The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Senior citizens expected to get a property tax break in Pasco

By

It won’t show up on this coming year’s property tax bills, but qualifying senior citizens are expected to get a tax break in Pasco County beginning in 2025.

The Pasco County Commission signaled its intention to provide an additional $50,000 homestead exemption for individuals over age 65 who own their own home, are a permanent resident and whose adjusted household income does not exceed $35,167 (based on this year’s eligibility requirements).

At its Oct. 24 meeting, the board voted 4-0, with Commission Chairman Jack Mariano absent, to schedule a public hearing on the proposed tax break at its Dec. 5 meeting.

The public hearing is required before the board can take action on an ordinance establishing the additional exemption for qualifying seniors.

To help senior citizens on limited incomes combat the high costs of living, the Pasco County Commission intends to provide an additional $50,000 homestead exemption for those meeting income eligibility requirements. The tax break would take effect in 2025. (File)

County Administrator Mike Carballa has calculated the estimated annual fiscal impacts of the tax break and he said it works out to be about $3 million.

The additional exemption is authorized under the Florida Constitution and the state’s general laws, according to Pasco County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder, who was directed to bring back an ordinance to enact the tax break.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey asked how the exemption would be administered.

“Who has to certify people’s incomes? How does that work?” she asked, noting that it seems like it will be a difficult task.

Pasco County Property Appraiser Mike Wells responded: “Yes, it is going to be a lot of work. We are going to have to hire a couple of more folks to do it. But we are willing to do it. I believe it is the right thing to do. I’m not on the board anymore, but I think with everything going on with —  you know — it’s the right thing to do and we’re obviously ready to do it.”

Steinsnyder noted that recipients will be required to file paperwork to obtain the exemption.

Wells agreed.

“Every year they would have to come back and reapply. It’s going to be a big job. But absolutely, they’ve earned it,” Wells said. In Pinellas County, he added, it has worked very well.

Starkey asked if those applying just need to supply their income tax information.

Wells responded: “There’s a process, but we will be able to manage that. We’re willing to do that. I think our seniors deserve it, especially the ones on the fixed incomes.”

Commissioner Seth Weightman, who championed the additional exemption during the board’s budget hearing, asked Steinsnyder if there is flexibility to reduce the exemption, if there were future changes in the market.

Steinsnyder replied: “I don’t see any (legal) reason why you couldn’t amend your ordinance to lower it. There may be some political ramifications to that.”

Weightman then made it clear that he supports the maximum exemption.

“I’m for the $50,000, with the expense of the world and our senior population getting priced out of here. I am happy to support this,” he said.

Wells said this isn’t the first time the proposed exemption has come up, because he recalls it coming up when he was serving on the county board. He said he’s happy it’s moving forward.

Pasco Tax Collector Mike Fasano praised the board’s action.

“I think what you’ve done just now is going to help our seniors … We have so many seniors in this community that call us; they can’t pay their bill.

“They hear that their neighbor in another county has been getting that additional $50,000 homestead, (and they ask) ‘Is it available for me?’

“I tell them, it will be one day. We’ve got a commission that’s going to be working diligently for you, making sure you get it,’” Fasano said.

A public hearing on the issue is scheduled for the 1:30 p.m. session on Dec. 5, at the West Pasco Government Center government board room, 8731 Citizens Drive, in New Port Richey.

Published November 01, 2023

Full services resume at tax collector’s office

By

The Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office at the West Pasco Government Center, 8731 Citizens Drive in New Port Richey, has fully reopened as of Oct. 30. All services provided prior to the renovation once again will be available to customers, including driver license and birth certificate services.

The renovations were performed to make the office more efficient and better able to serve its valued customers.

“We are excited that these important improvements to our West Pasco Government Center Office are being completed in time for the busy tax season, which begins Nov. 1,” said Tax Collector Mike Fasano in a news release.

“Our goal as an organization is to make a visit to our office as easy and as simple as possible. The upgrades made during this remodel will make the customer experience even more streamlined. We appreciate the understanding of residents who live in New Port Richey, Port Richey, Hudson, and the other communities that generally utilize this office to meet their various needs,” said Fasano.

For detailed information about this office or any of the other tax collector locations in Pasco County, contact the centralized call center at 727-847-8032, 813-235-6076 or 352-521-4338, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

Published November 01, 2023

New website tool focuses on helping employers, job seekers

By

The Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) recently added new features on workforceCONNECTpasco.com.

The new ConnectOPP tool allows employers to help bridge the gap between employers and job seekers, according to a Pasco EDC news release.

The website now features more tools and resources for the Pasco County business community aimed at helping people wanting to fill openings and people searching for work.

A new ConnectOPP tool added to workforceCONNECTpasco.com by Pasco EDC features more tools and resources to help bridge the gap between employers and job seekers.

The ConnectOpp tool is an opportunity platform for businesses to form connections and share experiences. It is aimed at building robust talent pipelines, exploring careers and cultivating sought-after skills in Pasco. 

The idea is to serve as a conduit between those who have positions to offer and those who are seeking opportunities.

The goal is to enable employers to play a role in helping individuals discover their career interests, to acquaint them with job prospects and to guide them toward acquiring the skills needed to pursue their desired career paths.

The website also includes an interactive map tool helping users to discover the range of options available that seek the job user’s skills and ambitions. The companies listed on this tool offer employee training and/or professional development opportunities.

Pasco’s employment opportunities include jobs in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, aviation, defense, business and professional services, high technology, life sciences and medical technology, logistics and distributions.

The website also includes a resource page for employers and job seekers, with resources catering specifically to each audience.

It also has a collection of data and statistics to help users collect data to make decisions for their individual business and workforce.

The goal of workforceConnect is to connect Pasco’s businesses and career seekers with valuable data and community resources, the news release notes. The program is supported by Penny for Pasco.

Bill Cronin, Pasco EDC’s president/CEO, noted in the release that Pasco’s target industry has increased by 50.7% over the past decade and has more than 10,500 jobs in the pipeline that need to be filled over the next 10 years.

“It’s crucial that we continue to work with our business community to understand their workforce needs and align them with the proper education and training partners,” Cronin said.

“This refreshed platform gives them many opportunities to connect with resources and career seekers.”

Published November 01, 2023

Help make a dream a reality with a mini-grant

By

Hillsborough County is now accepting applications for its 2024 Neighborhood Mini-Grant Program, which provides up to $5,000 to eligible organizations to help foster healthy, safe and engaged neighborhoods through innovative and creative projects, according to a news release.

Established in 1988, the mini-grant program is focused on encouraging neighborhoods to invest in their future and create a legacy. Applicants can submit projects that are impactful and unite neighborhoods.

Neighborhood, condominium and homeowner associations in Hillsborough County are eligible to apply. Neighborhood organizations must be registered in the county’s Neighborhood Listing before applying for a mini-grant (sign up at: tinyurl.com/2j95jka2).

The three categories are: Healthy Neighborhood, Safe Neighborhood and Engaged Neighborhood.

The deadline to apply is 5 p.m., on Nov. 15. Mini-grants will be awarded in January.

To learn more about the grant application process, view the requirements and complete the application, visit HCFLGov.net/MiniGrant.

For information and assistance with the application, contact Neighborhood Relations at , or call 813-272-5860.

Published November 01, 2023

Tampa tool aims to reduce storm damage and protect people

By

Hurricane season isn’t over yet — and the City of Tampa has launched a new digital tool to help keep residents and their properties safer, according to a city news release.

The database allows residents and builders to access life-saving and property-saving data, such as critical flood information, property warnings, potential building and insurance compliance requirements and other relevant information, the release says.

It’s even possible to view property elevation certificates through the new public portal.

Prior to this new digital tool, residents and builders had to go through countless pages of intricate property maps to find their individualized information. Now, they can simply visit Tampa.gov/floodinfo and plug in the property address, the release says. 

“Tampa is thinking long-term about our flood plain management and resilience work by investing in digital tools that will keep our residents and business owners safer,” JC Hudgison, chief building official for the city, said in the release. “Living in a coastal city, situated in one of the most active hurricane and tropical storm surge regions, it’s increasingly important for our residents to stay informed about their properties’ flood risk and take the steps they need to protect their assets.”

The new technology, produced by Forerunner, also enables the city’s construction services division to better manage its day-to-day workflows and its data.

The portal serves now as a centralized location for all property flood-related resources. Residents can also submit questions through the portal.

Visit Tampa.gov/floodinfo to get a better idea of what the new tool has to offer.

Published November 01, 2023

Attorneys sought for Judicial Nominating Commission seats

By

The Florida Bar is seeking to fill one attorney vacancy for each of the 27 Judicial Nominating Commissions (JNC) across the state.

The organization can nominate three lawyers for each JNC vacancy for consideration by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who makes the appointments.

Each appointee will serve a four-year term, beginning July 1.

Applicants must be members of The Florida Bar, engaged in the practice of law and must live in the territorial jurisdiction served by the commission to which the member is applying.

Commissioners are not eligible for state judicial offices for vacancies filled by the JNC on which they sit for two years following their terms.

Applications are being accepted through the close of business on Dec. 15.

For more information, call the Florida Bar headquarters at 850-561-3127, or email .

Published November 01, 2023

Millhopping on down

By

There are sinkholes in Florida — this is a given.

In fact, there’s the deepest ever, right over here in Land O’ Lakes. I should know. It sits behind my childhood home.

However, there are very few sinkholes in Florida — or anywhere else, for that matter — that are considered a tourist attraction. 

Devil’s Millhopper is a large, deep, cover-collapse sinkhole and there is a state park dedicated to seeing it and the rainforest nature that surrounds it. The sinkhole is 120 feet deep and was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1974. (Mike Camunas)

That are a registered natural landmark.

But that’s exactly what the National Park Service has designated Devil’s Millhopper: a national natural landmark. The geological state park in northern Gainesville features a 120-foot deep, 500-foot wide sinkhole.

And, it actually is an ecological phenomenon, despite — or rather, thanks to — the Florida weather.

With its lush vegetation, extensive boardwalk and convenient proximity to San Felasco County Park and the San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park — a visit here is definitely worth the trip.

Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park is only 71 acres, but has three distinct ecological environments. They are based on exposure to sun, fire and water, and give the park a ‘rainforest’ feel, especially because of the hammocks supporting broadleaf trees and low vegetation.

Deal with the devil
Once upon a time, according to the brochure, there was a beautiful Native American princess living near the present-day location of Devil’s Millhopper. And, of course, the Devil wanted to marry said princess, but she wasn’t having it.

So, he did what happens in every fairy tale: He kidnapped her. The braves of her tribe went all Super Mario to rescue the princess, but the Devil created the huge sinkhole for them to fall into.

The sinkhole is Devil’s Millhopper.

As the braves tried to climb out, the Devil turned them to stone (cue: sinister music) and, it is said, the water runoff into the sinkhole is from the tears those poor braves shed for the princess (cue: sad music).

Millhopper, for a time, was owned by the University of Florida Science Department and used as a research site for students. However, non-scientific students would also use it as a place to socialize and par-TAY, which led to litter, foot traffic and erosion problems.

The state purchased the site in 1974 and built the set of 236 wooden steps, along with boardwalks and an observation deck at the bottom to allow access for visitors without further soil erosion. 

The formation was designated a National Natural Landmark in that same year and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.

Devil’s Millhopper, located in north Gainesville, was purchased by the state in 1974. A set of 236 wooden steps, along with boardwalks and an observation deck at the bottom, were completed to allow access to the sink for visitors without further soil erosion.

Underneath the canopy
Even though the park is only 71 acres, three distinct ecological environments exist based on exposure to sun, fire and water, and thanks to a hammock canopy that is shaded by the broadleaf trees and low vegetation. Basically, it’s like a rainforest: moist and damp and lush, all year-round. The park also has sandhill and swamp environments.

Because of the cutaway of the sinkhole, it provides easily visible geological records of the area. Twelve springs, some more visible than others, work like small waterfalls and feed the pond at the bottom of the sinkhole. In the summer, the bottom is dramatically cooler than surface air and significant fossil deposits include shark teeth, marine shells and the fossilized remains of extinct animals.

The thin layer of soil at the top of the sinkhole has rocks and sediments from the Hawthorn Group, which is geologic formations of Late Oligocene to Pliocene Age in North Florida. Devil’s Millhopper is composed of dolostone, phosphatic sands and clay that were deposited during the Miocene Epoch, between 5.3 and 23 million years ago.

The Hawthorn Group is underlain by upper Eocene Ocala Limestone, which can be seen in the deepest part of the sinkhole. Ocala Limestone was deposited in a warm, shallow marine environment more than 34 million years ago, and that material is what the sinkhole dissolved.

Not bo(re)dwalk
Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park is not your typical park. There are no picnic areas or playgrounds and there’s only one circular trail, which throughout you are repeatedly reminded to stay on. That’s because it’s a Natural Landmark. That’s to keep the foot traffic down and erosion of the geological site from happening again.

Devil’s Millhopper, a 120-foot deep sinkhole in north Gainesville, was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1974. It is maintained by the Florida State Parks system, a division of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

The boardwalk down to an observation deck makes for wonderful views and pictures, if not also a very sweaty hike.

If it’s more hiking you’re looking for, check out San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park. It’s literally less than 10 minutes from the Millhopper and features 65 miles of hiking trails and even creeks.

Just do so after you pay a visit to the Devil … that is, if you dare.

Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park
Where: 4732 Millhopper Road, in Gainesville
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. The park is closed Monday and Tuesday.
Cost: $4 for parking
Details: An unexpected rainforest in a geological wonderland. This park offers patrons a chance to see a dry sinkhole that’s 120 feet deep down the steep slopes of the limestone.
Info: Visit floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/devils-millhopper-geological-state-park, or call 352-955-2008.

Published October 25, 2023

Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park has a small visitor’s center that includes a historical display that shows how sinkholes are formed.
Do as the sign says: Both Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park and San Felasco Hammock State Park ask very little of patrons, while giving them a chance to enjoy nature’s splendor.
The 71-acre Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park has a looping nature trail that includes a bridge and three distinct ecological environments.

Union leader says pay improvements in Pasco schools among best in state

By

The leader of the United School Employees of Pasco (USEP) said the county’s school system could be held up as a model for other districts in the state — in terms of pay improvements for teachers and non-administrative personnel.

“We feel that this has been one of the better two-year salary improvements in the state. Thank you to the board for allowing us this opportunity,” Don Peace, USEP’s president said during the Pasco County School Board’s Oct. 17 meeting.

Improved pay for district bus drivers may be helping the district to turn the corner on the shortages. It still reported 27 vacancies last week, but had seven people enrolled in training, the largest number it had in a class in over two years. (Mike Camunas)

“Thanks also to the staff’s negotiating teams, negotiators and superintendent for allowing this to happen,” Peace added.

Peace reported that the negotiating teams for the district and the union have completed the negotiations process on economic issues early in the year for the second year in a row.

“We were able to come to terms on a 3.5% across-the-board increase for all qualified employees,” Peace said.

The settlement, coupled with proceeds from a voter-approved referendum stipend plus last year’s 5.4% increases, combined to create an average increase in compensation to instructional employees of 17.8% over the last 14 months, Peace said.

He characterized that as “an exceptional amount compared to other districts around the state.”

The district’s School Related Personnel, also known as SRPs, saw significant increases, too.

Voters approved a referendum to pay higher taxes to improve the pay for Pasco County Schools’ teachers and non-administrative personnel. The improvement in pay for teachers and school-related personnel over the past two years is among the best in Florida, according to Don Peace, president of United School Employees of Pasco. He thinks the Pasco district could become a model for other districts in the state. (File)

“All told, with the 8.9% average referendum money, combined with the newly negotiated 3.5%, along with last year’s increases, SRP employees have seen salary increases from anywhere from 17.3% to a staggering 41.4% over the last 14 months.” Peace said.

“The economic settlement also included long-awaited athletic and academic supplement increases as well,” Peace said.

As a former coach, he said he knows those supplement increases are long overdue.

“They haven’t been changed in probably 20-something years,” Peace said.

The district also agreed to cover higher costs for employee health insurance, agreed to pay increases to the Florida Retirement System benefits, and to cover the cost of fingerprinting employees. It also will pay a health and wellness incentive for qualified employees.

The district also agreed to preserve a fund to pay teachers who voluntarily give up a planning period to deliver instruction. That fund addresses the void created by a lack of qualified substitutes to teach those classes.

The district also has improved its pay for bus drivers, in its quest to address a shortage of drivers that has been felt across the nation.

Bus drivers and relief drivers each have been moved up a pay grade, plus they received a $1-an- hour wage increase negotiated earlier in the year and a return-to-work incentive due to bus drivers being deemed a critical shortage area.

Peace said that Kevin Shibley, assistant superintendent for administration, reported that improved pay had reduced the number of unfilled positions this year.

Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent of support services, said the district has 27 bus driver vacancies right now, which is an improvement over the past. She also said seven people are enrolled for bus driver training — the most the district has had in a single training class during the past two years.

Published October 25, 2023

A SHINE-y new paint job

By

Tracey “Artist” Jones ended up painting a whole building.

Well, a ticketbooth, actually. But the 41-year-old Land O’ Lakes graphic designer, mom and artist was just glad her new mural in downtown St. Petersburg wasn’t higher off the ground.

Land O’ Lakes resident Tracey ‘Artist’ Jones works on her mural for the Ninth Annual SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival, in which her work of art is painted on all four walls of a closed PTSA ticketbooth at Williams Park, 350 Second Ave. N., in St. Petersburg. Jones’ artwork and 13 other artists and their murals will be on display all around downtown St. Petersburg, as through the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, SHINE has created nearly 150 murals throughout downtown and the surrounding arts districts since 2015. (Mike Camunas)

“I can’t believe they gave me a whole building, but they did!” Jones said. “I’m just glad it’s close to the ground because a lot of the other (artists), they’re going higher up than I had to!”

Jones was asked to paint a brand-new mural as part of the ninth annual SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival, which brings a diverse collection of public art from renowned local, national and international mural artists. During SHINE, 14 new murals, plus a series of Bright Spot community mural projects, were added to the art districts and surrounding neighborhoods of St. Petersburg’s downtown. The SHINE Mural Festival is an event of the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, a nonprofit, 501(c)3 dedicated to advocating for the arts and driving arts-related economic impact.

Jones spent about 80 hours, finishing up on Oct. 20, painting a closed PTSA ticketbooth located in Williams Park, 350 Second Ave. N., in St. Petersburg. She painted over all four walls, incorporating bright colors, but also honoring African themes, such as Kente fabric patterns.

Her mural includes a portrait of John Donaldson, the first black man to own property in Pinellas County. Donaldson bought 40 acres of land on what is now 22nd Avenue S., between 31st and 34th streets S., for 90 cents an acre, according to a 1997 article in the then St. Petersburg Times.

Land O’ Lakes resident Tracey works on her SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival piece, which is on display at Williams Park in downtown St. Petersburg.

Jones said it was important to her to include some history in her newest mural, which is now her fifth in the Tampa Bay area. She has three others in Tampa and another at Brookwood Florida, a girls group home in Pinellas.

“With (one of the walls) facing the street, I knew I really needed to bring it,” Jones said. “I needed, and wanted, to make it so people want to get out of their car and take pictures of it and, hopefully, just cause some wows and surprises. Just the idea of all the fabric swatches all jumbled together I’m hoping is really attractive to people riding by.

“When I started it, I wanted to tell important stories, from history, and put it into my artwork — about the history we don’t learn much about,” Jones added. “John Donaldson was the first black man to be able to live in St. Pete, he was well-respected and his family was able to integrate because of that, so I just wanted to put in some history here that maybe was lost in St. Pete, so every day they’ll pass it and learn about the history and John.

“And I know, for sure, that it won’t be painted over.”

While SHINE has been adding murals to St. Petersburg for nearly a decade, Jones says most murals — and definitely hers — won’t be painted over. Murals bring a fresh look — and coat of paint — plus vibrance to the community, Jones said, adding she wished there were more public mural opportunities in the Central Pasco area.

“I would love that — to paint a mural in Land O’ Lakes or Lutz!” said Jones, who has been painting for about 10 years and whose work also is featured in galleries and restaurants. “I’m more connected to the Tampa and St. Pete art alliances, with there being a lot of opportunities in Tampa and St. Pete, so I would love to see Pasco’s grow and give us artists out that way opportunities to put up our art publicly like this.

Tracey ‘Artist’ Jones’ mural encompasses the PTSA ticketbooth at Williams Park, 350 Second Ave. N., in St. Petersburg.

“As far as I know, we don’t have those programs in Pasco, and I would love to see those, and our art, start popping up.”

Tracey “Artist” Jones’ Mural
Where: PTSA ticketbooth at Williams Park, 350 Second Ave. N., in St. Petersburg
Details: Returning for its ninth year, the SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival brings a diverse collection of public art from renowned local, national and international mural artists. During SHINE, 14 new murals plus a series of Bright Spot community mural projects will be added to the art districts and surrounding neighborhoods of St. Petersburg’s downtown. The SHINE Mural Festival is an event of the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, a nonprofit, 501(c)3 dedicated to advocating for the arts and driving arts-related economic impact.
For more information and the location of the other murals, visit StPeteArtsAlliance.org/shine-2023.
To see more of Artist Jones’ work, visit her website at TraceyRJones.com or her Instagram account @theartistjones.

Published October 25, 2023

Pasco MPO discusses road projects and long-range planning

By

Anyone who has spent any time in Central Pasco is all-too-familiar with the frequent traffic backups at State Road 54 and U.S. 41.

The intersection marks the coming together of two major roads.

State Road 54 carries east-west traffic through Pasco County and U.S. 41 is a north-south thoroughfare.

The roads get congested — forcing motorists to frequently wait through multiple light cycles before they can get through the U.S. 41/State Road 54 intersection.

The traffic quagmire has been a source of irritation for commuters for years, and the District 7 office of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has been studying potential solutions.

Traffic backs up heading east on State Road 54, waiting at a traffic signal at State Road 54 and U.S. 41. (File)

At the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Oct. 12 meeting, Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey asked for an update on what’s being done to address the issue.

Brian Hunter, an FDOT transportation planning manager, told Starkey: “So, we’re still in the evaluation process, figuring out what the final configuration of that is going to be.”

Starkey responded: “Why are we evaluating for years? Why aren’t we moving to action?”

Hunter replied: “There are a lot of environmental concerns that we have to look at, make sure we’re accommodating.”

The state transportation agency planning manager also noted that Pasco’s significant growth in the past couple of years has caused FDOT to take a closer look to be doubly sure that whatever it does, it will be the right solution.

“We don’t want to propose something that in five years, we look at it and say, ‘There were this many extra residents that came into the area. So, we’re just making sure. We’re going back through and reevaluating and making sure we’ve incorporated all of the growth.

“I don’t think any of us could have seen three years ago, when we started really looking at it, the growth that has happened here in Pasco County. It’s been immense in the last couple of years.

“When we go back to our office down U.S. 301 and turn on (State Road) 54, you can see all of those houses that are going to be popping up, and when we came off of (State Road) 52, off the interstate.

“We’re just making sure that we’ve got the appropriate solution out there.

“Because once we do it once, it’s going to be a really long time before we go back and make it better,” Hunter said.

Starkey responded that once the evaluation is done, she hopes there will be fast action.

“I hope we do get moving on something,” she said.

The county board member also alerted her colleagues on the Pasco MPO board that there’s no time to waste on making improvements to Tower Road.

A recent cooking oil spill on State Road 54, which closed down the state highway between Gunn Highway and the Suncoast Parkway, underscored the need.

A valve broke spilling cooking oil on State Road 54, she said.

“(There were) cars slipping and colliding into each other,” Starkey said, forcing the State Road 54 closure.

“That is the only east-west road we have. We have one road. We are doing a study now on Tower (Road), which we’re going to call Rangeland,” she said.

The shutdown of State Road 54 immediately “escalated” the importance of improving Tower Road, in Starkey’s view.

She said Tower Road currently goes from the edge of Starkey Ranch, but FDOT is studying an on-ramp onto the Suncoast Parkway.

“And, I hope we do that,” she said. It would create another option for east-west traffic other than heading south into Pinellas County or Hillsborough County, to get around.

On another issue, Dade City Commissioner Scott Black and Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley told Hunter that it’s important to keep traffic flowing in both directions at an intersection of River Road, near the U.S. 98/U.S. 301 improvement.

There were plans to eliminate the capability for left turns, Black said. That would be a hardship on the area and something must be done to preserve the ability to go both ways, he said.

Hunter said one option would be to just allow right turns, but then provide a nearby opportunity for U-turns that would accommodate trucks.

Oakley reiterated that a solution must be found.

On another item, Scott Ferry, a Pasco MPO planner, briefed the board on the status of an update to the 2050 transportation plan.

He said that Kimley-Horn, general consultant to the Pasco MPO, has been assigned the job of developing the 2050 socioeconomic forecast data for the plan.

That task aims to establish accurate base year population, dwelling units, employment, hotel/motel units and school enrollment data, and then to use that data as well as future land use data to develop a reliable county socioeconomic forecast for 2040 and 2050, Ferry said.

That data “will be incorporated into the regional travel demand model, which will be used to enable us to forecast future transportation needs in the county,” Ferry said.

The county transportation planning agency also assigned Kimley-Horn to develop the public involvement plan for developing the 2050 transportation plan.

Kimley-Horn’s plan will guide public involvement activities, including public workshops, meetings with Pasco MPO committees, key stakeholders and the board.

“The schedule for the completion of the plan is on a very accelerated schedule,” Ferry said, noting the work is being done on an eight-month timeline, rather than the usual 18-month process.

The deadline for adoption is Dec. 11, 2024, he said.

The Pasco MPO is made up of elected leaders from Pasco County, Dade City, New Port Richey, Port Richey and Zephyrhills. It is the lead transportation planning agency for Pasco County. 

Published October 25, 2023