The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Land O' Lakes News

Fields at LOL Rec Complex to get irrigation upgrade

By

This is one of the fields getting new pipes. The tentative date for reopening the fields is Nov. 7. (Mike Camunas)

Due to a much-needed upgrade, six baseball and softball fields and four multi-purpose fields at Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex are closed.

The fields, at 3032 Collier Parkway, are getting brand new irrigation and sprinkler systems, replacing the original pipes that were installed when the park opened in January 1992.

The fields are located at the front of the complex on the original 40 acres on which the complex was built. The complex, which also has a gym, pool complex, tennis courts, a skate park and concession stands, added a 40-acre expansion in the back in the mid 2000s.

The fields host leagues such as Land O’ Lakes Little League and Florida Premiere FC.

The fields are tentatively set to reopen Nov. 7.

Published September 06, 2023

Six baseball and softball fields and four multi-purpose fields at the front of Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway, are closed due to the county’s Parks, Recreation, & Natural Resources Department installing new irrigation and sprinkler systems.
New pipes will replace the original pipes that were installed when the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex opened in 1992.

Vending machines with the power ‘to change’ kids

By

Pricilla Shillingford, as a mom and nurse, knows how to be prepared with supplies — specifically baby supplies.

And as a mom and a nurse, Shillingford knows there are times when those supplies are forgotten or, unexpectedly, run out.

“My husband and I were always like,” the 31-year-old Land O’ Lakes woman said, “we wish there was a vending machine where you just just grab some wipes or diapers or whatever you may need, where you didn’t have to go into a big store to get it.”

Land O’ Lakes mom Pricilla Shillingford, inspired by one of her kids, thought: ‘Wouldn’t it be a good idea to have vending machines that dispensed needed-in-a-pinch baby supplies, such as formula, diapers, wipes and even snacks and toys?’ So, four years ago, Shillingford started Go Baby Vending and put up a couple of vending machines that supplies on-the-go parents with those items, with locations at the Glazer Children’s Museum and The Shops at Wiregrass. (Mike Camunas)

“When my 4-year-old was an infant,” she continued, “we were always forgetting something or it wasn’t in the car when we were out. So, we thought: “What if those were in a vending machine? I knew plenty of parents like that, where we could spend more time at the event or venue instead of having to leave or stop at Walmart or CVS.”

Schillingford started Go Baby Vending — which is just an ordinary vending machine, however, it is stocked full of baby supplies, such as formula, diapers, wipes, and even snacks and toys. All are necessities an on-the-go parent might need in a pinch.

Schillingford brought in the machines in 2019, originally setting up two locations: at the Tampa Premium Outlets and another in Orlando.

Now, her two locations are at the Glazer Children’s Museum in Tampa, and another located The Shops at Wiregrass, inside the restrooms’ alcove between JCPenney and Macy’s.

“These are the first in Florida I’ve seen,” Schillingford said. “It’s so helpful to moms, dads, parents, grandparents — and I like to keep the prices reasonable. I’m a parent — I get it. I’m not going to overpay for something that isn’t that expensive in a store.”

Prices for items start as low as $1, but Schillingford isn’t a total capitalist. She donates 5% of the proceeds to various charities, usually ones geared toward helping children, such as St. Jude’s or All Children’s hospitals.

Choosing locations for the machines involves a bit of strategy, Schillingford said. The vending machine needs to be in venues that will, usually, have plenty of children and families out and about. 

Places such as zoos, museums and parks are typically good spots, as she’s also working on securing locations at Bounce House in Tampa and Florida Children’s Museum in Lakeland.

“I also talked to the managers of these places and see what items they think they’d like to see in the machines,” she said.

She gets her inventory from big box stores and local businesses and also occasionally adds new selections. For instance, she just added portable chargers for tablets.

Go Baby Vending has two machines, including this one at The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel, that dispenses baby supplies such as diapers and formula.

“Those seem to always run out of power as the kids watch them,” she explained.

The VA nurse said her husband, Shomari, and their kids, Jayden, Jovani and Selena, help to maintain and stock the machines.

So far, she’s relied on word of mouth and social media to get the word out about the vending machines.

“When parents find out about it, they think it’s a great thing to have available,” she added. “Parents will spread the word and then at least they have this option if they ever need anything or something else they forgot — as parents, we’ve all been there!”

Go Baby Vending Machines
Where: The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel; and, Glazer Children’s Museum, 110 W. Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa
Details: Two locations (with possibly more to come) of vending machines that dispense much-needed baby supplies, such as formula, diapers, wipes, and even snacks and toys, for parents on the go or in a pinch.

Published August 30, 2023

Improvements aim to make it easier to get in Land O’ Lakes High

By

Road, sidewalk and parking improvements at Land O’ Lakes High, 20325 Gator Lane, will make it easier for students, parents, teachers and others to navigate on the campus this year.

The improvements recently were completed — just in time for the start of the 2023-2024 school year, which began Aug. 10.

Gator Lane is just off U.S. 41, also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

Improvements have been on the Land O’ Lakes High School campus, which is next to Pasco County Schools’ administrative offices. Gator Lane has been repaved, more space for vehicle stacking has been added near the culinary arts building, an additional lane offers more options for drivers near U.S. 41 and Gator Lane, and there is more parking and a new sidewalk. (Mike Camunas)

The project added a lane near the high school’s culinary arts building, to provide more stacking space for vehicles, according to Principal Ric Mellin.

An additional lane has been added to allow for left-turn, straight and right-turn movements for vehicles leaving the campus, Mellin said.

There’s also a new sidewalk in front of Building 4 that leads out to U.S. 41 and a new parking lot surrounding the tennis courts, adding approximately 95 spaces.

The first phase of the project was completed in late April.

The earliest work included the installation of a new irrigation well and electrical components within fenced areas near the existing district portables. 

After the 2022-2023 school ended, the north lanes of Gator Lane were closed to all traffic while the south lanes remained open for temporary two-way traffic.

The roadway and surrounding areas then were prepared for the additional lanes, and the new parking lot was built.

The project is now entering its second phase, Mellin said.

The school district will be working with the Florida Department of Transportation on this phase, which includes a new traffic signal on U.S. 41 and relocating of the district’s monument sign.

The second phase is tentatively scheduled for completion in January 2024.

Published August 16, 2023

Schools across the region ring in a new school year

By

Schools across The Laker/Lutz News region have begun or will soon begin the 2023-2024 academic year.

First-year crossing guard Patricia Welch holds traffic on Weeks Boulevard, as Lake Myrtle Elementary students exit their school on Aug. 10, the first day back in classrooms for Pasco County. (Mike Camunas)

Students in the Pasco and Hillsborough public school districts had their first day of school on Aug. 10.

Many scenes playing out across the Pasco school district were similar to ones that happen every school year.

Kids were hopping on their bikes to ride to campus, following the lead of crossing guards at crosswalks, or boarding a school bus.

Schools used signs to help welcome their first-day crowds.

Arriving students were eager to catch up with old friends and begin to make new ones.

This year, free breakfasts and lunches are being served in Pasco district schools.

The school board also has tightened up rules regarding the use of electronic devices.

New to the district this year is Angeline Academy of Innovation, a magnet school in Land O’ Lakes that welcomed its inaugural crop of students.

And those arriving at Land O’ Lakes High School, at Gator Lane and U.S. 41, found a host of improvements aimed at making it easier for them to get around.

Of course, it almost goes without saying that schools are in the business of helping individuals to expand their horizons through learning.

We, at The Laker/Lutz News, are extending our best wishes to all students, teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, other district staffers, school administrators, elected school district leaders, and parents for a 2023-2024 school year that’s stimulating, safe and fulfilling.

Published August 16, 2023

Lake Myrtle Elementary fifth-grader Kendall Cave, 10, walks her bike across Weeks Boulevard on Aug. 10, the official first day of school for Pasco County. Kendall, and thousands of other students made their way back to their respective elementary, middle and high schools throughout the district. This school year marked the inaugural year for Angeline Academy of Innovation, a magnet school in Land O’ Lakes.
Lake Myrtle Elementary kindergarten teacher Angela Proietto leads 5-year-old Liam Webb to his parents, who are eager to greet him following his first day of school.
Pine View Middle students climb aboard their departing school bus following the first day of school in Pasco County on Aug. 10 in Land O’ Lakes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Students at Pine View Middle in Land O’ Lakes wait to board their buses after school, on the first day of the 2023-2024 school year.
This sign, at Pine View Middle School, offers students and staff a warm welcome, as they arrive at the Land O’ Lakes campus for the first day of school.
Nicole Well, a first grade teacher at Lake Myrtle Elementary, hugs her son, Christopher, who is a third-grader, after the first day of school in Pasco County.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Land O’ Lakes fourth-year crossing guard Carlos Tavarez holds up traffic on Parkway Boulevard, as Pine View Middle students head home after their first day of school.
Lake Myrtle Elementary students in Land O’ Lakes are heading home, finishing up Day One of the 2023-2024 school year.
Lots of children rode their bicycles to school for the beginning of a new academic year at Lake Myrtle Elementary, in Land O’ Lakes.

Land O’ Lakes church gets new pastor

By

(Courtesy of The Land O’ Lakes Church of God)

The Land O’ Lakes Church of God has welcomed Rick and Wanice Fowler as the church’s new pastoral team. The Fowlers are both graduates of Pasco High School and continued their education at Lee University, according to a news release. They have previously pastored in New York, Kentucky, Illinois and Florida. The couple has three children and four grandchildren. They invite all to the Land O’ Lakes Church of God, at 8337 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

New coffee shop, daycare may be coming soon to Land O’ Lakes

By

The Pasco County Commission has approved a rezoning to allow commercial development on 4.99 acres at the northwest corner of State Road 54 and Livingston Road, in Land O’ Lakes.

The application for the rezoning indicates that the site will be used for a coffee shop with a drive-thru, an eight-bay tire store, and a 10,000-square-foot day care.

Access to the site will be from State Road 54, Livingston Road and 20 Mile Level Road, according to the county board’s July 11 agenda item. The board approved the item as part of its consent agenda. Items on that agenda are approved in a single vote without discussion, unless someone asks for an item to be pulled.

The Pasco County Commission has approved a rezoning to allow commercial development on 4.99 acres at the northwest corner of State Road 54 and Livingston Road, in Land O’ Lakes.
(Mike Camunas)

In other action, the county board:

  • Confirmed the appointment of Pasco Sheriff’s Office Capt. Eric Seltzer to serve as director of the department of emergency services. Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco selected Seltzer for the position.
  • Approved a rezoning on 2.11 acres at the northeast corner of Jerry Road and Paul S. Buchman Highway to allow general commercial uses. The applicant indicated the site would be used for a Dollar General Store.
  • Approved the purchase of a Gradall Hydraulic Excavator for $493,426. The purchase is being made by using a Florida Sheriffs Association’s contract, and the unit will replace one that has reached the end of its life cycle. 
  • Approved an agreement between the Florida Department of Transportation and Pasco County for the design of the School Road multi-use path, from Community Center Road to U.S. 41, also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. The project will add an 8-foot concrete multi-use path along the east side of School Road, for a distance of slightly under two-tenths of a mile. The estimated design cost is $99,000; FDOT has agreed to pay up to $99,000 for the design project.
  • Approved the purchase of two Skeeter wildland fire apparatuses from Ten-8 Fire & Safety LLC, for a cost not-to-exceed $642,960. The brush trucks are used for Pasco Fire Rescue wildland firefighting needs. The new units will replace two existing units.
  • Provided a letter of support and agreed to provide $25,000 in funding for an effort by the University of South Florida to be selected as a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program. The U.S. Economic Development Administration is seeking applicants for the program. Pasco’s portion of the matching funding will come from Penny for Pasco proceeds intended to promote the county’s economic development.

Published July 26, 2023

Traffic at median on U.S. 41 and Asbel Road to be redirected

By

The U.S. 41 median at Asbel Road in Land O’ Lakes closed and began reconstruction work July 10. It will remain closed to all vehicles around-the-clock until approximately the afternoon of July 17.

Traffic is being redirected at the median at U.S. 41 and Asbel Road in Land O’ Lakes, to allow reconstruction work to be done. (Mike Camunas)

The Florida Department of Transportation recommends the following detours for drivers and residents of these adjoining neighborhoods:

  • Northbound U.S. 41 to westbound Asbel Road: Continue north past Asbel Road, U-turn at Mossy Timber Boulevard., go south on U.S. 41 and turn right onto westbound Asbel Road.
  • Southbound U.S. 41 to eastbound Asbel Road: Continue south past Asbel Road, U-turn at Ensemble Boulevard, go north on U.S. 41 and turn right onto eastbound Asbel Road.
  • Eastbound Asbel Road to Northbound U.S. 41: Turn right from Asbel Road onto southbound U.S. 41, U-turn at Ensemble Boulevard, then go north on U.S. 41.
  • Eastbound Asbel Road continuing east across U.S. 41: Turn right from Asbel Road onto southbound U.S. 41, U-turn at Ensemble Boulevard to go north on U.S. 41, then turn right onto eastbound Asbel Road.
  • Westbound Asbel Road to Southbound U.S. 41: Turn right from Asbel Road onto northbound U.S. 41, U-turn at Mossy Timber Boulevard, then go south on U.S. 41.
  • Westbound Asbel Road continuing west across U.S. 41: Turn right from Asbel Road onto northbound U.S. 41, U-turn at Mossy Timber Boulevard to go south on U.S. 41, then turn right onto westbound Asbel Road.

For U.S. 41 project information and to sign up to receive alerts, visit FDOTTampaBay.com/project/257/256324-2-52-01.

Published July 12, 2023

 

Construction to reroute U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes

By

(Mike Camunas)

The northbound U.S. 41 left turn lane to Sunterra Drive, in Land O’ Lakes, will close for reconstruction work beginning around 7 a.m. on June 5. Northbound U.S. 41 access to Sunterra Drive is expected to be closed approximately into the last week of June.

Access to Sunterra Drive will continue to be available from southbound U.S. 41, while northbound drivers can access Sunterra Drive by taking a U-turn onto southbound U.S. 41 at the Ensemble Boulevard intersection or by continuing north and turning left onto Asbel Drive to access the Tierra Del Sol and Asbel communities.

For information on this construction, visit https://www.fdottampabay.com/project/257/256324-2-52-01.

Published June 07, 2023

She wrote her way to an all-expenses paid trip to the Netherlands

By

Amy Lewis initially noticed the AAA contest on her Facebook feed.

Then, the Land O’ Lakes woman saw it again, about a month before the contest’s deadline, in  AAA’s magazine.

She encouraged her 14-year-old daughter, Sky, to give it a try.

Sky Lewis and her mom, Amy, share details of their trip to the Netherlands in an interview after returning home to Land O’ Lakes. Sky was one of 60 eighth-graders who won an all-expenses paid trip, accompanied by a chaperone, in a contest sponsored by AAA. (B.C. Manion)

The eighth-grader, who attends Pasco eSchool, got busy doing her research and composing her submission.

She turned it in and they waited.

Amy was sitting in a doctor’s office when she got the word that Sky had been selected.

“It felt like she won the lottery. My heart was racing out of my chest,” Amy said, who couldn’t wait to get home to share the news.

Sky recalled that moment: “ We were jumping around and yelling and screaming.”

“My husband (Richard) just sat there, dumbfounded,” Amy said.

Sky was thrilled.

A group of 60 eighth-graders won an all-expenses paid trip to the Netherlands and Belgium, in a contest sponsored by AAA, along with travel partners AmaWaterways and Allianz Global Assistance. Sky Lewis, of Land O’ Lakes, was one of the winners. She is seen here, seated on the deck, in the center of the photo. She is in the first row, second from the left. (Courtesy of Amy and Sky Lewis)

“They picked 60 eighth-graders for the trip, out of 800 applicants,” Sky said. (There were 13 winners in Florida, including two in Tampa.)

She was excited, but she had a dilemma.

“She had to pick a chaperone. She was so upset,” her mom said. “She couldn’t choose.”

Her dad saved the day.

“He saw that she was upset. He stepped up,” Amy said.

Richard told Sky: “‘There’s no question. You and your mom are going,’” Amy said.

Preparations for travel begin
Once they knew they’d be making the trip, they got busy.

“We needed big puffy coats,” Sky explained, noting the Netherlands gets much colder than Land O’ Lakes.

Amy and Sky Lewis marveled at the architectural styles, and the age, of buildings in the Netherlands. (Courtesy of Amy and Sky Lewis)

“We don’t own those kinds of clothes,” Amy added.

They hit thrift stores to assemble their winter wardrobes.

They also needed passports: AAA took care of that.

In fact, AAA partnered with AmaWaterways and Allianz Global Assistance to cover all of the costs of the nine-day, all-inclusive trip.

Sky and Amy departed from Tampa International Airport on March 11 — which just so happened to be Amy and Richard’s 23rd anniversary.

“So, he drove us to the airport. He was like, ‘Happy Anniversary — bye,’” Amy said, with a laugh.

Sky had traveled to places such as Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia, but she’d never been out of the country before, had never been on an airplane and had never taken a cruise.

They jetted from Tampa to Atlanta to Amsterdam, meeting some members of their travel group in Atlanta, and the rest of them when they arrived in Amsterdam.

Hordes of bicyclists make their way around the Netherlands, many traveling at breakneck speeds. (Courtesy of Amy and Sky Lewis)

Their travel group was dubbed Discovery Crew, and they journeyed on the Amalucia, during an AmaWaterways river cruise. They followed a custom-designed itinerary, with ports of call and excursions focused on local history, science, nature and food, according to a AAA news release.

Each morning, tour guides led the travelers — sharing the sights, sounds and history of Dutch culture.

A jam-packed itinerary
There was so much to see and do, they headed out early in the morning and often didn’t wrap up the day until late evening, Sky said.

They had breaks for meals and a smidgen of personal time, too.

The pace was brisk.

“We were running some of the time. They were going so fast,” Sky said.

They barely had time to take photos and sometimes the itinerary was so tight they couldn’t even finish lunch, before heading off on another excursion.

Sky Lewis had the chance to taste samples at chocolatier shops during her trip to the Netherlands and to Belgium. She enjoyed the sweet confections so much, she brought home a sizable amount of souvenirs. (Courtesy of Amy and Sky Lewis)

At the end of each day, they were exhausted.

“The second we hit the pillow. We were just done. Every night,” Amy said.

Before the trip, Sky had pictured Holland primarily as a place of windmills and tulips. And, in her mind’s eye, Amsterdam was more rural in nature, instead of being the big city that it is.

Sky was surprised by the relative lack of cars and the hordes of bicyclists — racing past at breakneck speeds.

“The bikes have the right of way — over pedestrians and even cars,” Sky said. “They told us: ‘Be careful for the bikes. They’ll run you over.’”

Both Sky and Amy were fascinated by the housing, the architecture and the historic landmarks.

“They don’t have sprawling space like our country does. There aren’t houses with yards and gated neighborhoods. It’s all high and tight,” Amy said.

Some homes date back to the 1400s, and people live on houseboats because there’s nowhere left to build, Amy added.

Plus, there are canals everywhere.

Both Sky and her mom thought they might encounter language barriers, but that didn’t happen.

“We had downloaded a translating app, so we could talk to them. We didn’t use it at all. Most people spoke English,” Sky said.

Sky Lewis bicycles at Kinderijk, a place where windmills date back to the 1500s. This was just one of many famous sites that Sky and her mom, Amy, visited during their all-expenses-paid trip to the Netherlands. (Courtesy of Amy and Sky Lewis)

And, while they dined on foreign food, it wasn’t Dutch. They took advantage of the French cuisine served to them, as part of the all-inclusive package, on the Amalucia.

“We got to try lots of new things,” Amy said, noting they particularly enjoyed the bread and desserts.

Sky added: “One of the nights they had a chocolate buffet. They had chocolate fountains.”

Memorable places, people
The trip included a visit to the Anne Frank House, the place where Anne Frank and her family hid, and where she wrote her famous diary.

The Franks, another family and a single man hid in a secret annex, from 1942 until 1944, during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War II.

A year after they were discovered, Anne died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

But Anne’s diary survived and bore witness to life during those times.

Sky said she saw where Anne and the others hid and the bookcase that swung open to their hiding place. Sky and other students in her tour group also saw where Anne slept and the desk she used, when she wrote in her diary.

Other trip highlights included a chance to learn about the craft of lace tatting, chocolatier tours and a chance for the students to meet their Dutch peers.

The group also visited windmill and tulip farms.

They stopped at Pilgrim Fathers Church, the final prayer site for the pilgrims before they set off for the “New World.”

Their travel group included people from big cities and little towns, wealthy people and people of moderate means. There was a good mix of moms and dads on the trip, too.

Beyond expanding their horizons, the memories and the mementos — Amy and Sky said they both returned from their trip with something else of great value, too.

“We both met some nice friends,” Amy said.

Published May 31, 2023

Planning board recommends OK for Plantation Palms cell tower

By

The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a 195-foot cell tower to be erected on land at the Plantation Palms Golf Club, 23253 Plantation Palms Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

That decision came after the planning board’s second hearing on the request. Planning commissioners delayed action on the request at their April 6 meeting — requesting additional information on a cell tower’s potential impacts on the property values of neighboring properties and investigating another siting option.

At both public hearings, a couple living near the proposed tower urged the planning board to consider the impact the tower would have on their view and also potential negative consequences it could have on their property values.

This cell tower at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, at 3032 Collier Parkway, cannot accommodate the kind of antenna that T-Mobile wants to install, so a 195-foot tower is being proposed at nearby Plantation Palms Golf Club. (File)

The proposed anchor tenant at the Plantation Palms cell tower site would be  T- Mobile, which currently has antenna equipment on a flagpole-style cell tower at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, at 3032 Collier Parkway, in Land O’ Lakes.

Mattaniah Jahn, representing the applicant, Vertical Bridge, brought in an expert to address the property values issue.

David Taulbee told the planning board that he has compiled data for years relating to property values. He said “there’s no indication that this tower is going to have any impact, whatsoever, on property values.”

During the April 6 meeting, planning board member Jaime Girardi asked if an alternative site had been considered, on another site at the county’s Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

But according to testimony provided on May 4, the parks department has no interest in adding another cell tower at the recreation complex site.

Another issue that came up at the previous meeting was whether the revenue was needed to support the golf course’s maintenance.

Plantation Palms has more than 800 homes whose values were threatened when the golf course previously closed.

During the April 6 meeting, Charles Grey, the planning board’s chairman, said he thinks the revenues from the cell tower likely would help to maintain the golf course — which is important in maintaining property values throughout Plantation Palms.

Grey reiterated that position on May 4: “I don’t know anyone that’s getting rich off of running a golf course. If I were living there, it would be important to me to keep the golf course. I’ll put up with the tower rather than lose the golf course.”

But one of the neighboring opponents disagreed with Grey’s premise, noting that he’s a golfer and it can be hard to get a tee time at the course.

Bill Place, owner of Plantation Palms, described the golf course’s need for revenues in an April 25 letter that Jahn read for the record.

Place led the efforts to restore the golf course, after it had been closed for two years.

The initial estimate of $2.5 million to restore the golf course was too low, according to Place’s letter.

“Damage from two years’ of closure and neglect resulted in the need to replace all 18 greens, AC systems, irrigation pumps, most drainage pipes, and fixing just about every square foot of the course and clubhouse,” the letter says.

“Over $3 million has been invested so far, and deferred maintenance remains that will take at least five years and hundreds of thousands of dollars,” the letter continues.

Residents invested in helping to repair the golf course, but that golf club subsidy ended in 2020, according to Place. However, Place’s letter says, “repair and renovation continues with more drainage work, turf improvement, roof replacement, irrigation system restoration and bunker repair work.”

“Plantation Palms knows what it’s like to lose their golf course and see the property values plummet. They’re also very aware of the high cost of restoration,” Place wrote

“When the opportunity to gain some recurring revenue by hosting a cell tower presented itself, we enthusiastically supported the proposal, especially since it could be located in a remote area, near our maintenance barn.”

Place attended the meeting virtually and confirmed he’d submitted the letter.

While opposed to the placement of the tower near their home, the couple also asked the planning board to allow Plantation Palms homeowners to weigh in on the tower’s design — if one is to be erected.

Jahn presented four potential designs which can accommodate T-Mobile’s service goals: a monopole, a shrouded monopole, a bell tower and a monopine design.

Planning board member Derek Pontlitz said he understands the couple’s concern.

“No property owner wants to have anything  unsightly in their backyard,” he said, whether that’s electrical lines or something else.

“At the same time, the world is changing, technology is changing every minute and there are ramifications to the other side as well, if we don’t have this technology,” he continued.

The planning board has “to think about the greater good,” Pontlitz added. He called upon his colleagues to recommend approval of the request, with the stipulation that Plantation Palms residents are allowed to weigh in on the cell tower’s design.

Planning board member Chris Poole seconded the motion, saying he could support it, as long residents have a say in the cell tower’s design.

The issue now goes to the Pasco County Commission for final action.

Published May 31, 2023