The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Lutz News

Competing interests at Sunlake and Lutz Lake Fern

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James Scarola is deliberating the future of a parcel at the southwest corner of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard.

Applicants for a special use permit want to use a 7.4-acre parcel to become the new home of the Tampa Academy of Math and Science, a charter school specializing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Ruth Gimpel Stables is next door to a proposed charter school in Lutz. Ruth Gimpel said the proposed school could destroy her livelihood. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Ruth Gimpel Stables is next door to a proposed charter school in Lutz. Ruth Gimpel said the proposed school could destroy her livelihood.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Ruth Gimpel, who owns a horse stable next door, wants Scarola to deny the request.

So do residents living west of the proposed school.

A number of organizations also have weighed in against the proposed school, including area homeowner associations, the Lutz Citizens Coalition, the Lutz Civic Association and the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Clubs.

Scarola, a land-use hearing officer for Hillsborough County, had a public hearing on the request on March 16. He has 15 working days from that public hearing to issue his ruling.

Scarola has the final word on the request, unless it is challenged to the county’s Appeals Board.

Representatives for the applicants — Charter Schools Properties Inc., and Charter Schools Associates Inc., contend that conditions required by Hillsborough County staff address the proposed project’s impacts.

The applicants scaled down their original request for more than 1,000 students, to a school that now would have no more than 870 kindergarteners through eighth-graders.

As it stands now, the school would be developed in two phases, with 670 students housed in a two-story classroom building with 33 classrooms in phase one. The second phase, which is contingent upon an additional traffic analysis, would serve 200 students, in 11 classrooms, in another two-story building.

Both classroom buildings would have a maximum height of 38 feet and would be situated near Sunlake Boulevard.

The applicants have agreed to spend about $500,000 for transportation improvements, said Michael Horner, a planner representing them.

Conditions for approval also call for substantially greater buffering requirements to protect adjacent properties than is required under the county’s code, Horner said.

Michael Raysor, a traffic engineer representing the applicant, said access to the site would be one driveway on Lutz Lake Fern Road, which would be right in/right out only; and two driveways on Sunlake Boulevard. One would be right in/right out only, and the other would be right out only.

The applicant has agreed to build new right turn lanes and a new U-turn lane in conjunction with the project.

Opponents have objected for months about the traffic the school would generate, as well as expressing concerns about potential flooding, fumes from vehicle exhausts and noise from outdoor activities.

Despite those objections, the proposed use has received a recommendation for approval from county staff and garnered no objections from the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission staff.

The school is an acceptable transitional use, according to Tom Hiznay, a county planner.

The site’s design, along with the conditions for approval, provides “sensitivity to surrounding uses,” Hiznay said.

Jay Bockisch, a traffic engineer, speaking on behalf of the opponents, said the proposed school would create the same traffic impacts as a regional mall, four Publix shopping centers, or the tallest office building in downtown Tampa.

“This is not a transitional land use. This is an intense traffic generator. We have safety concerns,” Bockisch said.

The traffic waiting to get into the school’s site will cause backups on Lutz Lake Fern Road, Sunlake Boulevard and North Dale Mabry Highway, he predicted.

The backups on North Dale Mabry Highway, he said, will pose a safety nightmare.

“This is an adverse impact not only to the local community, but to the motoring public along Dale Mabry Highway.”

But Raysor said, “There are multiple safeguards written into the conditions.”

Joseph Serio, who lives directly west of the proposed school site, is concerned about potential flooding. “Where are you going to put the water from the additional highway lanes?” Serio asked.

In rebuttal, an expert representing the applicant said drainage requirements must be met.

Gimpel, of Ruth Gimpel Stables Inc., urged Scarola to deny the request. The stable, at 18920 Sunlake Blvd., has produced 75 world champions and 63 reserve champions, as well as providing fun and learning experiences for riders.

The charter school would change that, Gimpel said.

“It’ll force me to sell my farm. It would destroy my livelihood.”

Published March 25,2015

Lutz Lake Fern Road gets a smoother feel

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Motorists driving over the portion of Lutz Lake Fern Road from North Dale Mabry to near Oscar Cooler Sports Complex, had the sensation of driving on a washboard.

But the section heading east from that point to U.S. 41, rolled over a new, smooth road.

Motorists driving along a 1.7-mile stretch of Lutz Lake Fern Road will have a smoother ride once a resurfacing project is completed. Hillsborough County officials expect the work to be finished by March 20, barring any weather issues. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Motorists driving along a 1.7-mile stretch of Lutz Lake Fern Road will have a smoother ride once a resurfacing project is completed. Hillsborough County officials expect the work to be finished by March 20, barring any weather issues.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

That’s because the road was open to through traffic over the weekend, before crews went back to work this week to finish the resurfacing project.

The road resurfacing project, about 1.7 miles long, is expected to be completed by March 20, weather permitting, according to Andrea Roshaven a spokeswoman for Hillsborough County.

The project is partially due to a recently completed $5.4 million public works project to connect the Manors of Crystal Lakes subdivision to the county’s water distribution system.

The water line project affected the eastbound travel lane of Lutz Lake Fern Road, requiring it to be refurbished.

The public works department provided an additional $283,000 to refurbish the westbound travel lanes.

The project involves milling and resurfacing.

Local traffic can enter the area, but other motorists are being detoured.

The Manors of Crystal Lakes project involved 4.5 miles of pipeline to create a looped system, giving Manors of Crystal Lakes’ residents a backup, in the event of any water line breaks or disruption.

The 12-inch water pipe was installed along U.S. 41 and Lutz Lake Fern Road. The new pipe also improved water flow, bringing it up to current standards for fire protection.

The biggest change for customers is that the county’s water system uses chloramines in the final disinfection stages instead of chlorine.

Customers should be aware that water that contains chloramines should not be used in home aquariums, fishponds or home kidney dialysis. Water used for those purposes should be treated or filtered to remove the chloramines.

Published March 18, 2015

She can’t beat the commute

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Melissa Huston used to spend 90 minutes each way, getting back and forth from work.

She lives in Lutz and was commuting to a job in St. Petersburg.

“It was debilitating, mentally,” Huston said. “There were days that were awful driving there.”

When Melissa Huston wants to get some work done, she steps into her home office to tackle assignments. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
When Melissa Huston wants to get some work done, she steps into her home office to tackle assignments.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

She and her husband, Doug, have two children. Tyler attends McKitrick Elementary School and Brandon is in preschool.

Besides getting stuck in traffic, Huston had the additional stress of not being sure she’d be able to pick up her children from child care on time.

“You’re trying to get to your kids at night, and you’re watching the clock and you’re sitting in it (traffic) — and God forbid, there’s an accident and you’re panicking.

“I don’t miss any of that,” said Huston, who has been working at home for Dell, since July 2013.

Huston had worked for Home Shopping Network in St. Petersburg for many years and made the switch to a Tampa company, which announced that it was moving to St. Petersburg.

At the time, Tyler was getting ready to start kindergarten, and Huston decided she would look for a stay-at-home job.

“When they’re in preschool, they don’t have homework. They don’t have as many activities,” Huston said.

But she knew she wanted to be able to help with homework and attend school activities, and couldn’t think of a way to do that and still have a long commute.

So, she began looking for stay-at-home work opportunities.

She had heard about the scams involving work from home jobs.

“That was my big concern: Are they legitimate?” she said.

She had reason to worry.

The Federal Trade Commission warns consumers to be skeptical when checking out work-at-home opportunities. Many of them require an upfront investment, and many fail to live up to their claims.

As Huston was researching stay-at-home jobs, she came across a website called FlexJobs.com.

The company, which is a 100 percent, virtual remote company, was founded in 2007 in Boulder, Colorado, by Sara Sutton Fall, according to Kathy Gardner, the company’s PR Manager, who is based in Stamford, Connecticut.

FlexJobs.com essentially offers a subscription service to provide information about available jobs to job seekers. The fees are $14.95 a month, $29.95 for three months and $69.95 for 12 months.

The job seekers, who are the company’s clients, pay the fee to gain access to its postings and are guaranteed that the site is 100 percent free of scams and advertisements, Gardner said.

Huston said the service helped her find her job.

FlexJobs.com has helped more than 1 million people in their job searches, Gardner said. And, according to a recent analysis of its data, it turns out that Florida ranks fourth in the nation for recruitment by companies for telecommuters, Gardner added.

Huston said the site offers listings on all types of jobs, ranging from contract work to part-time to full-time salaried positions.

Before signing up for the service, Huston said, she had not thought to look for a telecommuting opportunity on Dell’s website.

Huston, whose background is in marketing analytics, has the kind of job that lends itself to working remotely.

“My job is all computer-based,” she said. “There is some face-to-face talking, but it’s predominantly data driven.”

She works with a team stationed around the globe.

“We have the ability to share our screens. Through our instant messaging tool, we can share our desktops, so, if I’m looking at this and I want to explain something with this spreadsheet, I can share it.

“We utilize that a lot to talk through things.

“It’s amazing what you can accomplish,” she said.

Still, since they don’t share the same physical space, the working relationships that occur naturally in an office have to be nurtured, she said.

“You have to make an effort to stay connected with your colleagues,” Huston said.

Working from home is not for everyone, she noted.

The key to working at home, she said, is to establish a schedule.

“It can’t just be work whenever you feel like it, because this is a regular job. You have to establish a good routine of when you start your day and when you end it, too,” she said.

While some people working at home might tend to slack off, others may be too intense.

It’s easy to work 80 hours or more because you’re literally always at the office, she said.

It’s important to find a balance and to maintain it, Huston said.

There’s a lot to be said for being able to check on a project or share information after normal working hours by popping into your home office and spending 5 minutes to take care of a task, Huston said.

Besides having a regular work routine, it’s important to have a separate space designated for your office, she said. It’s important to be able to close the door and focus on work.

“It’s a corporate job. It is a big company. There are demands,” she said.

Huston loves being able to eliminate the long commute and focus on her work and family.

She’s been able to be involved in some volunteer work at McKitrick Elementary and she’s nearby, if there’s ever an emergency, she said.

In fact, she added, “my youngest, actually, broke his leg at his pre-school, and I was there in 2 seconds because it was around the corner.”

Working at home is not for everyone, Huston said. But she added: “For the place that I’m at in my life, it’s a good fit.”

Working at home is not for everyone
Melissa Huston, a Lutz mom who works at home, offers this advice for people who work at home:

  • Be sure to establish a routine.
  • Set up a separate office space — you need to be able to close the door, to work uninterrupted.
  • Be aware that while you have more flexibility, you still must meet work demands.
  • Know that working at home is not a good idea if you’re not a good time manager.
  • Be prepared to make an extra effort to stay in the loop with your colleagues.

The FTC’s advice for avoiding work-at-home scams
Of course, when it comes to business opportunities, there’s no such thing as a sure thing.

Promises of a big income for work from home, especially when the “opportunity” involves an upfront fee or divulging your credit card information, should make you very suspicious, advises a consumer protection article on the Federal Trade Commission’s website.

It doesn’t matter where you saw the advertisement or heard about the offer, the FTC warns. Research the opportunity and be skeptical.

Here are some examples of work-at-home opportunities that often turn out to be scams:

  • Envelope stuffing: For a “small fee,” you can make lots of money stuffing envelopes at home, but it turns out that there’s no work and the only way you can earn any money is by persuading others to pursue the same envelope-stuffing opportunity.
  • Assembly or craft work: This promises that you can make money assembling crafts or other products at home. But first you have to invest money for equipment and supplies. Then, after you’ve spent lots of hours producing goods for a company that has promised to buy them, they reject your products because your work is “not up to standards.”
  • Rebate processing: The offer says you can earn money by helping to process rebates. Then it says the fee for training, certification or registration is nothing compared to what you’ll earn processing rebates from home. What you’ll receive are useless training materials and no rebates to process.
  • Online searches: This opportunity promises that you’ll ear $500 to $1,000 a week, or even up to $7,000 a month, by running Internet searches on prominent search engines and filling out forms. In this case, the scammers are not connected to well-known search engines. They’re trying to trick you into handing over credit or debit car information. If you pay even a tiny fee online, they can use your financial information to charge you recurring fees.
  • Medical billing: This offer promises a substantial income for full- or part-time work processing medical claims electronically — no experience needed. These opportunities often require a substantial investment for software, list of potential clients and technical support. But the software may not work, and the lists are often outdated. If you decide to pursue this type of opportunity, be sure to obtain a lengthy list of previous purchasers for references. Be wary if the list just has a couple of names on it, because they may be shills that have been hired to say good things.

Ask Questions

If you’re thinking about following up on a work-at-home offer, do your homework. Before pursuing a stay-at-home work opportunity, ask:

  • What tasks will I have to perform? Be sure you have a list of every step of the job.
  • Will I be paid a salary or paid on commission?
  • If the job involves purchasing some type of program, ask what is the basis for your claims about my likely earnings? What documents can you show me to prove your claims are true before I give you any money?
  • Who will pay me? When will I get my first paycheck?
  • What is the total cost of this work-at-home program, including supplies, equipment and membership fees? What will I get for my money?

Where to Complain

If you are unable to resolve a dispute with the company, you can file a complaint with:

  • The Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov/complaint
  • The Florida Attorney General’s Office
  • The Better Business Bureau
  • Local consumer protection offices

Published March 18, 2015

No horsing around: Avalon’s Students Prep For Equestrian Shows

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The Reflections community in Lutz has beautiful houses, well-maintained areas and a peaceful, suburban aesthetic.

And 30 acres for riding, training and showing horses.

Annaliese Donaldson-Pham and her horse, Tirza, are preparing a move into national competition. She began riding at age 3. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Annaliese Donaldson-Pham and her horse, Tirza, are preparing a move into national competition. She began riding at age 3.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“It’s been here 20 years. They built that (the housing development) about 11 years ago,” said Pam Roush, trainer and owner of Avalon Stables, 18029 Lake Reflections Blvd. Before that, the property was a farm for thoroughbreds. Then Roush bought it and converted it to an area for training and lessons, and the Veterans Expressway helped the area develop residentially.

Now, Avalon Stables almost looks tucked away in a subdivision, but a quick detour off the main road leads to dozens of stables, large training areas and a little community all its own.

“We kind of call it our ‘barn family,’” said assistant trainer Lonna Glover. “Usually in the afternoons, everybody is here. It’s a big social thing for a lot of our customers.”

Saturday mornings also are a popular time, with riders and family gathering at the pavilion to watch lessons, socialize and support each other.

While Avalon Stables is a fun place for its riders, it also can be serious business. Many students own their own horse and keep it at Avalon. A horse can easily cost what you’d pay for a new car, Glover explained, and adding several hundred dollars a month for care and maintenance means it’s for riders looking to improve and become successful at competitions.

But owning a horse isn’t a requirement to participate. Some riders simply pay for lessons and use horses on-site that are designated for student use. And whether they’re gunning for recognition at a show, or just having fun on the weekends, horse riding and training can relieve stress.

The pursuit requires the kind of concentration that doesn’t leave room for outside pressures to creep in.

“Most people like to come out here to just relax and do something different, because they can’t think of anything else while they’re sitting up there,” Glover said. “They have to think of what they’re doing and how they’re doing it.”

Children with attention challenges often find their focus improving when they’re on a horse, because every movement works in concert to keep the animal behaving as it should, Roush explained.

Brooklyn Krone, 12, has been coming to Avalon for seven years. She spends three days a week working with her horse, Breve Latte, to make a jump from Academy level shows to A level. She’s almost there, and still enjoys the training process after all these years.

“It’s just really fun. I get to meet a lot of people and spend time with horses,” she said. Krone is working hard on form and body placement, which is a big part of the judging. It’s important to maneuver the horse properly using complex signals and motions, but maintain a smooth and comfortable look, as if the two work together naturally.

And even though it’s hard work, it’s a welcome respite from the stresses of her virtual school schedule.

“Usually when I have a really hard day at school, it just takes my mind off of things,” Krone said. She hopes to reach A level in the next couple of months.

Annaliese Donaldson-Pham, 12, can’t remember a time when she wasn’t riding. She’s been with Avalon for a couple of years, but began riding when she was 3.

“I just love the connection between you and your horse,” she said. And she’s building a connection with Tirza, a horse she acquired to focus on performing as she plans to make a jump of her own in the showing circuit. A competitor at A level for more than three years, Donaldson-Pham is looking to go national, and works weekly with Tirza to get ready for tougher competition.

Seeing her students improve and advance in competition is a particular source of pride for Roush.

“I love my kids. It’s the best,” she said. “It’s why we do it.” It also becomes a lifelong passion for many of them, she said, building from an interest that began as children into a consistent part of their lives as adults.

Krone agrees.

“I definitely see myself doing this for a long time,” she said.

The spring break camp at Avalon, which lasts a week, began on March 9.

Summer camp dates begin in June.

For more information, call (813) 765-7162 or visit AvalonStables.com.

Published March 11, 2015

Charter school public hearing is finally here

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After months of delay, a public hearing on a proposed charter school at the southwest corner of Lutz Lake Fern and Sunlake Boulevard is slated for the evening of March 16.

The proposed Sunlake Academy has faced stiff opposition throughout the process from residents who live near the proposed school that would be built on a 7.4-acre site, as well as objections from area homeowner associations, the Lutz Citizens Coalition, the Lutz Civic Association and the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Clubs.

Pat and Joe Serio, who live next to the proposed Sunlake Academy, are adamantly opposed to the school, which they say would ruin the quiet enjoyment of their property. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Pat and Joe Serio, who live next to the proposed Sunlake Academy, are adamantly opposed to the school, which they say would ruin the quiet enjoyment of their property.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Since its initial application, Charter Schools Inc., has reduced the number of students who would attend the school. The applicant also has substantially increased its proposed buffering and agreed to transportation improvements.

As the application stands now, the school would allow up to 870 kindergarten through eighth grade students, over two phases.

Changes made by the applicant don’t satisfy Pat and Joe Serio, whose property abuts the proposed school.

“We are absolutely opposed,” Pat Serio said.

Joe Serio said that he objects not only to the proposed charter school, but also to the entire process being used to consider the request.

“I look at it, at the special application, as an end-run around the zoning regulations,” Joe Serio said.

The Hillsborough County Commission adopted the Lutz Community Plan and the North Dale Mabry Corridor Plan, he said. “Now, they’re just abandoning them. They’re making a mockery of the whole process. The citizens worked hard on that,” he said.

With special use applications, a land-use hearing officer makes the final decision on a request, instead of the Hillsborough County Commission.

“We feel that we’re Ground Zero here. It is literally our backyard,” she said.

“The traffic plan doesn’t take into consideration what’s going to happen once people begin to realize the Sunlake (Boulevard) is open to Route (State Road) 54 and start using it,” Joe Serio said.

Traffic is already backing up on Lutz Lake Fern Road, as people wait to turn left to get onto Sunlake Boulevard to head over to State Road 54, he said.

The couple is also concerned about potential flooding, fumes from car emissions and noise from children playing outdoors.

“The whole process seems very tilted toward developers,” Pat Serio said.

Mike White, president and founder of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, said the coalition remains opposed to the proposed school.

“It is not an appropriate transitional use,” White said. “It’s not transitional, due to the density,” he said.

Too many cars will be coming and going at peak hours, White said, adding a more appropriate use would be one which spreads the traffic throughout the business day.

Michael Horner, a professional planner representing the applicant, said in an email that his client has “worked diligently to address any and all concerns expressed by staff and the HOA/neighbors, including over a half-million dollars of roadway and other improvements, turn lanes, signal modifications, etc.”

Additionally, as a condition of approval, the applicant has agreed to spend close to $50,000 to extend a 6-foot wall across the entire western property boundary, according to Horner.

Significant setbacks and landscaping buffer are proposed as well — 10 times the buffer required by the county’s land development code, Horner added.

“Bottom line, this school is a very appropriate land use for this property,” Horner said, noting it is supported by the county’s long-range plan and land development code.

Sunlake Academy public hearing
March 16, 6 p.m.

Second floor board chambers at the Fred B. Karl County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., in Tampa

Published March 11, 2015

Crabby Floyd: A hard worker with a quick wit

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“God needed another crabber, so he called out for Crabby Floyd.”

So reads the first sentence of “Crabby” Floyd DeForest’s obituary, published on the website of Loyless Funeral Home in Land O’ Lakes.

‘Crabby’ Floyd DeForest was a hard-working crabber, who loved his family, served his community and enjoyed sharing his opinions about politics. (Courtesy of Loyless Funeral Home)
‘Crabby’ Floyd DeForest was a hard-working crabber, who loved his family, served his community and enjoyed sharing his opinions about politics.
(Courtesy of Loyless Funeral Home)

DeForest, 63 of Lutz, died Feb. 20, after a battle with cancer.

He was a commercial fisherman, but after the net bans went into effect, he became a crabber, said Richard Ortiz, a long-time friend of DeForest.

“He was such a vibrant man,” Ortiz said.

“He’s the first person I met when I moved up here,” said Ortiz, who has lived in the area for about 20 years.

“As soon as I moved into the house, he came over and introduced himself, and we remained friends from that day on,” Ortiz said.

DeForest used to refer to himself as “a round man,” Ortiz added. “He’d say, ‘This little round man can move.’ ”

That was true, Ortiz continued.

“If I had to sit down and pick the hardest working person I’ve known, it would have to be Floyd,” Ortiz said.

When Ortiz went out in the morning to pick up his newspaper, he’d see DeForest pulling out of the driveway with his truck and his boat.

“I’d see him leaving before sun up, and I’d see him coming (home) after sundown. It’d be cold out. It’d be hot out. It’d be bad weather. If he could go, he’d go.

“For all of the time I ever knew that man, I can say that I never, ever, ever heard him complain about his job,” Ortiz said.

“He enjoyed life,” said Lorraine DeForest, Crabby Floyd’s wife of 42 years. “He always considered himself so fortunate because he worked at a job that he loved.”

DeForest was widely known as a crabber.

“Everybody knew what he did,” Ortiz said. “People would come up and knock on his door and ask for crab.”

Often, DeForest would stop and chat with Ortiz, as he headed out to work or on his way home.

“He was a very outgoing, jovial guy. He always had a joke for you,” Ortiz said. “He was very quick-witted. Very bright, too. He stayed up on politics.”

DeForest had plenty of opinions and was always ready to share them.

“You knew where Floyd stood,” Ortiz said.

He also was involved in the community.

He was on the boards for both Land O’ Lakes Police Athletic League football and the Land O’ Lakes Little League and volunteered for the Land O’ Lakes High School Girls’ Softball team.

“We became friends when we coached football together,” said Cary Williams, noting that was 22 years ago.

The men and their families became close, sharing holidays together.

Williams and DeForest used to fish and hunt together, too.

DeForest was the kind of person who would go out in the middle of the night to help someone who was out on the water having boat problems, Williams said.

“He was the type of guy you could count on,” Williams said.

“He was a very conservative man,” Williams added, and he was politically involved.

“He would take the time to call state, federal and local politicians and them his opinion,” Williams said.

Chris Carollo, who owns Shadow Solutions Firearms in Lutz, said DeForest used to come hang out at his gun shop to shoot the breeze with other patrons.

“He loved to tell old stories,” Carollo said.

He also was very helpful.

In fact, when Carollo was getting ready to open his business, DeForest pitched in to help paint the walls.

Friends honored DeForest in posts in an electronic guestbook created by Loyless Funeral Home. They praised DeForest’s work ethic, his devotion to family and his coaching.

One post also mentions his contribution to providing “tasty memories” for thousands of families.

Besides his wife, Lorraine, DeForest is survived by his son, Floyd R.; his daughter, Candace; his mother, Elba; his brother, Rick and his wife, Loretta; nephews, a great niece and other family members and friends.

Ortiz said DeForest is the kind of man who deserved to be remembered.

“There are people out there that do things every day, and they don’t go out looking for credit, and they don’t go looking for accolades. That’s just them. That’s the kind of guy that Floyd was,” Ortiz said.

“I’m going to miss him terribly. I already miss seeing him,” Ortiz said.

Memorial service for Floyd DeForest
7 p.m., March 5 at Loyless Funeral Home, 5310 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Floyd DeForest’s memory to Gulfside Hospice

Published March 4, 2015

Pace picks up for construction in southern Pasco

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Commercial and residential developments are popping up at the Suncoast Parkway interchange and along State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor at an ever-quickening pace.

There’s so much happening that it’s difficult to keep up with what’s under construction, what’s on the drawing board and what’s moving toward final sale.

To help sort things out, the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., brought developers and brokers together for a meet-and-greet session on Feb. 19 at the Residence Inn at NorthPointe.

“We see the dirt flying,” said John Hagen, president and CEO of the Pasco EDC. “It struck us there’s really a lot of people who don’t know what’s going on here.”

So, in 10-minute bursts of information, representatives for the various developments presented highlights of a half-dozen mixed-use, master-planned and commercial communities.

Wiregrass Ranch, on the eastern end of the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor is the most advanced of the developments.

But there’s still much more to come, said J.D. Porter, whose family owns Wiregrass Ranch.

The long-delayed Raymond James Financial Campus, off State Road 56, is approaching the permitting stage, Porter said.

About 600,000 square feet of office space is planned with opportunities to expand to 1 million square feet, he said.

“There’s no exact start date, but we feel very comfortable,” Porter said. “It’s a no-brainer. It’s going to get done.”

The first phase probably is about $18 million in roads and utilities, he added.

Future projects include a new park, a charter school, and a convention and performing arts center.

“We’re starting to take our business to the next level,” Porter said.

Meanwhile, close to the Suncoast Parkway, construction has begun on Bexley Boulevard, the entrance to Bexley Ranch, a 5,000-acre master-planned community. That development will be at the northeast quadrant of State Road 54 and the Suncoast Parkway.

About 1,700 acres will be developed in the development’s first phase, including about 93,000 square feet of retail and 563,00 square feet of offices, said Tom Panaseny, vice president of California-based Newland Communities.

Newland Communities is the same company that developed Fishhawk Ranch and Westchase in Hillsborough County.

The future Tower Road, which will link to Ballantrae subdivision, will be a four-lane divided roadway with a flyover across Suncoast, Panaseny said.

Thousands of homes, a town center, specialty shops, hotel, medical uses and office space are part of the mix, he said. More than 12 miles of internal trails will link with existing trails in the community.

“Everything we do, we try to connect to trail systems,” Panaseny said.

Another development — NorthPointe at Suncoast Crossings at the southeast quadrant of State Road 54 and Suncoast Parkway — is planned to have a mixture of uses, with up to 1 million square feet of offices, research and development, and hospitality.

Two parcels are potential locations for hotel, office or retail, said Steve Oakes, vice president of development for The Hogan Group, based in Lutz.

Developers are keeping options open for how NorthPointe moves forward, said Paul Michael, vice president of Atlanta-based TPA Group. “We’re all in this together…to create a sustainable live, work, play environment which we hope to be a success in Pasco County.”

Asturia, another master-planned community, is off State Road 54, west of the Suncoast Parkway. The 500-acre development has approval for up to 300,000 square feet of commercial, 530,000 square feet of office or light industrial, 550 single-family homes, 200 town homes and 440 apartments.

“You can see piles of dirt and a lot of construction,” said Lane Gardner, managing director for Houston-based-Hines. A groundbreaking was held in December with completion of the first construction phase scheduled for May 2015.

Starkey Ranch is a 2,400-acre master-planned community off State Road 54 with approval for 206,500 square feet of Class A offices, 43,500 medical offices, 300,000 square feet of light industrial, 100,000 square feet of support retail, 220 hotel rooms and small commercial infill parcels.

More than 2,000 residential units are planned including homes in an “adult lifestyle” subdivision near Huckleberry Pond. It will, however, not be age-restricted.

“We are focusing on creating community,” said Matt Call, project director for Wheelock Communities. “We don’t want to be another subdivision. We want a true community.”

A town center with a grocery store as the anchor is planned at Gunn Highway and State Road 54. Other amenities include a business center, light industrial, a hotel, medical office, shops, day care center, coffee shop, church and more than 20 miles of trails.

A welcome center and model homes from Ryland and M/I are nearing completion. A groundbreaking is expected later this year for the Starkey Ranch District Park.

The park is not a tourism destination, Call said. “It’s really for local residents.”

Mitchell West 54, at Little Road and State Road 54, will feature a neighborhood shopping center with a movie theater amid its proposed 800 residential units.

“We think this is an infill location,” said Gary Nelson, senior vice president of Kitson & Partners based in Palm Beach Gardens.

Groundbreaking on the 330-acre site is planned for early 2016 with an opening day expected in 2017. There will be about 980,000 square feet of retail, medical and offices. A hotel and senior living component are possible.

The first development in the project will be the neighborhood center with grocery store, pharmacy, restaurants and some high-end retail, said Matt Buehler, retail specialist director for Kitson & Partners.

Published February 25, 2015

Improvements planned on State Road 54

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Pastoral scenes of as-yet untouched land in Pasco County still exist amid the office complexes, shopping centers and subdivision rooftops that dot parts of State Road 54.

But the “for sale” and “for lease” signs planted on large open fields in between those developments portend the future story for traffic counts on what is already one of Pasco County’s busiest east-west corridors.

The Florida Department of Transportation is scheduled to begin work this month to widen State Road 54 from four lanes to six lanes from east of the Suncoast Parkway to west of U.S. 41 (also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard). (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
The Florida Department of Transportation is scheduled to begin work this month to widen State Road 54 from four lanes to six lanes from east of the Suncoast Parkway to west of U.S. 41 (also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard).
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

State highway officials are ready to unveil a $16 million road project to widen the highway from east of the Suncoast Parkway to west of U.S. 41 from four lanes to six lanes. The widening will bring that section of the roadway into alignment with the existing six-lane divided highway that narrows to four lanes at the Suncoast Parkway.

Survey teams began work Feb. 9. Construction is scheduled to be completed in spring 2016.

Residents can look at the road design at an open house Feb. 24 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Residence Inn at 2101 Northpointe Parkway, off State Road 54, at the Suncoast Parkway interchange and Northpointe Village. No formal presentation is planned. State road department staff will be on hand to answer questions.

The project will cover a 6.7-mile stretch of highway that passes by Long Lake Ranch, a master-planned community that has its first homes on the market.

Other subdivisions along the route are Suncoast Meadows, Suncoast Pointe, Stonegate, Concord Station and Ballantrae. Professional office complexes and the Shoppes at Sunlake Centre are other developments along the heavily traveled corridor.

State highway records for 2013 reveal that daily round-trip vehicle trips — along the segment that will be widened — ranged from 39,500 to 47,000.

In addition to extra lanes, the project includes new sidewalks and more highway lights. Bicycle lanes will remain.

A new traffic signal will be installed at Meadowbrook Drive, east of the parkway by the entrance into Suncoast Meadows and Suncoast Pointe. All existing traffic lights will stay in place.

Alberta Bland, partner and managing director at Flagship Title, welcomes the new traffic signal.

“It’s a dangerous intersection,” said Bland, whose company is in Suncoast Meadows Professional Center.

Motorists stop on an incline at Meadowbrook as they approach on the south side of State Road 54, she said. They also must look west for oncoming traffic zipping along a curve in the state highway.

“I’ve seen near accidents and accidents because of the way the street is shaped,” Bland said. “It’s difficult to see both ways especially at night.”

The traffic signal will improve safety, she said.

But widening the road is a mixed bag, she added.

“If they are going to widen it, (traffic) is going to get worse,” Bland said. “There is enough traffic that they need to do it, but they need to slow everything down.”

During construction, speed limits will be 50 miles per hour. Once the roadwork is completed, the existing limits, which range from 45 mph to 60 mph, will apply, state road officials said.

While traffic during construction won’t be a cakewalk for motorists, road officials said the widening will occur in the median, not in rights-of-way along the road’s shoulder.

“It’s a construction site, of course, but there shouldn’t be too much disruption,” said Kris Carson, a spokeswoman for the state roads department.

Roy Schleman said he sees a considerable amount of bad driving on the roadway, with some motorists speeding or texting.

And, he noted, the intersections at Ballantrae Road and Oakstead Boulevard, where there are existing traffic lights, can be as bad or worse than Meadowbrook.

But, like Bland, he thinks a traffic signal at Meadowbrook is a good idea.

Schleman owns All Insurance Underwriters in the Suncoast Meadows office complex.

“I’m a dad,” he said. “Thinking about moms and kids, I’d rather (the intersection) be safer.”

When deciding where to locate his business nearly five years ago, he rejected New Tampa because of the traffic congestion on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

The widening of State Road 54 makes sense in view of the new development that is coming, he said. “I think it’s good to get ahead.”

But he keeps thinking about Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. “I feel we’re going to be like that in some way,” Schleman said.

Want to see the plans?
The Florida Department of Transportation is having an open house to give the public a chance to see the plans for a construction project to widen a section of State Road 54, from east of the Suncoast Parkway to west of U.S. 41 (also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard).

The meeting will be Feb. 24 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Residence Inn, 2101 Northpointe Parkway in Lutz.

Published February 18, 2015

Navigating through today’s ‘Teen World’ isn’t easy

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Being a teenager has never been an easy time, but with today’s technology, poor decisions and impulsive actions can go viral in an instant.

And, with Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter it’s so much easier for kids to get themselves into trouble these days — sometimes with deadly consequences.

Stacie Gavin, Terri Vanderhook and Laura LoPresti organized an event aimed at providing resources and advice to parents and teenagers as they confront the challenges of being a teenager in today’s technology-driven world. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Stacie Gavin, Terri Vanderhook and Laura LoPresti organized an event aimed at providing resources and advice to parents and teenagers as they confront the challenges of being a teenager in today’s technology-driven world.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Teenagers aren’t the only ones facing new challenges in this cyber age.

Parents also have trouble helping their children navigate through their teen years.

To help both groups, Steinbrenner High School’s Parent Teacher Student Association recently held a “The World of a Teen,” forum to discuss challenges confronting today’s teenagers.

A panel of experts covered issues ranging from dating, drugs, alcohol, stress, social media.

They also talked frankly about such topics as sexting and sexploitation, human trafficking, date rape, drug and alcohol abuse, depression, self-mutilation, eating disorders and various kinds of anxiety.

More than 160 people turned out for the event, prompting Laura LoPresti, one of the organizers to remark as she addressed the crowd: “This is obviously a topic of interest.”

The forum offered a safe space for both parents and their children to ask questions.

They jotted them on index cards and LoPresti read them to panelists.

Parents wanted advice about how to keep track of their child’s online behaviors.

It’s a serious issue, said Michelle Gonzalez, a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Parents must monitor what their children are doing online — on whatever kind of electronic device they are using, said Gonzalez, who investigates the exploitation of children on the Internet, including such issues as sextortion and sexting.

Deputy Tony Bennett, who is the school resource officer at Steinbrenner, told parents there are computer apps that can track their children’s computer behavior. He advised parents to contact him and he’d give them a list to check out.

Dating is another dangerous arena for teenagers, said Erica Ruiz, of The Spring of Tampa Bay, Inc.who works with dating abuse prevention and intervention programs.

“One in three or four teens will experience some form of teen dating violence,” she said, noting the violence can be either physical or verbal.

It’s an issue that’s often not on parents’ radar, Ruiz said.

“Take it seriously,” she urged parents.

Cindy Floyd, a licensed clinical psychologist with a practice in Wesley Chapel, said many of clients she sees have eating disorders, body image concerns, depression and anxiety.

Separation anxiety is another issue that teenagers sometimes have as they prepare to leave home for college.

“Are they socially and emotionally prepared for that transition?” she asked.

Parents often are reluctant to talk about drugs and alcohol with their children, said Sonya Bufe, of The Phoenix House, a substance abuse treatment center.

But it’s a necessary discussion.

In fact, parents, in general, need to talk to their children routinely to know what’s happening in their lives, said Ray Hewitt, who also works for The Phoenix House.

Kids often have an entirely different view of their future than their parents have for them, Hewitt said.

It’s important to know what they’re thinking and feeling and the only way to do that is keep the lines of communication open, he said.

While clients struggle with various anxieties, it’s important for parents to know that help is available, said Karan Lamb, a licensed psychologist with a practice in Carrollwood.

“Treatments are very effective,” she said, but if anxieties are left unchecked, they can develop into deeper problems.

The panelists offered a wide range of advice to parents. They talked about signs that can indicate that a child is being bullied. They gave advice on what to do if your child begins to hang out with a kid you think is trouble. They also offered practical suggestions to help parents prepare their children for independence.

Floyd, who has never been part of this type of panel, praised the Steinbrenner PTSA for arranging the program.

“I think it is so crucial for parents and families to be involved in the ins and outs of their teens’ lives,” Floyd said. “When parents are present, it’s just such a different experience for the teenager.”

She was impressed by the turnout.

“There’s some vulnerability that comes with these questions, especially for the parents to be sitting alongside their teen. I think it’s really neat that they were open and reflecting to their teenager — ‘We’re open and we’re capable of hearing about this stuff, so come talk to us.’ ”

She said the theme that emerged from the panelists’ remarks was this: “Get to know your teenager. Be in their life. Know what they’re looking at. Know what stresses them out. Know who their friends are.

“These are kids, so continue participate in their lives, deeply, so that you know if they’re depressed, if they’re anxious, if they’re engaging in something inappropriate,” Floyd said.

Terri Vanderhook and Stacie Gavin, worked with LoPresti to organize the event.

They said their goal was to inform parents about resources that may be helpful and to provide some practical advice as they deal with the daily challenges of raising a teenager.

Lisa Kiev-Chen, who attended the forum with two of her three children, said the panelists provided plenty of food for thought.

Two big things she took away from the event were this: “Talk less. Listen more,” she said.

She said listening to the experts also reinforced her belief in the importance of sharing family meals together, even when the kids would prefer to do something else.

She also was reminded of the importance of bringing the kids into discussions and listening to their point of view.

Published February 18, 2015

Lowe’s is hiring workers for new Land O’ Lakes store

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Construction is down to the wire at the new Lowe’s Home Improvement warehouse on State Road 54, east of U.S. 41.

Job training for new hires is in full swing and applications are being accepted online for up to 160 job openings anticipated by company officials.

A pedestrian makes her way past the safety fence in front of the new Lowe's store that is aiming to open in April. (Fred Bellet/Photo)
A pedestrian makes her way past the safety fence in front of the new Lowe’s store that is aiming to open in April.
(Fred Bellet/Photo)

The store is aiming for an April opening is expected this spring.

“Everybody, everybody is asking ‘when are you going to open the doors?’” said Steve Petrone, Lowe’s pro services specialist.

When the store does open area residents in Land O’ Lakes will have a hometown, one-stop Lowe’s warehouse for their do-it-yourself projects, Petrone said.

The 152,000-square-foot store is across from the Village Lakes Shopping Center. It is Pasco County’s third Lowe’s location.

The other stores are in Zephyrhills and New Port Richey.

Lowe’s began accepting job applications in October.

Some of the employees opening the new store worked at other Lowe’s locations and competed for openings because they wanted to work in Land O’ Lakes, closer to their homes, Petrone said.

Those who are interested in applying should visit Lowe’s website, Careers.lowes.com, to find job postings and submit separate applications for each job the applicant would like to pursue.

The job list changes, so repeat visits to the site are useful, Petrone said.

Recent job listings were for delivery driver and seasonal inside garden customer service associate.

Before it has its soft opening, Lowe’s will be making its local presence felt by being the principal sponsor for Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 Community Fun Day and Business Expo.

The two-day event is free and open to the public. It will highlight businesses and service providers in the northern area of Hillsborough and the central area of Pasco counties.

Hours for that event are March 6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and March 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The expo will be at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

Lowe’s associates will be on hand to answer questions about indoor and outdoor repairs or remodeling chores. They can help with items such as paint choices and color schemes, Petrone said.

For gardeners, there will be experts who can give helpful tips on how to grow healthy lawns and get rid of pesky insects.

There will be an activity that gives families a chance to grow, build and bond, too, on March 7.

Lowe’s is enthused about its new Land O’ Lakes location.

“We’re chomping at the bit to get started,” Petrone said.

Published February 11, 2015