The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Twin scholars eager to embrace new challenges

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When Grace and Faith Quinn graduate from Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School on June 4, the twin scholars will be sharing the school’s top academic honor as co-valedictorians.

And, as they head off this summer, they’ll travel to Atchison, Kansas, to attend Benedictine College, each on a full tuition, four-year scholarship.

Faith Quinn, left, and her twin sister, Grace, are graduating as co-valedictorians from Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School. The young women from Wesley Chapel are eager to keep learning, as they head to Benedictine College, in Atchison, Kansas, on a four-year tuition scholarship this fall. (B.C. Manion)

It’s not a bit unusual for these 18-year-olds to travel the same path together.

After all, they’ve been doing it all of their lives.

Grace — who plans to double major in chemistry and computer science — is the older of the two, by 9 minutes.

Faith plans to double major, too. She’ll study chemistry and astronomy.

There’s no doubt these girls share a closeness that many twins enjoy, but perhaps they’ve developed an even deeper connection — as they’ve relied on each other, their brother Gabriel and their parents, through military family moves, from one place to another.

Throughout the frequent changes, the Quinns have had three constants: Family, church and school, the girls said, during a recent interview in their Wesley Chapel home.

Their parents are obviously supportive, and delighted by their daughters’ accomplishments.

Their dad, Pete Quinn, is perhaps their most vocal cheerleader; their mom, Kelly Quinn, while more subdued, is undoubtedly equally proud.

As their dad rattles off their accomplishments, the girls take turns, good-naturedly, rolling their eyes.

Still, the bragging rights are well-deserved.

Both girls were named National Merit Scholars, each receiving a $2,500 scholarship.

They each scored a perfect 36 on the ACT.

Their four-year tuition scholarship at Benedictine College carries a value of up to $132,000 for each of the girls, Pete Quinn said.

The twins started attending St. Anthony Catholic School, in San Antonio, in fifth grade, after the family moved to the area in 2014 from West Des Moines, Iowa.

During their middle school years, they earned straight As, played on three championship basketball teams, played on two championship volleyball teams, played tennis, and were members of the National Junior Honor Society, said their dad, a retired U.S. Army colonel.

The girls chose to attend Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, after exploring various options.

“When it came to the transition to high school, they really blossomed,” Pete Quinn said. “It (Bishop McLaughlin) was the perfect setting for them.”

The girls will graduate with a weighted GPA of 4.6, having completed 13 college-level courses.

“I anticipate them being able to come in (at Benedictine College) as first semester sophomores because of all the AP classes they’ve taken,” he said.

The girls didn’t have their heads in their books all of the time.

They also played four years of varsity basketball, achieved membership in nine honor societies, and have been involved in school plays, numerous clubs and yearbook.

Faith said her interest in astronomy began during her early years.

“I’ve always loved stars — just looking up at the night sky.

“Also, we have — it was just like a kid’s book about the constellations. It would give the myths behind them. I just loved that,” she said.

That prompted an interest in other books about stars and she now has about 15 of them, she said.

Benedictine College is the only Catholic college to offer a major in astronomy, she added.

Grace said she’s interested in pursuing computer science because : “I love the way that the logic in computers works.”

Plus, she said, “I love seeing and making connections. It’s what drew me to the sciences in the first place.”

There are lots of new opportunities, too, Pete Quinn said.

“The one career field that I recommended they give consideration to is an emerging field called astrochemistry. With all of the Space-X stuff going on … I can see those two both flourishing in slightly different roles,” Pete Quinn said.

Both parents see bright prospects for this next phase in their daughters’ lives.

“I’m so excited about where they’re going. I think Benedictine is the perfect college for them,” Pete Quinn said. “There’s no ceiling, there’s literally no ceiling, for what they can do.”

He also believes they’re ready.

“They’re very comfortable in their own skin. They really are. They’ve had each other, but they don’t have problems being by themselves,” he said.

Their mom added: “I’m excited for them. It’s a fun time of life. I remember my college days. It was neat to get out from under mom and dad, and just kind of do your own thing, find your own way and spread your wings.”

She’s confident Faith and Grace will do well.

“I think they’ve got good heads on their shoulders.

“It’s a bright world for them and I think they’ll do great things. Point them in the right direction and see how it goes,” Kelly Quinn said.

Published June 02, 2021

IPAC: A place to sing, to act, to learn and entertain

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When Lauren Murray heard about the opportunity to assume the leadership role at Pasco-Hernando State College’s new Instructional Performing Arts Center — she immediately recognized the possibilities.

She knew the position would give her a chance to use the knowledge and experience she’s accumulated through her professional life.

This sweeping roof is at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Instructional Performing Arts Center, also known as IPAC, at 8657 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel. In addition to being a teaching facility, it is expected to offer a variety of performances for the community to enjoy. (Fred Bellet)

And, she understood the center’s enormous potential.

Not only will it prepare students for future careers in the performing and technical arts, but it also will provide a venue for performing arts groups and it will create a new place for the community to enjoy the arts, said Murray, a Tampa native with more than 20 years of administrative and academic experience in higher education and the performing arts.

To say she’s excited about her new job would be putting it mildly.

Although it will take some time to get the facility operating in full gear, the college has been giving tours to offer visitors a glimpse of the center’s features and talk up its potential uses.

Photographer Fred Bellet represented The Laker/Lutz News on one of those tours and Murray provided details about the facility for this story.

Dr. Timothy Beard, president of Pasco-Hernando State College, offers details about the facility during a media tour. In the background, on stage, 16-year-old Brooke Herrera prepares to play guitar and sing. Herrera is a dual-enrolled high school and college student at PHSC.

The center, at 8657 Old Pasco Road, shares a campus with Cypress Creek High School and Cypress Creek Middle School, in Wesley Chapel.

The $18 million project includes the 36,000-square-foot facility, complete with furnishings and state-of-the-art equipment, Murray said. It’s a fully digital system, with the latest available technology in lighting and sound support.

“It gives our students the opportunity to experience very new platforms and the things that are just being brought out right now. These will be the kinds of systems that they’ll be expected to know how to run when they’re out there in the real world,” she said.

The campus includes the 444-seat Weatherford Theater, named for former Florida Speaker of the House Will Weatherford, who played an instrumental role in obtaining funding for the facility.

A spacious music studio gives music director Justin Baggett plenty of room for students. Here, he leads a quintet practicing a piece by Mozart.

Murray is pleased with the size of the theater.

“We can get a decent crowd in there, but it’s pretty intimate, so every seat is terrific,” she said.

It also has excellent staging capabilities, and a projection screen that can be used for movies and presentations.

“This is going to be a real performing arts program, where we’ll have instrumental and vocal ensembles. We will have theater productions. We will have dance recitals and productions, as well,” Murray said.

The center’s dance studio has sprung wood floor, a sound system and video system and full wall of mirrors and barres.

The music studio has two acoustical sound rooms, where the acoustics of the room can be adjusted. It also has recording capabilities for practice sessions, so singers can listen to themselves to evaluate how well they are performing, said Murray, who herself is an accomplished oboist and most recently served as the music chair at the Patel Conservatory at the Straz Center in Tampa.

The high-gloss surface of the baby grand piano in the new Weatherford Theater reflects the image of prospective student Dale Master, of Tampa. Master took the public tour of the new IPAC and was invited to play the new instrument. The theater has 444 seats.

The drama studio features a large rehearsal space, which can be used in many ways, Murray said. Additionally, there’s a stage, a full costume studio and two full dressing rooms.

“Our lighting in our dressing rooms is LED, instead of those old bulbs that are 1000 degrees, so that‘s nice — so, your makeup doesn’t melt off,” she said.

The digital production studio has a full lighting grid, state-of-the-art cameras, a sound board, a lighting board and multiple computers.

And, there are two computer classrooms — equipped to prepare students for both the Mac and PC worlds.

In addition to providing opportunities for students, the community also will benefit from being able to enjoy a professional theater experience without having to drive downtown, Murray said.

Kevin O’Farrell, provost of Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus, right, stops by the technology lab and converses with students Cinthia Morrabal, of Port Richey, left, and Gretchen Samter, of Spring Hill.

Much work remains to bring the programming vision to life, she said, adding: “We’re still building our curriculum.”

She expects it to take about a year before students will be staging public performances.

But there will be public rentals for outside performance groups, and that’s expected to begin around September, she said.

The college also is likely to bring in outside performers for a ticketed series, and Murray looks forward to creating multicultural programming, as well.

Future plans also call for staging some outdoor performances.

Beyond what’s happening at IPAC, Murray expects opportunities to develop for its students to land internships or part-time jobs, on their path to careers in the arts.

Murray is delighted with the prospects of what lies ahead.

“It’s quite a thing to open a performing arts center. It’s expensive. It’s different. There’s a lot of new things that you have to figure out,” Murray said.

Jonathan Tietz, assistant professor of digital media, sets up the production booth, which is part of the facility’s video production lab.

“A lot of places are like: We can’t do that. We don’t have time for that. We don’t want to fund that,” she said.

That’s not true for PHSC’s commitment to IPAC, she said.

“The support that this place and these programs have here is so exciting. It is going to make it a great program because everybody is on board,” she said.

She’s thrilled about the opportunities the center is creating for students.

“The arts are a viable place to make your living. You do have to work and you do have to be creative to find different ways to make a living in the arts, but it’s still a wholly viable living,” Murray said.

Want to know about available classes? Visit PHSC.edu/academics.

Published June 02, 2021

New River Library offers patrons a fresh look

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It’s not a brand new library — but it sure looks and feels like one.

The New River Library, at 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, has reopened its doors after a massive overhaul that took longer than expected because of COVID-19 and material delays.

The red brick building, constructed in 1991, looks much the same. The inside, however, looks entirely new. (B.C. Manion)

The library officially reopened on April 30, but work is not completely finished yet on the outdoor garden spaces, and library staff is still awaiting the arrival of some furniture and materials.

Still, there’s an air of excitement as staff prepares to offer library patrons a more comfortable place to read, meet and take advantage of programming.

Most of the activities won’t kick into high gear until later this year, as the library continues to offer the vast majority of programming remotely.

Still, staff is eager for patrons to come in and take a look around.

“People are welcome to come in and they’re welcome to take our nickel tour, what we call a Sneak Preview,” said Angelo Liranzo, a regional manager for Pasco County Libraries.

The tour gives patrons a chance to see what’s there now and to hear about what’s coming.

Danielle Lee, branch manager at New River, is excited about the possibilities.

Those entering the library site now have two options. A driveway has been added on the east side of the library campus.

New landscaping has been added, too, with palm trees lining the sidewalk and flowering plants greeting visitors as they make their way to the front entryway.

Angelo Liranzo is a regional manager for Pasco County Libraries and Danielle Lee is the branch manager for the New River Branch Library, which was recently renovated.

“The outside is a lot more harmonious with Wesley Chapel, which has a lot new communities with beautiful entries into their subdivisions, and the library looks like it belongs in that area,” Liranzo said.

A giant mat at the front door gives patrons a chance to wipe off their feet before stepping onto the newly installed flooring in the library’s new lobby.

The space is much more open and brighter than the one it replaced, and there is seating available there. There are new restrooms, too, designed for individual or family use. Each restroom is ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)-compliant.

Inside the library, patron will find staffers at the service desk, ready to help people find what they need.

There’s a new children’s room, where children can play with toys. Future plans call for having story time there. Older kids can use the room’s computers.

The space has large windows looking out onto the library’s front yard, which is landscaped with trees and flowering plants. There’s also a view of busy State Road 54.

This is the library’s new children’s room. It offers comfortable seating, room to play, computers and a view, too.

“This is my favorite room,” said Danielle Lee, the branch manager. “It’s relaxing.”

There’s also an enclosed space for teens, which also has large windows.

“They’re going to have gaming computers in there, so if they’re playing on the computers they can have a good time and not disturb anyone else,” Liranzo said.

“We have study rooms that we never had before. Those are very nice,” Liranzo added.

Lee noted: “Study Room C is large enough — where a group can study.”

It can accommodate up to eight people, she added.

Liranzo also noted: “We still have our big open space that we can do programs in. We have enclosed spaces, where people don’t feel they’re being disturbed by noise. That’s something we never had before.”

The large space, which can be used for events, can become even larger because the furniture and bookshelves, are movable, Lee said.

There’s a community meeting room, too, which is equipped to facilitate Zoom sessions and big screen presentations.

The room can be reserved, but a priority system is used, with library programs getting first dibs, followed by government programs, and then, local organizations, Liranzo said.

The meeting room also is the space used by the Supervisor of Elections for a voting precinct.

There’s a new drive-thru book drop behind the New River Branch Library, giving patrons a chance to drop off books from the convenience of their car.

Outside, on the east side of the library, crews are hard at work installing garden spaces.

When finished, there will be community garden plots. There also will be a butterfly garden, a native plants garden, a seasonal plants garden and a sensory garden.

The library expects to partner with the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and Pasco County Extension to offer demonstrations and learning opportunities, Liranzo said.

Nearly everything at the library has been redone or replaced.

“The exterior brick is the same. The roof is the same. But everything else was gutted out,” Liranzo said.

“We’re very fortunate that the Go Bonds were approved by the public,” Liranzo said, noting the bond proceeds paid for the cost of renovations, furniture and materials.

The library is far more than a place to simply read and check out books, Lee and Liranzo said.

It’s also a place where people gather for story time, book clubs, knitting, card games and an assortment of other activities.

That all came to a halt because of the pandemic, but library staff can’t wait for the day when the library can come back to full life — as a place where people can gather, to learn and to socialize.

New River Library, 34043 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel
Hours
Monday and Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Published June 02, 2021

‘Unique subdivision’ meets resistance

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The idea of creating a subdivision in Land O’ Lakes for catastrophically injured veterans, and surviving families of fallen first responders and for Gold Star families has broad appeal — but even with the popularity of the cause, a proposed rezoning for the project is meeting resistance.

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation has proposed the first neighborhood in the nation specifically designed to serve its recipients be located on about 75 acres, on the south side of Parkway Boulevard, about one-half mile east of Ehren Cutoff. The site is between the Panther Run and Dupree Lakes subdivisions.

The foundation was established 20 years ago by Frank Siller, to honor the sacrifice of his brother, Stephen Siller, a firefighter who laid down his life to save others on Sept. 11, 2001.

Matt Mahoney, executive vice president of the foundation, explained the concept of the project — via a remote feed during an April 22 meeting of the Pasco County Planning Commission meeting.

“Our recipients are all gifted these homes. These are mortgage-free homes,” Mahoney said.

“We have the financial wherewithal to do this. The land was donated to us,” Mahoney said. “We’re in a strong financial situation to move forward with this project.”

The foundation has a solid track record, said Cyndi Tarapani, a professional planner representing the applicant.

But residents in the adjacent Panther Run neighborhood and members of the Pasco County Planning Commission raised objections to the proposal.

Those concerns initially were aired during the April 22 meeting, which was continued until May, to give the applicant time to respond to the concerns.

At the May 20 planning board meeting, the issues were much the same.

Would-be neighbor Tim Robinson, of 6444 Paw Place, put it like this “I can’t say enough how much I like what Tunnels to Towers is doing for our servicemen and women and our first responders, a very admirable endeavor.

“My main issue is compatibility,” Robinson said. “We would have a bunch of homes butting right up to half-acre lots and I really don’t feel that is compatible at all.”

Planning Commissioner Jaime Girardi also expressed concerns about compatibility.

David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney, told planning board members that the request seeks an R-4 zoning district, a Euclidean zoning that allows up to four houses per acre. The county cannot attach conditions to Euclidean zoning requests, Goldstein said.

Instead, the county can ask the applicant to voluntarily add deed restrictions.

The planning board asked the foundation to place larger lots on land next to the adjacent Panther Run lots. It also asked for one-story homes to be built there, to address privacy concerns.

Planning commissioners also wanted to guarantee that the land would be used by the foundation’s program beneficiaries.

At the May 20 meeting, Tarapani said the foundation has agreed to deed restrictions that call for fewer lots and larger lots, with one-story homes along the edge of the neighborhood adjacent to Panther Run.

However, she said her client would not agree to ownership restrictions.

Without that restriction, there is no guarantee that the foundation won’t sell the land to another developer, Goldstein said.

Panther Run neighbors reiterated their objections.

Shelby Carrero, of 6448 Paw Place, told the planning board: “After reviewing the deed restriction, I am disheartened to say the least, that our valid concerns we have expressed several times have not been taken into consideration by the applicant.

“The fact the applicant has ignored its future Pasco County neighbors, as well as the Pasco County Planning Commission, should speak volumes as to what their plan was this entire time.

“They have refused to put in their deed restriction that they will not sell the land to a developer, or that they will not sell the homes to people that are not military veterans, first responders, or their families.

“Therefore, the applicant’s narrative doesn’t hold true.”

She added: “It was an insult to see their updated site plan. The previous plan had 22 homes lining Panther Run. The updated plan has 19.”

Finally, she said, “We cannot treat them any different than a big developer because we now know that this is a possibility.

Sabrina Fernandez, 22402 Panther Run Court, asked commissioners to deny the request.

“The truth is that this applicant has ignored the request from this board, and I do appreciate you taking our thoughts into consideration a couple of weeks ago. This is very emotional for us because it’s going to affect our lives greatly.”

Other opponents said they don’t want two-story homes on smaller lots lining up behind their large lot. They also cited concerns about a loss of privacy.

Tarapani challenged the assertion that the proposed rezoning is incompatible.

“Single family, next to single family, is by its very nature, compatible,” she said. Plus, she noted, as part of its deed restriction the foundation has agreed to erect a 6-foot buffer wall between the new subdivision and its Panther Run neighbors, even though the county’s code doesn’t require it.

County planners recommend approval of the request, but the planning board voted to recommend denial, with Planning Commissioner Chris Williams dissenting.

The issue now goes to the Pasco County Commission, which has final jurisdiction on land use and zoning issues.

Published June 02, 2021

Oakley: Pasco should build communities, not subdivisions

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As the Pasco County Commission was wrapping up a meeting last month, Commission Chairman Ron Oakley called for increased scrutiny on how Pasco is growing.

Developers coming into the county should build communities, not merely subdivisions, according to Oakley, who has deep roots in Pasco County.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley said that developers should build communities, not just subdivisions.

“If we don’t start looking out for what we’re getting built here in our county, in large developments — if we don’t start watching it closer, then we’ll have developed land for houses that will just be houses,” Oakley said.

“And, I think what we all really want for our county is to have developed land that becomes a community for each project that we have, going forth,” he said.

He then went on to describe what those communities should include.

“One that has architectural design in it. One that has better landscaping,” he said.

Put simply: He said builders who want to be a part of Pasco County need to have a better product.

Oakley pointed to recent concerns raised by Commissioner Kathryn Starkey about a lack of landscaping.

There are areas in Pasco, Oakley said, “that I think we’ve gotten housing developments — whether small or large, that they’re really not up to what we really need for our county.”

They don’t measure up to the county’s desire to be a premiere county, Oakley said.

“We need better than that,” he said.

He wants the county to have tighter controls over its master-planned developments.

“I’m not saying all of them are bad. Some of them are great. Some of them are so-so. There are some that I’ve seen lately, and Commissioner Starkey brought them up — showed us a picture — that when you look down a road and you see concrete sidewalk, concrete driveway and houses either all the same color, or just bland. No landscaping.

“There’s something wrong with us developing that kind of product and we need better than that in our community,” Oakley said.

He called on County Administrator Dan Biles and his staff “to bring something forward to us that will improve that look of Pasco County.

“I plan on being here until my last days. I don’t want to see some of the product that I’ve seen that’s terrible looking and not a good community for people to live in.

“I don’t want to just push houses. We all want to live in a place that looks better. We don’t want to live in a place where you don’t have any landscaping,” Oakley said.

Oakley added: “I’ve seen some residential areas, they’re just absolutely terrible. And they’re supposed to be new and I can tell you, they don’t look new.

“We want the best for the folks that live in Pasco and work here, and play and do all of the things that we fight to do the right way,” he said. “Mr. Biles, please bring that to us, sooner than later.”

Commissioner Mike Moore said he agrees with Oakley, but Moore is particularly concerned about development along the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor.

“Let’s be very conscious of the things that we do approve along that corridor (State Road 54/State 56,” Moore said.

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder sought some clarification from Oakley: “So, what you’re really asking for is amendments to the land development code — that this would be applied universally to MPUD (master planned unit development) projects, single-family, primarily.

“Pasco has traditionally taken the approach of a conceptual MPUD. You think the board may be looking for a little more detail, a little more permanency to that plan. So, regulation that creates a community versus a subdivision.”

Oakley agreed with Steinsnyder’s assessment.

The county attorney added that research being done now, during the county’s temporary moratorium on new multifamily applications, may be pertinent to issues raised by Moore.

Published June 02, 2021

A grand, grand opening

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Mary Katherine Mason, also known as Lanky Lassie, is in her new storefront in downtown Dade City. (Courtesy of Mary Katherine Mason)

The Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., helped Mary Katherine Mason celebrate the grand opening of Lanky Lassie’s Shortbread, at 37845 Meridian Ave., in downtown Dade City.

Two days of festivities included a ribbon-cutting attended by area dignitaries, a performance by bagpiper Gemma Briggs, a parade, cookie-decorating for kids, and shortbread paired with various libations, for adults.

Mason, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, launched her business after being furloughed from her design career in the hotel industry, during the pandemic.

Lanky Lassie’s Shortbread has been a member of the Pasco EDC SMARTstart program since it began using the East Pasco Incubator Kitchen in Dade City to help its business grow, Dan Mitchell, SMARTstart program director, said in a news release.

Mason used many of the tools that SMARTstart has to offer, and she grew from a cottage food business to opening her own shop, Mitchell added.

MOSI CEO retiring

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Julian Mackenzie, president and CEO of The Museum of Science and Industry, intends to retire by the end of this summer, according to a MOSI news release.
During his four years with the nonprofit science center, he guided it through major changes, including a significant reorganization and complete refocusing of the museum’s exhibits and footprint, the news release says.

“If we want to build a better region and world, we must have children and adults who understand science, technology, engineering and mathematics. I love that every person who comes through the MOSI doors brings us closer to this vision,” Mackenzie said, in the release.

A transition committee has been formed to lead the process for naming Mackenzie’s successor.

Pasco adds new public information officer

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Ryan Hughes has joined Pasco County’s staff as a public information officer with the Pasco County Media Relations & Communications team.

He previously was a reporter in the Tampa Bay market, and now is an official spokesperson and media contact for Pasco County Government.

Ribbon-cuttings

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The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce had a ribbon-cutting on May 21 at Mai Dentistry, at 2624 Stonewood Park Loop, in Land O’ Lakes.

The North Tampa Bay Chamber hosted a ribbon-cutting at Fabulously Made Salon & Hair Loss Solutions on May 12, at 8913 Regents Park Drive, Suite 620, in Tampa.

Growth pressures being felt on Old Pasco Road

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The Pasco County Commission voted last week to continue a hearing on a rezoning request by Victorious Life Assembly of God Inc., for a 122-unit subdivision off Old Pasco Road, 250 feet south of Overpass Road.

The application — which was accompanied by a request to deviate from some of the county’s land development code — received pushback from county board members.

Commissioner Mike Moore wants to know when Old Pasco Road will be widened. He’s concerned about the amount of new development happening along the two-lane road.

Commissioner Mike Moore made a motion to continue the hearing until June 8, after technical problems made it impossible for commissioners to understand what the applicant’s representatives were saying — as they attempted to participate remotely.

Moore said he didn’t understand why the developer’s representatives were not present at the meeting, since in-person appearances are no longer prohibited due to concerns about COVID-19.

“I think this item should be continued until we can have the applicant sitting right in front of us, so we can go back and forth and have a conversation, because right now, we can’t,” Moore said.

Moore’s remarks followed testimony by a woman who spoke on behalf of her son who lives near the proposed rezoning.

“I think we need to put the brakes on this project, at least until we get that red light and get the infrastructure done,” the speaker said.

She pointed to a new industrial park project that is being built near the proposed subdivision, plus the ongoing construction of a new interchange to Interstate 75, at Overpass Road.

Both projects are creating a significant amount of construction traffic, she said.

And, that’s on top of traffic created by Cypress Creek High School, Cypress Creek Middle School, she said. Plus, Pasco-Hernando State College now has a new Instructional Performing Arts Center on the road, she added.

Moore agreed that the two-lane Old Pasco Road is being overloaded.

He said he’s very familiar with the road because he has a child attending Cypress Creek Middle School and another child attending Cypress Creek High School.

“I drive it on a regular basis. The amount of school buses going on Old Pasco Road is incredible, and some of those areas with blind spots and the turns, with no shoulders,” he said.

“I have concerns.

“There’s a ton of development that’s currently going in on Old Pasco Road. There’s a lot of proposed development, along Old Pasco Road, as well,” Moore said.

“One of the things that we agreed upon when we did the industrial park is that that industrial park cannot receive its CO (certificate of occupancy) until that portion of Old Pasco (Road), that sits in front of the industrial park, is widened.

“Nobody’s given me a set date of when the rest of Old Pasco Road is widened,” Moore said.

“I think we need to research that road. I think staff needs to come back to us and say, ‘This is exactly when Old Pasco Road is going to be widened,” Moore said.

Commissioner Jack Mariano balked at the proposal for a park that is nine-tenths of an acre, versus the 1.2-acre park that’s required by code.

Planners supported the request, noting Wesley Chapel District Park is nearby, plus the developer agreed to dedicate a larger amount of land than required for right of way for the Old Pasco Road widening.

But Mariano said: “There’s no reason it can’t stick at 1.2, which is our code. Those kids need somewhere to play.”

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey wanted to know why the plans fail to indicate any kind of future trail. She said that county planners must start including that, to provide for the possibility of people getting from place to place, without relying on vehicles.

County Administrator Dan Biles responded: “We’ll have to check, but I think Old Pasco Road probably has a multi-use path, as part of the design for Old Pasco Road and I think Overpass also has one.”

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley supported Moore’s suggestion to continue the hearing.

The delay will enable the board to receive information it needs on when Old Pasco Road will be widened, and to find out more about the possibility of trails in the area, Oakley said.

Published May 26, 2021