B.C. Manion

Pasco firefighters continue pressing for improved response times

May 10, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Representatives for firefighters and emergency medical responders are continuing to press Pasco’s elected leaders and county administration to devote more resources to decrease emergency response times.

The emergency personnel has been taking advantage of the public comments portion of the Pasco County Commission’s meetings to keep the spotlight on the issue.

During the board’s May 3 meeting, Sabrina Koebler, representing Local 4420, focused on “the extreme deficit of stations.”

Fire Station 13 is in Wesley Chapel, off Old Pasco Road. When it opened in spring of 2019, it was the second largest station in Pasco County. (File)

“I know this isn’t new information,” said Koebler, a captain firefighter at Pasco Fire Rescue. “After all, a couple of years ago, the citizens approved a $147 million bond for the county, $70 million of which was to go to new stations.”

That funding includes five new stations, four rebuilt stations and a training center, she said.

“The stations that we are building are taking an excessive amount of time — longer than anticipated,” she said. “Reportedly, the stations under construction were delayed, supposedly for building material availability.”

Plus, she said the county is building just one station at a time — a pace that’s too slow to keep up with Pasco’s rapid growth.

More stations are needed to reduce the size of the zones that each station serves.

“We are not able to navigate heavy traffic and poor traffic conditions with the current infrastructure, easily and quickly,” she said.

She cited an instance when she was on a call in Holiday and the crew had to wait for an ambulance to arrive from Land O’ Lakes.

It is 17 miles away and it takes as long as 35 minutes to travel that distance during heavy traffic, she said.

“Neighborhoods are being completed at a faster rate than stations are being completed. This is going to cause a problem, obviously,” Koebler said.

“We need stations and we need them quicker than once every 18 months.

“New stations will help alleviate the response times that we’ve continually addressed.

“New stations will continue to alleviate crew burnout, which is becoming an issue,” she added.

“And, new stations will help with our unit utilization, which is something we’ve also discussed.”

She asked why developers aren’t forced to provide fire stations to serve the new subdivisions that are springing up in the county.

“Why we don’t require that is beyond me,” she said.

“Families and children will be moving into these homes. We do not want the headline that a 2 year old, who was not able to breathe, had to wait 18 minutes.

“I don’t want that on my conscience and neither do our guys. Don’t make our firefighters live with that. Don’t make our citizens regret moving here.

“We’re obligated to provide the resources for public safety and that’s what we’re asking that you do. Just help us.

“To us, this is real life. It’s not a news story,” Koebler said.

Published May 11, 2022

Pasco updates its landscaping regulations

May 10, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Commission has amended the county’s land development code to update its landscaping regulations.

The changes address issues such as tree preservation and replacement, green space requirements and standards, landscaping, and buffering and plantings in rights of way in residential subdivisions.

Here’s a look at some of the key changes. The revisions:

Add the ability for development plans to utilize representative samples for tree removal,

subject to the county’s discretion

Remove the requirement to submit an Alternative Standard Application when using existing

trees/shrubs as part of the landscape buffer

Reduce the requirement that 70% of the landscape buffer be other than grass
Updated information relating to invasive species
Added a reference to “right tree, right place”
Made it easier to use existing vegetation for buffers
Defined “shade trees” and “ornamental trees”
Clarified when palm trees may be used
Updated ground cover planting requirements
Updated tree diversity requirements
Added language regarding the proper maintenance of trees
Added language about keeping future planting areas free of debris
Added requirement of one shade tree in the front yard of new single-family homes
Updated and clarified requirements regarding landscaping in vehicle use areas
Increased the size of require landscape islands. Previously, they had to be 8 feet wide; that has been increased to 10 feet.
Added requirements for large vehicle, vehicle use areas (VUA)
Clarified plantings adjacent to building perimeters
Revamped the Buffer Requirement Table.
Revamped the Buffer and Screening Requirements Table
Adjusted the Vehicle Dealership Buffer
Added standards for ponds adjacent to rights of way

The changes were recommended by a task force, made up of county staff, members of the Tampa Bay Builders Association, experts in landscape architecture, an arborist, and a representative from the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS)/Pasco County Cooperative Extension.

The group looked at some issues raised by TBBA, but a number of other items also surfaced during the review, according to Patrick Dutter, a planner for Pasco County.

One change deals with how tree replacements are calculated. Instead of measuring every tree on a project site, representative samples will be permitted — based on county approval.

The code also updates links to outside resources that had become outdated, Dutter said.

It also has a link to an invasive species list.

The tree list that had been presented as part of the code has been moved to the development review manual, so it can be updated on a timelier basis, Dutter said during a previous presentation on the changes.

Also, the cooperative extension representative and the tree arborist went through the list of trees, found the appropriate spacing requirements, called out where mitigation measures would be needed and where they wouldn’t be needed, Dutter added. The tree list calls out where different types of trees should be placed.

The issue of landscaping requirements has come up repeatedly during Pasco County Commission meetings, with Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey and Commissioner Ron Oakley making persistent calls for changes that would promote better-looking development in Pasco.

Published May 11, 2022

Pasco continues preparing for jail takeover

May 10, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County’s administration will be taking over the operation of the Pasco County Jail beginning in the new fiscal year, and efforts are underway to prepare for that transition.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano asked County Administrator Dan Biles if he could provide regular briefings on the issue, since it is a major undertaking.

During the county board’s May 3 meeting, Mariano suggested the county may want to take a look at how other counties handle their jail operations.

He specifically mentioned Charlotte County, which has a hospital next to its jail, to take care of people with mental health and drug-related issues.

Biles told the commissioners that the county’s Human Resources department has been at the jail already, laying the groundwork for the jail’s employees to become county employees.

He said the county attorney’s office will be involved with the ordinances, resolutions and interlocal agreements that will be needed for the takeover.

He said the county’s information technology and finance departments also are involved.

“There is a lot of work to do and it changes and it’s evolving over time. So, there will be briefings and there will be updates, as we’re going forward with it,” Biles said, noting he expects to give the board an update during the first meeting of each month.

In terms of the jail’s staff, he said: “One day they’ll be sheriff’s office employees. The next day, they’ll be county employees.”

The jail will be run by a civilian administrator that will be confirmed by the board, Biles said.

Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles told the board that her staff has been involved in some transition meetings and would like to remain involved in meetings relating to finance, payroll, information technology and operations that would affect the court.

She also told the board that the list of items to be included in the transition audit has been compiled.

She expected to email it to Biles and Erik Breitenbach, assistant county administrator, for their review, to see if anything needs to be added before it is sent to external auditing firms for a quote, and to the sheriff’s office.

Published May 11, 2022

Pasco department wins national honors — again

May 10, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County’s Community Development Department has won national honors for the second year in a row, for its collaborative work to serve homeless individuals and families.

The group received the 2022 Audrey Nelson Community Development Achievement Award — the same honor it received in 2021.

The Pasco County Commission recently recognized the department’s efforts, through a resolution it adopted honoring Community Development Week in Pasco.

U.S. Representative Gus Bilirakis, who represents Florida’s 12th congressional district, also sent in a copy of remarks he made in the Congressional Record, to honor the Pasco department.

Pasco County Community Development has received national recognition two years in a row for its innovative programs. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

In his remarks, Bilirakis cited the department’s accomplishment in winning national recognition two years in a row.

This year’s honor highlighted Pasco’s collaboration on the Rosalie Rendu Residences project, Bilirakis noted.

“This innovative project in New Port Richey, with partner St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) CARES, provides a safe, clean and permanent place for the homeless and those living with a disability. The units, renovated from a former multifamily building, opened in August 2021.

“Rosalie Rendu Residences include both efficiencies and two-bedroom units for shared housing.

“Federal funding from the Community Development Block Grant Program, coupled with state funding and private funding, made this project possible,” Bilirakis said.

“In 2021, Pasco County Community Development Department, won the award based on its collaborative efforts with the Vincent House Project, which provides job-training skills to those living with mental illness,” the congressman added.

He also noted “the department has a long history of utilizing diverse and innovative strategies to meet the needs of the people of Pasco County.”

Rosalie Rendu Residences is the fourth phase of SVdP CARES’ permanent supportive housing project, established in July of 2021. St. Vincent de Paul CARES celebrated the opening of Rosalie Rendu Residences on Aug. 5, 2021. It’s an affordable and supportive housing project in New Port Richey that features eight newly renovated apartments. The project provides a safe place for those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

The Pasco County Commission’s resolution also praised the department’s work.

The resolution, approved during the county board’s April 19 meeting, said the department “has demonstrated tireless dedication to the revitalization of neighborhoods and the creation of affordable housing throughout the county.”

The resolution also explained that the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and the HOME Investment Partnership Program provide annual funding and flexibility to local communities, such as Pasco County.

That funding, according to the resolution, is used to “provide decent, safe, and affordable housing in a suitable living environment as well as economic opportunities to low- and moderate-income individuals.”

The resolution also provided some statistics, reporting that within the past eight years, Pasco has received more than $21.7 million in CDBG funds and more than $3.7 million in in Coronavirus Relief funds from Housing and Urban Development.

The department also allocated 100% of expended funds to benefit low-income to moderate-income households — exceeding the minimum requirement of 70%, according to the resolution.

The CDBG program also supported rapid rehoming projects for 254 of our most vulnerable neighbors, the resolution said.

Plus, the department provided affordable housing through the rehabilitation of existing units for 112 households, the resolution added.

In adopting the resolution, the county board also encouraged the community to support the department’s activities, throughout the year.

“Without these hardworking individuals, Pasco County would not be the vibrant community it is today,” according to the resolution.

Marcy Esbjerg, the director of community development, thanked the county board for its support, as well as the county’s leadership team, the community development staff and the department’s community partners.

She was gratified to receive a copy of the remarks that Bilirakis made on the Congressional Record, and noted that the department’s work on the Rosalie Rendu Residences project also was reported in a CDBG publication circulated to members of Congress.

Jack Mariano, who was filling in as the board’s chairman that day, told Esbjerg that she’s doing “a phenomenal job.”

Published May 11, 2022

Pasco expected to add 250,000 people

May 3, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County has been growing rapidly in recent years, and that trend is expected to continue.

“You have over 250,000 people in the pipeline that are expected to move to the county by the Year 2045,” Steve Schukraft, a planner with HDR Engineering Inc., told the Pasco County Planning Commission, during its April 21 meeting.

So, over the next 25 years or so, Pasco is “going to add the number of people, that’s similar in a scale, to all of the people who are living in the city of Tampa,” said the planner, whose company has been hired to help Pasco County update its comprehensive plan.

“When you look at the curve, that’s a similar rate of growth as you’ve experienced, since around 1980,” Schukraft said.

Knowing how many vehicles are traveling down a road is essential information for future planning of roads, developments and various services. Here is a look at a backup of traffic heading east on State Road 54, waiting at a traffic signal at S.R. 54 and U.S. 41. (File)

“There is a lot of development in the pipeline. Shaping that development is really fundamental. Preparing for it, serving it, shaping it — is really critical,” the planning consultant added.

Local governments, under state law, must develop comprehensive plans.

“Comprehensive plans provide your authority to zone. So, it’s a fundamental basis for your land development code. But it also provides guidance for capital investment programs, conservation investments, transportation programs,” Schukraft said.

In the 2050 update, he added, “we’re folding in some of the work the county is doing, related to sustainability and resilience.”

Completing the update is expected to take five years. The first two years have focused on primarily research and beginning to think about the broad structure of the plan. Next, the plan elements will be drafted, and finally, the Pasco County Commission will adopt a new plan.

“The most minor approach would be a strike-through and add-in to the existing document, but there’s a possibility to restructure segments of it, in a more significant way. So, that’s what we’re trying to find out, what’s appropriate,” Schukraft said.

“We’ve been doing a series of work sessions with groups around the county, to supplement our research in the more technical aspects of growth and development, across Pasco County,” he added.

The consultants are diving into past planning processes, in the documentation and feedback that the county has received through various activities and is supplementing that with listening sessions.

The listening sessions focus on perceptions of the county’s assets and challenges and ideas about what should be done to build a better future, the consultant said.

The county also has gathered feedback from the community in recent years, and that data, along with information gleaned through the listening sessions will be used to create an Issues and Ideas Report, he said.

Listening sessions aim to gain greater insights
Schukraft explained how the listening sessions work.

“As we talk to people, we ask them: ‘Do you know about the plan?’ ‘Are you aware of development that’s going to happen around you?’

He told the planning board: “I can tell you our observation is that, it’s kind of hard, when you look at the plan, to know that. To know what’s coming.

“If you were uninitiated and you pulled up the county’s comprehensive plan, or went to the web site, it’s really tough to tell what’s going to happen around the corner, up the road, down the road, and the timing of that.

A new apartment community, Avidity Living, is one of the latest new residential options on State Road 54 and Oak Grove Boulevard, in Land O’ Lakes. Pasco County is expected to attract about 250,000 new residents by 2045.

“So, one of the things we need to do in this process is make the future more transparent, so people understand, what’s in the pipeline, what’s committed, what’s next and where the sort of edges between different kinds of development occur.”

He also shared observations regarding the county’s long-range planning and zoning processes.

“We have early notions that it appears you spend an awful lot of time doing comprehensive plan amendments, which are kind of like land development code approval actions. And, they’re almost stacked right on top of one another.

“The comp plan is supposed to be a larger policy document that guides broader decisions, and the land development code is where things get executed and detailed.

“So, there may be a way to separate those two documents a little bit, so you’ve got higher level guidance in the comp plan and then you use your land development code to detail how projects get delivered, location by location.

“So, if it’s minor uptick in density on a project, maybe the comp plan can absorb that level of change, if it doesn’t change the character of a broad area.

“The land development code, if you want to change your zoning, that becomes a separate discussion, about appropriateness, about compatibility, about impacts on roadways, schools, public facilities,” Schukraft said.

David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney addressed the consultant: “Can I ask you a question about that, though, because most of what we process are amendments to the future land use map. Are you suggesting that we not have a future land use map?”

Schukraft responded: “You need to have a future land use map. You don’t have to have the lan -use map you have now. It could be a more generalized map. That’s a possibility that we could look into. Because right now, your future land use map and your land development code are practically the same thing.

“You wouldn’t be doing amendments at every meeting. You’d be doing amendments on a three-month, six-month, cycle, that would be broader-scale amendments.”

Schukraft went on: “The thought of that is that long-range planning could focus more on the long-range questions. Your short-range, your zoning and land development code staff, could focus on the land development code questions.

“They wouldn’t be stacked up and doing similar things,” he said.

Goldstein also told Schukraft that the county’s current comprehensive plan contains a number of policies that says the county will adopt amendments to the land development code by certain deadlines, but that hasn’t happened.

Schukraft responded: “Where there’s time frames and commitments indicated in the comp plan that staff hasn’t been able to deliver for various reasons, it’s really fundamental to get that cleaned up.”

Planning board members told Schukraft that they would like a longer session to delve deeper into issues and the consultant said that will be arranged.

Published May 04, 2022

State Road 52 is becoming a magnet for new development

May 3, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a rezoning to allow more than 1,400 residential units, and nearly 117,000 square feet of commercial and office uses on a site on State Road 52.

Specifically, the rezoning would allow 953 single-family detached units, 119 single-family attached units, 336 multifamily units and 116,882 square feet of commercial/office uses on 493 acres.

The site is within the Central Pasco Employment Village, an area designated by the Pasco County Commission years ago to create a coordinated vision among a group of landowners.

The plan envisions a mixed-use employment village on more than 2,400 acres, located along the south side of State Road 52, roughly between Collier Parkway Extension and Bellamy Brothers Boulevard. The employment village is expected to contain commercial, residential and industrial uses.

Attorney Joel Tew represented Lennar Homes, applicant/developer, and the Swope family entities, which own the land.

Tew reminded the planning board: “You’ll recall that last summer, we completed a plan amendment that updated and modified the CPEV (Central Pasco Employment Village) overall master plan for the entire acreage that has the 20 or so multiple landowners.”

During that plan amendment process, Tew said, his client was strongly encouraged to entertain an entitlement exchange with another property owner.

“We relocated a large quantity of industrial, corporate office entitlements that were in the center of the overall plan, we relocated that to the eastern part, so they would be adjacent to the existing Southworth site, where the Amazon facility was being contemplated.

“So, we have now been able to better concentrate the large employment areas in, say, the eastern third of CPEV, and then we moved the residential to the center.

“That did two things. Obviously, you got the critical mass for the employment that (the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.) EDC was looking for on the eastern end. It’s closer to Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, where they had existing sewer/water and infrastructure.

“We’re here to now rezone the Swope parcel to memorialize, primarily, the residential entitlements that were traded for, together with this quantity of support commercial/office that’s being retained in that center part.

“We’re doing exactly what we promised you and the board, a year ago, we would do,” Tew said,

“To our knowledge, as of today, we now have no objections from any of the other stakeholders in CPEV,” Tew said.

Achieving that consensus was not easy, given the number of owners involved in CPEV, he said. But he speculated the harmony among owners may stem from the Swope family’s willingness to take considerably less entitlement than the methodology would allow.

He explained that Heidt Design came up with a methodology and a chart for assigning entitlements, based on net developable acreage and the different levels of density or intensity that the master plan assigned to parcels.

Tew told the planning board: “Swope is only asking you to zone about 25% of the multifamily that they would have been entitled to, under that methodology. So, they’re leaving a large number of multifamily units, in the pot.

“They had high density residential on virtually all of their acreage, so they could have taken a lot more,” Tew explained.

The planning board unanimously recommended approval of the rezoning request, which now goes to the Pasco County Commission for final approval.

As an aside, Tew told the planning board that “there’s very high interest in the portion of CPEV that has industrial entitlements. I think we’re going to get a lot of action there,” Tew said.

He also noted that he represents Pasco Town Center, at Interstate 75 and State Road 52, which has modified a pending master-planned unit development to increase entitlements to 4 million square feet.

“The market believes that you have arrived, that Pasco County has arrived on the industrial and office employment jobs,” Tew said.

Requests coming before the planning board for new mixed-use projects and apartment developments along State Road 52 signal the growing interest in the area.

One significant project that plans to set up shop on State Road 52 is Amazon, which intends to build a 517,220-square-foot facility, on a site at State Road 52 and Bellamy Brothers Boulevard.

The $150 million Amazon Robotic Sortation Center (ARSC) is being built at Eagle Industrial Park, a 127-acre property that was identified as part of the Pasco EDC Ready Sites Program. It is expected to employ 500 workers.

Meanwhile, further to the west, the new Angeline mixed-use community — being billed as a wellness-themed community — is planned on thousands of acres, east of the Suncoast Parkway and south of State Road 52.

Within that community, Moffitt Cancer Center plans to have a Pasco campus that will include a massive research and corporate innovation district.

Site entitlements for Moffitt’s project, which encompass 24 million square feet, include plans for a hospital, research and development space, office, manufacturing, laboratories, pharmacies, educational facility/university, hotel, and commercial space.

The multiyear, multiphase project is expected to create 14,500 jobs.

Published May 04, 2022

Elected leaders are trying to figure out how to get kids to school safely

May 3, 2022 By B.C. Manion

When Pasco County Schools announced it would be dropping courtesy busing for middle and high school students next school year, local residents began seeking other answers from local elected leaders.

The decision affects about 3,000 students, who live closer than 2 miles from school. It doesn’t affect elementary school students.

The district’s rationale for ending the courtesy bus rides is that it will take some of the strain off the bus driver shortage, and should help with getting students to school on time and reducing wait times for students needing to be transported home after school.

Courtesy bus rides are expected to end this fall for sixth- through 12th-graders living within 2 miles of Pasco County Schools. The school district’s decision has prompted discussion among elected leaders of various government boards. (File)

Plus, the state doesn’t pay for those courtesy bus rides.

Since the district’s announcement, the issue has been sparking conversations among other elected government leaders.

During the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting a couple of weeks after the announcement, Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore told his MPO board colleagues: “I don’t know if you are, but I’ve gotten several emails from constituents with concerns.

“How is that going to work with our prioritization of sidewalks?” Moore asked other elected members on the board, which is responsible for transportation planning throughout Pasco County.

There are many areas within 2 miles of schools that lack sidewalks, Moore noted. “Students will have to walk in yards or in streets,” he said.

Moore than asked whether there were ways for the county board and the school board to work together to attract funding for additional sidewalks.

Tina Russo, a planner for the MPO, responded: “We feel the urgency. This has been a big discussion with all of our folks in the county, with figuring out the best way to move forward.

“There is a school safety group that meets monthly that discusses several different things, whether it be crossing guards, traffic officers, sidewalks, all of those things.

“Right now, we’re working on a county process of how we’re going to fund sidewalks and rank them, and then go after different pots of funding,” she said.

Russo added: “There’s nothing easy about it.”

Moore said if there any grants available, action is needed now.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Kathryn Starkey agreed solutions must be found.

However, she added: “There has to be a process, where they identify the most critical ones. That’s a lengthy process.”

Right of way must be secured, and in some cases the property owners are unwilling to sell, Moore said. That requires eminent domain — a process the county likes to avoid, he added.

“The most concerning thing is time,” said Camille Hernandez, who was attending her final MPO meeting before leaving her role as mayor of Dade City.

“It takes so long,” she said, to secure funding, acquire right of way and get sidewalks built.

“There really needs to be creative thinking here. We can’t wait,” Hernandez said.

“It’s really going to be an activist kind of movement, in the interim, whether it’s walking groups or biking groups — it’s going to have to be alternative methods,” she said.

Starkey said one potential solution is called a Walking School Bus. Essentially, it’s a group of students walking together to school, chaperoned by volunteer adults.

In addition to concerns raised by the MPO, the issue came up again at the Pasco County Planning Commission meeting, during discussion of a rezoning request.

Chris Williams, director of planning for the school district, was asking whether a proposed project had sidewalks.

That’s a critical issue, Williams said, because of the shortage of bus drivers and the lack of state funding for bus rides within 2 miles of school. The state does allow some bus rides within 2 miles, but the walking conditions must be deemed dangerous by very specific state standards.

Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein told the planning board: “The MPO board expressed a great deal of concern about us having inadequate sidewalks to the schools.

“I think it is a high priority for our board (Pasco County Commission) to get that issue dealt with. There is a program called Safe Routes to Schools, but it is a fairly slow process to get sidewalks built.

Goldstein noted that at least one commissioner “said maybe the county should be looking at spending some Penny for Pasco money, as part of the renewal, to prioritize all of these sidewalks and get them built quickly.”

To make that happen, the county would need cooperation from the school district to identify areas where there’s an immediate needs for sidewalks, Goldstein said.

“I would think the voters would support getting these sidewalks built for safe transportation to schools. We just need to know where the proper locations are to do that,” Goldstein said.

Planning board chairman Charles Grey agreed the issue is important.

“It is a valid concern and I think it is something that we, as a county, need to address,” Grey said.

Discussions on the topic are likely to continue within the coming months, before the courtesy bus rides are slated to end in the fall.

Published May 04, 2022

Mixed-use project proposed in Connected City

May 3, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a maximum of 525 residences and 106,285 square feet of office uses on a site of approximately 158 acres, in an area known as Connected City.

The Connected City corridor consists of about 7,800 acres in a state-approved development district meant to foster residential communities and employment centers that are the wave of the future. Its borders are Interstate 75, State Road 52, and Curley and Overpass roads.

The area is meant to feature cutting-edge technology, including gigabit Internet speeds and innovation.

The proposed project, which gained the planning board’s recommendation for approval on April 21, is at the northeast corner of Elam and Kenton roads, about 6,600 feet east of Interstate 75. The site is currently vacant and used for agricultural pursuits.

The proposed 525 residences may consist of a mix of single-family detached, attached and/or multifamily, courtyard houses, row houses, townhouses and possibly garden-style apartments, Tammy Snyder, a Pasco County planner told the planning board.

This portion of Connected City requires medium density standards of 3.25 residence per acre. There’s also a maximum number of single-family residences allowed in this part of Connected City. Thus, the proposed project is limited to 192 single-family residences, according to Brad Tippin, the county’s development review manager.

Also, Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative owns 12.18 acres of this site.

Clarke Hobby, an attorney representing the applicants, said the request involves a site within Connected City’s Community Hub Zone.

“The overall intent of the Community Hub is to create mixed-use projects that create a blend of employment and mixed-use housing opportunities.

“As we go from over on Curley (Road) with the lowest densities and moving to the west, we are approaching the business core zone, and staff thinks that the best planning objectives are not only to phase out having single-family, as was mentioned, but to get to a higher density as you approach that area.

“The Business Core Zone, which is kind of the southern area of Pasco Town Center, that’s going to be a very intense and dense form of development down in that area. So, staff wants to make sure these areas are working together,” Hobby said.

By contrast, the developments of Epperson and Mirada are located in other areas of Connected City that specifically allow for lower density of development.

As part of the current proposed mixed-use project, Hobby said, “we’re building the first segment of Kenton Road. We’re having to acquire right of way from third parties for it, and we’re dedicating right of way. We’re going to be redesigning the intersection of Elam Road and Kenton Road to address an existing offset that staff identified, and it’s a fairly extensive amount of work and background work that had to go into making that happen.”

Efforts made to limit impacts
Hobby also noted that extensive work has been done to mitigate impacts on neighbors.

“Having grown up in Dade City, I fully realize that this is a very rural area, traditionally. And so we knew this was going to be one of the sites that our neighbors were going to be very concerned about the form of development and changes over time.

“So, we’ve had a series of meetings with them, and my client literally has spent the better part of the last week out there meeting … and trying to make everyone happy.

“We have a series of private agreements with them that relate to trees that we’re going to save on our property line, that provide nice buffering for them, some additional tree mitigation that we’re going to do on our site and then some landscaping things that we’re doing for our neighbors,” he said.

He provided letters of “no objection” for the record from eight of the 10 neighbors.

“We are, as staff noted, providing a service-ready site at the corner of Elam and Kenton, and working with our neighbor, Withlacoochee Electric River Cooperative, on that, and anticipate having a really nice use there. We’ve got some intel from them about what’s probably going to go there and I think everyone will be happy with the job creating uses there.

“We’ve also given extensive thought to the cross connections with the MPUD (master-planned unit development) that’s directly to our east and southeast. We have a lot of interconnections between that and the various parcels on our site, to ensure the connected in Connected City is being met.

“The result of all of this is that we have a really nice mixed-use development, with great interconnectivity, employment and housing options.

“So, I think we’re hitting all of the requirements of Connected City,” Hobby said.

Michael Pultorak, who lives on Kenton Road, expressed concerns about the potential for area flooding, if the water levels rise in King Lake.

“I am pro-growth. I am pro responsible growth. I am pro responsible development,” Pultorak said.

However, he added: “The problem is, since 2009, the water is up almost 8 feet.

“My 4-foot cattle fences are completely underwater during the rainy season, and the best I can do during the dry season is see the tops of them.

“We used to have land that exceeded 250 feet past those cattle fences.

“I have lost over 700 feet of land, linear, since 2009,” he said.

Pultorak said area residents told him there used to be three outlets for the lake and now that’s down to one, which is across Kenton Road.

“I’m pro-development. I’m pro-growth. But please don’t do it on the backs of the current residents and property owners that are trying to keep this as our homesteads and provide agricultural supplies and services and resources for the entire area,” he said.

Hobby said he’s also aware that some neighbors simply want to retain the area’s historically rural nature.

“Connected City was adopted some years ago. It was a legislative change from the state and the county is implementing it. This area is not going to stay rural much longer. It’s just not going to,” Hobby said.

“What we’re trying to do is be a good neighbor and provide good buffering where we can, to fulfill the Connected City goals, while not overwhelming our neighbors,” the attorney said.

Published May 04, 2022

Business Digest 05/04/2022

May 3, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Credit union celebrates history
A six-panel display has been installed to showcase the history and mission of the San Antonio Citizens Credit Union.

Local artist Kent Ross recently completed the display, which celebrates the credit union that was founded in 1955 and recently opened a new Operations Center in San Antonio, according to a news release.

Patty Sarne, the credit union’s president and CEO commissioned the art panels, which are on display at the main entry.

The panels illustrate the story of the credit union, through the people who have helped it prosper, and also reflect how the credit union’s membership has grown through the years.

In the news release, Ross said he was pleased to take on the project, “the history of this credit union was rich and they supplied me with some great memorabilia to incorporate into my design along with great stories – the first days business was conducted out of a cigar box!”

He also noted that he has been a member of the credit union for 40 years, so he’s personally seen how it has transformed through the years.

Hiring employees to help you succeed
This free workshop, presented through Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.’s SMARTstart program, helps employers hire employees that fit within the culture and brand of their business.

The workshop will be on May 11 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., at SMARTstart @ The Grove, 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 202, Wesley Chapel.

To register, visit SmartStartPasco.com/the-grove-entrepreneur-center.

Chamber seeking award nominees
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce has set is annual awards celebration for Aug. 25 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Southport Springs Golf & Country Club.

Nominees are being sought in these categories:

Small Business of the Year: Up to 25 employees
Large Business of the Year: Over 25 employees
The Diamond Award (nonprofit)
Leadership in Government/Economic Development Champion
Citizen of the Year
Alice Hall Community Service Award (for a lifetime of contributions toward the betterment of Zephyrhills).

Last year’s winners are not eligible in the same category this year.

For more information, visit the chamber’s website at ZephyrhillsChamber.org.

Grand openings/ribbon-cuttings
These grand openings and ribbon-cuttings were announced by the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce:

Optum Dental Arts, on May 5 from noon to 1 p.m., at 5721 Gunn Highway. Lunch provided by Capital Tacos.
Woodie’s Wash Shack, 17322 State Road 54, in the Ballantrae area of Land O’ Lakes. Prizes and giveaways were included during the April 29 event.

This grand opening and ribbon-cutting was announced by the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce:

Jamm Gymnastics, 5048 Airport Road, in Zephyrhills. Held on April 30, the event featured activities, prizes and tours.

Connecting small construction business to lenders
The Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County and Valley Bank are hosting a construction and contractor small business loan conference at Hotel Haya, 1412 Seventh Ave., in Tampa. The free event is set for May 5 from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

Advanced registration is recommended. Call 813-204-9267, or visit HCFLGov.net/FSBDC for more information.

Upcoming free SCORE webinars

May 11, noon to 1 p.m.: Hiring to grow your business
May 19, noon to 1 p.m.: Five challenges when starting a business
May 31, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Creating and using your business plan

Pasco Hernando SCORE also offers free individual, confidential small business mentoring.

New offerings at The Shops at Wiregrass
The Shops at Wiregrass is expanding its directory of permanent tenants.

Jabz Boxing recently opened. It offers High Intensity Interval Training (HITT) group fitness classes for trainees of all fitness levels. Its signature fitness circuit incorporates kickboxing, cardio, plyometrics, agility, and functional training exercises.

These businesses are coming soon:

Signature Workspace: Signature Workspace offers a variety of spaces for freelancers and growing businesses alike. Signature Workspace aims to provide an elevated remote-working experience for Wesley Chapel residents starting in early 2023.
The Living Room: The Living Room invites guests to experience their culinary creations beginning this summer. Dishes are served as they are ready, rather than all at once, to ensure freshness and create a unique tasting experience for guests. Serving brunch, lunch, dinner, and a variety of craft cocktails.
Leonidas Chocolates: Beginning this summer, Leonidas Chocolates will offer assorted chocolate boxes to single-serve chocolate treats. Its chocolates are made with 100% pure cocoa butter.
Body Details True Laser Treatment Center: A one-stop shop for cosmetic laser treatments. Body Details features a team of advanced practice Nurse Practitioners. They provide services ranging from laser hair and tattoo removal to skin rejuvenation procedures such as the removal of acne scarring and dark spots. Body Details will accept new patients beginning this summer.
Crazy Sushi: Creating an all-you-can-eat dining experience, Crazy Sushi features a menu of fresh and savory, sushi and hibachi dishes that guests can keep ordering until they’re full, for a flat rate. Crazy Sushi is set to open this fall.

To view full directory, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com/directory/.

New sandwich shop opens
Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop has opened a shop at 1948 Collier Parkway, in Lutz.

This is the first of 15 locations that entrepreneur Scott Crawford plans to open across the Tampa Bay area, with each shop adding 20 to 25 jobs to the local economy.

This is Carpriotti’s second Florida location, according to a news release.

The shop serves cheesesteaks, turkey subs and more.

Crawford is no stranger to the restaurant industry. With his first job out of high school as a pizza delivery driver, Crawford now has over 20 years of experience in the food service industry.

The Lutz Capriotti’s will offer a convenient order-ahead option, in addition to third-party delivery services.

Capriotti’s is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily. For additional information, visit Capriottis.com, or call the location at 813-553-3745.

Pay raises needed to remain competitive

April 26, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County School Board is asking voters to step up to provide more funding to enable the school district to improve pay for teachers and other district personnel, except for administrators.

The board voted unanimously to pursue having the referendum question added to the November 2022 ballot.

The board is asking voters to approve up to a maximum of 1 mil in funding to be designated for improving employee pay.

In an April 5 school board workshop on the topic, it was estimated that a 1 mil increase would yield an average instructional boost of $4,000; for non-instructional, $1,700.

‘I personally believe we are nearing a crisis. The teachers are leaving. Ultimately, it is about the children of Pasco County and the families.’ — Pasco School Board member Alison Crumbley

District calculations also show that Pasco’s median home cost of $325,000, and assuming a $25,000 homestead exemption, a property owner would pay $300 more per year, if the increase is 1 mil.

The board’s vote to pursue up to a full mil, followed persistent requests by Don Peace, president of the United School Employees of Pasco (USEP), urging the board to seek the ballot initiative.

Peace repeatedly has cited the number of district employees who are resigning or retiring, and has said the district must improve pay and fill vacancies, to stem the tide.

School board member Colleen Beaudoin made the motion to support the ballot initiative, which was seconded by board member Alison Crumbley.

Specifically, the ballot question asks for a yes or no vote on whether to levy an additional tax, not to exceed 1 mil, beginning July 1, 2023 and ending no later than June 30, 2027.

The proceeds, according to the ballot question, will be used “for essential operating expenses to maintain salaries competitive with the market, attract and retain high-quality teachers, bus drivers and other non-administrative school support employees.”

There also is a requirement for “annual reporting to Pasco County taxpayers for transparency of the use of these funds.”

“We are losing good teachers because they can’t make ends meet here,” Beaudoin said, offering many specific examples.

“We are not talking about numbers. We are talking about people you know and I know,” she added. “Pasco County Schools is the largest employer in our county. Everyone has someone in their family, their neighborhood or a friend, who works for us.”

Besides losing teachers to nearby districts that pay better, the district also is losing teachers who are leaving the field to work in industry, Beaudoin said.

‘For too long, we have struggled to remain competitive with other school districts in the area.’ — Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning

“We want our teachers using their talents for our kids. We don’t want them leaving the profession,” Beaudoin said.

“How many ways can we ask our community to compromise, or settle for having substitute teachers or people with provisional certifications? Our community members want people with professional certifications who are highly qualified,” she said.

“Our community is tired of the revolving door of teachers and the lack of bus drivers that has led to inconvenient bell times and fewer child care options.

“We want the best teachers for our kids.

“We want to attract and retain the best teachers for our students, because they deserve it,” Beaudoin said.

Action needed to reduce staff departures
Board members unanimously agreed with the need to have the flexibility to go up to a full mil of additional funding.

“We’ve known for decades our salaries aren’t keeping up. The evidence and data are all there,” Crumbley said.

“I personally believe we are nearing a crisis. The teachers are leaving. Ultimately, it is about the children of Pasco County and the families.”

Board member Megan Harding agreed: “I don’t disagree. We’re short-staffed everywhere, and I’ve talked to many teachers who have left the profession, due to pay.”

In the board’s backup materials for the April 19 meeting, there were 23 instructional, five bus driver and 47 non-instructional resignations, Harding said.

“We owe it to our students, teachers, staff and the community to try for this referendum,” Harding said. “We tried for many years to put a Band-aid on the problem, and I think it’s time that we asked the community if they’re willing to help us fix it once and for all.

“We cannot be a world-class education system with one of the lowest pay scales in the region.”

After the meeting, the district released a YouTube video of Superintendent Kurt Browning, advocating passage of the referendum.

‘How many ways can we ask our community to compromise, or settle for having substitute teachers or people with provisional certifications? Our community members want people with professional certifications who are highly qualified.’ — Pasco School Board member Colleen Beaudoin.

The next step is to ask the Pasco County Commission to place the referendum on the November ballot, Browning said.

The superintendent noted: “For too long, we have struggled to remain competitive with other school districts in the area. In most cases, those other school districts have already taken the step that we are taking now.

“They recognized that they couldn’t simply rely on funding from the state. They made their cases to the voters and got a referendum approved.”

As a result, other districts can offer better pay, which puts Pasco at a disadvantage, Browning said.

“Long ago, the Legislature provided a mechanism for school districts to supplement staff funding for salaries, and several school districts have already taken this step.

“It’s time for us to act,” Browning said.

“We are losing good people.

“Who could blame a teacher or a bus driver for seeking better pay in a neighboring county?

“We need to turn that around; by taking this step, we are showing our commitment to keeping our great employees working in Pasco County, and attracting more of them,” the superintendent said.

More details will be shared in coming months, Browning said.

Union president Peace has pledged USEP’s full support in working toward passage of the ballot initiative.

Published April 27, 2022