The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Using playtime to reach milestones

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Jerica Detsch is in her own zone.

That’s because this Land O’ Lakes resident is most comfortable running around without shoes — chasing, playing and interacting with little kiddos at her newly opened indoor playground and sensory gym in Lutz.

Zeke Detsch takes a ride on the swing pushed by his mom, owner and operator of MilestoneZone, an indoor playground and sensory gym in Lutz. (Mike Camunas)

MilestoneZone opened Feb. 6 at 18455 U.S. 41 and has since been providing a place to play, to learn, but especially for local youngsters to reach milestones.

“That’s why I named it that,” Detsch, who has worked in occupational therapy since 2011 and also has worked previously with children with autism. “We want them to hit milestones in their own ways and help them reach them here. I just saw a need to help parents and create a safe place for them (children) to come play and receive sensory input.”

“(This playground and sensory gym) is different, because it’s owned by an experienced pediatric occupational therapist assistant — one that saw there was no sensory place nearby for kids to go.

“And now there is,” she said.

When Detsch opened the doors, a steady influx of parents showed up — seeking an affordable, indoor and all-inclusive local playdate spot.

Zuriya Booker, 7, plays in the ball pit at MilestoneZone in Lutz.

However, her original intent was to have an autism sensory gym — and that remains the goal because the closest gym of that kind is in Brandon.

“It includes everything that makes it all-inclusive — swings, slides, rock climb wall, ball pit — there’s not another indoor playground like this except We Rock The Spectrum, but that’s not around here,” Detsch said. “Parents are really happy (with this place). Now, they don’t have to drive all the way to Brandon — this is closer to home.”

The gym is full of features such as a pool-noodle rainforest, trampolines and other interactive and sensory-friendly amenities geared toward those on the autism spectrum and with other special needs. However, so far, there are more kids using it who are not on the autism spectrum and don’t have special needs.

“I haven’t really reached out to therapy clinics to help bring the kids here, but one thing I’m noticing is when I offer special-needs times, parents (of special-needs kids) would rather them come during busy times and let them socialize,” Detsch said. “So we’re talking about verbal and non-verbal kids, during our busy time, learning socialization, communication and interaction.”

Phoenix Booker, of Wesley Chapel, takes a swing at MilestoneZone, an indoor playground, sensory gym and birthday venue that provides daily play for young children that includes swings, slides, rock climb wall, ball pit and more. The facility is at 18455 U.S. 41, in Lutz. The gym is the area’s first indoor sensory gym geared toward those on the autism spectrum and with other special needs.

Parents love the interaction seen through their kids, plus the location has drawn plenty of patrons from communities in Pasco County.

“It’s crazy that in (the surrounding areas in Pasco County) there aren’t too many places like this, if any at all besides here now,” said Tiffany Booker, a Wesley Chapel mom. “There needs to be more places like this — indoor playgrounds — and more places that are all-inclusive, for the kids and for the parents.”

MilestoneZone has given Booker and other parents a place to have Mom Meetups, allowing them to discuss parenting while giving their young kids a place to play.

“The kids love it (here), and I just love what Jerica is doing here,” Booker added.

Local parents, such as Tonia Gegenfurtner, a Land O’ Lakes mom, love the new indoor playground and it has become a new staple in her kids’ routine.

“Anything else like this is like a 35-minute drive somewhere,” she said. “It’s nice to have a place for them to play indoors, and I can open my laptop and get some work done while they do. … They really haven’t taken to things like mom coffeetime or mom meetups — they want nothing to do with that, but not here. They keep asking me when we’re going to come back here now!”

MilestoneZone
Where: 18455 U.S. 41, in Lutz
When: Open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for Tuesdays and Sundays, when it’s closed.
Details: An indoor playground, sensory gym and birthday venue that provides daily play for young children that includes swings, slides, rock climb wall, ball pit and more. It also provides an atmosphere for parents to socialize, as well as daily zone activities such as story, music or painting sessions. Open play prices start at $5 for babies/crawlers and $16 for walkers/toddlers. Grouping rates are available.
Info: Visit Milestone.Zone online, or call 813-922-9717.

Published May 10, 2023

Land O’ Lakes mom Tonia Gegenfurtner reads a children’s book to her 2-year-old son, Shane, at MilestoneZone, an indoor playground and sensory gym in Lutz.
MilestoneZone, a Lutz-based, indoor playground, sensory gym and birthday venue provides daily play for young children both with and without autism and other special needs.
MilestoneZone owner and operator Jerica Detsch, of Land O’ Lakes, holds Miles the Bunny, the mascot of the indoor playground, sensory gym and birthday venue she opened in Lutz in February.

Annual food drive gears up

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Mark your calendar. The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) will conduct its 31st annual national Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on May 13, according to a news release.

The letter carriers once again will join forces with communities to help fight hunger across Central and Southwest Florida. The campaign provides residents with an easy opportunity to donate food to those in need in the community.

Post offices will collect the food items and volunteers then will sort through the donated items to distribute them back out to the community to food banks, pantries and shelters, to help families in need.

To participate, residents are asked to leave a sturdy bag containing nonperishable food items next to their mailbox prior to the time of regular mail delivery on May 13. The letter carrier will take care of the rest.

Millions of Americans live in challenging situations, uncertain of where their next meal will come from or if it will come at all. Sadly, one in five households needing help with food is home to a military veteran, the release said.

With more than 30 years of letter carriers’ commitment to the nation’s largest single-day food drive, communities are still in need across the country.

For information, visit Stamp Out Hunger on Facebook, NALC.org or tinyurl.com/59kxmd84.

Published May 10, 2023

Hillsborough Elections Office detects criminal cyberactivity

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Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer has issued a statement involving criminal cyberactivity that’s under investigation.

“It’s my intent to provide the public with as much information as possible without compromising the integrity of the investigation,” Latimer said, in a May 3 statement from his office.

“As someone who spent 35 years in law enforcement, I take all criminal activity seriously, and I consider an intrusion into an elections office an extremely serious offense,” Latimer said, in the prepared statement.

“We learned that an unauthorized user illegally accessed files on a shared drive on our  network and we immediately notified federal, state and local law enforcement partners, including the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the FBI, MS-ISAC, the Florida Department of State, and the cybersecurity division of Hillsborough County’s Information and Innovation Office. 

“We are working closely with those partners to ensure that this incident is thoroughly investigated.”

Latimer continued: “It’s very important to note that the unauthorized user did not have access to our voter registration system or our ballot tabulation system. Our voter registration system has multiple layers of protection, monitoring and redundancy. Our tabulation system does too, and uses a stand-alone, air gapped server that is not connected to anything else. That server has not been compromised in any way.”

Latimer added: “Addressing this issue is my top priority right now, and I am proud to be working alongside law enforcement partners and cyber technology experts who understand and respect the seriousness of this incident.

“I look forward to providing further information once the investigation concludes. “Elections are critical infrastructure, and any attack on our office – even one that does not interfere with the conduct of an election – is an attack on our community and our democracy,” Latimer concluded.

Published May 10, 2023

All business at this clubhouse

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There’s no kidding around in The Kidpreneur Club.

There are plenty of kids, a.k.a. the kidpreneurs themselves, but the nonprofit has grown so rapidly that it needed a space of its own to provide more services to budding entrepreneurs.

The Kidpreneur Club, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded with the sole purpose of empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs, has based its headquarters at 4 & Co. Coworking Spaces, 16703 Early Riser Ave., in Land O’ Lakes. (Mike Camunas)

The Kidpreneur Club (TKC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs. It organizes marketplaces featuring businesses created and launched by local children.

The nonprofit’s new headquarters had its grand opening celebration on April 29 and will use office space in 4 & Co. Coworking Spaces, a co-op working space recently constructed at 16703 Early Riser Ave., in Land O’ Lakes. The building offers office space and other business services.

The new “K-Club HQ,” says TKC founder, owner and CEO Danielle Cannon, will, eventually, host the Children’s Business Fairs, classes, Kidpreneur networking meetings and other activities.

“With the co-working space we can utilize now, we can offer so much more now than just the business fair,” said Cannon, a Land O’ Lakes native. “In the individual offices (in the co-working space), there are a lot of entrepreneurs here that want to mentor the little ones and share their services.

The Kidpreneur Club founder and CEO Danielle Cannon has set the nonprofit’s headquarters in Land O’ Lakes.

“Now, there’s all the extra opportunities because of the physical space, so we get to make the foundation of the club the best for the kids and grow it to their needs and develop them into the kidpreneurs they’ll become.”

A lot has changed since Cannon launched the nonprofit in December 2021. 

She initially started the Children’s Business Fair as a way to help the neighbor’s kids sell bracelets they had made. She thought of having a neighborhood kids’ market, as her two children wanted to sell stuff, too. The neighborhood kept having the market and each time, it got bigger.

Eventually, that morphed into the very popular Children’s Business Fair, such as the one held Nov. 29 at the KRATE in Wesley Chapel featuring more than 30 kid-owned businesses with booths, at the outdoor shopping plaza.

Cannon never imagined those business fairs would attract so much interest, or that there would be this many kidpreneurs with the full backing of the community.

Elliot Perez, 7, of Seffner, makes a sweet deal selling his pillows for his own start-up business, Fluff, Puff & Other Stuff, during the grand opening of The Kidpreneur Club’s headquarters in Land O’ Lakes on April 29.

“We’re so popular, and it’s so exciting,” Cannon said. “I knew there was a gap in the marketplace for something like this — I had done my research to find options available for the kids to sell their businesses and goods.

“But I couldn’t find anything,” she said. “This was created to fill that gap that existed here, but I had no idea so many people were going to want to be a part of it — it’s all so heartwarming because it’s truly a community nonprofit because we’re all working on this and growing this together.”

As “crazy a ride” as it has been for Cannon and TKC, the club is showing no signs of slowing down. For starters, the next business fair will be June 4 back at the KRATE.

Cannon said she plans on spending the summer “developing the foundation of what The Kidpreneur Club is going to be” and “focus on the fundraising efforts” now that the headquarters is open. Cannon also will work on “getting more shoppers to come to the fair to support the kids there and their businesses.” She said she’s also excited about hosting a business fair at the 4 & Co. Coworking Spaces.

Besides, she’s no longer fooling herself. She knows full well she’s become an entrepreneur herself, just like the kiddos. 

“I never intended to start a business or nonprofit — I just wanted to help our neighbor’s kids sell bracelets and it turned into this huge passion project,” she said. “But we really get to impact the community and its young business owners, but it is definitely going at warp speed, and it’s amazing that it’s become something the community has really embraced and supported.”

The Kidpreneur Club
Where: 4 & Co. Coworking Spaces, 16703 Early Riser Ave., Land O’ Lakes, 34638 (in Bexley Neighborhood off State Road 54 and the Suncoast Expressway
Details: The Kidpreneur Club (TKC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has the sole purpose of empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs. It organizes marketplaces featuring businesses created and launched by local children. Kidpreneurs, ages 6 to 16, develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, plan the cost of goods and pricing, and then open for customers at a fair. Now with a new headquarters in Land O’ Lakes, TKC will have its markets at the co-working space building, as well as various remote locations.
The next kid business fair is scheduled for June 4 at the KRATE at the Grove at Wesley Chapel.
For more information, call 813-825-3793, email , or visit TampaCBF.org.

Published May 10, 2023

Nest Hockey Academy may soon be up to full speed

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It hasn’t been entirely smooth skating for Nest Hockey Academy, but the facility is moving closer to bringing its vision to fruition.

The Pasco County Planning Commission on May 4 voted unanimously to recommend approval of a request by Russ and Leanne Henderson to rezone a parcel from agricultural zoning district to a master-plan unit development (MPUD) for a hockey academy.

“What we are is a school that also teaches hockey,” Russ Henderson explained to the planning board.

Nest Hockey Academy, at 9175 McKendree Road in Wesley Chapel, was voted unanimously by the Pasco County Planning Commission on May 4 to recommend approval of a request by Russ and Leanne Henderson to rezone a parcel from agricultural zoning district to a master-plan unit development (MPUD) for a hockey academy. (Mike Camunas)

The academy’s building already exists on the site at 9175 McKendree Road, in Wesley Chapel.

It was constructed as part of the Hendersons’ previous request for a special exception to operate the school.

“Everything that you see now that is on our site was part of our submittal,” he said.

But the special exception caps the number of people that can use the facility at one time to 20 people. The building is designed to accommodate hundreds.

The MPUD is being sought to allow the academy to operate at full strength, with up to 150 students. The site also includes 58 parking spaces.

Brad Tippin, the county’s development review manager, said one of the conditions of approval requires the hockey academy to make arrangements for off-site parking, if it needs to, to accommodate parking demand.

Henderson said he believes the 58 spaces on-site will be adequate to meet the need.

“We’re a single sheet (ice rink). We can only play one game at a time. It would always only be one game at a time,” he said.

While there will be occasional events, the focus will be on academics and hockey, he said.

“We are primarily a school. We’re a school first,” Henderson said.

He said the facility is offering something that is sought after in the state. It wants to partner with the Tampa Bay Lightning to develop a girls’ hockey program.

He explained to the planning board that he originally sought the special exception because he had been told it was a faster process than pursuing an MPUD.

Planning board member Jon Moody asked why an MPUD would be necessary, at this point, rather than merely amending the special exception.

Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein said he’d heard there may be opposition and a special exception wouldn’t get the issue before the county board.

Goldstein also noted the larger enrollment could not be met with the current state of McKendree Road. Improvement of that road is required under the proposed conditions for the MPUD.

Still, Moody insisted that the applicant had a right to pursue his request using a shorter, simpler process.

“I don’t personally find it fair to force the applicant into the MPUD process,” Moody said.

But county staffer Tippin told Moody: “I respectfully disagree with that.”

He said county staff believes the MPUD route is a better approach because the project is within the Connected City, which has a different land development code.

During the May 4 planning board meeting, no one spoke against the request.

A group of parents did turn out, in a show of support for the hockey academy.

Two parents spoke in favor of the request.

One father told the planning board: “This program is second to none. We really, really are amazed by the program there.”

A mother added: “We are beyond blessed to have this opportunity.”

She said the parents are looking forward to approval, so they can become actively involved.

“We don’t get to see their progression. We don’t get to volunteer. We don’t get to help,” she said.

Despite the current limitations, she’s impressed with what’s happening there.

“This is a great mission. The Hendersons are a terrific family.”

The request now goes to the Pasco County Commission, which has final jurisdiction on land use and zoning decisions.

Published May 10, 2023

Serve up something tasty for mom, on Mother’s Day

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Mother’s Day doesn’t have to be perfect — it’s really about the memories made on the day set aside for Moms.

For instance, last year, my three nephews were making my sister-in-law breakfast in bed.

Well, that was the plan anyway.

But then they started fighting in the kitchen.  

So, my sister-in-law had to get out of bed and go downstairs to break up the fight.

Once peace was restored, they instructed her to go back to bed.  

When breakfast finally was served, she was informed by the wait staff that the kitchen had run out of bacon, so they substituted some pepperoni.

Not a perfect breakfast, but what a fun story for the memory bank.

Do you need some ideas on what the kids can make this year for your Mother’s Day celebration?  

Here are some breakfast and brunch suggestions that are easy enough for even the smallest of sous chefs to assist — just make sure those little ones are supervised.

You can make this Mother’s memorable with one (or more) of these menu ideas:

  • Charcuterie board: Think of different textures and colors.

The textures can come from protein, such as bacon, sausage, sliced hard-boiled eggs, lox and a grain, such as waffle quarters, pancakes, crepes, bagels and muffins.

Add blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, grapes and other fruits for color.

Start the board by placing little bowls of fruit, jam and syrup on the board, followed by the largest food items, and then fill empty spaces with the smaller items.

Add some flowers to give the presentation more pop. (After brunch they can be placed in a vase for Mom or Grandma to enjoy later.)

If you don’t have a charcuterie board, don’t worry. Just use a wooden cutting board or a baking sheet. Or, you can buy one as a Mother’s Day gift.

  • Peanut butter board: This is similar in concept to a charcuterie board, but it has a peanut butter theme.

To make this, spread 1 cup to 1 ¼  cups of peanut butter — a brand that isn’t runny — onto the center of a marble or wooden serving platter.

Spread the peanut butter thinly and evenly with the back of a spoon, leaving space along the sides of the board for the dippers.

Top with a drizzle of honey or fruit jam, cinnamon, nuts, granola, chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips.

The dippers for this peanut butter board can be graham crackers, pretzel sticks, waffle quarters, and/or fruit slices.

  • Fruit and donut kabob: Slide kiwi, strawberry, melon, grapes, berries and other types of fruit, as well as donut holes onto skewers in your desired pattern. You can substitute waffle quarters for the donuts, or simply use fruit.
  • Watermelon fruit pizza: Cut a watermelon in half, then cut an even round slice about 1-inch thick (use remaining watermelon as you wish). Spread two tablespoons of vanilla Greek yogurt over the round slice. Place sliced fruit on top, such as strawberries, grapes, and bananas, and top with granola. Cut the watermelon into eight triangles to make slices of watermelon pizza.
  • Other simple ideas: Make a berry and banana fruit salad; a strawberry banana smoothie; or an egg salad sandwich.

Whatever you decide to make on Mother’s Day, do what you can to make your Mom happy.

It is her day, after all.

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

Egg cups can be made with scrambled or sunny-side-up eggs (shown here in a jumbo muffin pan), and can have cheese or deli meat added too, to really fill you up. You may want to try making the Tortilla Cups with Eggs, using the accompanying recipe. (Caitlyn Porter, University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Pasco County)

Recipe
Tortilla cups with eggs (courtesy of the University of Illinois Extension)

Ingredients:
4 flour tortillas, 6-inch in diameter
4 eggs
1/4 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup bell peppers, chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Wash hands with soap and water.
Gently rub produce under cool running water.
Cut each tortilla in half and then in half again.
This will result in four equal pieces per tortilla.
Spray six muffin tin cups with non-stick cooking spray.
Overlap two to three pieces of tortilla in each muffin tin to cover completely and create a cup. Press into muffin tin. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake tortilla cups for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Mix eggs, mushrooms, bell peppers and black pepper in a medium mixing bowl.
Pour egg mixture equally into tortilla cups.
Cook for 20 minutes to 25 minutes until eggs are cooked through, or when internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
Optional: Top with salsa, green onions, or sour cream.
Note: One serving is two tortilla cups.

Published May 10, 2023

HOAs address issues of short-term renters, rental companies

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Jim Hammond was surprised.

All he did was his job as the president of the Plantation Palms Homeowners Association and then make a post about it on the social media platform, Nextdoor.

“The rest, the way it snowballed, that was surprising to me,” Hammond said.

The post detailed how Plantation Palms, through its HOA, amended its community charter to add language addressing renters and rental companies.

It was an issue affecting the community, however, it never dawned on Hammond that so many communities either wanted to do something, or were already doing the same.

The Land O’ Lakes community of Plantation Palms and its HOA board recently made amendments to its charter to counter the rise in rental properties and rental companies within its neighborhood. It’s a move that is being followed by numerous local communities as a way to deter short-term rentals, as well as constant rotating renters among homeowners. (Mike Camunas)

But within 48 hours of his post, there were around 7,000 views and Hammond was hearing from other communities, their HOA members and presidents.

“Now, I’ve had more than 40 communities reach out to me,” he said.

When Hammond and Plantation’s HOA addressed the issue, they were looking to add language — not to prevent renters and rental companies in the community, but to hold them more accountable.

For starters, the HOA added to the charter language that would require two-year ownership before rental, grandfather existing rentals, provision for property transfers for divorce, wills/estate plans/trusts, as well as tighten up rules on short-term rentals, forbidding owners to rent via Airbnb, VRBO and others.

Hammond, the HOA and the community came to realize that while dealing with a private renter wasn’t as easy as dealing with a homeowner, it was the corporate rental companies that proved most challenging.

He explained that if there were violations, the company would not remedy it in a timely manner. It could sometimes take more than six months and then the lawyers would have to get involved to resolve the issue.

Hammond, who has been HOA president for eight years, said it was quite the task to get the word out, because the community needed residents to vote to approve the changes.

Through help from the community’s lawyer, they streamlined the process, making it easy to vote by signing paperwork that could be picked up at the guard house or the community’s golf clubhouse.

“We also had block captains that would go door-to-door, too,” Hammond said.

The changes received 88% approval from the community and the amendment was registered with Pasco County on Feb. 22.

Valencia Gardens in Land O’ Lakes is one of many local communities looking to amend its Homeowner Association (HOA) charter and documents to counter the hectic and sometimes uneven rentals and rental companies in their neighborhoods.

Eventually, the number of communities and nearby HOA board members contacting Hammond became overwhelming. He was willing to help, but new inquiries began to come in daily.

The communities that indicated interest span from Land O’ Lakes and Lutz, as well Wesley Chapel.

Communities of note include Arbors at Wiregrass, Asbel Creek, Connerton, Dupree Lakes, Grand Oaks, both Lake Padgett Estates and East, Meadow Pointe, Oak Grove, Sable Ridge, Terra Bella, Lakes at Heron Cove, Preserve at Lake Thomas, Villages of Wesley Chapel, Watergrass and Wilderness Lake Preserve.

Another Land O’ Lakes community, Valencia Gardens, which is just across Collier Parkway from Plantation Palms, is one of the many communities that reached out to Hammond.

Gail Spector, Valencia Gardens’ HOA president for 15 years, said adding this language on renters was born out of necessity. Communities keep changing, she said, as short-term, easily accessible renting wasn’t readily available when the HOA was formed.

“We have 393 homes and 8% of our community is corporate rentals,” Spector said. “We prefer people here who own it, but with new renters, if they sell to LLCs, then we want them to wait two years to rent. … It’s not the people who are renters that are the problem, if there is a problem — it’s the corporate renter companies,” Spector said.

She echoed what Hammond said regarding the difficulty in getting violations addressed by some rental companies. The violations seem to fall on deaf ears, until letters need to go out and those cost $7 per letter. If a call from the lawyer needs to happen, that could cost $150 per call to the rental company, she said.

“We put feelers out to the community, and they thought it was fantastic,” she added. “No one wants to move into a neighborhood and have a rental company or renter next to them because sometimes those won’t take pride in their house because they don’t own it and then it looks bad on the street.”

While she was surprised at the reaction that Hammond received to his social media post, Spector said it makes sense because there’s no longer a coalition for HOAs.

Lake Padgett Estates East in Land O’ Lakes is one of many local communities looking to amend its HOA charter and documents to counter the hectic and sometimes uneven rentals and rental companies in their neighborhoods.

But Hammond has launched a monthly meeting at Plantation’s clubhouse restaurant, in which HOA board members or presidents can attend to learn more about the charter-amending process.

Those who have reached out to Hammond are invited to the meeting, and the previous meeting had about 14 communities represented.

“All of these communities indicated they had the exact same problem,” Hammond said. “Many are now working on the exact same type of vote that we did. Some of these communities already have a large rental presence.”

One of those communities with a lot of rental homes and properties is Lake Padgett Estates East (LPEE). HOA board member Chris Marangiello thought he had a grasp on just how many, but then was shocked to find just how many rentals were in the large Land O’ Lakes community.

“We have 245 or more rental homes in our community,” he said. “That’s more than 23% of the neighborhood.”

Marangiello said LPEE was already in the process of reworking its charter when it saw Hammond’s post, but agreed it is a slow-moving process. It’s taken time to get the 60% approval, as well as making sure the language is correct. 

The community wants to do exactly what Plantation did, to address the rental issue.

“We just want the correct language in there,” Marangiello said. “The same rules apply if it’s corporation or personal (rental) because we can’t discriminate. We’ll hold ourselves and others accountable to the same thing — we’re just revising and tailoring it to our neighborhood.

“As a community, we all just want the same thing and that’s a great neighborhood, whoever is in the house next door.”

Meeting of local HOAs
Where: Mulligans Irish Pub, at Plantation Palms Golf Clubhouse, 23253 Plantation Palms Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes
When: May 13, 10 a.m.
Details: Plantation Palms Homeowners Association (HOA) president Jim Hammond is hosting a monthly meetup of local HOAs interested in learning more about amending their charters to include language that addresses rental properties and companies in their communities. The meeting is by invitation only. To request an invitation, contact Hammond at .

Published May 03, 2023

A park with a platform 

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All abroad.

Take a ride on down to this whistle stop junction, in the heart of the city at Pinellas County’s Largo Central Park.

This is no ordinary park.

The Largo Central Railroad is one of the many attractions and amenities at Largo Central Park, 101 Central Park Drive, a short drive away in Pinellas County. The railroad will host ‘Train Weekend’ every first weekend of the month, giving visitors a chance to ride the 1.2-mile track that goes through a dark tunnel and over a pond with a small waterfall. The park also includes a playground, historical museum, cultural center, military and K-9 memorial sites, a fitness trail, a large recreation field, pavilions and other amenities. (Mike Camunas)

For one thing, it has its very own railroad.

Largo Central Park is home to many amenities — but the thing that’s impossible to miss is the Largo Central Railroad, smack in the middle of the 70-acre public park.

It’s a favorite attraction, certainly for kids and train enthusiasts.

So grab your conductor’s hat and tickets and follow the train whistle down to Largo Central Park and Railroad — it’s definitely worth the trip.

​​Come on, ride the train
Down south, in Pinellas County, the Largo Central Railroad (LCRR) has been operating since 1991. It’s a full nonprofit with volunteer conductors, workers and volunteers that is open to the public every first weekend of the month.

During those weekends, park visitors can purchase tickets and climb aboard the mini train.

The family friendly, 10-minute ride traverses a 1.2-mile track. Passengers ride through a tunnel, cross a bridge over a pond with a waterfall and travel through wooded areas in the park.

Riding the train is a favorite activity among park visitors.

The Rainbow Rotary Playground at Largo Central Park is one of the park’s many family friendly attractions.

“We’re usually packed and were even more so before COVID,” said Eric Moulder, vice president of the LCRR. “We’re a popular attraction, so we know what to expect on the first weekend and try to accommodate everyone so they can enjoy our love of railroads as much as we do.

“We’re into trains — just a little bit,” said Moulder, with a laugh.

The railroad even has an actual steam-powered train, which is as impressive as its actual train whistle.

The trains also can be rented out for birthday parties, but Moulder said the train experience is not just for kids.

Plenty of adults come for a quick ride for the experience, as well as having regulars who have special needs, he said.

“It is kid-focused, but we do have people who come out and are adults and they’re either enjoying the park, want to ride the train or both,” he added. “Especially the train enthusiasts, and some clearly have special needs, but their guardians sign the waiver and they come out and just want to ride the train.

“We get quite a few people with special needs, but I think that’s great that there’s something for them to enjoy, and we’ll do whatever we can do to make their ride as enjoyable as anyone else’s.”

A central theme
While it’s true that the park boasts a railroad, it doesn’t have a one-track mind.

The 70-acre Largo Central Park, at 101 Central Park Drive features the Central Park Performing Arts Center, the James S. Miles & Richard A. Leandri Military Court of Honor, a public library, the Rainbow Rotary Playground, the Historic Largo Feed Store and plenty of open space for activities.

The spacious 70-acre Largo Central Park, with a paved trail throughout, offers plenty to do.

There’s the Central Park Performing Arts Center, the James S. Miles & Richard A. Leandri Military Court of Honor, a public library, the Rainbow Rotary Playground and the Historic Largo Feed Store.

The park also embraces history.

Its monuments to veterans and active military are evident with the Court of Honor.

Also, the Largo Feed Store serves not only as a small museum with historic items and artifacts, but also as a meeting place for local organizations and groups.

The paved trail features workout stations, as well as a monument to K-9 officers, while the Rainbow Rotary Playground is sure to be a fun, if not tiring experience for the little ones.

The park also has several pavilions, picnic tables and a large, open play field. The setting is perfect for kids to have fun and for birthday parties to be held.

On board and not bored
Largo Central Park and its railroad is quite the public attraction, open to anyone willing to cross the Howard Frankland Bridge or Courtney Campbell Causeway. 

That being said, it is the perfect family friendly or weekend-warrior way to spend an afternoon, especially for those looking for a low-cost outing.

So, if your train of thought is to have some fun — especially if you like trains, history and a little engine that can — a visit to this Pinellas County park will keep you right on track.

Largo Central Park and Railroad
Where: 101 Central Park Drive, in Largo
When: Park hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily. Public rides are offered by the railroad on the first weekend every month, on Saturday 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Details: This 70-acre recreational park in the heart of Largo features the Central Park Performing Arts Center, the James S. Miles & Richard A. Leandri Military Court of Honor, a public library, the Rainbow Rotary Playground and the Historic Largo Feed Store. With approximately 1.2 miles of track, many visitors come on the first full weekend of the month for “Train Weekend” to take a ride on the miniature train, Largo Central Railroad (LCRR). The railroad is a 501(c)(3), 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) tax deductible all-volunteer group whose goal it is to share their love of railroads with the community.
For more information on the park, visit tinyurl.com/3cjfhxkk. For more information on the railroad, including becoming a volunteer, visit LCrailroad.org.

Published May 03, 2023

The James S. Miles & Richard A. Leandri Military Court of Honor at Largo Central Park is among the many attractions at the 70–acre Pinellas County park.
The Historic Largo Feed Store was moved to Largo Central Park in 1992, restored and reopened its doors to the public in 1998. The 1902 feed store formerly served the needs of cattle ranchers and produce growers. It is now a venue for small parties and meetings. It also houses cases that display historic items and artifacts.
Largo Central Railroad, with its 1.2-mile track, features a near full-sized, dark tunnel which it passes through with riders on board.

 

Planning board pushes back against proposed park impact fees

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Pasco County’s growth has increased demand for its sports fields and recreational spaces, and the county can’t keep up with those needs.

It’s not a new issue, but the significant growth in recent years has exacerbated the problem.

To address it, the Pasco County Commission last September indicated it would support a sizable increase in the county’s park impact fees. The board directed county staff to take the steps necessary to bring back the item for action.

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 for a ride on a swing and do all sorts of other activities. Pasco County wants a substantial increase in its park impact fees, which are intended to pay for additional demands caused by growth. (File)

But the Pasco County Planning Commission pushed back on the proposed rate, during an April 20 planning board workshop and public hearing on the topic.

Keith Wiley, the county’s director of parks, recreation, and natural resources, shared details of the county’s proposal with planning board members.

He told them the current parks impact fee was adopted in 2002.

The county now has two residential rates for park impact fees. The charge is $891.50 for single-family units and $627 per multi-family unit.

The proposal calls for establishing a single fee of $3,450.15 per unit, regardless of dwelling type.

But planning board members raised concerns.

Planning board member Jon Moody put it like this: “I just feel that maybe the timing is not right. I understand that the board gave this direction, but conditions have deteriorated since the time the board gave the direction. They started heading south very quickly.”

Moody also questioned the estimated land values used to arrive at the proposed fee.

“I look at the numbers of the average value per acre for new parkland, and I just want to say whoever calculated them should be the richest real estate investor in history because their land value only ever went up. And, that doesn’t happen.

“I don’t know how we can make that projection, especially in the state of the economy we are in now. We have banks failing. We have credit tightening.

“People are having a harder time getting a loan.

“And I watched in 2008, home values dropped by a third, 40%, just like that.

“This makes the assumption that that will never happen again. This makes the assumption that land prices only ever go up,” Moody said.

Planning board member Derek Pontlitz, a professional wealth strategist, agreed that the timing might not be the best for a spike in impact fees.

However, Pontlitz said he thinks the estimated land values are in the ballpark.

“If I were a person laying out this projection, for projected real estate values, that’s probably pretty fair,” Pontlitz said.

Still, like Moody, he said the economic climate isn’t what it was a year ago.

“Mortgage starts are down 8.8%. The largest month-to-month decline,” he said.

If you’re looking for a way to have some fun, or try something new, chances are you’ll find something to do at the Wesley Chapel District Park, 7727 Boyette Road, in Wesley Chapel. Pasco County is looking to increase its park impact fees to expand recreational options to address needs created by the county’s burgeoning growth.

Planning Commission Chairman Charles Grey voiced concerns about Pasco’s proposed fee, as compared to other nearby counties.

“It sounds to me like it puts us at a distinct disadvantage when people are thinking about: ‘Where am I going to develop? Where am I going to spend my development dollars?’” Grey said.

Grey also raised alarm bells about cumulative effect of the county’s impact fees.

“That (proposed park impact fee) would take the impact fees, overall impact fees, on a single-family home in Pasco County to $28,000. That’s just shocking,” Grey said.

The state limits increases in existing impact fees to 50% and requires the additional charges be phased in, unless the county can prove “extraordinary circumstances.”

The planning board’s workshop was to discuss the county’s justification for exceeding the 50% cap.

But Moody noted: “The state limits us to a 50% increase, and I think the state passed that law to make sure the developers had some certainty when they were planning projects.”

Moody added that he doesn’t think the county’s lack of action on park impact fees for 21 years constitutes an emergency.

Wiley said if the proposed fee is adopted by the county board, it is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024. No phase-in is planned.

Wiley said county staff fully understands it’s a big number. He also noted that the Tampa Bay Builders Association appreciated the specificity of the plan.

Wiley urged the planning board: “Try to look at it from my perspective, being the public servant, that is constantly being bombarded with the request for additional facilities.”

The planning board voted 3-2 against the determination of an extraordinary circumstance.

But board members unanimously supported a motion by Moody to recommend approval of the ordinance, to the county board, with a number of suggestions:

  • That the county board do a more in-depth study of the rate, and if they should find there’s an extraordinary circumstance, they try to bring the new rate more in line with neighboring counties
  • That any changes to the county’s capital plan be subject to a public hearing, not through board resolution
  • That hotels also pay impact fees to support parks
  • That other funding options be explored to pay for capital improvements for parks
  • That impact fee increases be phased in.

In other words, Moody said, “ I guess what I’m saying (to the county) is that you need to study the issue a little bit more.”

Published May 03, 2023

New school projects coming, using Penny for Pasco tax proceeds

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Pasco County Schools is planning two elementary school renovation projects and two athletic facility renovation projects using proceeds from Penny for Pasco, a sales tax approved by voters.

Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent for support services, told the Pasco County School Board recently that the district has prioritized renovation of West Zephyrhills Elementary School and Cypress Elementary School, as two of the newest projects to use Penny for Pasco proceeds.

Pasco County Schools plans to use a portion of the Penny for Pasco proceeds to build new schools, including one in the Bexley area, off State Road 54. (File)

The district also has selected Pasco and Land O’ Lakes high schools for its first athletic renovation projects, Kuhn told the school board, during its April 18 meeting.

The Pasco High project also includes a classroom wing and the renovation and expansion of the school’s kitchen and cafeteria.

The elementary school projects will be in design during the coming school year and then construction will begin after that, Kuhn said.

West Zephyrhills Elementary School was originally built in 1958. Cypress Elementary School was built in 1973.

Penny for Pasco is a 1-cent government infrastructure sales tax initially adopted in March 2004, and was in effect from Jan. 1, 2005 through Dec. 31, 2014.

Voters then extended it for 10 years, with that renewal going from Jan. 1, 2015 through Dec. 31, 2024.

In the November 2022 general election, Pasco voters overwhelmingly voted to extend the tax, this time for 15 years, beginning Jan. 1, 2025 and running through Dec. 31, 2039. 

The extension was approved by 64.7% of the voters. It is expected to yield about $1.9 billion in revenues, which will be split between the school district, the county and the county’s municipalities. The school district and county each would receive 45% and the municipalities would share the remaining 10%.

Before the tax was adopted, the school district identified a number of new schools that will be supported by the 15-year extension of the tax. The district also uses state funds and impact fees to help pay for new school construction.

Some of the new schools expected to use Penny proceeds include:

  • A new elementary school near the Bexley development, off State Road 54, in Land O’ Lakes
  • A K-8 school in the State Road 52 corridor, in an area known as the Central Pasco Employment Village, also in Land O’ Lakes
  • A K-8 school, in the State Road 54 corridor, near Ballantrae
  • A K-8, or whatever is needed, in the Villages of Pasadena Hills, between Wesley Chapel and Dade City

But those are just some of the projects the school district expects to support with Penny funding.

It also is planning school expansions and upgraded athletic facilities, and it expects to add computers in schools, enhance the district’s computer network, fortify the safety on its campuses, improve safety at driver pickup locations at schools, and address other needs.

Published May 03, 2023