willing to restrict commercial uses, but Booth made no commitment to do so.

Steinsnyder told the board: “Once this site is granted commercial, it’s granted commercial. When you change the future land use from IL to COM, it’s COM.”

Commissioner Mike Moore weighed in: “I like the deed restrictions that are already there. You can’t put a service station there, anyway. You can’t put residential. If you want to put a McDonald’s in there, go for it. It’s right next to Home Depot. Go for it, giddyup.”

No one from the public commented on the request.

The land use change clears the way for the applicant to seek a rezoning to accommodate whatever type of commercial use that is permitted under the county’s commercial category of its long-range plan.

Published September 28, 2022

Pasco seeks to expand cultural and arts opportunities

By

The Pasco County Commission has created a new advisory council aimed at providing a greater focus on cultural arts and resources within the county.

County board members took action on Sept. 20 to appoint the inaugural members of the Cultural Advisory Council.

The Library Service Administration recommended these appointees, who were selected by the county board. The credentials of the appointees were detailed in the county board’s agenda packets.

The first appointees to the Cultural Affairs Advisory Council are:

  • Lauren Murray, executive director of Pasco-Hernando State College’s Instructional Performing Arts Center, former director of the Columbus (Georgia) Symphony, former music chair at the Patel Conservatory at the Straz Center.
  • Maureen Murphy, employed by Life Enrichment Center in Tampa, as well as former chair of the North Tampa Arts League, juror for Art of the Florida State Fair, juror for Carrollwood Cultural Center
  • Izaura Spence, co-director of Reitz Union Board Entertainment Bands Committee (University of Florida) and chair of Generation M (Moffitt Cancer Center); supervisor, research financial analyst (Moffitt Cancer Center); member of Emerging Leaders of Tampa Bay.
  • Charles Zider, adjunct instructor, Pasco-Hernando State College, background in archaeology and museum studies
  • Abeer Abu Judeh, lawyer, with over 18 years of legal experience, able to support the Cultural Affairs Advisory Council in grant applications and other writing materials and presentations, involved in the Tampa Bay Wave and Women’s Association of Lawyers

Members of the advisory council “should be advocates for the arts and culture by encouraging the study and presentation of arts and cultural activities, making Pasco County a cultural destination,” according to materials in the county board’s agenda packet.

In addition to the appointed members of the council, there will be a liaison from each of these county departments: Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources; Florida’s Sports Coast; and Library Services.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey raised the possibility of creating a cultural affairs advisory council during a previous board discussion.

She said it would help put a focus on opportunities in arts and culture for Pasco residents.

The initial term for the appointed council members will be staggered, so two of the members were appointed for one year and the others were appointed for two years.

Published September 28, 2022

Pasco utilities engineering director appointed

By

Adolfo Gonzalez has been named utilities engineering director for Pasco County, effective Oct. 3.

The Pasco County Commission confirmed the appointment during its Sept. 20 meeting.

Gonzalez, whose annual salary will be $140,000, is replacing the previous utilities engineering director who resigned from the county in May 2022.

Gonzalez was selected from a number of applicants, as the best candidate for the position.

He has more than 30 years of engineering experience managing a variety of transportation, drainage, water and wastewater projects in both the public and private sectors, according to the board’s agenda packet.

During the course of his career, Gonzalez has led teams of professional engineers and technical staff to deliver capital projects for his employers and clients.

In addition to his professional design and project management experience, he also has served as the district engineer for the Central Broward Water Control District since 2010.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and is a registered professional engineer in the state of Florida.

Published September 28, 2022

Hurricane Ian slams Florida; Tampa Bay region escapes wrath

By

In the days leading up to Hurricane Ian’s landfall, local officials and weather experts feared a potential worst-case scenario for the Tampa Bay region. Predictions of hurricane-strength winds, record storm surge and heavy rainfall set the stage for concerns that there would be destruction of historic proportions in the Tampa Bay region. Instead — just like Hurricane Charley in 2004 — Hurricane Ian shifted to the south.

It made landfall at Cayo Costa Island at 3:05 p.m. on Sept. 28, a a Category 4 hurricane, with an estimated wind speed of 150 mph.

Footage from national and local television coverage reveals the destructive forces of Hurricane Ian, as it traveled through areas including Punta Gorda, Fort Myers, Cape Coral and other places to the south of the Tampa Bay region, and headed across the state of Florida, before it was expected to enter the Atlantic Ocean and then head toward South Carolina.

In areas within Hurricane Ian’s path, boats were carried out of marinas.

Cars and trucks floated down streets.

Roads turned into rivers.

High winds tore through mobile home parks.

Flood waters filled up houses. High winds sheared off roofs.

Trees toppled.

Those toppled trees damaged homes, cars and other properties.

At one point, millions across Florida were in the dark, as a reult of high winds that snapped utility poles and downed trees. Transformers exploded, too.

The toll that Ian took on human life was not yet known in the early afternoon hours of Sept. 29.

Locally, officials expressed gratitude that the region, for the most part, was spared.

At the same time they expressed empathy for Floridian communities that are dealing with Hurricane Ian’s destruction, and pledged to send support to help other communities reeling from the storm’s devastating impacts.

Pasco County Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey shared this message in a newsletter from her office: “I am grateful the storm did not impact our County (Pasco County) like forecasted and am glad we were prepared. My thoughts and prayers are with our friends to the South. The County will be sending crews to assist with cleanup to help those who have been impacted by Ian.”

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and Hillsborough County Administrator Bonnie Wise expressed similar sentiments during their briefings.

By the morning of Sept. 29, evacuation orders were lifted in Pasco and Hillsborough counties and the city of Tampa.

Although residents were free to return to their home, officials urged them and anyone else out on the roads to be cautious and be aware of their surroundings.

At intersections where the signals aren’t working, they reminded motorists to treat them as a four-way stop.

They also urged residents to steer clear of downed power lines and to be sure to report them to the local utility company.

Regarding power outages, officials urged patience.

They also reminded anyone who is using a generator to be sure to place it outdoors and in a well-ventilated space. Inhaling fumes from a generator can be lethal.

Pasco County officials also announced that storm damage reports be made through the county’s online tool, available at MyPasco.net or click on this direct link: mypas.co/ReportDamage.

Reports can involve structural damage to homes or businesses; storm debris, including downed trees and branches; or, human needs, including food, water, clothing and shelter.

Pasco also announced that it is waiving tipping fees for storm debris through Oct. 8, at these locations:

• West Pasco Resource Recovery Facility, 14606 Hays Road, Spring Hill

• East Pasco Transfer Station, 9626 Handcart Road., Dade City (yard debris limited to three bags per household.)

Pasco sandbag disposal sites also are open to properly dispose sandbags:

• Magnolia Valley Golf Course: 7223 Massachusetts Avenue, New Port Richey

• Wesley Chapel District Park, 7727 Boyette Road, Wesley Chapel

If you have questions or concerns, contact Pasco County customer service , at 727-847-2411 or chat with us online at MyPasco.net.

Meanwhile, Pasco County Schools has announced that it expects classes to resume, as usual, on Oct. 3.

Revised September 29, 2022