Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Optimum Plumbing’s Personal Approach to Plumbing

August 28, 2018 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By William Jacko

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

When people think of an American success story, they may very well be thinking of Vladimir Breton and Optimum Plumbing.

After earning a civil engineering degree in his native Dominican Republic, Breton immigrated to the United States and took a job as a plumber’s assistant in New York. He did not speak English, but he had a plan — to one day own his own business.

Breton eventually moved to Florida to fulfill his dream. Starting with nothing, in just five years he proceeded to build a successful plumbing business. It was 2012 when Breton founded Optimum Plumbing in Land O’ Lakes with just one truck, and today the business has grown to five trucks servicing customers throughout Tampa Bay.

Services include new plumbing fixtures, leak detection, inspections, gas and waterline repair, re-piping, sewer line video inspections, repair and installation of garbage disposals, tubs, sinks, and water closets and whole-house water filters.

“We are also a licensed general contractor,” Breton said. “We wanted to offer more than just plumbing, and are now doing kitchen and bathroom renovation locally, and hotel and apartment complex renovation everywhere in Florida.”

Breton strongly believes in soliciting feedback from his customers to improve service.

“We always follow up with the customer,” he said. “We call the next day to make sure everything is OK, to ask, ‘How was the service? How was the technician?’ As soon as we close the call, we send a thank you email and send a link and to give us a review.”

Optimum Plumbing has earned more than its share of recognition. In 2013, the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund awarded it Startup of the Year. In 2016, it won the Pasco Economic Development Council Service and Distribution Industry of the Year Category 1 Award. The Better Business Bureau has rated it A+ for three consecutive years, and Angie’s List has awarded it Super Service in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Breton appreciates the importance of community and is active in the Central Pasco, Upper Tampa Bay, and North Tampa Bay chambers of commerce.

“My wife and I have become part of the community,” he said. “Wherever we go, people know us. The business has been a way to meet people and to support community projects.”

Family is very important to Breton, and not surprisingly, several family members are involved in the business, including his wife as office manager, his sister-in-law as marketing director and even his 20-year-old college-student daughter, who works part- time in dispatching.”

Being licensed, bonded and insured, Optimum Plumbing offers 24-hour emergency service for plumbing, drain service and water heaters, and provide warranties on all of their work.

“We stand by our work, everything that we do, no matter what it is, from a job as simple as a garbage disposal to a sewer line cleaning,” Breton said.

The next time you need a plumber, call Optimum Plumbing at (813) 391-9287, or visit OptimumPlumbingllc.com.

Dementia Care Only at Memory Lane Cottage

August 28, 2018 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

In the three years since Memory Lane Cottage opened in New Tampa, it has helped many individuals and families cope with the challenges that come with dementia-related diseases.

“Coming to terms with a family member’s dementia or Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis isn’t easy, and choosing a compassionate environment for your loved one’s long-term care can be equally daunting,” said Robert Matrazzo, chief operating officer. “At Memory Lane Cottage, we are dedicated to providing a loving, intimate, memory-care environment where residents retain a sense of independence and dignity.”

Memory Lane Cottage houses just 20 residents. There are no long hallways for residents to navigate, and all resident suites open directly to a common area with living and dining rooms located next to the kitchen, a floor plan very similar to a private home.

Residents also enjoy the outdoors, with the Cottage’s 13,000-square-foot, enclosed courtyard that has gardening stations, water features and walking paths to encourage residents to explore and enjoy the outdoors in a safe setting.

It was Memory Lane Cottage’s exclusive on memory care, and its limited number of residents, that attracted Administrator Rhonda Travland.

“Because we’re not trying to be everything to everyone, we can focus 100 percent on memory care residents,” said Travland, who has 30 years experience in senior care management. “We do not offer independent living or assisted living, and this makes us really unique.”

A common problem for people with dementia, said Travland, is sensory overload in loud, noisy and crowded environments, because memory-care residents cannot easily process information in a crowd.

“At Memory Lane, residents are not overwhelmed by the business of a large community with constant distractions and noises,” Travland said. “The beauty of our community is its design to look and feel like a luxury estate home.”

To simulate this luxury home setting feel, a mailbox is in the courtyard for residents to check. Waist-high gardening stations offer familiar exercise and recreation without the physical strain of having to bend. And, the scent of cinnamon baked goodies wafts regularly from an open kitchen to stimulate residents’ appetites.

Travland has personal experience with loved ones with dementia. When her grandmother was diagnosed with dementia, it changed her life and greatly influenced her decisions to earn college degrees in gerontology and nursing home administration.

“As a teen, my grandmother developed vascular dementia, and my family had no idea what their rights were, or what the disease course was going to be like for my grandmother. Dementia can splinter families, as it did in my own family,” said Travland said.

“And then, when I was a nursing home administrator, my husband started showing signs of young onset dementia when he was just 38,” she continued. “So I know dementia from a personal and professional perspective, and my experiences can help families because I have empathy on both sides.”

Families and their input are important to the Memory Lane Cottage community, and management always listens to families to gauge the level of service they provide.

“Memory Lane Cottage is an answer to a prayer for our family,” said Matrazzo, reading a letter from a resident’s family member. “The staff shows such care, and the facility is so warm and homelike. They have thought of every possible detail to ensure a wonderful experience for my mother’s life here.”

Memory Lane Cottage can be found on Cypress Preserve Drive off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, just south of Interstate 75. For more information, call (813) 632-1270 or visit MemoryLaneCottage.com.

Lakeview at Citrus Park Has Park-Like Setting and Superb Location

August 22, 2018 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Next to the Veterans and just minutes to Carrollwood

Mattamy Homes is launching its second townhome community in north Tampa —Lakeview at Citrus Park. The community is opening soon at an idyllic location overlooking Gant Lake at the end of Tom Fuller Road, located just south of Ehrlich Road and east of the Veterans Expressway.

VIP-only presales are taking place this weekend, Aug. 24 to Aug. 26, with sales opening to the general public on Saturday, Sept. 1.

To qualify for VIP presales, register at MattamyHomes.com/Tampa. VIP benefits include first selection of homes, VIP pricing and other incentives.

“This is one of the prettiest and most convenient locations in the north Tampa area,” said Kathleen Dec, marketing manager for Mattamy’s West Florida Division. “Our homeowners will enjoy living less than two miles from Westfield Citrus Park Mall, and will appreciate the easy access to Tampa via the Veterans Expressway. Plus, Tampa International Airport is only 12 miles from the community.”

In addition to its great location, this gated community will boast a community pier with resident access to Gant Lake for fishing, kayaking and paddle boarding, and also a children’s playground.

Upon completion, Lakeview at Citrus Park will have 124 townhomes. Buyers will choose from five floor plans that are similar to the popular plans sold at Mattamy Homes’ Lakeside Preserve community in Lutz.

Home sizes will range from 1,670 to 2,620 square feet, and offer 3 to 4 bedrooms, 2.5 to 3 baths, and 1- or 2-car garages. Pricing begins from the mid $200,000s.

To learn more about Lakeview at Citrus Park, visit MattamyHomes.com, call Melanie Sikorski at (813) 278-1760, or email .

Last Chance For Lakeshore Preserve
In less than a year, the Mattamy Homes community of Lakeshore Preserve in Lutz has sold 80 percent of its townhomes in the 102-home community, located on Van Dyke Road and Lakeshore Road, just west of Dale Mabry Highway.

“We’re down to our last 20 homes, and expect all to sell by the end of the year,” said Marketing Manager Dec. “Lakeshore Preserve has sold very well in the year since we opened because of its great location and unique floor plans that optimize living spaces to fit an array of buyers’ needs.”

Lakeshore Preserve has two contemporary townhome designs still available that offer 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 1- or 2-car garages. Townhomes are larger than many single-family homes, ranging from 1,888 to 2,333 square feet. Prices start in the mid $200,000s.

The community is less than two miles from the Veterans Expressway and Dale Mabry Highway, and close to shopping and dining in Carrollwood, Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel.

“Plus, our kids attend some of the best schools in all of Hillsborough County, which is a huge draw for many of our residents,” said Dec.

Lakeshore Preserve students are zoned to Steinbrenner High, Martinez Middle and Schwarzkopf Elementary, all located less than three miles away on Lutz Lake Fern Road. Charter school Sunlake Academy of Math and Science is less than a mile away.

This gated community offers a beautiful amenity center, which includes a large resort-style pool, outdoor area equipped with a covered cabana and breeze fans, outdoor kitchen, hammocks, shaded seating areas and game area.

To learn more about Lakeshore Preserve, visit MattamyHomes.com, call Melanie Sikorski at (813) 370-1254, or email .

Mattamy Homes is the largest privately owned homebuilder in North America, with a nearly 40-year history of operations across the United States and Canada. Every year, Mattamy helps 7,000 families realize their dream of home ownership. Visit MattamyHomes.com for more information.

Published August 22, 2018

First Responders Call Bexley Home

August 22, 2018 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

First responders are a tight-knit group. It’s that feeling of camaraderie that attracted Liam Symmonds, a firefighter and paramedic in Pasco County, to the Bexley community in Land O’ Lakes.

Liam, his wife, Keisha and their three young daughters moved to Bexley last year from Trinity. Turns out, Liam is in good company, because Bexley is home to about a dozen first responders who work throughout Tampa Bay.

Since moving to their new neighborhood, Liam learned that two of his co-workers also live in Bexley; one of them just a few doors down from the Symmonds family. Liam was so impressed with his homebuying experience at Bexley, and with all the community has to offer, that he encouraged another friend and first responder who works in Tampa to make the move to Bexley.

“I’ve also met several other firefighters and police officers around the community, either at neighborhood events or at the pool,” Liam said.

For the Symmonds, Bexley is an idyllic place to raise a young family.

“Bexley has a great vibe,” he added. “We love all of the amenities, the parks and the events that are held within the community. It’s so much more than just a regular neighborhood.”

Bexley takes its inspiration from nature. With 1,825 acres of pastoral ranch lands, mature woodlands and cypress wetlands, Bexley offers miles of multi-surface Avid™ trails for biking, jogging or walking. Fit Stations are placed along the trails for exercisers who want to work out while enjoying the great outdoor scenery, or take their workout regimen to the next level. Around the community, kids spend hours on the custom-built playgrounds; sports lovers of all ages enjoy Mud, Sweat and Gears Park for soccer or football games; and Bexley’s BMX bicycle pump track lets daredevils try out new tricks. There’s even the BarkYard Park for four-legged family members, with separate spaces for big and small dogs.

As a volunteer soccer coach, Liam also appreciates living so close to Mud, Sweat & Gears park, where he can kick the ball around with his daughters, ages 11, 8 and 5. The fact that his girls can walk or ride their bikes to nearby Bexley Elementary School, located within the community, is also a convenience for Liam and his wife. Plus, Liam has a short, 3-mile commute to work.

“The first responders who live in Bexley bring a great sense of fellowship to the community,” said Pam Parisi, vice president of marketing for Newland Communities, the developer of Bexley. “As we prepared for Hurricane Irma, many of the first responders were there to lend a helping hand to their neighbors by putting up storm shutters and making sure families were ready.”

“Bexley is a place where neighbors look out for each other,” added Liam. “You just don’t find that everywhere.”

Located in Land O’Lakes in central Pasco County, north of State Road 54 and just east of the Suncoast Parkway, Bexley is in a prime location that is convenient to many areas of Tampa Bay.

The community’s 1,825 acres of pastoral ranch lands, mature woodlands and cypress wetlands have earned it numerous awards, including best master-planned community and best recreational facility from the Southeast Building Conference, and a Best in American Living Award for best single-family community from the National Association of Home Builders.

To learn more about living at Bexley, visit BexleyFlorida.com.

Published August 22, 2018

Want To Move To A New Home By The Holidays?

August 22, 2018 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Then visit Ashley Woods’ 18 Inventory Homes In Asturia

Ashton Woods is in its final sales phase at Asturia, with 75 percent of home sites sold since the community opened two years ago.

“We’ve had tremendous success in Asturia, selling over 100 beautiful homes in this much-desired community on State Road 54,” said Sales Manager Kristin Wilson. “We have just 45 homes to go, and expect all to be gone by the end of the year, with many families closing before the holidays.”

Because most families want to move into their new home by the end of the year, Ashton Woods has received permits from Pasco County for its remaining homes sites in Asturia

“This saves our buyers up to three months in the building process,” said Jillian Harris, Ashton Woods’ community sales manager in Asturia, a master-planned community in Odessa.

“Our designers have put together beautiful combinations of flooring, countertops, design features and colors that will excite the vast majority of buyers,” she said. “Plus, we have a great combination of homes that convert flex space to extra bedrooms, add bonus rooms and extra baths, and have great outdoor living areas with front porches and extended lanais.”

While construction is underway on many homes, Ashton Woods buyers are still able to select flooring, countertops, cabinets and other nonstructural customizations on several homes that will be completed in November and December.

“We are known for our affordable personalization at the Design Studio, and families who want to pick out their finishes and colors are reserving these homes right now,” said Harris.

Inventory Homes
Ashton Woods offers traditional one- and two-story homes in its traditional home series. All feature open floor plans, large living areas, beautiful master suites, high-end finishes and lots of storage. Homes have two or three-car garages, and many back up to private conservation lots.

Spacious Classic Series
Six traditional inventory homes are ready now in the Classic series, including two, one- story homes. The versatile Odessa plan has three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths in 2,243 square feet. The larger Naples plan offers four bedrooms, three baths in 2,321 square feet.

Also ready now are three, two-story homes with two-car garages, including the Ferrara model home at 2,890 square feet with its four bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths.

The 3,362-square-foot Athens is the largest home Ashton Woods builds in Asturia, and boasts up to five bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths.

Affordable Heritage Series
Many first-time homebuyers and downsizing families choose the Heritage Series. Ashton Woods has five move-in ready homes available in these well-designed floor plans, including three, one-story homes.

Two homes are ready now in the popular Milan plans, at 2,722 square feet with four bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths. The slightly smaller Adams plan is 1,829 square feet with three bedrooms and two baths.

Available two stories homes are the Lincoln, Monroe and Ellington plans. Square footage ranges from 2,329 to 2,638 square feet, and homes offer up to five bedrooms and three baths.

Evergreen and Grove Series
Ashton Woods is the only builder in Asturia offering single-family homes with garages at the rear of the house. There are nine, quick move-in homes available in these series, all conveniently located close to Asturia’s Amenity center.

The two-story Blackwater is the largest rear-load home available, at 2,309 square feet with four bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths.

There are four Arlington plans at 2,003 square feet, and also four Ortega plans at 2,189 square feet. These homes begin at $279,000.

Great Schools
“For families with children, Asturia is a very popular community because it is zoned for some of the best schools in Pasco County — J.W. Mitchell High, Seven Springs Middle and Odessa Elementary,” said Harris.

Asturia is the ultimate choice for buyers considering the many master-planned communities along State Road 54. Buyers prefer Asturia’s smaller size of just 550 homes, compared to thousands being built in neighboring developments, and appreciate that construction will not be going on for years.

“People especially like that our homes are not on top of each other,” said Sales Manager Wilson. “Asturia’s developer did a great job laying out its streets, so it doesn’t look like a cookie-cutter community.”

Ashton Woods was named the 2017 Builder of the Year by Builder and Developer Magazine and, for the fourth consecutive year, has been ranked among the top three for Most Trusted Builders in America.

For more information, go to AshtonWoods.com/tampa/Asturia. You can also call the sales center at (813) 446-8362.

Published August 22, 2018

New traffic signals aim to improve safety

August 22, 2018 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

A new traffic signal has been installed and is now operating at Eiland Boulevard and Handcart Road, and another traffic signal installation is underway at Eiland Boulevard and Geiger Road.

A ribbon cutting for the traffic signal at Eiland and Handcart is scheduled for Aug. 23 at 9 a.m.

The installation of that light was completed in time for the 7 a.m. start of the school year on Aug. 13.

“It’s been a very dangerous intersection,” said Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley.

A new signal is expected to be operating at Eiland and Geiger by late November.

The traffic volume along Eiland Boulevard has been increasing as the county experiences more development, Oakley said.

The Eiland and Handcart intersection is among three that Oakley said were priorities.

In addition to the Eiland traffic signals, a third one is planned at Chancey Road and Coats Road. That signal will be operating in late October.

And, along with the traffic signal, Eiland and Handcart had other improvements, including guardrails and road resurfacing.

Pasco County completed a 30-day traffic operations study at the intersection to collect traffic data.

The analysis showed that the traffic signal was warranted “based on Handcart (Road) southbound approach volumes and the amount of left turn vehicles turning east onto Eiland Boulevard.”

The study also found that two crashes occurred from Jan. 1, 2013 to Dec. 31, 2013. The crashes “may have been prevented with the installation of a traffic signal,” the study found.

From Jan. 1, 2012 to Dec. 31, 2014, the study also documented two angle crashes that occurred at the intersection.

However, the number of crashes alone didn’t indicate a “historic trend,” or meet national standards of five or more angle crashes that could be prevented by installing a traffic signal.

The Pasco County Commission approved the design plans for the project in 2016. Construction began in March 2018.

By Kathy Steele

Published August 22, 2018

Bexley seeks permit for on-site borrow pit

August 22, 2018 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Bexley by Newland Communities won approval from the Pasco County Planning Commission to operate a borrow pit at the master-planned community, off State Road 54, in Land O’ Lakes.

Approval also is required from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, also known as Swiftmud, and the matter also needs approval from the Pasco County Commission.

If approved, the conditional use permit from Pasco would allow up to 1 million cubic yards of sand and dirt to be excavated and hauled away over four years.

The borrow pit would be reclaimed afterward.

This rendering shows the master-planned community of Bexley by Newland Communities, at State Road 54, east of Suncoast Parkway. (File)

The infill dirt is for internal uses at Bexley. However, some portion of the dirt would cross over Tower Road, a road used by the public.

The borrow pit site is south of Tower Road, west of Sunlake Boulevard, and about half-mile east of Ballantrae Boulevard.

“The fill dirt is being removed and will be used for development of the office portion of the project,” said attorney Andrea Zelman.

Though some trucks will cross over Tower Road, all of the dirt will be used as part of the Bexley development, Zelman said.

The borrow pit’s operating hours will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. It will not operate on Sundays or holidays.

Once work begins, signs will be posted to alert motorists of trucks accessing Tower Road.

Bexley is a master-planned community with about 1,700 acres located on the north side of State Road 54, east of the Suncoast Parkway, and on north and south sides of Tower Road.

The community is approved for up to 1,200 single family residences and 520 multifamily dwellings, as well as about 94,500 square feet of commercial and retail, and about 563,000 square feet of offices.

By Kathy Steele

Published August 22, 2018

Food trucks get the go-ahead

August 22, 2018 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Pasco County is close to rolling out the welcome mat to food trucks as a dining option.

The Pasco County Planning Commission approved a proposed food truck ordinance at its Aug. 9 meeting in Dade City.

Next, the Pasco County Commission will consider the ordinance, which establishes regulations on food trucks, as well as “veggie vans.”

Members of the county’s Food Policy Advisory Council helped craft the proposed ordinance. The advisory council also helped create the county’s first ordinance on community gardens.

Food trucks currently operate under regulations for special events, such as the Kumquat Festival in Dade City.

The Pasco County Fairgrounds is exempt from the ordinance because there already is a food venue agreement in place for that site.

If the ordinance is approved, no permits or registration would be required.

The ordinance aims to encourage more food truck events, including food truck rallies.

Other state agencies, including the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulations, already regulate food truck operations for health and safety.

“Qualifying mobile food operations will be those having obtained all required permits and licenses from the State of Florida,” according to the county’s ordinance.

The county would, however, impose special regulations to operate a permanent food truck “court.”

Those venues typically have multiple food truck selections in one location, and provide amenities, such as restrooms, seating, trash cans and play areas.

Football tailgaters don’t need to fret that the barbecue ribs, chicken, hot dogs and burgers served up from the back of their trucks will be governed by the new ordinance.

“It doesn’t regulate folks doing private tailgating,” said Denise Hernandez, the county’s zoning administrator. “This is for public consumption (of food) being sold to the public.”

The history of food trucks dates back centuries to when street vendors sold their wares from pushcarts. Charles Goodnight gets credit for the first chuck wagon that trailed along with cowboys during cattle drives in the West in the mid-1800s.

The more recent food truck fad started several years ago, and has become a permanent feature of the food industry.

Operating hours for food trucks generally would be from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. However, a location abutting residential would be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Food trucks would not be able to park overnight. If they operate from one location more than 90 days, the county would consider the operation permanent. Other regulations would then apply.

The ordinance also allows county departments, such as parks and recreation, to reach individual agreements for temporary food truck operations on county-owned property. A reservation fee, to be determined by each department, may be required.

By Kathy Steele

Published August 22, 2018

‘Clear the Shelters’ makes both pets and people happy

August 22, 2018 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Mark Martin, of Zephyrhills, left, and his wife, Amber, pose for a picture with the dog that they adopted during the Clear the Shelters event on Aug. 18 at Pasco County Animal Services in Land O’ Lakes. Amber said she knew ‘Charlie,’ a Jack Russell mix, was the one for them because he was very timid, and he appeared to need extra patience and love to trust people again, which they are happy to provide. (Christine Holtzman)

Pet lovers had a chance to add a new member to their family without paying adoption fees during a “Clear the Shelters’ event at Pasco County Animal Services, at 19640 Dogpatch Lane in Land O’Lakes.

The animal shelter, along with the nonprofit group Friends of Animal Services Inc., hosted the event as part of the national pet adoption drive.

The drive, launched four years ago, is spearheaded by the television media company NBC Universal, and sponsored by Cat’s Pride and Hill’s Pet Nutrition.

Shelters across the country taking part in the event either reduced or waived pet adoption fees.

Pasco County dispatch operator K.c. Pearson, of Port Richey, cuddles the kitten that she will soon officially adopt during the Clear the Shelters event. Pearson plans to name the kitten Psi. She already has a cat named ‘Zeta’ that she previously adopted from the shelter.

The Pasco shelter waived the adoption fee for the dozens of available cats and dogs, and required only the purchase of appropriate licensing for a new pet.

Normally, adoption fees are $70 to $85 for dogs and $40 to $50 for cats, which includes spay/neutering, vaccinations, microchip, heartworm testing for dogs, and FIV and feline leukemia for cats.

Rachel Stever, the education and outreach coordinator for the shelter, said this was the second year the shelter participated, and she expected about 300 people to attend.

Hanging out in the Feline Showroom, 12-year-old Mikaylah Chimara, of Zephyrhills, left, holds a kitten named ‘Flash.’ Her 8-year-old sister, Bella, center, holds ‘Shy,’ and her 10-year-old sister, Alicia, cuddles with ‘Rocket.’ Their mother Nicole, who brought the girls to the event as a surprise, said that they would be taking ‘Flash’ home.

People began lining up two hours before the doors opened and, by the time it did, a crowd of about 100 had gathered, Stever said.

During the first two hours of the event, 16 adoptions had occurred and 11 were pending, she added.

Pasco County Animal Services became a “Save 90” shelter in 2012, meaning that its goal is to save 90 percent of the animals that are brought to the facility.

In addition to getting adoption fees waived, those attending the event could pick up swag bags provided by Pet Supplies Plus, complete with pet food samples, treats and coupons, and a spin the wheel game for a chance to win a prize.

Friends of Animal Services, the nonprofit support group of Pasco County Animal Services, was there, too, showing off its memorial tree. Those making a $100 donation receive an engraved leaf on the memorial tree. All donations support the shelter.

By Christine Holtzman

Published August 22, 2018

School’s back in session

August 22, 2018 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

A new academic year has begun and the students at Sanders Memorial School, a STEAM Magnet School, at 5126 School Road in Land O’ Lakes, seemed eager to get back to learning. Kids streamed out of buses and up the sidewalks, as they made their way to start the 2018-2019 school year.