Local News

Pasco scores grant for New River debris project

October 3, 2023 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The Pasco County Commission has approved a cooperative grant agreement between the county and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), relating to cleaning up debris in New River, in an area of Wesley Chapel.

The agreement calls for the project cost not to exceed $1,799,712, according to materials in the county board’s Sept. 19 agenda packet.

The project funding is related to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, which caused a significant amount of damage in the New River waterway, on Sept. 28, 2022.

Hurricane Ian littered the waterway with debris, branches and fallen trees, in an area between Betts Drive and Creek Road.

That debris impeded the river’s flow and has created potential risks to life and/or property.

The county’s public works department is undertaking a project to restore the impacted section of the New River to pre-storm conditions by removing the debris, branches and fallen trees.

The public works department applied for a grant from the NRCS to help pay for the project, under the Emergency Watershed Protection Program of the federal Flood Control Act of 1950.

The public works department received word on April 17, 2023, that its grant had been approved.

Under the grant, the NRCS will provide 75% of construction costs, which totals $1,249,800, and all technical assistance costs up to 8% of construction costs, up to $133,3120, for a total of up to $1,383,112 in federal funding.

The county is expected to provide the remaining 25% of the cost, which equals $416,600, as well as any technical assistance costs that exceed the federally funded amount.

The cooperative grant is a cost reimbursement grant.

The county will spend the budgeted funds and then request reimbursement. The county has until March 1, 2024 to complete the eligible work.

Published October 04, 2023

Zephyrhills approves 2023-2024 fiscal budget

October 3, 2023 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The City of Zephyrhills has adopted a budget of slightly less than $106.5 million.

The Zephyrhills City Council has approved a millage rate of 6.25 for the 2023-20224 fiscal year. One mill equals $1 for every thousand dollars of taxable value.

The City of Zephyrhills approved its 2023-2024 fiscal budget, with the tab coming in at just over $106 million, a $6 million increase from last year. (Mike Camunas)

This is the fifth time, out of the past six budgets, that the city has increased its spending plan.

The millage rate approved on July 24 is expected to generate $7,990,644 of ad valorem tax revenue for the general fund.

The council adopted a budget of $106,470,399 for the coming fiscal year, up slightly from the previous year, at its Sept. 25 meeting.

Total expenditures for the 2022-2023 budget were $100,621,184.

The city — Pasco County’s largest municipality — now has an estimated property valuation of more than $1.1 billion. It also has a steadily increasing population, which is now approaching nearly 20,000.

Several ongoing projects in the city, however, were part of last year’s budget, including the city’s massive sidewalk construction project spanning approximately 10,500 linear feet in areas surrounding West Zephyrhills Elementary School.

The city earmarked $1 million of the 2022-2023 fiscal budget — which is a 33% increase from the previous year — specifically to address this sidewalk project, which is expected to be completed in June 2024.

Funds for the sidewalk project, as well as other projects, such as the Hercules Park project, were made available through the Penny for Pasco initiative, which was renewed through Dec. 31, 2039 in the municipal elections in November 2022.

Published October 04, 2023

Merger is pending for Dade City and Zephyrhills chambers

October 3, 2023 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce and The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce are discussing a merger to become the East Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

The chambers announced the pending merger in a news release on Sept. 28.

The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce and The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce are discussing a pending merger to become the East Pasco Chamber of Commerce, the two chambers announced on Sept. 28. (Mike Camunas)

Discussions of a possible merger have popped up in the past and now the two groups are in the planning stages to create a single business support organization.

They are expected to combine their efforts to “continue to strengthen and enhance the businesses throughout East Pasco.
By uniting their efforts they will be able to bring “new cooperative marketing opportunities, workforce development strategies and a stronger combined effort for advocacy,” the release says.

During the coming weeks, committees will address how to preserve traditions, while assisting area businesses to help build prosperity.

“The merger aims to enhance the organization’s presence in the area including workforce development, membership services, small business networking, mentoring, growth opportunities and a broader impact in this fast-growing economic environment,” the release adds.

The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce has been operating as a successful trade association organization for over 50 years and represents over 430 businesses, associations, nonprofits, and individuals throughout Pasco County, according to the release.

Membership in The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce includes businesses, government agencies, public-private corporations, nonprofit organizations, and individuals with a shared interest in preserving and enhancing the quality of life in Zephyrhills, the release says.

The East Pasco Chamber Foundation is incorporated in the State of Florida as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and is dedicated to advancing the quality of life in East Pasco through education, leadership, economic development, and community enhancement.

Revised October 03, 2023

Pasco residents will pay a new tax to cover costs for residential road improvements

October 3, 2023 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County is proceeding with a new tax assessment to cover the costs for residential road projects.

The new tax is expected to be on tax bills sent out in November 2024.

The Residential Road Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU) will replace the county’s Paving Assessment (PVAS) system, that’s been used for decades.

Pasco County plans to institute a Municipal Services Taxing Unit tax to pay for local road improvement projects. The system will replace the decades-old Paving Assessment (PVAS) program. Plans call for sending out tax bills with the new assessment beginning in November 2024. (File)

The PVAS system required the owners of a majority of property along a street that would benefit from the program to agree to proceed with the paving.

Once agreement was reached, the Pasco County Commission would consider the PVAS application, and if approved, all of the property owners on the street would be assessed for the improvement, whether they wanted the improvement or not.

The program pitted neighbors against neighbors.

In some cases, owners of the majority of the land would not agree to the improvement.

In other cases, property owners along a street pleaded to the county board for relief, citing an inability to pay.

Additionally, the PVAS system had no funding for maintenance or repairs of dangerous sidewalks.

Those issues are expected to be addressed through the new Residential Local Road Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU).

The county board voted on Sept. 19 to continue the county’s pursuit of the MSTU to replace PVAS.

The new MSTU will show up on tax bills, creating a source of revenue to pay for local road projects, maintenance, and in limited cases, sidewalk projects.

The boundaries of the new Residential Local Road MSTU includes all unincorporated areas of Pasco County, except for parcels that currently — or in the future — are subject to or within the boundaries of an Active PVAS; and, parcels within a Homeowners’ Association or Community Development District that maintains its private roads.

The county board also has granted property owners who have paid or are paying their PVAS assessments a two-year reprieve from the new assessment. They said some sort of reprieve is only fair, but they don’t want to make the tax break too long because they don’t want to cripple the system.

Justin Grant, public infrastructure fiscal and business administration director, said the goal is to proceed with the new system in time to include the MSTU assessments on the tax bills that will be sent out in November 2024.

Meanwhile, a determination will be made regarding who is listed on the final tax roll for the MSTU, and the county board will deliberate what the millage rate should be.

Grant said the new system will provide a source of funds to pay for incremental maintenance, which ultimately allows roads to last longer and to avoid the need for high-cost repairs.

The new system also will allow the county to complete some sidewalk work, but only in cases where the sidewalk is affiliated with a local road project, and when it is deemed to pose safety issues.

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder said the county must use due care, when it comes to sidewalks.

Once the county does any sort of maintenance on a sidewalk, it becomes the county’s responsibility, Steinsnyder said.

Published October 04, 2023. This story was revised on Oct. 04, 2023.

The pros, cons of requiring road connections

October 3, 2023 By B.C. Manion

On the one hand, motorists benefit when there’s more than one way to get through an area.

On the other, creating roadway connections between new developments and existing neighborhoods can cause disruptions to the peace and quiet of residential life.

That’s the gist of a discussion that came up during the Sept. 21 Pasco County Planning Commission meeting when an applicant was seeking a waiver from a county requirement that calls for creating connection from new developments, on all four sides of the property.

The discussion came up during the review of an application from Mary Burke and Thomas Schrader to allow up to 625 multi-family units and 106,686 square feet of commercial uses on 57.49 acres, north of County Road 52 and east of Interstate 75.

Pasco County Planning Commission requiring roadway connections between new developments and existing neighborhoods could cause cut-through issues for the residential areas on Oak Street and Florida Avenue, in San Antonio, for example. (Mike Camunas)

The land is part of Connected City, a sizable area that was designated years ago for a greater intensity of development, job creation, high speed internet and good connections within the area, either through golf cart paths, roads or both.

The applicants sought permission to eliminate required connections on the west and on the east.

County staff agreed to the waiver on the west side of the property because there’s a Category 3 wetland and a self-story business that would impede connecting there.

But county planners rejected the request for the waiver to the east.

They determined that an interconnection to the east is feasible at Oak Street and Florida Avenue.

Christie Barreiro, of Heidt Design, represented the applicants during the public hearing.

She told the planning board that her client is proposing three access points into the project, two from County Road 52 and another one at a new vision road being built through Connected City.

“We feel that we have those three access roads, one to the east isn’t necessary for development,” she said.

She also noted that providing the connection suggested by county staff could create a cut-through issue for the residential areas on Oak Street and Florida Avenue, in San Antonio.

“Oak Street is the north-south street and Florida Avenue is the east-west,” she said, noting both streets are maintained by the City of San Antonio.

“There are eight single-family homes on Oak Street.

“There are eight additional parcels on the north side of Florida Avenue, not all of them have homes on them. The south side of Florida Avenue has two property owners, multiple parcels but only two property owners,” she said.

She said her clients believe that full access on Oak Street would not be welcomed by the nearby residents in San Antonio.

She also noted that the roads are not currently up to county standards and requiring her clients to bring one of those roads up to county standards would be an undue burden.

County Attorney David Goldstein asked Barreiro: “Why not connect to the northeast?”

She responded that could be a possibility.

Goldstein said if that occurs, no waiver would be needed.

Brad Tippin, the county’s development manager, said county staff was attempting to create a way to create access to Curley Street.

But Goldstein replied: “It seems to me that it would be more important to be able to connect to property within Connected City. Connected City was given that name for many reasons. Part of it was interconnectivity. I’m not sure why we’re not connecting to other property in Connected City.”

Planning board member Jon Moody said he understands that establishing connections between developments is a high priority with at least one Pasco County commissioner, and possibly others, as well.

But Moody noted forcing such connections can have negative consequences in established neighborhoods.

He said he understands the general need for requiring interconnectivity, but he added, individual situations must be considered.

“I’ll point to a couple of examples where an interconnect has destroyed a neighborhood,” Moody said.

“Fox Hollow Drive, between U.S. 19 and Little Road. You took a wonderful, quiet street and have turned it into a cut-through that’s a de facto highway. I would never walk on one of the sidewalks along Fox Hollow Drive. That would be taking your life into your hands. And, if I had children, I could never live along Fox Hollow Drive.

“Jasmine (road), same thing. We took a street, we cut it from U.S. 19 to Little Road. We have interconnection and now we made it miserable for residents who live along that road.

“Connections can be good, but we can’t do them at the expense of a neighborhood.”

Moody added that he appreciates the applicant’s respect for existing residents.

“Sometimes we have to apply some common sense to some of this.

“All interconnects are not the same. They’re not one size-fits-all. And, we can’t destroy a neighborhood for the sake of providing an interconnection. We have to look to make sure it’s a responsible interconnection,” Moody said.

Planning board member Jaime Girardi made the motion for approval, which the planning board supported. The approved motion does not require the connection to the east to the residential streets in San Antonio that had been suggested by county staff.

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

Published October 04, 2023

A Sense of Place

October 3, 2023 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

**Way of the Water**
Frances V. Innace, of Zephyrhills, snapped this shot of one of downtown Zephyrhills’ murals on Sept. 23. This mural, titled ‘Ocea,’ which means water goddess in Greek mythology, was painted by Jonathan Sierra and unveiled in May 2021 and is on the south-facing wall of 5210 Seventh St., also home to Painted Pixie hair salon. ‘I think it’s great artwork!’ Innace said, ‘and sort of symbolic of Zephyrhills, since it’s known for its bottled water.’

**Swamp Thing**
Barry White, of Land O’ Lakes, grabbed this picture of a cypress swamp near Ehren Cutoff in Land O’ Lakes.

If you’d like an image to be considered for publication, please email it to . Please add a sentence or two, describing when and where you took the photo and what the image means to you. Be sure to include who took the photo, where he or she lives and contact information, in case we need to reach back.

**Crossroads**
The Laker/Lutz News Staff Photographer Mike Camunas shot this pic of the intersection of Robinson Avenue and Seventh Street, outside the Dade City Brew House in downtown Dade City in July.

**Out to Pasture**
The Laker/Lutz News Staff Photographer Mike Camunas got this pic of a sunset going down over the fields just off State Road 52 in Land O’ Lakes in August.

Water management district approves $224.8 million budget

October 3, 2023 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s governing board has approved a $224.8 million budget for fiscal year 2024, according to a news release.

The budget includes about $92.4 million in cooperative funding initiatives and district grants for water resources projects.

Key initiatives include:

$65.2 million for development of alternative water supplies to ensure an adequate supply of water resources for all existing and future reasonable and beneficial uses
$17.8 million for Watershed Management Program plans to support flood plain management decisions and initiatives, and projects to address potential and existing flooding problems
$17.1 million for the management and improvement of critical flood control and water conservation structures, canals, culverts and levees
$6.6 million for springs initiatives to improve water quality and clarity of springs and spring-fed rivers, as well as restore their natural habitats

Through cooperative funding partnerships, the water management district will leverage funds for a total regional investment of more than $175 million for sustainable alternative water supply development, water quality improvements and other water resource management projects, the news release says.

For the 12th straight year, the governing board adopted a millage rate that is equal to, or less than, the rolled-back millage rate.

The adopted millage rate for the coming fiscal year is 0.2043 mill, 9.6% lower than the current fiscal year. One mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value.

The water management district’s new rate will save taxpayers an estimated $13.9 million in property taxes, according to the release.

Published October 04, 2023

Student Saturdays launched for teen drivers

October 3, 2023 By Mary Rathman

The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office has launched Student Saturdays for teen drivers.

The new initiative during the month of October, aims to make the driver license testing process more convenient for Hillsborough County high school students and their parents.

The program’s launch was timed to coincide with National Teen Driver Safety Week. It allows aspiring teen drivers to take their driving skills test on the weekend, eliminating the need to miss school.

With the significant growth in the county’s population, Tax Collector Nancy Millan and her team have worked to increase staff resources and expand capacity for driving tests and driver license services to meet the demand.

The driving skills tests for teens are by appointment only and are available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Oct. 14 and Oct. 21, at the East Tampa Tax Collector’s Office, 2814 E. Hillsborough Ave., in Tampa.

Saturday tests are available only for Hillsborough County high school students who meet the eligibility requirement to take their driving tests, including a valid learner’s permit and written test completion. There also are a limited number of written testing spots available for students who want to obtain their learner’s permit.

Visit HillsTax.org/student-Saturdays to see if the student meets eligibility requirements to take the driving skills test.

Eligible candidates can book an appointment by calling 813-347-4386.

Published October 04, 2023

Hillsborough seeks applicants for diversity council

October 3, 2023 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The Hillsborough County Commission is seeking applicants for its Diversity Advisory Council.

The council was created to facilitate communication between Hillsborough County government and diverse populations, and to address matters related to diversity that affect County government and its citizens.

The county board appoints council members who represent a number of categories.

There currently are five vacancies on the board, in these categories: Caribbean; Indian Asian; Middle Eastern; Native American; and Northern and Southern European.

Advisory council members are volunteers and serve for two years.

All nominees must live in Hillsborough County and be registered voters.

The council meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m.

Those interested in applying must submit:

An essay of 200-500 words highlighting what your goals would be as a member of the Diversity Advisory Council and state why you are most suited to carry forth those goals.
A completed Questionnaire for Diversity Advisory Council
A Standards of Conduct Form

Forms are available on the County’s website at: HCFLGov.net. To download a form, click on the following tabs/links: “Government,” “Boards and Committees Forms.” The forms can be filled out and printed, then scanned and emailed, faxed, or mailed.

All forms must be signed and dated, and all questions must be answered in entirety to be eligible. Applicants declining to submit an essay will be eliminated from further consideration for service on the Diversity Advisory Council of Hillsborough County.

The deadline for applications is the close of business on Oct. 12. The county board is scheduled to make the appointments in November.

Forms can be –
Mailed to: P. O. Box 1110, Tampa, FL 33601
Faxed to: 813-239-3916
Emailed to:
Delivered to: 601 E. Kennedy Blvd, second floor, in Tampa

Published October 04, 2023

Take a walk through Dade City history

September 26, 2023 By Mike Camunas

Even though the landscape, and buildings, have changed, the history remains.

It has stood the test of time, as many things have in Dade City. And now, some of the town’s most dedicated residents want to show off that history, for all to see.

The 1909 Pasco County Courthouse, or the No. 1 stop on the brand-new, 82-stop Dade City Historical Self-Guided Tour, sits at the intersection of Meridian Avenue and Seventh Street. It is the crown jewel of downtown Dade City, as well as the centerpiece of the new walking tour available to residents and tourists alike. In April 2022, a committee of Dade City historians formed to create this comprehensive historical walking tour. It is complete with a web site, narration for stops and QR codes that cover historical sites and massive amounts of history in Dade City. The city was incorporated in 1889. (Mike Camunas)

They’ve created the Dade City Historical Self-Guided Tour — a comprehensive and immersive tour of historical sites, buildings, streets, monuments and more scattered throughout town.

It was the brainchild of the president of the Dade City Merchants Association, Margaret Angell, and Mary Katherine Mason, owner of Lanky Lassie’s Shortbread. They wanted a way to preserve the town’s history that dates back to the late 1800s.

They recruited some of Dade City’s foremost historians, with the project taking more than a year to complete.

In the end, the tour came to a whopping 82 stops.

“The idea was to teach people easily, through a walking tour or on their phone or computer, of the rich history in our town,” Mason said. “And, as people travel to our town to see the history, it will show the commissioners that Dade City is worth preserving. It will show that Dade City is a destination for history and small town charm, as some people try to escape the Wesley Chapels and Tampas.

The Dade City Heritage and Cultural Museum on U.S. 98 was once the 1912 Atlantic Coastline Railroad Depot. It is stop No. 12 on the Dade City Historical Self-Guided Tour.

“It will help build tourism by showing the history, and preserve it, as well.”

The tour can be accessed online and started at any stop. Each stop comes with its location, history — in both writing and videos — and some of the stops have narration.

Mason and Angell also are working on physical QR codes to be placed at each stop, allowing visitors to scan the logo to bring up the tour’s site.

The formulation of the tour started back in April 2022, when Mason and Angell approached author and historian Madonna Wise, who has written extensively about Dade City, including ‘A Haunted History of Pasco County’ and ‘Dade City (Images of America).’

Wise said they reviewed the tours completed by the Florida Humanities Council and requested it help them with the tour. However, the Council was unavailable, so they formed a tour committee and began the process.

The Wells Fargo Bank, at the corner of Seventh Street and Meridian Avenue, was the 1889 Bank of Pasco. It is stop No. 15 on the Dade City Historical Self-Guided Tour.

The committee includes Mason, Angell and Wise, but also Stephanie Black, director of the Pioneer Museum & Village; Melody Floyd, Dade City Chamber of Commerce who developed the Dade City Historic House tour; Wayne Sweat, longtime Pioneer Florida Volunteer and reenactor (he narrates the tour); Britton Janning, the tour’s tech guru who built the site, QR codes and more; Judge Lynn Tepper, retired circuit judge; Imani Asukile, diversity director at Pasco-Hernando State College; and, Eric Baker.

“I believe it far exceeds the tours done by the Humanities Council,” Wise said. “We tried very hard to tell the complete story with great diversity and human anecdotes.

“Our tour has 82 stops,” she added. “In many of the stops, we did comprehensive interviews — in other cases we discovered completely new history or corrected facts. The level of enthusiasm and support from the town has been phenomenal.

The Florida Army National Guard Armory on Live Oak Avenue was the 1955 National Guard Armory of Dade City. It is stop No. 14 on the Dade City Historical Self-Guided Tour.

“The goal of Mary Katherine and Margaret Angell was to provide a model for historic preservation. The group is intensely proud of the endeavor and we tried very hard to be inclusive of the research that had already taken place by historians.”

Mason said they researched other cities that have rich histories, as well as walking tours, hoping to “follow in their footsteps.”

But as the committee kept working “thousands of volunteer hours,” the tour kept growing. Especially once Wise, who did most of the research, was enthusiastically on board.

“Eighty-two stops is definitely large (laughs),” Mason said. “Madonna, she just kept adding, too. She was like, ‘What about this one and that one?!’ There’s just so much history that where do you stop? … She’s a true historian — it’s her passion and it was difficult for her to stop.”

“It is difficult to convey the level of volunteer time committed to this project,” Wise added. “Consulting has been extensive and (the) research is often new. Some of the history is not fun, but well-documented, especially on the tour now.”

On the Dade City Historical Self-Guided Tour, the Elevated Estates at The Edwinola, once a hotel, was founded in 1912. It is stop No. 28 on the tour.

Mason said while researching other historic tours of other cities, they found each town has its own bylaws of preserving its historical districts, including the buildings. Dade City, on the other hand, has no such laws or rules, so historical buildings have been modified, renovated or, in some cases, removed altogether.

“A lot of (building) facades have been changed over the years, maybe even torn down,” Mason said. “We would like to beautify and preserve them. Owners can do whatever they want to the buildings they purchased. Our hope is the tour shows that it’s worth preserving.”

As a shop owner herself, Mason also sees the benefits of the tour, from a business standpoint. Her hope is the tour brings more foot traffic downtown, but especially on the weekends, motivating the fellow storefront owners to extend business hours.

Then the rest will be history.

“I’m from Zephyrhills and didn’t want to come near Dade City (laughs) because of the 9-Mile Rivalry,” Mason said. “I’ve learned so much now and, of course, I’m fond of my building, but also the Wells Fargo Bank building — just learning how there was a robbery there with dynamite — so cool!

“But if you’re brand-new to the city, having the tour is incredible,” she added. “It makes me want to learn all the history. … (If) more people come to our town, maybe on Sundays, then we start to see businesses open on those days. We’re a mom-and-pop town, so bringing people out to see history, and shop, will be great to see, especially new people from the tour.

The Dade City Garden Club, next to Touchton Park, is stop No. 51 on the Dade City Historical Self-Guided Tour.

“And make taking the tour totally worth it.”

Dade City Historical Self-Guided Tour
Cost: Free, but donations are welcome to the 501(c)3
Where: 82 stops throughout the greater Dade City area
Details: A comprehensive and historically informative walking tour of the numerous historical sites and massive amount of history in Dade City. The city was incorporated in 1889. The tour also is dedicated to Dennis Alfonso, who, along with his wife, Nancy, are longtime Dade City lawyers. Dennis passed away earlier this year.
Event: There will be a tour launch party on Nov. 9 at 6 p.m., at the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, 15602 Pioneer Museum Road, Dade City, featuring speakers, readings, demonstrations and more.
For more information or to even start the tour, visit DadeCityHistory.org.

Published September 27, 2023