Michael Hinman

MPO keeps elevated road on county transportation plan

December 24, 2014 By Michael Hinman

A group that spent months successfully fighting a privately built elevated toll road through the heart of Pasco County got a bit of a setback last week. But its members seem to be OK with it … for now.

Jason Amerson, second from left, will fight any elevated road planned to run near his home off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes, but won’t challenge the county’s current long-range transportation plan as long as elevated roads don’t come up as a viable option. He was one of the leaders of a local protest group, Pasco Fiasco, that included, from left, Patrick Knight, Brian Narcum and Kristine Narcum. (File Photo)

Pasco County’s 2040 Long-Range Transportation Plan is on its way to both federal and state authorities, highlighting the county’s plan for roads, transit and sidewalks over the next 25 years. And among the various needs the county’s Metropolitan Planning Organization included in that transportation plan are elevated roads along the State Road 54/56 corridor.

“We knew the (transportation plan) would still contain the elevated toll road,” said Jason Amerson, a Land O’ Lakes resident who was one of the key players in the elevated toll road protest group, Pasco Fiasco. “It’s not something we are worried about unless they start actively discussing it again at MPO meetings.”

Pasco Fiasco came together last year after some homeowners who live just off State Road 54 learned about a proposal by a private company, International Infrastructure Partners LLC, to build a 33-mile elevated toll road, stretching from U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills to U.S. 19 in New Port Richey. The company had said initially it would fund the estimated $2.2 billion project on its own, but then lost its negotiating power with the Florida Department of Transportation after it requested the state help finance it.

That killed the private project, but an elevated road option remained in the county’s transportation plan. While then Pasco County commissioner Henry Wilson Jr., vowed to help Pasco Fiasco and others against an elevated road down State Road 54 remove such projects from the plan, Wilson was defeated in an open primary election last October by Mike Wells Jr.

“It’s not a simple task getting it removed,” Amerson said. “Probably even a harder task now that Wilson is gone.”

The elevated road remains an option for the county between 2020 and 2040 along the State Road 54/56 corridor as an “alternative improvement.” That could include “premium transit improvements” like toll lanes, overpasses like those used on U.S. 19 in Pinellas County, and elevated lanes.

The elevated road stayed in the plan, but the MPO did make more than 30 other changes to the documents after two months of public hearings. The MPO conducted a 30-day comment period through Nov. 23, as well as public workshops throughout November. It concluded with a public hearing on Dec. 11 where the new transportation plan was adopted unanimously.

Many adjustments to the plan were minor, like name changes of some roads at Bexley Ranch near the Suncoast Parkway, and Mitchell Boulevard near the Little Road area.

But there also were some larger changes as well. They included:

Moving up the six-lane expansion of State Road 52 from Interstate 75 to Pasco Road from 2040 to 2019.
Delaying another 10 years to 2040 projects like Livingston Avenue from State Road 54 to Collier Parkway, Eiland Boulevard from Handcart to Dean Dairy roads, Curley Road from Wells Road to Clinton Avenue, and Lake Patience Road from Sunlake Boulevard to U.S. 41.
Keeping the State Road 56 expansion from Meadow Pointe to U.S. 301 two lanes instead of four by 2019, but possibly expanding it to four lanes by 2030.

That last proposal angered city leaders in Zephyrhills, who wanted four lanes leading into one of its key commercial areas, the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. Lawmakers like new state representative and former Zephyrhills mayor Danny Burgess said they would work with the city to try and restore funding for a four-lane segment.

The MPO also made a number of changes to Tower Road, which runs primarily east to west in Pasco, just north of State Road 54. They include developer-funded improvements like a two-lane stretch from Bexley Ranch to Ballantrae Boulevard, and an expansion to a two-lane road from U.S. 41 to Ehren Cutoff by 2040, paid for by the county.

The Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Florida Department of Transportation will now review the plan, and work with the county to help implement it.

To read the complete plan, visit Mobility2040Pasco.com.

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Yes, Virginia, he is Santa Claus

December 24, 2014 By Michael Hinman

If you believe 970-WFLA personality Tedd Webb, the radio career of Pat George started simply by being in the right place at the right time.

George was a janitor at WDAE in the 1970s when a personality called in sick. And because George could operate the broadcast board, he was allowed to fill in.

Pat George, dressed as Santa Claus, shares breakfast with kids at the Old Lutz School recently during the town’s Christmas events. (Courtesy of Suzin Carr)

The rest is history. He officially joined WRBQ-FM — informally known as Q105 — in 1979, and then spent another decade or so at Radio Disney.

George is still recognized when he’s out and about — but not so much when he sticks a long white beard to his face, and slips into a bright red costume. It’s then that George becomes Santa Claus, a common visitor to the area — including the Old Lutz School — finding out what children everywhere want to find under the tree come Christmas morning.

“I don’t know what it is, the eyes or the smile, but when I watch little kids approach me as Santa Claus, they’re willing to sit on my lap. And some of these are kids who never sit on Santa’s lap otherwise. Maybe it’s because I have blue eyes. Who knows?”

Every year, George will dust off the Santa costume at the beginning of December, and make a number of appearances at events and even private homes leading up to Christmas. He takes part in the Christmas festivities at the Old Lutz School because his son is a member of the Civil Air Patrol’s North Tampa-Lutz Squadron, which meets at the historic landmark. He’s been the go-to Santa there the past few years, and families look forward to having him there.

“There are still kids that sit on Santa’s lap and cry, but parents still snap a picture,” George said, with a chuckle. “I don’t understand it at all. But I always try to talk to the kids, I pat them on the shoulder and tell them they are my buddy, and that usually calms them down enough to get a happier picture.”

The big item kids want this year are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, popular toy characters from the 1980s that have been resurrected thanks to the recent movie. Boys in particular, George said, want the Ninja Turtle backpack, which like the turtles themselves, comes in a hard shell.

What girls are asking for, however, is surprising.

“A lot of them want guitars,” George said. “I don’t know what it is out there driving it, and I’m pretty up on a lot of music. But it might be because there are a lot of shows on television right now where girls are not only singing, but they’re playing instruments too. So maybe we have Taylor Swift to thank for that.”

Of course, the big question Santa always asks children is whether they have been naughty or nice. Many say they’ve been good, but some will be honest and talk about some of the bad things they’ve done.

“I always tell them to be a good example to their younger brother and sister, and be sure to listen to their parents,” George said. “Always look out for your brother and sister, whether it’s at school or at the mall, and go to bed early. And if nothing else, make sure you have a good time, because we’re only kids once.”

Getting to know Santa Claus

What’s your favorite kind of milk?
I think 2 percent milk is the best, but never skim milk. It’s just too thin, even for Santa.

What’s summer like at the North Pole?
There’s nothing at the North Pole in the summer. That’s because Santa likes to go to the Caribbean, wearing Bermuda shorts and relaxing. But no matter how far you get into the Caribbean, people still recognize you.

How do you make all your stops on Christmas Eve?
It’s very magical, but we also get an early start. We don’t like to waste too much time. Sometimes I might be a little late, but that’s only because some boys and girls don’t want to go to bed early, and I have to wait down the street for them to fall asleep.

Who is your favorite reindeer?
It’s definitely between Donner and Blitzen. Rudolph gets all the attention and excitement, and the other reindeer are very quiet. But they are all hard-working reindeer.

What’s your message to the people of the world?
Santa would like peace on Earth, and goodwill to all. And a grilled cheese sandwich when it’s all done.

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‘I can’t take you anywhere’

December 24, 2014 By Michael Hinman

When I was in high school, I had the opportunity to work at a radio station not far from my Pennsylvania home, where I anchored the weekend news.

That was a big job for someone so young, something I didn’t appreciate until I was older. But it sure got me a lot of attention — especially from my church, a small rural Methodist congregation that would get me up at the pulpit regularly to read Bible passages.

Christmas time in the Hinman household back in 1979 included … power tools?

My hometown was primarily Roman Catholic, so one of the big events of the year, obviously, was Christmas Eve Mass.

At the same time, I thought there was something special about conducting a service entirely by candlelight, like my church did for the holiday season.

I really wanted to share the candlelight service with one of my good Catholic friends. And she was all for it — as long as I, in turn, accompanied her to Mass.

I think my friend was surprised by the simplicity of the service at my church, and enjoyed what was a very intimate, yet moving celebration of Christmas.

Later on, we took our seats in the large sanctuary that was Holy Rosary Church in the heart of downtown. It was packed with people, as if Bruce Springsteen himself was going to come out and deliver a homily.

Once the priest arrived at the altar, he started talking. I’m sure what he was saying was profound, but what really got my attention is that behind me from a balcony on the second story, a small choir started a low, dramatic hum.

The priest continued to talk, and he held out his hands, first at waist level, and then on a slow rise up. As his hands ascended higher and higher, so did the crescendo of the choir behind us.

Suddenly, the priest’s hands shot straight up into the air, and the choir was in full majestic sound. At the same time, all the holiday lighting came to life around the beautifully adorned sanctuary, and it was as if a small slice of heaven had enveloped the room.

I was shocked and I was awed. I was overwhelmed by the sound, the light, the energy.

Before I knew it, I was up on my feet, clapping and cheering — completely in the moment, even as the choir finished its long note.

It might have been only a few seconds, but to me it felt like an eternity. I stopped clapping, and looked around. It was only then I realized I was the only one applauding, the only one standing.

All eyes were upon me.

I quietly sat back down, and the service resumed. I was so afraid that my friend would be irritated by my behavior. But as the priest starting speaking again, she leaned over and said, with a mock, angry look, “I can’t take you anywhere.”

Michael Hinman is the news editor of The Laker/Lutz News, joining the staff in 2013. Besides focusing his coverage on local government and development, he’s also responsible for planning every issue of the paper.

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Connerton in early planning stages for 150-bed hospital

December 24, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Florida Hospital is inching closer to eventually building a new hospital in the Connerton community after developers there got initial approval for a 150-bed facility.

Pasco County’s Development Review Committee gave the initial OK last week for Connerton to begin planning its second phase of the project, which could include 3,600 more homes, 190,000 square feet of retail and 725,000 square feet of government space.

As Connerton continues to grow just north of Land O’ Lakes, entrances from U.S. 41 and State Road 52 will have to be improved, Pasco County officials say. (File Photo)

The revised plan adds another 110,000 square feet of medical office space, bringing that total to 200,000, doubling the nursing home beds to 100, and adding 150 beds for a hospital.

Despite the move, Connerton representative Stew Gibbons tells The Laker/Lutz News there aren’t any immediate plans to build a hospital at the Land O’ Lakes Boulevard community, located just south of State Road 52.

“What we’re doing with now is securing approval of the entitlement limits so that can decide what they can put there, depending on the market at the time,” Gibbons said. “It’s a great location, especially when Ridge Road goes through, which will give you access across the county. “

Florida Hospital — which operates local hospitals in Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and the University of South Florida area of Tampa — owns about 34 acres of land in the county, purchased by University Community Hospital Inc., before that hospital chain was acquired by Florida Hospital’s parent. It was part of a $5.1 million land deal the hospital put together in October 2007, just as the housing market was starting to come apart.

For the second phase of Pasco’s “new town,” Connerton is looking to focus a little more on multifamily, with about a third of the proposed residential in that phase taking that route. The first phase was primarily single-family homes, with approvals for nearly 4,000 homes.

The second phase also would include Connerton’s employment center, which will be a mix of government, office, industrial and medical.

“This is an example of how Connerton always has been designed,” said Andrea Zelman, an attorney who represents the community. “We are on the road to creating those jobs.”

But to do that, some of the roads in and around Connerton will need to be upgraded. That would include turn lanes for the entrances off U.S. 41 and State Road 52, and also finishing the link with Collier Parkway that has been on the drawing board for years.

Pasco’s chief assistant county attorney David Goldstein put emphasis on the stretch of Collier Parkway, proposed to link from Ehren Cutoff, calling it a “crucial piece of roadway that we cannot ignore much longer.”

“I wanted to make sure the county people up here understand the importance of doing something about Collier Parkway,” Goldstein told the committee. “We have to find a way to build that missing gap of Collier, and get that connected up to the employment center.”

However, not everyone is for expanding Collier. Stephen Coogle, who owns a 6-acre home on Ehren Cutoff bordering the Connerton project, said neighbors to the development deserve more attention to ensure they don’t lose value in their homes.

“We need to have buffers,” Coogle said, which could come primarily by preserving existing tree lines that border his property. Also, drainage from a Collier Parkway extension would need to be properly taken care of, so that it doesn’t flood his property instead.

“Our property and wetlands are not being taken into consideration,” Coogle said. “Progress needs to happen, but we should not have to sacrifice what we paid for.”

Gibbons said Connerton developers are working to address concerns of neighbors, but that many of Coogle’s concerns are premature.

“We are in the timing and phasing process, and we haven’t even designed anything yet,” Gibbons said.

When that process does begin, surrounding neighbors would be notified, and have a chance to express concern while those plans are drawn up.

Roadway improvements will be funded in part by a nearly $30 million contribution by Connerton, along with another $7.7 million in county incentives.

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Pasco won’t issue same-sex marriage licenses Jan. 6

December 23, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Florida is set to become the 36th state in the nation to allow same-sex marriages just after the new year starts. But don’t expect Pasco — or even neighboring counties — to join in.

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene in a Florida case, where U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle struck down laws banning same-sex marriage in August, saying the state’s ban violated the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which provides for equal protection under the law. Hinkle refused to keep a stay in place for further appeal, which would technically allow same-sex marriages beginning Jan. 6.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi appealed that decision to the Supreme Court, which decided last Friday not to reinstate the stay that would’ve put a hold on Hinkle’s decision.

Yet, there continues to be quite a bit of ambiguity when it comes to the court ruling, and whether or not county clerk’s offices — like Paula O’Neil’s locally — would be allowed to start issuing same-sex marriage licenses on Jan. 6.

“Due to this legal uncertainty, our clerk … has been advised by the Florida Court Clerks & Comptroller’s association and its legal counsel to refrain from issuing same-sex marriage licenses without a binding order issued by a court of proper jurisdiction,” said Debbie Gay, the interim director of records in O’Neil’s office, in a release.

On her website, O’Neil said there “has been a lot of press” about same-sex marriage in Florida, and as a constitutional officer, she is required to “support, protect and defend” the U.S. Constitution, as well as both federal and state laws. Those state laws, she said, currently prohibit marriage licenses to a couple that is not a man and a woman, and that a clerk who violates that prohibition is guilty of a criminal act that would make them subject to both fine and imprisonment.

The case Hinkle decided, O’Neil said, was specific to those who sued Washington County, and does not have authority or provide protection for clerks of court outside that county to issue same-sex marriage licenses.

Bondi, responding to the Supreme Court decision, also remained ambiguous on what the ruling would mean once the stay is lifted Jan. 5.

“Regardless of the ruling, it has always been our goal to have uniformity throughout Florida until the final resolution of the numerous challenges to the voter-approved constitutional amendment on marriage,” Bondi said in a statement. “Nonetheless, the Supreme Court has now spoken, and the stay will end on Jan. 5.”

Although clerks like O’Neil may be worried about criminal penalties if they start issuing same-sex marriage licenses, some gay rights groups warn clerks should be worried if they don’t.

“Any Florida clerk who refuses to follow the Constitution’s command, and who withholds marriage licenses from couples once the stay expires, is on the wrong side of history, and the wrong side of the law,” said Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, in a statement through the gay rights advocacy group Equality Florida. “A discredited memo from a law firm won’t provide much protection against the risk of being sued for unconstitutional actions, and being held liable for any damages — and attorney fees — incurred by couples as a result of withholding the freedom to marry. There is one Constitution, Florida is one state, and all Floridians are entitled to equal treatment throughout the state.”

Minter is referring to the legal opinion from the Greenberg Traurig law firm that clerks like O’Neil are adhering to in deciding whether or not to issue same-sex marriage licenses.

Compton, Proctor seek re-election in Zephyrhills

December 19, 2014 By Michael Hinman

One election season has ended, but it seems another already is getting underway.

Kent Compton and Charles Proctor were the first candidates to file for the April elections, both looking to retain their seats on the Zephyrhills City Council.

Both won re-election the last time their seats were up in 2013. Compton defeated Rose Hale while Proctor was unopposed.

The two pre-filed their paperwork to run, and will need to officially qualify for the election between Feb. 10 and Feb. 17.

Compton is the wife of former city councilwoman Cathi Campton, and was first elected in 2006, according to his bio on the city’s website. He has lived in Zephyrhills since 1993, and is a local attorney.

Proctor, the current council president, owns an auto detailing shop on Eighth Street, and has lived in Florida since 1989.

Voters will elect new council members and other municipal leaders during the next election, set for April 14.

HornBlasters owner buys industrial space in Zephyrhills

December 19, 2014 By Michael Hinman

A Crystal Springs company known for its manufacture of train horns designed for cars and trucks is expanding its property holdings in the greater Zephyrhills area.

Landon Enterprises LLC, a company associated with HornBlasters Inc. owner Matthew Heller, closed last month on more than 5.5 acres of land located inside Copeland Industrial Park, not far from the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport.

The $900,000 sale included a 22,500-square-foot steel building constructed in 2001 at 3752 and 3748 Copeland Drive. The structure had been owned by Linex Investments Inc. since 2006, according to county property records, when the company picked up the land and building through a $1.7 million receiver’s deed.

It’s not clear what Heller has planned for the property, or if he plans to move HornBlasters into it. That company currently lists a site on Pattie Road in Crystal Springs as its address, a nearly 10-acre piece of property Heller picked up last May for $85,000. Heller did not respond to a request by The Laker/Lutz News a few weeks ago for comment.

Landon’s new property purchase is zoned for light industrial, while HornBlasters’ current site in Crystal Springs is zoned for mobile homes, according to county property records.

Companies could get tax credits for hiring felons

December 19, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Getting out of prison can be tough for many convicted felons, not just adjusting to the outside world, but finding a way to fit in.

Jobs remains one of the biggest obstacles to making that transition, but a Miami lawmaker is proposing an idea that might provide an incentive for companies to hire them.

State Rep. Cynthia Stafford, D-Miami, has introduced H.B. 121, which would allow companies that employ a convicted felon with a $1,000 one-time tax break.

If the current form is passed and signed into law, any company that hires a felon beginning Jan. 1, 2016, and keeps them employed for at least a year, can take a corporate tax credit. It’s only good once for each new employee, and would not apply to anyone who was classified as a violent career criminal, a habitual felony offender of both the violent and non-violent kind, or a three-time violent offender.

The credit could be used for sexual offenders and sexual predators, provided they are properly registered with the state, according to Stafford’s bill.

There are not many ways for convicts to get jobs once they serve their time, and there are few programs to help them. Some advocates to helping convicts no longer serving sentences believe that without the chance to get a job, they’ll simply end up back behind bars.

A 2010 report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research, found that while between 80 and 90 percent of employers would consider hiring former welfare recipients or workers with little recent work experience, only about 40 percent would consider hiring people with criminal records, especially for jobs that involved customer relations or handling money.

The Florida Department of Corrections offers what it calls a re-entry program that provide a number of services, including job placement.

Future is here: Body cameras coming to Pasco

December 18, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Many law enforcement agencies around the country continue to debate whether they should have patrol officers wear body cameras — but the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office isn’t waiting any longer.

More than 400 deputies and investigators will be equipped with body cameras in February, a movie Sheriff Chris Nocco said would make neighborhoods safer for deputies and the people who live in them.

Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy and field training officer Kristina Perez, right, demonstrates the new body camera that other deputies in Sheriff Chris Nocco’ department will be equipped with beginning in February. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

“This is not the panacea,” Nocco said during a news conference last week. “This is not going to be the cure-all for all the issues of our world. But it’s a tool, just like any other tool that we use in law enforcement.”

The sheriff’s office is in the process of ordering 415 sets of Taser Axon cameras, which can be mounted on glasses, hats, shirt fronts, collars, lapels and other locations on a deputy. They record up to four hours of video and audio, and have a battery that lasts 12 hours.

Deputies will turn it on whenever they get out of their patrol car to interact with the public or investigate a crime, Nocco said. At the end of each shift, deputies connect their camera to a docking station to upload each video. Once it’s in the system, they cannot be manipulated, and deputies will not be able to edit them.

It’s the kind of system that will not only provide transparency in how deputies interact with people inside Pasco County, but it also could streamline the court system significantly.

“The criminal justice system’s job is to get to the truth,” said Craig Laporte, an attorney with Proly Laporte & Mulligan in Port Richey, who represents one of the deputy unions. “If an individual has, in fact, committed a crime, this provides evidence of that. This could reduce the number of jury trials … because the state attorney will immediately have information they can use.”

Cameras also could significantly reduce the complaints filed against deputies, each one of which must be investigated. By having an unedited video and audio record of the encounter, internal investigations would not have to rely on witness accounts alone, discouraging people from making false claims against the officer.

It also could stop a deputy from crossing any lines, making some of the problems police are experiencing in New York City and Ferguson, Missouri, a lot less likely to happen.

While the use of body cameras is something some observers have suggested after the officer-involved deaths in those cities, Nocco said Pasco’s plan has been in motion for quite some time, with field testing beginning last October.

“This started months ago because citizens are constantly pulling their phones out and taping deputies,” Nocco said. Those deputies were “looking on their own to get body cameras, and they were talking about buying them on their own. But I said to wait, because we have to come up with a policy.”

That policy includes when deputies are expected to have the cameras on, and how long videos will be stored before they’re deleted. The policy also makes it clear that the cameras can’t be used as “Big Brother,” Nocco said, referring to the novel “1984,” where supervisors can’t pull up random video just for the sake of disciplining a deputy.

The entire program will cost $400,000 a year — far less than what other neighboring agencies like the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is considering, Nocco said. Initial funds will come from federal forfeiture dollars, but future years will require funding through tax dollars controlled by the Pasco County Commission.

The cameras bring their own controversies to the table, primarily when it comes to privacy rights, Fourth Amendment protections of search and seizure through the U.S. Constitution, and how footage is used, and what is made available to the public. Nocco says he hopes lawmakers in Tallahassee will address body cameras this coming year, but in the meantime, he’s moving forward.

So far for the upcoming legislative session, only one bill has been filed in Tallahassee regarding body cameras. State Rep. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park, filed H.B. 57 on Dec. 4 that, if passed, would require every uniformed law enforcement officer primarily assigned to patrol duties to be equipped with a body camera by Jan. 1, 2016.

“We’re not fearful of being a leader out there,” Nocco said. “There’s always going to be bumps in the road, and there is always going to be tweaks.”

Cameras like this already are in use in different parts of the United Kingdom, and those police departments provided a significant amount of data on how the cameras were used. For example, one town in Scotland found that 70 percent of cases that involved body cameras were less likely to go to trial. Closer to home in Rialto, California, complaints against law enforcement officers dropped from 24 to just three.

Published December 17, 2014

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Orthodontist plans medical building at Wesley Chapel hospital

December 18, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Developers are looking to build a three-story office building just in front of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel on land connected to a local orthodontist.

Armando Cabre, of Cabre Engineering LLC, is set to meet with county officials behind closed doors next week to discuss plans to build a 16,000-square-foot medical office building on 1.8 acres of land just north of State Road 56 along Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

Cabre doesn’t mention who is interested in developing the land, but it’s owned by Lismark Holdings LLC, a company connected to New Tampa orthodontist Mark Farina, the owner of Farina Orthodontics on Amberly Drive, as well as a second location in South Tampa. Lismark, according to county property records, purchased the land in November 2013 for $1.28 million.

The vacant land currently is zoned for commercial, and is part of a larger sector of land the Porter family — who control the Wiregrass Ranch development — have designated for primarily medical uses to help complement the Wesley Chapel hospital.

No other details were shared about the facility, except that some of the project would be set aside to construct a drive-thru ATM somewhere in the future. It’s also not clear if Farina plans to use space in the office himself, or if he’s building to attract other medical professionals. An early morning request for comment Thursday was pending return.

It’s likely too early to talk a construction start date just yet, since meeting with county officials typically is a preliminary step in the development process.