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Land O' Lakes News

New subdivision approved off Bell Lake Road

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Update: Because of an error in the notice for this rezoning, a new zoning hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 4 at 1:30 p.m., at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse, 37918 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.

A new subdivision for 27 detached residences has been approved on a site of about 9.5 acres, at the northwest corner of the intersection of Bell Lake Road and Alpine Road.

The site is about 1 mile east of U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

The main access to the development will be off of Alpine Road. As part of the approval, the developer must put a turn lane on Bell Lake Road.

The Pasco County Commission approved a rezoning for the development at its Jan. 7 meeting. The approval came despite a recommendation for denial by the Planning Commission, which cited incompatibility with lot sizes in the surrounding area.

Two neighbors also spoke in opposition to the proposed rezoning during the Planning Commission hearing. Their primary complaint was the proposed lot sizes of the project.

But, no one appeared in opposition at the County Commission hearing, and county planners maintained their recommendation of approval for the request.

Todd Pressman represented applicant Michael David Vincent.

Pressman noted his applicant’s initial request for 32 lots had been reduced to 27, and that the minimum lot width also had been increased.

County commissioners approved the request on a 4-0 vote, with Commissioner Jack Mariano absent.

Published January 22, 2020

Pasco announces bus Route 41 service changes

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Pasco County Public Transportation has changed services on Route 41 in Land O’ Lakes.

The changes, which took effect on Jan. 6, are based on ridership, according to a news release.

Here are the changes, in a nutshell:

  • An hourly service is being added to the Central Boulevard/Pasco Utilities complex.
  • Service is ending along Collier Parkway and along the State Road 54 corridor to Collier Parkway.
  • Saturday service has been eliminated for this route.

The news release said the Route 41 changes are being implemented relating to Collier Parkway and State Road 54 because of a lack of ridership.

Those wishing to ride the bus to businesses on Collier Parkway can connect to the Route 54 bus.

Route 41 begins at the U.S. 41 intersection with Central Boulevard. It continues south to multiple stops, including where U.S. 41 meets Gator Lane, State Road 54 and the apex where U.S. 41 and North Dale Mabry Highway branch off.

Other stops are along U.S. 41, but the route previously included a jog onto State Road 54, over to Collier Parkway, where riders could pick up the bus near the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

The changes to Route 41 were approved by the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization board on Sept. 12. The recommendation to drop the portion of the route including State 54 and Collier Parkway was based on research by public transportation staff and public feedback.

For more information about Route 41, visit bit.ly/Route41.

For more information about PCPT services, visit RidePCPT.com.

Published January 08, 2020

Encompass Health plans move to Land O’ Lakes

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Encompass Health Corporation has announced plans to bring 179 jobs to Central Pasco.

The company, based in Birmingham, plans to build a 37,000-square-foot facility on about 6 acres in the Bexley Community, off State Road 54, in Land O’ Lakes.

It plans to locate its Central Business Office there, to provide medical billing and collection services to the company’s hospitals in 25 states and Puerto Rico, according to a company statement.

This rendering depicts the planned office for Encompass Health Corporation, which plans to bring 179 jobs to Pasco County. (Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.)

News of the company’s plans was announced at the Pasco County Commission’s Dec. 10 meeting, where the board voted on an incentive package aimed at attracting the company, a publicly traded company, whose shares are sold on the New York Stock Exchange.

David Engel, Pasco County’s economic growth manager, told commissioners that the building will be single-story, with an architectural façade that’s consistent with the design standards for the Bexley master-planned community, Engel said.

“It’s a one-story administrative office building. It’s quite a substantial project. There’s over $15 million in capital investment; 220 direct and indirect jobs; 179 will be working at this facility, at a minimum,” Engel said.

The capital investment includes acquisition of the land, according to county documents.

Engel said the project “contributes more than $10 million a year to the gross county product,” which amounts to a return on investment of more than 10 to 1.

Commissioners approved a $983,000 incentive package to attract the company.

Various features of that package are:

  • A job creation incentive for 117 of the administrative jobs (amounting to $234,000)
  • The mobility fee waiver for Class A office construction (estimated at $329,000)
  • A 10-year ad valorem reimbursement (estimated at $290,000); the first five years will be 50% of their ad valorem payment; and 25% for the back end
  • An employee training grant ($50,000)
  • A waiver of building county permit fees (maximum of $80,000)

Also, because the company falls within the definition of a qualified targeted industry, the county is offering “rapid response team and expedited permitting,” Engel said.

Besides saving time, the expedited process is “a large financial incentive to the applicant,” Engel said.

Bill Cronin, CEO and president of the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., said ”We’re really excited about this company coming in, right into Central Pasco, creating some wonderful jobs.”

The Pasco EDC executive also noted that this project indicates that master-planned communities, such as Bexley, are started to develop their employment entitlements, thus rounding out the developments.

“Now, this development has true live, work, play at their development. You’ve got residential. You’ve got jobs. You’ve got retail. That means less people, potentially, on the road,” Cronin said.

Diane Daerr, director of Encompass Heath’s Central Business Office, said “we’re really excited about our new operation. The new building will allow us to have a lot of amenities for our workforce. Fitness center. Walking trails.

“We really like the setting of Bexley, and the walking trails and bike trails in that general area.

“You can literally live across the street from where our building is going to be, so we’re very excited about that,”” Daerr said.

Pasco officials have been working to shed the county’s image as a bedroom community, where thousands commute daily to jobs in other places.

“I think there’s something to be said about having a publicly traded company choosing Pasco for location for this regional operation. They will be serving 25 states here, and Puerto Rico. So, this is a real regional footprint for them. And, these jobs are good jobs,” Cronin said.

“As you all know, we’ve been focusing on our life sciences cluster,” he said.

In fact, Moffitt Cancer Center is seeking to boost its share of the state’s annual cigarette tax money to support expanded cancer care and research, both in Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

If the proposal moves forward, the new location in Pasco County would be near the Suncoast Parkway and State Road 52. It is being viewed by local leaders as having the potential to be a catalyst that would transform the Central Pasco landscape.

Cronin said that attracting new companies to Pasco, such as Encompass Health, talent being developed in the life sciences industry will have a place to call home, Cronin added.

Cronin also emphasized the project’s strategic location, near State Road 54 and the Suncoast Parkway, with easy access to Tampa International Airport.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore applauded the company’s decision to locate in Pasco, which he describe as “the fastest growing county in the region, if not the fastest growing in the state and one of the fastest growing in the nation.”

Published December 18, 2019

Sunlake student wins ‘Outstanding Senior’ honor

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Whether its focusing on rigorous academics or taking part in extracurriculars and church activities, Sunlake High’s Alexis Paredes enjoys being busy.

Actually, “having so much to do” is how the 17-year-old senior thrives best.

“I like to keep moving. I know if I don’t, I’ll get bored,” she said.

Sunlake High School senior Alexis Paredes has been awarded Pasco County School District’s 2019-2020 Outstanding Senior Award. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

It’s that self-starter mindset that earned Paredes the Pasco County School District’s 2019-2020 Outstanding Senior Award.

The annual honor is bestowed based on academic record, service, leadership, citizenship, and  commitment to school and community.

Students considered for the award are nominated by the student body, principals, faculty and staff. Nominees from each of the 16 Pasco County high schools then are interviewed by a panel of Pasco County Schools district employees and community members who ultimately narrow the selection to one student to represent the school system.

Paredes marks the second Sunlake student to win the honor in as many years, joining Jillian Gordy who won the district’s 2018-2019 Outstanding Senior Award.

Paredes was humbled to win the prestigious countywide honor.

“I wasn’t expecting it. I wasn’t even expected to get outstanding senior for my school, much less district,” she said. “I still can’t believe that I beat the ‘best of the best.’”

Her resume, though, indicates she’s deserving.

She maintains a 4.4 weighted grade point average while taking multiple Advanced Placement classes.

She is a representative in the school’s student council, secretary of the school’s National Honor Society Chapter, and a member of a youth leadership at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, in Land O’ Lakes.

Yet, her involvement in the school’s Junior State of America (JSA) chapter is what she considers her “biggest accomplishment” and the one that makes her most proud.

The nationwide organization labels itself as a nonpartisan debate and activism club.

Paredes serves as the school’s JSA club president and also holds the title of the organization’s chapter internal affairs agent for the Southeast region, where she keeps tabs on other JSA chapter presidents throughout Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina and Georgia. She summed up the role like this: “Basically, I get to contact different chapter presidents and make sure their chapters are running efficiently and giving them advice on how to run their chapter, how to structure a meeting, how to build fundraisers.”

Alexis Paredes, Pasco County School District’s 2019-2020 Outstanding Senior, stands alongside Sunlake High principal Michael Cloyd. (Courtesy of Sunlake High School)

Paredes, a JSA member since her freshman year, said the club is “something I’m really passionate about, because I’m very much for activism and fighting political apathy.”

She also noted that JSA is “a great avenue to talk about politics, to talk to kids my age that may not agree with me, but may agree with me as well, and try to see a compromise or unity.”

Along with that, Paredes is spearheading a daylong convention in January that will bring together up to 300 students from other JSA clubs throughout the Tampa Bay area, to debate such issues like gun control, capital punishment, reparations for slavery, mandatory vaccinations in public schools, merits of the Electoral College, and more.

The event’s keynote speaker is former Florida Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Bell.

Paredes has dreamed of organizing such a convention “since probably my sophomore year. “We’re going to have a bunch of kids come and debate…and just share in the spirit of democracy,” she said.

The Sunlake senior has other big plans ahead, too.

In the fall, she will be attending the University of Chicago on a full-ride academic scholarship. She plans to major in political science, then attend law school with hopes of someday going into politics and becoming a policymaker.

Paredes chose the out-of-state university “because it’s obviously a prestigious school, but at the same time, it’s a little more modern than Ivy League schools like Harvard and Yale.”

The school’s bevy of music concerts and location in the heart of the Windy City were some other major selling points, she said.

Besides her own drive and motivation to be successful, Paredes credited her mother and grandmother as being big influences, as well as some “amazing” teachers at Sunlake.

She said the classes she’s gotten the most out of are social studies classes at Sunlake, such as AP Human Geography and U.S. History. Those types of subjects, she said, taught her “a lot of life lessons.”

She quipped: “You wouldn’t think the Compromise of 1850 would be relevant to a 17-year-old in 2019, but I found learning about history teaches me about the present as well…”

As the senior gears up for her final semester at Sunlake, she’s already looking back fondly on her many memories on campus.

The amount of school spirit that radiates among the student body and faculty stands out, in particular, she said.

“Something I’ll definitely miss is the community, like the sense of unity our school has,” Paredes said. “If you go to our football games, we’re always riled up. We’re screaming cheers. We have a great sense of community spirit.”

She added: “I feel like our clubs are pretty solid, too, so if you’re joining a club, you don’t feel like it’s useless. You feel like the kids want to be there, the sponsors want to be there.”

Published December 11, 2019

New donation drive set to help foster families

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George Agovino and Josh Gaulden have launched a new initiative aimed at helping foster children.

The pair has established the Fostering Change Foster Closet, in what was formerly a vacant house, at 10207 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

George Agovino, left, and Josh Gaulden stand on either side of the Fostering Change Foster Closet logo. The two established the donation drive for foster families in need of basic supplies. (Brian Fernandes)

The 501 (c)(3) nonprofit is a hub for foster families to pick out free necessities that they otherwise could not afford.

It also will serve foster kids who have not been placed in a permanent home yet.

The new organization will officially open its doors, with an event called “Reconstructing Hope,” on Dec. 14.

Agovino said the point of the organization is to convey a sense of caring for children in foster care.

“Our goal is: We’re going to make them feel that they can come in, they can go shopping,” Agovino said. “Just by having this, you realize how many people care.”

The house, which had not been maintained recently, has undergone renovations in preparation for becoming the Fostering Change Foster Closet.

Multiple rooms have been turned into a free store, which are stocked with baby supplies, clothing, shoes, hygiene products, books and toys.

There’s also a new shed and several trailers, too, where supplies will be stored, as needed. A washer and dryer also will be installed.

Local companies have provided free help to reconstruct the building’s interior and exterior.

Those services included a new roof from 1st Choice Roofing.

Kenneth Phillips, the company’s team member, said that it donates its time and service for worthy projects.

“We instantaneously made them the recipient of our donation for the year and saw that there was a lot more need, and what a good cause it was,” he said.

The house also has new floor tiles, sheetrock and plumbing.

Students from Sunlake and Land O’ Lakes high schools donated their time to organize clothes and put up shelves.

The outdoor walls have been painted blue – the signature color for foster care awareness.

Agovino’s wife, Jennifer, and daughter Catherine-Christina, also helped to paint the organization’s logo on the front exterior wall.

Plans also call for transforming the front yard into a playground for kids to enjoy,  Agovino said.

This service will not be exclusive to foster families in Pasco County, but will be open to other counties, as well.

As a retired law enforcement officer and a foster parent himself, Agovino understands the process that foster children face within the court system.

He was motivated to provide a donation drive to help those kids still in the system or those placed in a home, but still lacking basic needs.

Although the idea was set, there wasn’t a place to provide the service.

Initially, Gaulden helped Agovino get permission to place his trailer on the property where the organization is now located.

Initially, however, the men did not realize there was a vacant house on the land. It  had been hidden by thick brush.

Frank and Joann Hedogous, the property owners, decided to donate the house and property for the organization’s cause.

It has taken several months to clear out the bushes, grass and tree branches overhanging the house and to complete renovations.

Gaulden and Agovino now are working to create an official website for Fostering Change Foster Closet.

The organization also is raising its profile through Facebook and by word-of- mouth.

It wants foster families to be aware of the service, and it wants to encourage the general public to get involved through donations.

The grand opening celebration is set for Dec. 14, at the house, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The public is welcome and there is no admission charge.

There will be vendors, food trucks, live music, raffles and a silent auction.

Kids can enjoy a petting zoo and various games. And foster kids, specifically, will be given toys as early Christmas gifts.

For more information, call (813) 421-1958, or email .

Reconstructing Hope
When: Dec. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: 10207 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes
Cost: Free
Details: Fostering Change Foster Closet welcomes the public to celebrate the donation drive’s grand opening.
Info: Call (813) 421-1958, or email  .

Published December 11, 2019

Plantation Palms celebrates North Canal project completion

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Plantation Palms had a ribbon cutting last week to celebrate the completion of a project to address an erosion problem in the community.

The $2.99 million project — approximately 1,700 feet long — involved stabilizing the community’s North Canal. The work included installing Gabion baskets along the ditch sides, and a rip-rap lining the bottom, according to a Pasco County document.

A project to address erosion concerns has been completed in the Plantation Palms community in Land O’ Lakes. (B.C. Manion)

The community worked with the county to establish the Municipal Service Benefits Unit to pay for the project. The construction costs will be covered through annual payments on property tax bills of the residences of the 821 members of Plantation Palms Homeowners Association Inc.

The homeowners association owns the ditch, but needed the county’s help to fund the project.

At the ribbon cutting, Jim Hammond, president of the Plantation Palms Homeowners Association, said “I’m proud of the fact that in the last three years, the golf course is open, we’ve solved an enormous problem in the North Canal — and both of these were huge projects, that had a major impact on our community.”

“Both these success stories improved our safety, financial well-being and property values.

The project “saved our community substantial future costs and liability,” Hammond said.

“Both of these were collaborative efforts,” Hammond said. “We accomplished what’s best for 821 homeowners.

“We’ll forever be grateful to Pasco County, who partnered with us to make all of this happen,” Hammond added.

A celebration was held in Plantation Palms to mark the completion of a $2.99 million project aimed at improving safety and reducing potential liability. The project was done through a partnership between the community and Pasco County.

He also expressed gratitude to Bio-Mass Tech, the construction company; Coastal Design Engineering; the Southwest Florida Water Management District; the Plantation Palms Homeowner Association’s board; the association’s attorney; and county staff for their efforts in bringing the North Canal project to fruition.

Hammond handed out a number of awards, too.

In one case, he declared Amanda Haulk, the Plantation Palms Homeowner of the Year. She lives adjacent to the improvement project.

“She had a ringside seat for all of the construction,” Hammond said.

“Right now, it looks all cleaned up. For those that were here during the construction, this whole area was mounded with dirt and stone, and trucks all over the place.

“She had some challenges. They cut off the water multiple times. They cut off the electricity multiple times. They cut off the cable box a couple of times. And, you can’t see it now, but most of her pool pump and gear alongside the garage were hanging over the side of the construction site.

“And yet, she stuck it out. She was a real champ,” Hammond said.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore also was among the award recipients.

Hammond said: “Commissioner Moore was instrumental in getting our golf club open. We went to him when we needed Collier Parkway resurfaced. He was there when we needed the MSBU approved. He was there again when we needed construction contracts awarded. He’s been there for us.”

Moore said Hammond should be receiving an award.

“Jim, you’ve just been instrumental in everything that happens here at Plantation Palms,” Moore said.

The commission chairman also complimented Bill Place, for the progress that’s been made at Plantation Palms Golf Course.

“I know the golf course (reopening) was obviously a big part in helping the property values out,” Moore said.

Plantation Palms closed in 2014 as MJS Golf Group – the previous owner – struggled to survive recurring financial losses and debts.

A “Bring Back Our Course” campaign, led by Hammond, sought to save the course, but struggled to find a potential buyer with a viable financial plan.

Place, and his wife Su Lee, bought the course in May 2016 in a short sale approved by the federal government.

Describing Plantation Palms as an “amazing community,” Moore said he’s pleased to see it continue to progress.

Pasco Commissioner Jack Mariano also was there to celebrate the completion of the canal project. He, too, offered complimentary remarks about the golf course.

Published December 11, 2019

Partying in pjs at the rec center

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The Polar Express Pajama Party aims to make the season merrier for children — through a free daytime event that includes games, crafts and refreshments.

Children, ages 10 and younger, are encouraged to wear their pjs to the Dec. 14 party, set for 10 a.m. to noon, at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

And, despite its reference to the Polar Express, those attending this party won’t be taking a magical adventure trip to visit Santa at the North Pole. Still, they are expected to have plenty of opportunities for fun — with arts, crafts, music, a bounce house and obstacle courses.

There will be light refreshments, too, including custom-made hot chocolate, where kids can put additional sweet treats inside.

Kids are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to the Toys For Tots organization.

While the event is free, registration is encouraged, as space may be limited.

To register, call (813) 929-1220, or stop by the recreation complex.

Polar Express Pajama Party
When: Dec. 14 from 10 a.m. to noon
Where: Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes
Cost: Free, but registration is encouraged
Details: Kids age 10 and younger are encouraged to wear their pajamas to this event, which features games, crafts and refreshments.
Info: Call (813) 929-1220 to register, or drop by the recreation complex.

Published December 11, 2019

Pasco spends $22 million on environmental lands

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The Pasco County Commission has unanimously approved a $22 million purchase to secure ecological corridor sites and land for a future park in Central Pasco.

The purchase is the largest in the history of the county’s Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program (ELAMP) — which began in 2005, said Keith Wiley, the county’s director of parks, recreation and natural resources.

It took more than 1,000 hours and two years of negotiations to hammer out the agreement, Wiley said.

Commissioners Jack Mariano and Ron Oakley lauded the acquisition.

Commissioner Mike Wells praised the staff for their efforts to secure it. “It’s a great concept. The park is going to be phenomenal,” Wells said.

Before commissioners approved the purchase, Dr. Rene Brown, natural resources manager for the county, provided an overview.

The acquisition includes 843.50 acres at the southeastern corner of the Suncoast Parkway and State Road 52 in Land O’ Lakes, within the Project Arthur Master Planned Unit Development.

It includes land within two ecological corridors: the North Pasco to Crossbar Corridor, and the North Pasco to Connerton Corridor.

The acquisition includes a substantial portion of the remaining acreage not already protected in the North Pasco to Connerton Corridor.

It also includes about 647 acres in the Five Mile Creek Corridor, which is all of the acreage of that corridor that is located in Project Arthur, Brown said. That includes everything in the corridor from Starkey Wilderness Park to the railroad tracks, she added.

There’s also 147 acres for a new park, which will be mostly passive in nature because of its proximity to the two ecological corridors, but there will be some active components, she said.

The land is being purchased from Len-Angeline LLC, and the James and Mabel Family Partnership LLLP, et al, according to agenda backup materials.

It is being acquired under the county’s ecological corridor ordinance, which aims:
• To preserve a continuous network of wildlife habitat between existing public lands

  • To protect and conserve native vegetative communities, endangered and threatened species
  • To protect natural functions of wildlife habitats and invaluable ecosystems

Len-Angeline, and James and Mabel Family Partnership LLLP, et al. (Bexley) — elected compensation instead of density transfer.

This acquisition will protect the floodplain of the Pithlachascotee River, particularly the forested wetlands along the river channel, Brown said.

It also includes measures to sustain the mature forested communities along the Pithlachascotee River and the adjacent flatwoods, she said.

It protects the floodplain of Five Mile Creek, particularly the forested wetlands along the flow-way. And, it includes measures to sustain the native communities along Five Mile Creek and the adjacent flatwoods; and measures to sustain forested upland communities adjacent to this linkage.

This purchase builds on significant conservation efforts over the past 14 years to protect the ecological corridors, according to county staff.

The agreement also calls for Len-Angeline to contribute 40 acres of upland park land along with 40 acres within the Ecological Corridors to satisfy the 80-acre park level of service requirement.

The deal also stipulates that within five years of closing, Len-Angeline will collaborate with the county on park design and will spend $3 million to develop a portion of the park site.

There will be a trail connection to Five Mile Creek Corridor.

The agreement also includes extended possession provisions for both the Bexleys and Len-Angeline to facilitate continued cattle grazing.

No leasing fee will be charged to either entity until after December 2020.

It also allows for possible extended possession through Dec. 31, 2025 with a leasing charge dependent on: 1) whether Len-Angeline or another developer purchases the remaining area of the Bexley property, and 2) the finalization of Sunlake Boulevard and Ridge Road for access to the development.

Two appraisals were completed on the land. The applicants’ appraisal valued the ecological corridors at about $26.9 million, while the county’s appraisal put it at slightly under $17 million.

Published December 04, 2019

Planning Commission recommends against rezoning

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended denial of a request that would allow a small subdivision off of Bell Lake Road, in Land O’ Lakes.

The rezoning application, filed by Michael David Vincent, sought to change the allowable density of development on about 9.5 acres, at the northwest corner of the intersection of Bell Lake Road and Alpine Road. The site is about 1 mile east of U.S. 41.

Planning commissioners recommended denial, despite a recommendation for approval from the county’s planning staff.

Todd Pressman, a consultant representing the applicant, said the rezoning would allow a maximum of 32 single-family dwellings on the property. But, he said the target number of houses for the site would be 27.

Pressman also said the zoning would allow a minimum lot width of 35 feet, but that the target width would be 40 feet.

Pressman said the request would yield about four houses per acre, in an area where the county’s long-range planning designation allows up to six houses per acre.

And, the consultant cited policies within the county’s comprehensive plan that call for infill development, encourage a range of housing types and support workforce housing.

“We believe this is a very good request. It will be a very nice little subdivision addition to Pasco County,” Pressman said.

However, two neighbors of the proposed rezoning urged planning commissioners to reject the request.

“The main concern is the size of the lots,” said Troy Gotschall, who lives on Ladera Lane. He noted that most of the lots in the area “are at least a half-acre in size.”

Gotschall is also concerned about “just the look and feel changing drastically from the rural area where we’ve lived for the last 20 years.”

Another neighbor, Dave Hodierne, another Ladera Lane resident, raised concerns about the potential for the new development to be rental homes. He said he’s worried about the potential negative impact that could have on the value of his home.

Hodierne also noted that traffic to the new development, using Alpine Road, would create problems because Alpine Road is narrow.

Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein informed commissioners that one of the conditions for approval requires that Alpine Road be improved to county standards, from Bell Lake to the entrance of the new subdivision.

Pressman told commissioners that the development is envisioned to be rental homes for families. He wasn’t sure of the anticipated square footage, but offered the possibility of 2,000 square feet. He also said price points for the homes were estimated to range from $259,000 to $345,000.

Goldstein said the county does not regulate zoning based on whether a home would be owner-occupied or a rental property.

Planning Commissioner Jaime Girardi raised objections to the request based on its compatibility with surrounding development.

“I have a problem with these small lots,” he said.

Nectarious Pittos, the county’s director of planning and development, told planning commissioners: “It meets the density requirement” of the county’s comprehensive plan.

But, Goldstein told commissioners: “Nobody is entitled to the maximum the future land use plan allows.”

Planning Commissioner Peter Hanzel expressed concerns about the planned development.

“What’s the square footage? What’s it going to look like?”

Hanzel added: “I question whether it’s going to enhance that portion of Land O’ Lakes.”

Girardi also challenged Pressman’s description of the project meeting a policy goal of providing a variety of housing types.

“Why is this different than the other products that are being built up and down (State Road) 54? It sounds like what they’re building in every community,” Girardi asked.

On a motion by Hanzel, seconded by Girardi, planning commissioners voted to recommend denial of the request.

The Pasco County Commission has final jurisdiction on zoning and land use issues.

Published November 27, 2019

Offices planned on State Road 54, near Ballantrae

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Plans are in the works for an office development on 12.8 acres on the north side of State Road 54, about three-tenths of a mile from Ballantrae Boulevard.

The Pasco County Commission has sent a request, from Colwell Avenue Properties IV, of Lutz,  for a proposed land use change to state agencies for review.

The land use change must occur first, before a request for a rezoning on the property can be considered by commissioners. The Pasco County Planning Commission and the county’s planning staff recommended approval of the change.

The current zoning on the property, at 17905 State Road 54, is a residential category that allows up to three dwelling units per acre.

The applicant plans to build two 60,000-square-foot Class A office buildings, which each will be three stories tall. The maximum building height would be 65 feet, according to documents included in the agenda item.

The proposed project also would include 548 parking spaces, including 16 handicapped spaces and 139 compact spaces.

A county agenda memo, prepared by Amy E. Hyler, planner II, said “the proposed office development will be located along State Road 54, an arterial roadway, and will serve as an effective transitional use.”

The agenda memo, recommending approval, also notes that the property “is located within the South Market Area and Urban Service Area and supports the vision and mission of the South Market Area as this area is characterized by dense, vertical nonresidential development, promoting higher-density, compact development that encourages a mixed-use community.

“The proposed development abuts the residents and commercial uses in the Ballantrae master-planned unit development,” the recommendation for approval adds.

The county planning staff also notes that the new offices will generate jobs, which helps to accomplish the intention of Pasco County’s Urban Service Area by creating a live, work, play environment to attract high quality development.

Pasco County is encouraging the development of this office project through economic incentives.

At its Oct. 22 meeting, the Pasco County Commission approved a plan that will provide development incentives totaling $2,935,000, according to a county agenda memo.

The county will provide a low-interest forgivable loan of $1.5 million through its PADS and PORS program, which will be secured by a mortgage on the property. The interest rate of the loan is proposed to be set at 1.6% per year, with a 10-year term. The loan balance reduction is based on achieving certificates of completion for the building shells and/or securing tenants for long-term leases. The release of the loan funding is conditioned on the company obtaining necessary comprehensive plan and zoning amendments, the memo says.

The ad valorem tax rebate is capped at $1,435,000 based on the current property millage rate and assessed valuation data obtained through the county’s tax appraiser’s office. That will be paid out over a 10-year period, which will begin when the first building shell receives a certificate of completion, the memo adds.

The county has estimated that the project will either directly or indirectly create 400 jobs, with an estimated annual payroll of $17.7 million. The project’s total economic benefit to the Gross County Product will average $26.5, according to county estimates.

The agenda memo also notes: “The company’s initial economic incentive request was for $4,965,000, but this amount was significantly reduced after extensive negotiations with county staff.”

Published November 20, 2019