The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Local area spared lasting impacts from Hurricane Ian

By

Local officials braced for Hurricane Ian — ordering evacuations in vulnerable areas and closing schools and government offices.

Many businesses locked up, too, as a precaution.

A damaged sign on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard hangs on to the remnants blowing in the wind left by Hurricane Ian. (Mike Camunas)

But instead of making the direct hit on the Tampa Bay region, as looked likely on hurricane path models, Hurricane Ian veered south, causing death and destruction.

While the communities of Fort Myers, Sanibel, Cape Coral and others reel from the losses, life in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area is back to normal routines.

But there are efforts to help being spearheaded.

Local government officials have pledged to send support to the regions hardest hit by Hurricane Ian.

Local groups also are stepping up.

Chris Casella, district governor election for Rotary District 6950, shared the group’s efforts, via an email to The Laker/Lutz News.

“As of this morning, every club president has received their flyers and directions for the Supply Drive. We encourage everyone to share the flyer to your social media and/or media outlets,” he said, in an Oct. 1 email.

Rotary District 6950 is collecting monetary donations and donations of items for those affected by Hurricane Ian. Visit Rotary6950.org/IanRelief for more information and to donate.

“A few emails that we received on people, ‘thinking outside the box,’” Casella wrote are these:

  • Wendy Rosario, wife of Rotarian Tony Rosario, posted on her neighborhood social media site and set up a temporary collection spot at her home.
  • Rotarian Mandy Williams plans on encouraging staff and clientele of her salon, Shear Joy Salon, to bring in supplies.
  • Rotarian Kyymara Rose Scott is planning on opening her shop, Esthetics813, as a temporary drop site for her clientele and neighborhood.

The club has identified seven drop-off spots for donations, including these within or near The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

  • Maus Nissan of New Port Richey, 3939 U.S. 19, New Port Richey
  • Maus Nissan of North Tampa, 11011 N. Florida Ave., Tampa

The Diocese of St. Petersburg also planned to collect donations at its 79 parishes and missions this month, to help people affected by natural disasters, including Hurricane Ian.

In a Sept. 30 letter sent to all parishes in the diocese, Bishop Gregory Parkes wrote: “Our hearts are moved with compassion for all those who suffered damage and destruction due to Hurricane Ian, especially the Diocese of Venice.”

There are all sorts of individuals stepping up, too.

In one social media post, a local woman was asking people to lend her gas cans, so she could fill them up and deliver them to people who are having to wait for hours to get gas to power their generators.

In her post, she assured those lending the gas cans that she would return them, if they labeled them with their name and address.

In coming weeks, other efforts to help are very likely to happen, if the communities, organizations and individuals within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area demonstrate their habitual practice of helping their neighbors.

Published October 05, 2022

Political Agenda 10/05/2022

By

Vote-by-mail and sample ballots
Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley has announced that he sent out 116,500 ballots on Sept. 29 to voters who requested vote-by-mail ballots for the Nov. 8 General Election, according to a news release.

Corley’s office also announced that ballots were sent on Sept. 23 to uniformed and overseas citizens.

Votes cast by mail must be returned to the elections’ office by 7 p.m. Election Day, Nov. 8.

Corley asks voters to allow sufficient time for first-class delivery by the U.S. Postal Service, or to hand-deliver ballots to any of the three Pasco County Supervisor of Elections’ Offices.

Voted mail ballots also are accepted at early voting sites, however voted mail ballots may not be turned in at the polls on Election Day.

Early voting sites and office locations are available online at PascoVotes.gov.

For eligible voters who did not previously request a ballot, they are still available by calling the elections’ office, by submitting the request in writing, or by using the online request form on PascoVotes.gov.

Requests must include the voter’s Florida Driver License number, Florida ID Card number, or the last four digits of voter’s SSN, date of birth, and Pasco County residence address. Written requests also must include the voter’s signature.

Vote-by-mail ballots cannot be forwarded but can be mailed to a temporary mailing address if outside of Pasco County. Voters are encouraged to confirm their mailing address when ordering a vote-by-mail ballot. The deadline to request a ballot to be mailed is 5 p.m. on Oct. 29.

Written or telephonic requests for vote-by-mail ballots must come from the voter, an immediate family member, or legal guardian on behalf of a voter.

Voters were able to pick up ballots for themselves at any of the three elections’ offices beginning, Sept. 26, but not for someone else until Oct. 30, which is nine days before the election.

Those picking up ballots on behalf of someone will need a written request from the voter, designating them as the person authorized to carry out the ballot.

The designee will be asked to provide a photo ID and to complete an affidavit before the ballot will be released to them.

Corley also has announced that sample ballots for the Nov. 8 General Election are now available online at PascoVotes.gov, and will be mailed to Pasco County voters on Oct. 10.

He encourages voters to look over their sample ballot and familiarize themselves with the candidates and issues before going to the polls.

To expedite the voting process, voters also are encouraged to bring their completed sample ballots with voting early or on Election Day.

An Accessible Sample Ballot is available on PascoVotes.gov. It is a web-based, interactive sample ballot for all voters. It is audio-enabled, multilingual, and fully accessible for voters with disabilities and compatible with all major screen readers, tactile switches, closed captioning, and sip and puff systems. It allows voters to view and mark an accessible sample ballot and print a reference sheet with their selections.

The direct link to sample ballots is PascoVotes.gov/Elections/Sample-Ballots.

The Precinct Finder option is available to voters who are unsure of their precinct number, at PascoVotes.gov/Precincts/Precinct-Finder.

Sample ballots are mailed to the address of record on the voter registration file. If your voter registration is not up to date with a current address, you can update it at any time online at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov/home, or by calling 800-851-8754.

Republican Club meeting
The Wesley Chapel Republican Club will meet on Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m., at Myrtle Lake Baptist Church, 2017 Riegler Road, in Land O’ Lakes. The guest speaker will be U.S.  Rep. Byron Donalds.

After the guest speaker, there will be a showing of the film “2000 Mules.”

All are welcome. Admission is free, and there will be coffee and dessert.

Public forum meet-and-greet
A candidate meet-and-greet cosponsored by the Pasco Unit of the League of Women Voters of Hillsborough County and the Pasco NAACP is scheduled for Oct. 8 from noon to 2 p.m., in Rooms 3 and 4, of the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

This is a public forum.

Each candidate will have 5 minutes to speak. When speeches by the candidates are completed, voters may visit the tables set up for each candidate to ask questions, pick up brochures and so on.

All candidates representing some or all of Pasco County on the Nov. 8 ballot have been invited to participate. This includes candidates for Pasco School Board, District 1; Pasco County School Board, District 4; 6th Judicial Circuit State Attorney; Florida State Legislature; Florida State Cabinet (CFO, Agriculture Commissioner and Attorney General); and, U.S. House Districts 12 and 15.

Email for more information.

Here’s a new way to (re)cycle

By

Ananth Kutuva is a tinkerer.

He also is a collector.

But the 16-year-old student in the International Baccalaureate program at Land O’ Lakes High School never thought he’d collect so many bikes, so fast.

“I just wanted to get 100 (donated) bikes,” Kutuva said. “All I did was post it on Facebook and NextDoor, and a lot of people contacted us with bikes. So, yeah, it was just crazy how many were ready to donate their bikes.

“Like I said, I just wanted to get to 100 (bikes), but now, I think maybe 250 because at the pace we’re going, I think that’s easily reachable (laughs).”

Teenager Ananth Kutuva works on a bike at WellBuilt Bikes in Tampa, volunteering his time because he genuinely just likes tinkering with bikes. Not only has he helped rebuild bikes, but Kutuva has reached out to the local communities to collect used and unwanted bikes to donate for refurbishment and parts. (Mike Camunas)

Kutuva began collecting used and unwanted bikes from neighbors and others in his surrounding communities, starting in his neighborhood, Seven Oaks in Wesley Chapel.

But then, people from near and far got in touch with him.

Soon, the lanai patio at his house was full of bikes — 60 to be exact on Aug. 20, not even a full month into his bike drive.

As Kutuva collects bikes — he is approaching 100 — he gives them to WellBuilt Bikes, a Tampa nonprofit bike shop that sells refurbished bikes at affordable prices and invests the sales revenue into its Earn-A-Bike program, which allows people with little to no money to access or own a bike.

The program works like this: Put in the volunteer hours at the shop, either helping out or fixing up bikes, and it goes to getting a fully refurbished bike.

This is how Kutuva became familiar with the shop and its program — he wanted a place to work on bikes. He has been volunteering at WellBuilt since he was a freshman, but has never taken a bike.

He just wanted to fix them up.

His interest in bicycles dates back to seventh grade.

“I got him a mountain bike,” his father, Ramesh Vasudevan, said. “He assembled it himself.

“But he said he needed to do more than just biking,” the boy’s father said. “He wanted to take it to the next level and thought how could he use his bike repair skills.”

His dad explains that when Kutuva made repairs at WellBuilt, he noticed how happy the people were who were getting bikes.

“He was just like, ‘Wow, there are so many bikes around us and in the area. Why can’t I get those for other people? How do I get those to (WellBuilt) so people who want, or need, can have them?’” his dad added.

“That kind of ambition, I encouraged it immediately.”

Through volunteering at WellBuilt, Kutuva wanted to learn more about bikes in general. Everything else he had already learned came from YouTube videos, and trial and error.

Ananth Kutuva is a 16-year-old student in the International Baccalaureate Program at Land O’ Lakes High. He has volunteered his time and efforts to collect used and unwanted bikes to donate to WellBuilt Bikes. He then repairs them so they can be purchased or earned at the nonprofit bike shop in Tampa.

Now, Kutuva has restored and fixed up about 10 bikes, which have been sold or earned at WellBuilt, and the whole process takes a few visits to finish.

“The hardest part is just getting the tools because it can take a lot of specialized tools made specially for that bike,” Kutuva said. “I am logging volunteer hours, but I really just wanted to learn more about bikes when I first came to WellBuilt.”

Once the bikes were stockpiled on the lanai, WellBuilt Bikes CEO Jon Dengler would bring over a trailer to load them up and then take them to storage. The initial collection of 60 took two trips for Dengler.

He was blown away by the teenager’s efforts.

“If someone takes the time and initiative to look, especially in the suburbs, there are probably two bikes laying around that just need a little work or are perfect for donating,” Dengler said. “Ananth just put in the work and went out and gathered them by tapping these different networks.

“No matter what, when someone puts that many bikes together, we’re on our way, but when it’s just a teenager in high school, that’s amazing.”

For now, Kutuva will continue his bike drive.

There’s also the matter of getting to WellBuilt to tinker around.

“Well,” the teenager said with a smile, “I’m pretty busy at school, so I’m always looking to find time.

“But I will try hard to find the time. Because I really want to fix up more bikes,” he said.

Bicycle Drive
Ananth Kutuva collects bikes in any condition and then donates them to Wellbuilt Bikes, a nonprofit bike shop that sells refurbished bikes at affordable prices. Wellbuilt is in the University Mall, 12256 University Mall Court, in Tampa. If you would like to donate a bike, but are unable to transport it to the shop directly or need more information about the drive, contact Ananth Kutuva at or 813-701-7870.

For information or to volunteer at WellBuilt Bikes, visit BikeShopTampa.com.

Published October 05, 2022

Pasco tamps on brakes for TBARTA funding

By

The Pasco County Commission has decided to stall a decision on whether to provide funding for the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority, until at least January.

The board took that action at its Sept. 20 meeting.

Cathy Pearson, an assistant county administrator, told the board: “We’re presenting a recommendation that we delay this until January. The total fee for this would be $95,521.”

“There’s been a little bit of challenges with the TBARTA board, we’ll put it that way,” Pearson said.

The regional transit authority’s purpose is to plan, develop, fund, implement and operate a regional transit system to serve Pasco, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pinellas and Manatee counties.

Finding a regional planning solution is becoming increasingly important, as the region continues to grow and it lacks an easy way for people to get around.

Efforts to create a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network that would carry commuters through the region have been stymied because there’s a lack of agreement by the counties about the plan.

Hillsborough County essentially sits in the middle of the five-county region. But it has raised objections to plans to route a BRT through Hillsborough, using lanes within the existing right of way on Interstate 275.

There’s also been discussion lately regarding whether TBARTA should become part of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council.

At this point, though, it is unclear what direction the regional transit agency will go.

The Pasco County board wants more information before allocating funds for TBARTA.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey said: “As your TBARTA member, I’m in support that we kind of wait and see what happens, after November and into January.”

She’s made previous reports to the board indicating that Hillsborough County doesn’t appear to want to be part of the regional planning efforts.

 “Talk about frustration. If you don’t have a player in the middle, things fall apart,” she said, during the county board’s Sept. 20 meeting.

Commissioner Mike Moore added: “I have a sneaky suspicion that TBARTA will be going bye-bye by our legislators come next session. I would probably put a wager on that.”

Starkey interjected: “Stay tuned for another direction, in a different way. That’s all I can say.”

Moore made a motion to continue the vote on the proposed payment until January.

“The last thing we want is our money sitting there and getting gobbled up because how do you get it back, once you give it?” Moore said.

Published October 05, 2022

First Dade City Art Walk a success

By

Artist Jayde Archbold at Lighthouse Books, at 14046 Fifth St., in Dade City. (Courtesy of Jasmine Wright)

The weeklong, first-ever Dade City Art Walk, featuring 22 local artists, was well-received by those checking out the displays, and by shop owners in the area.

The Dade City Center for the Arts and the Dade City Merchants Association featured artistic displays in shops along historic downtown streets, including Meridian Avenue and Seventh Street.

The event kicked off on Sept. 17, at the Florida National Guard Armory, and ended on Sept. 24, at Dade City Brew House. The final event featured live music, the Pre-Casso Kid craft area, and the release of a special beer made to “pair” with an art piece by Mark Hannah.

“It was just a nice way to tie a tidy bow on the end of the art walk,” said Jasmine Wright, who is an Arts Center board member, Art Walk organizer and the owner of Treehouse Mercantile.

Published October 05, 2022

Artist Katie Sutton at Treehouse Mercantile, 37834 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.
Artist Keith Martin Johns at Lowman Law Firm, at 14206 Fifth St., in Dade City.
Artist Kaitlyn Muldez at Arts Eclectic, at 14115 Seventh St., in Dade City.

Keeping an eye out for healthy food options, at school and events

By

If you’re like most adults, you likely remember school lunches.

Maybe it was an encounter with ‘mystery meat.’ Or, perhaps, a serving of nachos and cheese.

I remember in school, during the ’90s, the lunch line would have Snickers ice cream bars.

Those days are gone, much to the dismay of many kids.

Foods served in today’s schools must comply with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) “Smart Snacks” standards.

Those changes were adopted in the 2014-2015 school year. The standards include:

  • A grain product with 50% or more whole grains by weight, with whole grain listed as the first ingredient
  • Foods that have a fruit, vegetable, dairy food or protein food, listed as the first ingredient
  • Combination foods with at least ¼ cup of fruit and/or vegetable
  • Total 200 calories or less for a snack; 350 calories or less for an entrée
  • Have 200 mg or less of sodium for a snack; 480 mg or less for an entree
  • Contain 35% of calories or less for total fat, in snacks and entrees; nuts are exempt from this rule
  • Contain 10% or less of saturated fat for snacks and entrees
  • Have 0 grams of trans fat for snacks and entrees
  • Contain total sugars for snacks and entrees of 35% or less, by weight
  • Milk must be unflavored or flavored fat-free milk; flavored low-fat milk; unflavored low-fat milk, and milk alternatives
  • Juice must be 100% fruit or vegetable juice

Outside of school hours, however, the rules are different.

The Pasco School Wellness Policy suggests 50% of concession food follow the Smart Snacks standards, but that is not mandatory.

So, what should spectators choose to eat when they’re out watching their favorite athlete?

Concession sold at many events is similar to what is found at a county fair or festival. Those foods tend to be high in calories and low in nutritional value.

So, foods sold at school concession stands — and concession stands, in general — often run counter to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

There’s one initiative that soon will be arriving at select Pasco County parks.

This initiative, called Fun Bites, will create healthier options at sporting events.

The Pasco Department of Health is working to bring this to Pasco parks, following a similar initiative pursued by the Pinellas Department of Health a few years ago.

It isn’t about removing current choices from concession menus; rather, it’s about adding healthier options to give consumers more options.

The initiative also aims to ensure that the healthier options are not more expensive.

The standards for Fun Bites products are based on the USDA Smart Snacks guidelines, listed above.

It was quite well-received in Pinellas.

In fact, at one aquatic center in Largo, after implementing the healthier concessions food options, revenues rose 40%.  A Little League park in Clearwater reported a 20% boost in revenue, after adding some of the “Fun Bites” approved foods.

Before the Fun Bites program was implemented, surveys were conducted in six Pinellas locations.

A total of 119 people responded to a question asking them how much they value healthy eating. Of those, 88 reported they value it highly.

Survey respondents reported the three main barriers to eating healthy at concession stands are: a lack of selections, cost of the items and dissatisfaction with the options.

The Fun Bites project addressed these issues and made nutritious food more accessible at parks and recreation events.

So, if you like the idea of having healthier options available, keep an eye out because some Pasco parks soon will be offering good nutritional choices to their concession menus.

By Shari Bresin

Shari Bresin is the Family & Consumer Science Agent for the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Pasco County.

Published October 05, 2022

A ‘salute’ to service

By

Gulfside Healthcare Services staff members and volunteers were recognized for their contributions as a veteran or first responder. From left: Clint Boyd, Brett Kessel, Malcolm Byrd, Julie Buck, Jonathan Cashman, Marilyn Essert, David Deenihan, Brenda Freeman and Darlene Boyd. (Courtesy of Gulfside Healthcare Services)

To celebrate the launch of Gulfside Healthcare Services’ We Salute Veterans & Applaud First Responders program, nine staff members and volunteers from Gulfside were recognized, during a pinning ceremony.

The new program serves to honor and thank patients, families and community members for their service as a veteran or a first responder.

Recipients were: Clint Boyd, Brett Kessel, Malcolm Byrd, Julie Buck, Jonathan Cashman, Marilyn Essert, David Deenihan, Brenda Freeman and Darlene Boyd. Each received a pin, certificate, and custom padfolio, as a keepsake.

“We get to honor you for your commitment and your service to the community and our country,” said Linda Ward, president and CEO of Gulfside, in a news release.

“It’s just wonderful that we have our employees to recognize, their family members, and our volunteers. Thank you for your service and thank you for all you do. Today is for you,” Ward said.

Gulfside representatives are available to host a community pinning at special events and for other organizations.

For information about the We Salute program, visit Gulfside.org, or call 800-561-4883.

Published October 05, 2022

Hale Road rezoning gets ‘no’ vote from divided planning board

By

In the end, a majority of the Pasco County Planning Commission voted to recommend denial of  a rezoning requested for a 109-home subdivision in Land O’ Lakes.

The proposed site for the development is on the southwest and northwest corner of the Hale Road and Collier Parkway intersection, straddling Hale Road. It is approximately 5,700 feet east of U.S. 41, according to documents contained in the planning board’s Sept. 22 agenda packet.

The planning board voted 3-2 to recommend denial.

Opponents to a proposed rezoning on Hale Road want the request to be rejected. The sign also indicates a backlash against elected leaders, springing from dissatisfaction regarding Pasco County’s continued growth. (Mike Camunas)

That vote followed about four hours of testimony, with representatives for the applicant claiming the proposed single-family development is compatible with the sea of single-family developments surrounding it.

Opponents questioned the claim of compatibility, raised issues about Hale Road’s ability to handle the additional traffic, voiced concerns about potential environmental damage that could arise and cautioned against setting a precedent for increased development on similar properties on Hale Road.

In calling for denial, the planning board cited Hale Road’s substandard road conditions, incompatibility with surrounding development, and other issues.

County planners, however, had recommended approval of the request.

Next, the Pasco County Commission will consider the request. It has final jurisdiction on land use and zoning issues.

Cyndi Tarapani, of Tarapani Planning Strategies, represented KB Home, at the planning board’s meeting.

She told the planning board:  “We believe we made every reasonable effort to be a good neighbor.”

The future land use designation for the property allows up to six homes per acre, Tarapani noted. This proposal calls for 2.5 homes per acre.

The future land use designation would allow up to 214 homes. The applicant’s initial request was for 150, but that has since been reduced to 109, Tarapani said.

The developer also plans to use 50-foot lots on areas adjacent to neighboring subdivisions and plans to provide buffering, even though none is required, the professional planner added.

Plus, the developer will pay $281,600 to mitigate traffic impacts and will provide a left-turn lane into the property, she said.

But none of the developer’s changes appeased the opposition.

Opponents came ready for battle
An army of objectors — many wearing green shirts and some carrying signs — turned out to the public hearing.

The contingent included students from Land O’ Lakes High School who argued against the rezoning, based on research showing potential environmental threats.

Opponents repeatedly raised concerns about safety hazards on Hale Road, which the county deems a substandard road.

Mike Della-Penna, who lives nearby, said: “There haven’t been many improvements on Hale Road in the 32 years I’ve lived there and I don’t expect many to be happening.”

Others said the proposed density is contrary to existing lot sizes in nearby developments.

“You have an established pattern of development on Hale Road, and these lots don’t meet that standard,” said Lisa Moretti, who opposes the rezoning.

This sign urges rejection of a proposed rezoning on Hale Road, which would allow a subdivision of 109 houses on Hale Road. A portion of the proposed site is next to the Rosebud Continuum, at 22843 Hale Road. (Mike Camunas)

Moretti cited eight approved developments on Hale Road, which have larger lot sizes.

“The proposed development is 109 lots, over 2 ½ times as many as the largest approved development already there and over five times greater than the average approved development,” Moretti said.

“This (proposed) development is totally an aberration of compatibility,” Moretti said.

Dr. T.H. Culhane, another opponent, stepped up to the podium wearing a Patel College of Global Sustainability T-shirt.

“I request, respectfully, that you recommend denial for this land-grab application for this last tiny refuge of wildlife, this last sanctuary of sanity, in an increasingly sprawl-filled neighborhood,” said Culhane, a University of South Florida professor.

Culhane talked about working for six years at the Rosebud Continuum, at 22843 Hale Road. It’s a place that focuses on promoting sustainable living practices.

“I and my professional colleagues — graduate students — have conducted landscape research, habitat restoration and wildlife surveys.

“We’ve worked hard on invasive species removal and repatriation of Florida native plants and wildlife,” Culhane said.

“I scuba-dived Lake Rosebud to observe the alligators and fish, therein, and watched and delighted with the sandhill crane families and gopher tortoises that are all over making their nests, now that we’ve re-wilded the property.”

The Rosebud Continuum relies on the area’s existing character, he said.

“On the world stage, we know we can be far more innovative than the current Hale proposal,” said Culhane, who told the planning board he holds a master’s degree and PhD in urban planning from the University of California Los Angeles.

Michelle Dillard, a nearby resident, raised concerns about the potential runoff causing pollution of nearby lakes. Residents near King Lake already have spent thousands to improve the water quality in that lake, she said.

“We have to keep our lakes safe. We have to keep them alive,” Dillard said.

Speakers asked the planning board to protect the interest of current residents, rather than accommodating developers.

Brian Bishop — whose mother, Maryann Bishop, owns the property occupied by the Rosebud Continuum — said he’s concerned about adding traffic to Hale Road.

“I think we’ve already established that the situation on Hale Road is not a desirable one,” he said. “To me, this is a no-brainer.”

He asked the planning board to not allow KB Home “to make a bad situation worse.”

One resident invited the planning board members to come out to the area to watch traffic when school lets out. She said there’s one particular bicyclist, who has a large backpack on — that she’s seen nearly get hit on more than one occasion.

Russell Watrous, another rezoning opponent, voiced concerns about a potential precedent being set by approval of this request.

“There are four pieces of property on Hale Road, very similar to the one KB Home wants to develop right now,” he said. “We’re at a turning point in Land O’ Lakes, and you can see it. Almost every one of these feeder roads and back, secondary roads are being developed,” Watrous said.

Published September 28, 2022

Rezoning request prompts concerns about flooding

By

A request for a new master-planned development in Wesley Chapel has prompted questions about drainage issues in the general area.

Applicant Sandhill Flats LLC is seeking approval for Remington, a master-planned unit development on the south side of Tyndall Road, about 3,950 feet west of Curley Road. The request is seeking a maximum of 127 single-family detached units on approximately 44.2 acres.

County planners recommended approval of the request, which also received a recommendation of approval from the Pasco County Planning Commission.

The request now goes to the Pasco County Commission for a final decision.

Only one person spoke during the public comment portion of the public hearing on Sept. 22.

Michael Pultorak, who  lives on Kenton Road, said he doesn’t oppose growth, in general.

“I don’t have an issue with houses; I don’t have issue with development; putting houses on lakes is a little bit of an issue, but I’m not going to go there,” Pultorak said.

The request is in the area of King Lake.

“It’s a beautiful lake. Pasco has two King Lakes. This is the one in Wesley Chapel, out toward Dade City,” Pultorak said.

He raised issues about potential flooding in the area, which he said could be triggered by new development, unless steps are taken to address drainage issues.

He raised the same issue during a previous appearance at a planning board meeting, involving another rezoning request in the general area.

Regarding that project, Pultorak said, “I tried to shed light that 106,000 square feet of commercial and 527 homes was going to shed about 1.7 million square feet of water during the storm season.

“We got with SWFMD (the Southwest Florida Water Management District). The north outflow and the south outflow apparently is just fine. They have no issues with it.

“That leaves us one outflow for the entire lake.

He showed the planning board photographs of flooded roads and flooded fields to illustrate his concerns.

“This is right on Kenton Road. This is one of four places where we had water over the roads and washing out the road from this single lake because the stormwater issue hasn’t been resolved,” he said, referring to a photo.

“There’s no place for the water to go.

“This was a river. It took four-wheel drive vehicles to get through here. Every place I’m showing you brought in truckloads of limestone because the water has to go somewhere.

“This is Kenton Road, right in front of the prior project we spoke about.

“This was a river for about 10 days straight.

“This water could be redirected and reused. It could be sent right back. We could use it for irrigation. The problem is, right now there is no stormwater management plan and that water is not being diverted anywhere.

“I have 8 acres behind my home and the actual Kenton Road, proper. Two-thirds of that has been holding water underwater for the past three weeks.

“That’s not fair. I have cows out there. I have a herd of black Angus out there. The water level is 6 ½ feet too high.

“It sounds like in most of the county the development is causing stormwater issues. Let’s not become like South Tampa here.”

Planning board member Jon Moody asked Pultorak if he objected to the Remington rezoning.

Pultorak responded: “I object to this project only because it’s going to add to the stormwater issue. If we could create a solution for the stormwater, put houses all of the way around it. I’m not opposed to the houses, but you can’t flood out the existing residents because we’re going to continue all the way around this lake.”

Attorney Clarke Hobby told the planning board “the subject site that we have is on the north side of King Lake. He’s talking about the west side of King Lake and he’s probably focusing on an area that’s between .75 and a mile and a half away from our site.

“We actually discharge to the west.

“This is 120 units on 40 acres. We do not even abut the lake,” Hobby said.

Ultimately, the planning board recommended approval of the request, but also called for there to be communication between the applicant and Pultorak during the stage when drainage plans are drawn up at the development stage.

Published September 28, 2022

Higher park impact fees are expected in Pasco County

By

Pasco County is expected to raise its park impact fee to help provide new facilities to address recreational demands caused by new growth.

The county hasn’t increased its park impact fees for 20 years.

The Pasco County Commission voted 4-1 at its Sept. 20 meeting to direct staff to take the necessary steps to pursue raising the fee to $3,450.15, per residential unit, whether that dwelling is single-family, or multi-family.

The Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, provides a chance to sit on a bench and relax for a while, watch a ball game, go ride for a ride on a swing and do all sorts of other activities. Pasco County is looking to increase its park impact fees to expand recreational options to address needs created by the county’s burgeoning growth. (Mike Camunas)

The current park impact fee is $891.82 per single-family unit and $627 per multi-family unit.

Impact fees are aimed at paying for impacts caused by growth. They cannot be used for maintenance expenses.

The main reason the county is pursuing using a per-unit approach, regardless of whether it’s single-family or multi-family, is because data did not reveal much difference regarding the number of people living in both types of units, said Keith Wiley, the county’s director of parks, recreation, and natural resources.

Wiley said that county staff has been working on updating the impact fee since 2015, when the board adopted the master parks plan.

He also noted that voters approved a General Obligation bond in 2018 to raise revenues to address deferred maintenance.

The capital plan addresses the county’s parks needs through 2045, Wiley said.

It’s a plan-based approach, which means it specifically focuses on projects.

The benefit of using that type of approach is that people can see what they’re going to get for the fees they’re paying, he said.

“We received a lot of positive input on that,” Wiley said, noting the plan’s transparency has helped propel it forward to the board for its consideration.

“I just wanted the public to know that this is not something we’ve thrown together. It’s been a long, a very long journey to get here,” he said.

The proposed impact fee is an effort to “true up” a fee that’s been unchanged for 20 years, Wiley said.

In order to raise an existing impact fee by more than 50%, the county must “demonstrate extraordinary circumstances,” he said.

“It’s an easy demonstration. We’ve had unprecedented growth, we’ve all seen it,” Wiley said.

The county is inundated with requests for field use, he added.

“Pretty much all of our facilities are at capacity. This proposal to increase the impact fee is an effort to update all of those costs so that we can actually do what we need to do,” Wiley said.

“Costs of materials have increased. Land values have increased,” he said.

“Basically, to date, over the last 15 years, we’ve pretty much negotiated around six district parks — the land for those facilities. We’re seeking the money to get those facilities built,” Wiley said.

“So, originally, when we went out to the consultant, we said, ‘We’re kind of behind, so we really want to get this done in the next 15 years. So, we set a horizon of 2035,” Wiley said.

The total cost is around $266 million for several projects.

To complete the work by 2035 would require an impact fee of $4,820.19, Wiley said, acknowledging that would be “a  pretty substantial increase.

“After talking to stakeholders, we stretched the term out to 2045,” he said, which lowered the proposed fee to $3,450.15 per unit.

At the Sept. 20 meeting, county staff asked the county board to trigger the process to change the comprehensive plan to clean up the level of service per the impact fee study, and then to follow that up with land development code change that would ultimately result in the impact fee increase.

Staff recommended the county follow a recommendation by stakeholders to phase in the increase over two years.

But Commissioner Jack Mariano instead made a motion to go straight to a $3,450.15 fee, without phasing it in, once the board adopts it.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey said the county needs another source of revenue to help pay for park improvements.

She suggested a Municipal Services Taxes Unit, which would mean taxpayers across the county would help pay for park improvements.

“This is how other counties pay for their parks,” Starkey said. “I don’t think it should be a high number. I think it should be a number that’s $10 to $20. It’s bondable and we can start building stuff right away,” Starkey said.

Her suggestion, however, failed to gain any traction with her colleagues.

When the board voted on Mariano’s motion, Starkey dissented.

“I’m more inclined to do my idea. I support an (impact fee) increase, but my preference is a blend (with a MSTU), so we can get working right away,” Starkey said.

Published September 28, 2022