The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Lutz News

Remand on Lutz Rezoning set for Dec. 13

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A Hillsborough County zoning hearing officer is scheduled to listen to more testimony on Dec. 13, regarding a request to allow a 7-Eleven, gasoline pumps and car wash on U.S. 41, north of Sunset Lane.

The Hillsborough County Commission voted 4-3 to send the request back for further review.

Commissioners favoring the remand are interested in hearing additional information from the county’s environmental staff regarding whether the planned septic system at the development would be capable of handling the discharge from a carwash.

Commissioners raising those questions noted that the area has lakes, private wells and sensitive wetlands.

Commissioner Mariella Smith also noted that the remand hearing should be open for testimony exploring other issues, too, such as light pollution and compatibility.

The request, by RKM and 7-Eleven, has drawn both support and opposition. A hearing had been set for Nov. 15, but county staff called for the delay until December.

The zoning request will be considered on Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. In-person and remote hybrid Zoning Hearing Master meetings take place at Robert W. Saunders Sr. Public Library, in the Ada T. Payne Community Room, at 1505 N. Nebraska Ave., in downtown Tampa.

Revised Nov. 12, 2021

Warning to motorists: Watch out for loose cows

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Dr. Octavio Blanco has what may seem to sound like an unusual request.

He’s urging motorists who are traveling on State Road 54 — in the Lutz/Land O’ Lakes area — and along the Suncoast Parkway in that general area, to keep an eye out for loose cows.

Blanco is concerned that criminal activities on his property, 16543 State Road 54, in Lutz, could put drivers at risk.

His 100-acre property has been the target of thieves.

Stealing his things is one thing, Blanco said, but the criminals also are making it possible for his cows to get out — which could pose a hazard to unsuspecting passing motorists.

He’s got a herd of about 40 beef cows.

Blanco thinks it’s highly likely that if these crimes continue to happen, his cows will get loose and wander onto State Road 54 or the Suncoast Parkway.

And, if that occurs at night, it could prove deadly, Blanco said.

It’s not an imaginary fear, said Blanco, who recalls when he was a child he saw the aftermath of an accident when a Volkswagen ran into a cow and the people inside of the car were killed.

Blanco has alerted the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office about his concerns.

Amanda Hunter, public information manager for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, said, via email, that the law enforcement agency is continuing to investigate these cases.

It posted this information on the agency’s Facebook page on Sept. 21:

“Help Us Solve a Crime: On two separate days within the past two months, a suspect forced their way into a home and barn in the Land O’ Lakes area off SR 54 and stole the victim’s property.

“The pictured white male was seen leaving the victim’s property the day of first burglary and may have left with the dark colored minivan. The second burglary involved the black Ford truck with attached trailer. The male has a mullet hairstyle and a tattoo on left side of his chest.

“If you have any information on this case, or know the identity of the suspect, submit a tip to the Pasco Sheriff’s Crime Tips Line at 1-800-706-2488 and refer to case number 21027615 or 21033171. Please do not submit tips on social media.

On Oct. 13, it re-posted the original post, along with this additional information:

“PSO (Pasco Sheriff’s Office) detectives continue to investigate these incidents in the SR 54 area of Land O’ Lakes. This suspect also cut the victim’s fence which was holding in cattle. This crime is a felony under Florida statute. Livestock that escape can wander onto roadways and potentially cause crashes and endanger citizens.”

In her email to The Laker/Lutz News, Hunter also noted that the sheriff’s office has “spoken with the victim for these cases at length numerous times to address his concerns.

“The agency’s agricultural unit and its property crimes unit also has been in touch with him,” she said. They are working with him to install cameras to help solve the crimes, Hunter added.

While he would like to put an end to the burglaries, Blanco said his primary concern is to alert the public, to help avert a potential tragedy.

Published November 03, 2021

Request for Lutz 7-Eleven is delayed

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The Hillsborough County Commission voted 4-3 to remand a rezoning request for a gas station and carwash off U.S. 41, north of Sunset Lane, in Lutz.

Commissioners Ken Hagan, Kimberly Overman, Mariella Smith and Chairwoman Pat Kemp voted to remand the request and Commissioners Harry Cohen, Gwen Myers and Stacy White dissented.

Those who voted to send the case back to the zoning hearing master for further review specifically said they want the county’s Department of Environmental Protection to take a closer look at whether a septic system will be capable of  handling the discharge from a proposed carwash.

They voiced concerns about potential problems because the area has lakes, private wells and sensitive wetlands.

Commissioner Smith said the hearing can explore other issues, too.

“I would not have it limited,” she said, noting that citizens are free to discuss other topics, such as light pollution and compatibility, she added.

During the Hillsborough board’s Oct. 12 public hearing, Smith said the county also needs to take a closer look at its rezoning process.

Under current procedures, no testimony can be presented to commissioners during a rezoning hearing unless it was part of the record before the zoning hearing master.

The zoning hearing master recommends approval or denial on zoning cases, but the county board has the final word.

The request, by RKM and 7-Eleven, drew both support and opposition at the county board’s hearing and also at the zoning hearing master hearing on Aug. 16.

Attorney Cami Corbett, representing the applicants at both hearings, described the proposed gas station as a modern building, designed specifically to fit within the character of Lutz.

She said it is within the node that’s specifically designated for neighborhood commercial development within the Lutz Community Plan.

Natalie Davis, of 17880 N. U.S. 41, in Lutz, spoke in favor of the request at both hearings.

She noted that Lutz typically has wanted to slow development — but even so, a significant amount of new projects have popped up along U.S. 41.

Those developments have included a Publix, a Dunkin’ Donuts, restaurants, McDonald’s, a self-storage unit, a Walgreens, a bank, and professional office parks, as well as new neighborhoods.

Davis favors growth along U.S. 41, which she noted is a six-lane road, and questioned why a gas station should be excluded.

“I am here to represent the next generation of Lutz,” she said.

Gus Weekley, who owns the property up for rezoning, along with his brother, said the family has deep roots in Lutz.

The proposed site of the gas station is land that was owned by his grandmother and where she sold fruit raised on the land to those traveling by on the only major road into Tampa.

“We believe that Lutz is a special community,” he said, adding the 7-Eleven will be a good fit.

Sam Calco, president of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, spoke against the request.

He noted an error in the hearing master’s record and said that was sufficient to merit a remand.

County staff, however, said that the hearing officer’s recommendation was based on accurate information, despite the error in the report.

Jay Muffly, a longtime community activist, was direct: “I oppose this rezoning because it is not compatible with the Lutz community. Period.”

He also expressed concerns about potential negative impacts from light pollution.

Both Kemp and Overman voiced concerns about allowing a car wash to operate on a septic system.

The idea of dropping the carwash from the application was raised, but the applicant indicated no interest in taking that approach.

The project would hook onto public water and sewer, but it is not available, Corbett said.

Questions also were raised about whether the proposed development meets the county’s locational criteria.

That standard says the project should be within 900 feet of the intersection of U.S. 41 and Sunset Lane. But a portion of the proposed project is 960 feet away from that intersection, according to testimony provided during the county board’s discussion.

Commissioner Hagan initially said he wasn’t sure the board had legal grounds to deny the rezoning.

Ultimately, though, he went along with three of his colleagues when they called for a remand to pursue additional information.

The next hearing has been set for Nov. 15 at 6 p.m.

In-person and remote hybrid Zoning Hearing Master meetings are held at Robert W. Saunders Sr. Public Library, in the Ada T. Payne Community Room, at 1505 N. Nebraska Ave., in downtown Tampa.

Published October 20, 2021

Resurfacing work proposed for Suncoast Parkway

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Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise has included a resurfacing project on the Suncoast Parkway, as part of its tentative work program for fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

Siaosi Fine, of the Turnpike Enterprise, briefed the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) board about the sole Pasco County project included in that proposed plan, at the board’s Oct. 14 meeting.

The resurfacing work would be done on the Suncoast Parkway, from just south of the Hillsborough County and Pasco County line to a little bit north of State Road 52, Fine said.

The design funds are included in the tentative five-year work plan in fiscal year 2024 and the construction funds are included in the fiscal year 2025 plan. The total cost would be $23.1 million for work that includes milling and resurfacing, guard rail installation, and signing and pavement marking improvements, he said

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, who sits on the Pasco MPO board, inquired about funding for the two pedestrian/bicycle overpasses that are planned at State Road 54 and State Road 52, respectively, to connect to the Suncoast Trail.

Those projects are being funded by Pasco County, while overpasses in Hernando and Citrus counties are being paid for by the Turnpike, the commissioner said.

“It’s not fair,” Starkey said.

“Board members, citizens of Pasco County are paying for the bike/ped overpasses on (State Roads) 54 and 52, and the Turnpike is paying for the overpasses in Hernando County and Citrus County) who have a lot less traffic than us. I don’t understand how that happened,” she said. She added that she’d like to talk to someone at the Turnpike Enterprise about the possibility of it sharing those costs.

Starkey addressed her MPO board colleagues: “Guys, I really think we should elevate our voices on that,” adding that perhaps that can be done when they go to Tallahassee to address concerns.

“Why are other counties getting it paid for, and we have to pay for our own?” she said. “It bothers me.”

In another part of the meeting, Starkey reiterated her concerns about trail design, urging those who are planning trails to use an approach that allows trails to meander away from roads and to place them behind ponds or landscaping, to improve the experience for users and to make it safer.

In some cases, that might increase costs, she said. But it might not.

“There are ways to make the user experience better. You don’t have to buy more right of way, you just have to plan it as a user would like to use it,” Starkey said.

Pasco County Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick agreed. She said trails should be farther back from roads, not butted up right next to them, to help keep users safe.

MPO Board Chairman Lance Smith, who serves on the Zephyrhills City Council, agreed that more thought needs to be given to trail design.

“I do want to say that I appreciate the commissioners’ input on the trails because I think this trail idea has evolved over the years,” Smith said.

“It used to be —  well — no trails. Then, over the years, as an afterthought, let’s put in a trail. “Now, we’re thinking more on integrating it as part of the actual construction. I think it’s great to have a landscape architect in there and fight as hard as they can to create these nice spaces on the trail.

“It’s great to have a trail, but if there’s not a piece of shade on it, in August, I don’t know how many people will use it,” Smith said.

“And,” Starkey added, “an occasional bench?”

Published October 20, 2021

Hardware company investing $7.5 million at business industrial park

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Harney Hardware, a logistics and distribution company, is setting up shop at ComPark 75, off Wesley Chapel Boulevard, according to a news release from the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.

The company is investing $7.5 million in a 45,000-square-foot facility.

It is expected to hire 20 employees, with salaries exceeding 198% of the average Pasco County wage, the release added.

ComPark 75 is an industrial business park in Lutz, on 106 acres, between Interstate 75 and Wesley Chapel Boulevard. It’s situated in an area where Lutz, Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel come together.

Harney Hardware is a supplier of residential and commercial door and bathroom hardware, and direct ships to customers in all 50 states, the release said.

Harney Hardware has experienced growth in its hardware business, especially in the home improvement sector and demand for products shipped directly to the company’s customers, the release added.

“I want to thank the Pasco EDC for their assistance in the site selection and permitting process,” Preston Copenhaver, CEO, Harney Hardware, said in the release.

”We distribute over 75% of our products outside of Florida, and the majority of our workforce lives in Pasco County, I am looking forward to growing my business here,” Copenhaver added.

Bill Cronin, president/CEO of Pasco EDC, noted: “Harney Hardware is a great example of the target industries we are trying to strategically attract to Pasco County.

“They are in logistics and distribution, offer great wages, and they already knew we had the quality workforce they needed since many of their staff are already residents,” Cronin added, in the release.

Published September 15, 2021

Will 7-Eleven set up in Lutz?

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A proposed rezoning for a gas station and convenience store, off U.S. 41, north of Sunset Lane, drew both support and opposition during an Aug. 16 hearing.

“We’re planning a brand-new modern building, designed to fit within the character of the Lutz community design standards,” Cami Corbett, an attorney representing the applicant told Susan Finch, the hearing officer on the case.

The proposed development is “a next-generation” 7-Eleven that would be built “at the node that’s specifically designated for neighborhood commercial development within the Lutz Community Plan,” Corbett added.

Three experts spoke on behalf of the applicant.

One offered testimony regarding the steps that are taken to ensure the safety of the fuel tanks and the methods used to capture gasoline vapors.

Another testified that the project will not pose a threat to water quality of private wells in the area.

A third expert discussed traffic issues. He pointed to improvements that are planned at the intersection of Sunset Lane and U.S. 41. He also cited a department of transportation study that estimates that 78% of a convenience store/gas station’s traffic comes from motorists driving by.

Natalie Davis, of 17880 N. U.S. Highway 41, in Lutz, spoke forcefully in favor of the request.

“I grew up in a neighborhood right across from this project, on Sunset and 41. I now own a small business that’s located in Lutz, as well,” she said.

She offered several reasons for her support.

Lutz has typically wanted to slow down development, she said, but in the last 15 years, it has allowed “a Publix, a Dunkin’ Donuts, restaurants, McDonald’s, a self-storage unit, a Walgreens, a bank, professional office parks, and new neighborhoods.

“So, my question is, why not a gas station? And, why not this property?” she asked.

“There’s widespread development to the north of us, on Highway (State Road) 54, and there’s development creeping from the south. And, U.S. 41 is the six-lane highway that runs in between.

“So, to think you’re going to keep Lutz small — that train has left the station. We’re not talking about a small-town road. We’re talking about a six-lane highway. We’re not talking about a nature preserve. We’re talking about a six-lane highway.”

She also thinks Lutz needs more gas stations, plus she supports the property owner’s right to develop the property, she added.

Gus Weekley, who owns the property up for rezoning, along with his brother, said the family has deep roots in Lutz.

“It initially was owned by my grandmother. She bought it decades ago, when (U.S.) 41 was the only major road into Tampa and she sold fruit that was raised on the land, to those coming to the north,” he said.

He recalled spending many summer weekends during his youth, working in the groves.

“We have history of 80 years or so, in Lutz,” he said, noting that he thinks a gas station will be a good addition to the community.

“This is not a case of someone just coming in and saying, ‘Where’s the check? See you later.’’’ Weekley said.

But one area resident raised concerns about locating a commercial business using a septic tank so close to nearby residences that rely on well water.

Sam Calco, president of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, also objected to the request “based solely on the law, as established by the Lutz Comprehensive Plan.”

He contends the proposed rezoning violates that plan and should be denied.

Calco also contends that the request has failed to secure a commercial locational waiver, which he said is required.

“This project is not needed or wanted in Lutz at this time,” Calco said, vowing that he would not support the business.

“I know I will never buy a lottery ticket. Not one candy bar or Slurpee. Not one gallon of gas. Not one bag of ice —  ever — at this business,” Calco said.

“I ask you, our citizens ask you, to simply follow the law,” he told the hearing officer.

Corbett said the rural planning policies prohibit public sewer. If it was allowed, however, the developer would be glad to connect.

“While we had some real passionate people here this evening, I don’t think any of them are experts in the field such as compatibility or transportation or environmental, and so you do have expert testimony in the record, in the form of staff reports from the planning commission, development services and all of our experts to support the application,” Corbett said.

Corbett also noted the application had received no objections from the reviewing agencies.

Finch has 15 days from the date of the hearing to issue her recommendation, which will go to the Hillsborough County Commission, which has final say on zoning and land use issues.

Published August 25, 2021

Office zoning approved on State Road 54, at Meadowbrook Drive

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A rezoning has been approved to allow a professional office to be built on a 1.67-acre site at the southwest corner of State Road 54 and Meadowbrook Drive, in Lutz.

The Pasco County Commission approved the request by Kiddie Campus University Inc., at the board’s Aug. 10 meeting.

The application drew opposition from some area residents, but it was muted compared to the strenuous objections that accompanied a previous request to change the county’s land use map to allow the potential for a gas station and convenience store at the same location.

That proposal fell by the wayside when a divided county board refused to change the land use, which would have cleared the way for consideration of the commercial rezoning.

Instead, Kiddie Campus revised its pending rezoning application — asking for an office use, instead.

“We amended our application to PO1 (Professional Office 1), it’s the lowest intensity non-residential use in your code,” said Attorney Barbara Wilhite, representing the applicant.

“This is the solution,” Wilhite said.

Given the site’s location, at a signalized intersection on State Road 54, its future use will not be residential, Wilhite said.

The PO1 office district is designed to be compatible with residentially developed districts, she added.

That designation allows only office uses. It does not permit commercial uses, such as a hair salon, a nail salon or other personal services, Wilhite said.

She said the applicant didn’t want to bring anything forward that was retail-oriented, so its application calls for strictly office uses.

coming forward with the PO1,” the attorney added.

Additionally, the applicant has agreed to a deed restriction that limits the building height to two stories, Wilhite added.

“I could see the residents’ concerns,” the attorney said.

The voluntary deed restriction is the only thing limiting the building’s height, said Denise Hernandez, the county’s zoning administrator. That’s because the site is located within the county’s urban service area, she explained.

The application had received recommendations for approval from both the Pasco County Planning Commission and the county’s planners.

Some area residents, who had spoken against the plan before said they are confident that developer will work with the community.

But others — far fewer than before — persisted in their opposition, characterizing the proposed development as an intrusion into a residential area and raising concerns about a potential for future flooding issues.

Wilhite addressed the flooding concerns: “We can’t make the flooding worse. There’s plenty of regulations on the books regarding flooding.”

Published August 18, 2021

Rezoning request for a gas station in Lutz is up for a hearing

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A rezoning request that would clear the way for a gas station, car wash and convenience store in Lutz is set for a public hearing next week.

The request — which has been scheduled and rescheduled — now is expected to be heard at 6 p.m. on Aug. 16, in the Robert W. Saunders Sr. Public Library, 1505 N. Nebraska Ave., in Tampa.

The applicant, RKM Development Corp., is seeking to rezone the 2.6-acre parcel at 18601 U.S. 41, to allow a 4,650-square-foot convenience store and 16 gas pumps, as well as a car wash.

The parcel is adjacent to an existing Walgreens store.

The land, owned by Lutz Realty and Investment LLC, currently is zoned for agricultural and single-family conventional use. The request calls for rezoning the site to become a planned development zoning.

Opponents have voiced objections, which are part of the application case file. They claim the request is contrary to the Lutz Community Plan.

Opponents also cite concerns about increasing traffic at the intersection of Sunset Lane and U.S. 41, which they said already poses dangers for motorists.

Concerns also were expressed about potential water contamination, noise, and negative impacts on property values and the environment.

Those objecting also say another gas station isn’t needed, and some said they won’t patronage the business, if it is built.

After the last hearing was delayed, representatives for the applicant held a community meeting on July 27, which was attended by both supporters and opponents to the request, according to Sam Calco, of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, who was present.

Planners for the Hillsborough County’s Planning Commission have found the request to be consistent with the county’s long-range plan.

“Overall, Planning Commission staff finds this proposed use and intensity to be compatible with the surrounding area,” according to a report by Planning Commission planner David Hey.

“The proposed development also fulfills the intent of the Lutz Community Plan,” Hey added to the report that’s included in the application case file.

Those interested in expressing support or opposition can weigh in at the rezoning hearing — either in person or virtually. Those participating virtually must sign up to do so by the county’s deadline. Check the county’s website for more information.

Once the zoning master makes a recommendation, the request will go to the Hillsborough County Commission, which has final jurisdiction over land use and zoning issues.

Published August 11, 2021

Rezoning would allow 400 apartments

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The Pasco County Planning Commission and the county’s planners have recommended approval of a rezoning that would allow 400 apartments on approximately 43.42 acres at the southeast corner of Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Hay Road.

Denise Hernandez, the county’s zoning administrator, detailed the request at the planning board’s July 22 meeting.

The proposed multifamily project would be located between the recently approved Hay Road Townhomes project to the west and Compark 75, to the east.

“Multifamily apartment uses create a transition from the industrial uses to the townhomes,” Hernandez said.

The request is consistent with the county’s land development code and its comprehensive plan, Hernandez added.

The site is currently zoned for agricultural and light industrial uses.

In addition to the rezoning, the applicants also are requesting a variance from the county land development code requirements relating to parking and park space, Hernandez said.

The planning board and county staff recommend approval of those variance requests.

The planning board voted unanimously to recommend approval of the rezoning, with the exception of Planning Commission Roberto Saez, who was absent.

No one raised objections about the request during the public hearing.

The Pasco County Commission is expected to take final action on the land use plan amendment, which is required for the rezoning, and on the rezoning itself, during its Aug. 24 meeting, according to Joel Tew, the attorney representing the applicants.

Although the request has the support of the planning board and county staff, it has faced opposition in the past.

Commissioners were divided on the land use plan amendment, voting 3-2 to transmit the request to state officials for review.

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley, and Commissioners Kathryn Starkey and Christina Fitzpatrick voted in favor of the transmittal, while Commissioners Mike Moore and Jack Mariano were opposed.

Moore who ultimately persuaded his colleagues to allow a six-month moratorium, which affects only his district, has urged commissioners to ease up on rezonings for multifamily developments.

If it doesn’t, Moore predicts there will be a heavy price to pay in the future, when a glut of apartment buildings leads to high vacancy rates and buildings that fall into disrepair.

Published July 28, 2021

Office development zoning sought in Lutz, on State Road 54

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The Pasco County Planning Commission is recommending approval of proposed office development on a 1.67-acre site at the southwest corner of State Road 54 and Meadowbrook Drive, in Lutz.

The site is the same one where neighbors vigorously resisted a proposed gas station and convenience store.

That pursuit was dropped after the Pasco County Commission denied a request to amend the county’s comprehensive plan to allow general commercial uses to be considered at that location.

The county board’s action then prompted the applicant, Kiddie Campus University Inc., to change its previously filed companion rezoning request from one seeking commercial uses to one that allows a professional office use.

A land use amendment is not needed to accommodate the office request.

Attorney Barbara Wilhite, representing the applicant, told the planning board that her client has amended the rezoning request to office, in reaction to the county board “not wanting to see commercial uses at that location.”

She continued: “We heard over and over and over at both (previous) public hearings that office would be compatible, commercial would not.

“I think there was a recognition that this property is on State Road 54, at a signalized intersection, and it’s not appropriate for residential use,” she said.

Her client is seeking the least intense office use, Wilhite said, adding that in previous public hearings involving the site, the neighbors remarked that “what’s nice about office is, it’s occupied during the day, it’s not occupied at night, generally speaking, or on weekends.”

While previous hearings on the proposed gas station attracted a sizable number of opponents, only two people spoke at the planning commission’s July 22 hearing.

Jennifer Robertson, who lives on Riverstone Drive, told the planning board: “I don’t object to it, only because I know something will go there.”

However, she voiced concerns about flooding and also asked that the neighbors be able to weigh in on what the development looks like.

“We do want something that looks nice for our neighborhood, since it’s within our neighborhood,” she said.

Douglas Grant, who also lives in the area, said he doesn’t object to the portion of the rezoning that abuts State Road 54.

However, the southern lot, which is also part of the rezoning, represents a commercial intrusion into a residential neighborhood, he said.

He said he would drop his objection if the southern property was used as an area for a retention pond, or if the development met a number of other conditions.

Attorney Wilhite said her client is seeking a “low-intensity office” use.

She added: “We will be a good neighbor. We have worked with the neighbors before.”

The planning board voted unanimously, with Planning Commissioner Roberto Saez absent, to recommend approval of the rezoning.

Published July 28, 2021