The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Charter school coming to Connerton

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Pasco County Schools and Connerton Property Charter LLC, the developer of Connerton, have approved an agreement regarding the construction of a charter school, in the master-planned community off of U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

The school will be built on a site including 14.2 acres within Villages 3 and 4 of Connerton.

The developer and school board also have approved a step-in agreement, in the event it is needed in the future.

The board approved the agreements at its Nov. 16 meeting. The items were part of the board’s consent agenda, meaning they were approved along with other items without discussion, in a single action.

Under the charter school agreement, the developer will build a K-8 charter school that will have the capacity for 1,400 students, according to the board’s agenda packet.

Plans call for a campus with single- and two-story tilt-wall buildings up to 118,000 square feet.

The project will include a black box theater and a “cafetorium” with a similar style and finish of the Pinecrest Academy K-8 charter school in Avalon Park West.

There also will be athletic fields, circulation and parking.

The current proposal calls for the charter school to be a Pinecrest Academy Charter School, but the developer has the right to use any charter school that has an approved charter with the school board.

The goal is to open the new charter school in the 2023 school year.

The agreement also notes that the charter school shall be designed and constructed according to 2020 State Requirements for Educational Facilities, and the design is subject to review and approval by the director of construction services or a designee, the board materials say.

Once the charter school is complete and students are enrolled, the entity that paid for the design, permitting and construction of the charter school shall be entitled to school impact fee credits.

The agreement states that the maximum amount of fee credits shall not exceed $27,932,800, which is based on 1,400 student stations multiplied by $19,952 per student station.

Also, the land value for the fee credits shall be based on the actual purchase price, including closing costs, paid by the developer, the agreement says.

The agreements also spell out how those fee credits shall be paid and what will happen, in the event that the property ceases to be used as a charter school.

Published December 08, 2021

Hercules Park redevelopment plan raises questions

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As the redevelopment plan for Hercules Park in Zephyrhills presses forward, at least one resident stakeholder is raising “strong concerns” with its preliminary conceptual plan.

At issue is a portion of the plan that calls for a BMX (bicycle motocross) track, where mountain bike enthusiasts could traverse jumps and obstacles across a circuitous riding trail.

This is an initial conceptual sketch plan of the Hercules Park redevelopment. (File)

Dade City resident Kimberly Barker raised questions about how youths wanting to access the trail would be able to ride their bikes safely through the city’s congested roadways to get to the attraction.

Her remarks came during the public comment period of a Nov. 29 Zephyrhills City Council regular meeting at Zephyrhills City Hall.

An initial rough conceptual sketch plan shows a circuitous riding trail covering roughly 5.29 acres on the southwest corner of the property. There’s also a proposal to build a more traditional multi-use path that surrounds the perimeter of the mountain bike course to accommodate walkers, joggers and casual bike riders.

Barker — a real estate broker for VITIS Realty — pointed to the busy street traffic that surrounds the 12-acre park property, at the corner of County Road 54 and Gall Boulevard, next to Zephyrhills High and Woodland Elementary schools.

She observed the bustle is only going to grow, as high density residential development makes its way down Eiland Boulevard, as well as west and north of that area.

“Having an amenity there that draws bicyclists and pedestrian traffic, specifically, young pedestrian traffic, to cross what is one of the largest intersections in the city of Zephyrhills, is of great concern to me,” said Barker, a lifelong East Pasco resident and a graduate of Zephyrhills High School.

“I just wanted to speak tonight to voice that concern, and ask the city to maybe pump the brakes a little bit and let’s reevaluate what we’re doing with that property, and what’s going to add the greatest value to the community,” she said.

She also raised another concern — the transients and homeless people who are regularly on the park’s premises.

The speaker told council members she visited the site a couple weeks ago and documented the issue with photos on her cellphone.

“I’d like to see the city do something with that property that is maybe going to eliminate that problem right next to the elementary school, and I don’t know that the current plan is going to do that,” she said.

Meanwhile, Barker encouraged the city develop a citizens advisory committee to oversee the park development, as well as other projects and initiatives.

Council President Alan Knight thanked the speaker for her concerns and feedback.

Knight emphasized that “nothing has absolutely, totally been finalized” yet on the park’s forthcoming features and amenities, so additional citizen comments are welcome.

“Any input you would like to give, we would certainly appreciate it, but we are really finalizing it down, and just on the first couple of looks, it looks pretty nice, and I will think when it gets through, you will really like it,” he said.

Knight added the homeless population inhabiting the park is nothing new, estimating this has been an ongoing dilemma for some 30 years. “The transients and so forth have been a problem on that property,” he said. “It’s always been that way.”

This isn’t the first time reservations have been raised about a BMX track within the park property.

Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield raised objections to the amount of land being used for the BMX concept, during an Oct. 25 city council meeting.

“It just seems like a lot of the project is going to that, a lot of the land area. We could do multiple things in there, or a couple of things,” Whitfield said, at the time.

Addressing the issue during this latest November meeting, Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe said he’s had conversations with Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) Director Gail Hamilton on significantly “shrinking” the BMX course layout.

“We’ve heard council loud and clear, and citizens have been pretty clear about it as well, so we’re taking a hard look at that,” Poe said. “There is a way to condense it down considerably, and so we’re looking at that, and that’ll be brought back through the whole process.”

In October, city council granted a contract for the park’s design and construction document services with engineering firm Kimley-Horn, in the amount of $292,985.

Published December 08, 2021

Zephyrhills golf course to stay open

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The Zephyrhills Municipal Golf Course will remain in play, after all — which is good news for area golfers who enjoy using it.

The Zephyrhills Municipal Golf Course is designed to provide a public, low-cost alternative compared to other courses in the area. The 18-hole, par-68 course is known as a haven for snowbirds and beginners alike. (File)

The Zephyrhills City Council passed a first amendment to its lease agreement with Under Par Inc., to continue to serve as management operators of the 18-hole, par-68 course, at 39248 B Ave.

The action came as part of the consent agenda during a regular meeting on Nov. 29 at Zephyrhills City Hall.

The current lease agreement is set to expire in April 2022.

The new agreement extends the lease for an additional 10 years, until April 30, 2032.

While the initial term is 10 years, the city has the right to cancel the agreement after year five with 18 months’ notice.

Per the lease, Under Par’s annual rent will be $62,000 to the city, and will continue to increase by the consumer-price index (CPI) every two years through April 2027.

Beginning in May 2027, the annual lease will increase by 2% or the CPI each year on an annual basis — whichever figure is greater.

Under Par also will be required to invest $40,000 for the paving of the golf course’s parking lot, within 18 months of the effective agreement. (Should the city cancel years six through 10, the city will pay a penalty of 50% of the remaining golf cart lease and a prorated share of Under Par’s $40,000 capital investment.)

Meanwhile, the course will undergo a slight alteration under the updated lease, as the city secured state funding to construct an access road from Alston Avenue to the airport infield. This access road will be constructed along hole No. 2, along the fence line. The construction will reduce the course’s total acreage by about 0.65 acres, officials say.

Other considerations in the amended agreement include:

  • An option for two five-year renewals
  • No penalties for early termination during the renewal periods, with an 18-month notice
  • Both parties must agree to the renewal at least six months prior to expiration

The city and Under Par have been partners for nearly two decades, as the lessee and lessor originally executed a lease agreement for the course back in September 2002.

Questions had been swirling about the golf course’s future during the past year, as city leaders pondered the possible sale of the 65-acre property.

The National Guard had been scouting the site, on the southwest quadrant of the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, for possible use for a Florida Army National Guard Armory.

But, the military organization turned its attention to a different location near the airport for an armory to house full-time Army officers during the week, plus hundreds of soldiers and service people visiting and training on weekends.

State lawmakers approved $25 million in appropriations to the military organization, for future training grounds in Zephyrhills, during the past legislative session.

The possible sale of the golf course roused area golfers and residents to rally around keeping the golf course, with several speakers turning out to multiple city council meetings in May to voice their support for continuing its operation.

The course — established in 1957, then opened in 1978 — is regarded as a low-cost alternative compared to surrounding golf courses, where snowbirds and others flock to during the year.

It’s also known as a welcoming place for beginners, seniors, and golfers with disabilities.

Representatives with Under Par have previously stated the facility can average upwards of 1,500 players per week and some 6,000 rounds per month, during the busy winter season between October through February.

Published December 08, 2021

Planning efforts begin, at Gunn Highway and State Road 54

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The county has initiated efforts to work with property owners to develop a plan for appropriate future uses of the area at the southwest corner of Gunn Highway and State Road 54.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey convened a meeting with county staff and area property owners at the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center.

“The purpose of it was to bring together all of the land owners in that quadrant, because we’re starting to get piecemeal owners coming in with development plans and we wanted to do a type of cohesive planning exercise there,” Starkey told her colleagues on the Pasco County Commission at its Oct. 26 meeting.

“It’s a sector plan or quadrant plan, if you will, for that part of the block,” explained Nectarios Pittos, director of planning and development.

“There had been a number of property owners that had been inquiring in this particular area, asking what could potentially happen. Because there were so many inquiries, because there was interest, we decided we would hold a neighborhood meeting and ask everybody what they were thinking about,” Pittos said.

“We had a great turnout, took a lot of feedback that we’re going to utilize as we develop the quadrant plan for this part of the intersection.

“The quadrant plan itself is just a fancy name for a comprehensive plan amendment that could change the future land use in the area to something that the landowners would really like, what the market is looking for, the vision of the county in regard to economic development potential for that area,” Pittos said.

“The hope is that it becomes its own little community,” Starkey said. “You’ll be seeing this work its way through the county and come to us, eventually.”

Published December 08, 2021

Wesley Chapel Library is a step closer to reality

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A new Wesley Chapel Library has moved a step closer to reality.

The Pasco County Commission has authorized negotiations with FleischmanGarcia Architecture and Planning, as its first choice to handle the project’s design.

The board shortlisted the top firms vying for the job, during its Nov. 9 meeting. If negotiations with FleischmanGarcia are unsuccessful, the county would move on to begin negotiations with the second-ranked firm.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore began talking up the idea well over a year ago, telling his colleagues during discussions of the budget for 2021 that it was important to begin laying the groundwork to make that happen.

Libraries are about a lot more than books, these days. They’re community gathering spots, they provide meeting spaces for classes, community organizations and programming. A new library is planned in the Seven Oaks area or Wesley Chapel. (File)

Moore has a soft spot in his heart for libraries. He recalls riding his bicycle to the library when he was young, to get his hands on books and magazines.

He sees libraries as community assets — because they have something to offer to people of all ages and walks of life.

Initially, Moore was simply trying to move the project forward.

It got a push, however, when the county board decided to set aside funding from the American Rescue Plan to build the library.

“The goal is to have it under construction next fiscal year,” County Administrator Dan Biles, told those gathered at a breakfast meeting of the North Tampa Bay Chamber. The breakfast meeting was at the Porter Campus of Pasco-Hernando State College, which is in Wesley Chapel.

The county has owned the planned library’s site since 2004. It’s next to Seven Oaks Elementary, which is at 27633 Mystic Oaks Blvd.

The planned Wesley Chapel library is just the latest news involving the county’s library system.

It also received national recognition for the design of the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library and Cultural Center, which opened this year at 12118 Lake Blanche Drive, in Odessa.

The county also is in the midst of modernizing all of its branches, using proceeds of a bond issue approved by 66% of Pasco County voters in a 2018 referendum.

The Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, and Hugh Embry Branch Library in Dade City are both closed now, for renovation. The New River Library, at 34043 State Road 54, in Wesley Chapel, now completely updated, has reopened.

Published December 08, 2021

Designed with nature in mind, library receives recognition

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Pasco’s brand new Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center (Starkey TLC) is getting some noteworthy attention and national recognition for its unique design.

Pasco County Libraries has announced that the library is featured in the Library Journal’s “Year in Architecture 2021” issue, according to a Pasco County news release.

Staff at the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center spotlight the Library Journal issue that features its national achievement. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

The library, which opened in August, is recognized by the magazine for incorporating nature in its design.

The use of soft, natural light in the lobby and natural wood in the main entryways is designed to help connect people with the outdoor environment, the release says.

“To be recognized by such a distinguished publication as Library Journal is quite an honor for Pasco County Libraries,” said Bob Harrison, communications program manager, in the release.

“We’re proud of the innovative design of the Starkey TLC and how the community has responded to it,” said Harrison.

The library was built in conjunction with, and partially funded by, Pasco County Schools, and serves as Starkey Ranch K-8 school’s media center.

Patrons can visit the library at 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa.

The general contractor for the project was the Walbridge Group of Tampa, and the architect was FleischmanGarcia Architecture.

The Starkey Ranch TLC joins three other libraries also featured for reflecting nature in the building design: Brooklyn Pubic Library’s Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center in New York; The Newark Public Library in New Jersey; and, the Ledding Library in Milwaukie, Oregon.

Published December 08, 2021

Shoppers flock to the Lutz Arts & Crafts Show

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Barbara Karnay, of New Port Richey, waits for customers under the roof of the Nature Coast GFWC booth to buy her Christmas wreaths that were fashioned from clothespins. (Fred Bellet)

After calling off its biggest fundraiser of the year last year, the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club resumed its popular holiday shopping festival and art show over the weekend at Keystone Prep High, in Odessa.

The 42nd annual Lutz Arts & Crafts Show featured plenty of tasty treats to eat and myriad choices for shoppers looking for unique items for people on their holiday gift lists.

The annual arts and crafts show —now  known throughout the region — started small, with a crafts show at the Old Lutz School.

It has been held in recent years at Keystone Prep High, 18105 Gunn Highway, in Odessa.

The event, geared with holiday shopping in mind, has been held without fail for decades, except for two years. It was canceled in 2015 because of a sinkhole in Lake Park, and it was called off last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It typically attracts between 20,000 and 30,000 over the course of the weekend, giving people a chance to shop, enjoy each other’s company, and take in the sights and sounds.

This year’s event featured more than 200 vendors. Santa was there and an orchestra played holiday tunes.

The woman’s club uses proceeds from the event to support scholarships and numerous community organizations and causes.

Published December 08, 2021

Artist Michael Howland’s fluidic work of an American flag was an eye-catcher for many strolling through the Lutz Arts & Crafts Show. Howland is from Keystone Heights, outside Gainesville.
Michele Northrup, a former Lutz Guv’na, hawks her hot sauce. The Saucy Queen, of Lutz, gets an assist from Atlas Cortecero, as she lets the crowd know how saucy her sauce is.
Kathleen Nay makes her way into the menagerie of metal birds, part of a display under the tent of Robyn’s Garden of Metal Garden and Lawn Ornaments. Nay, along with her sister, Elaine Duncan, both of Tampa, were checking out the artistic wares at the Lutz Arts & Crafts Show, presented by the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, on the grounds of Keystone Prep High School in Odessa.
Ten-month-old Kate Aldridge lets out a yawn, as her mom Courtney Aldridge, of Land O’ Lakes, pushes her stroller along one of the rows of vendor tents. Kate’s brother, Chandler Aldridge, 4, was there, too, along with friend Jill Melle, of Brooksville.
Timmy, a 3-year-old French Bulldog, had it made in the shade as Jenny Engle wheels him through the arts and crafts show. Engle is fostering the dog for Southern State Bully Rescue. The woman was accompanied by her friend Krissy Mazza. They are both from Shady Hills.
Mary Rich, of Land O’ Lakes, and Sharon Greene, of Tampa, look over the old wooden post office boxes for sale under Paul D. King’s booth at the Lutz Arts & Crafts Show. The boxes — some of which date back to the 1800s — were converted by King into savings banks.
Bill Genovese, of Tampa, and also a member of the New Horizons band, sported this heels-over-head elf hat, adding merriment to the season.

Hillsborough seeking applicants for diversity council

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The Hillsborough County Commission is seeking residents who are interested in serving on the board’s Diversity Advisory Council.

The council was established to foster communication between Hillsborough County government and diverse populations, and to address matters related to diversity that affect county government and Hillsborough residents, according to a county news release.

The advisory council is appointed by the county board and is made up of two individuals from each of these groups: African American; Caribbean; Far East Asian; Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, and Transgender; Hispanic/Latino; Indian Asian; Middle Eastern; Native American; Northern and Southern European; People with Disabilities; and At-Large, which does not require identification with a specific category.

Representatives are being sought for 13 positions, to serve two-year terms. These are the open positions: African American (2); Far East Asian (1); Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (1); Hispanic/Latino (1); Indian Asian (2); Middle Eastern (1); Native American (2); Northern and Southern European (1); People with Disabilities (1); and At-Large (1) – identification with a specific category is not required.

All nominees must reside in and be registered voters in Hillsborough County. Appointments are voluntary positions; therefore, members serve without compensation.

Residents interested in being considered for appointment must submit:

  • An essay of 200-500 words highlighting what their 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. Click on the “Government” link on the top of the page, then the “Boards and Committees” link. 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 application is due by the close of business on Dec. 16.

Appointments will be scheduled for a meeting of the Hillsborough County Commission in January or February of 2022.

Forms can be mailed to P. O. Box 1110, Tampa, FL, 33601; faxed to 813-239-3916; emailed to ; or delivered to 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., 2nd Floor, Tampa, FL, 33602.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings may be held virtually.

Published December 08, 2021

Pasco County to reach 1 million by 2040?

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Pasco County Property Appraiser Mike Wells gave a talk at a recent meeting of the East Pasco Networking Group, and offered a look at the county’s current growth — and what may be in store.

Wells, who has been in the appraiser’s office for 10 months, reminded the crowd that he’s continuing to learn.

Still, he offered a number of statistics that document the county’s rapid growth, and at least one forecast that expects it to continue to expand for the foreseeable future.

Pasco County Property Appraiser Mike Wells Jr. was the featured guest speaker during an East Pasco Networking Group meeting at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center in Zephyrhills. (Courtesy of Pasco County Property Appraiser)

He pointed to a study from the Urban Land Institute that predicted the county’s population could reach 1 million by 2040.

Whether or not that turns out to be true, the county is in the midst of a significant growth surge, Wells told those gathered for the meeting of the East Pasco Networking Group, at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center, in Zephyrhills.

“There’s just so much in the pipeline, it’s crazy, it really is,” Wells said. “You can see the growth; it’s unreal,” said Wells, who served years on the Pasco County Commission before being elected to his current post.

The county, which measures 868 square miles, has 301,000 parcels, Wells said.

It is currently averaging about 800 single-family permits a month, which equates to about 10,000 new permits for 2021-2022.

The county’s just value recently was measured at more than $52 billion, which is 13% more than last year.

Wells noted that 69% of the county’s property value is tied to residential, followed by commercial (7.4%), tangible personal property (6.6%) and government (4.2%).

The key to managing the county’s growth is for county leadership to continue to push for “smart development” through the use of Mixed-Use Trip Reduction Measures, referred to as MUTRM, he said.

That strategy calls for a mixed-use compact development pattern, incorporating various ways to get around.

He pointed to the Epperson Crystal Lagoon community in Wesley Chapel, as a solid example of this approach.

There, residents have access to most of their needs within the development, he said.

“They don’t have to come out any main roads. They can shop in there, work in there, play in there. Kids go to school in there, eventually. That’s the kind of communities we want to see.”

Although Pasco has been working to bring more jobs to the county, it continues to be a bedroom community, Wells said.

(In fact, County Administrator Dan Biles recently reported that 60% of the county’s workers travel to surrounding counties to work — up from the previous rate of 50%.)

But Pasco continues to work toward shedding its bedroom community image and has made progress in attracting some large employers.

TouchPoint Medical Inc., for instance, has a new $24 million global headquarters in Odessa. There also has been a number of Class A offices added, as well as warehouses and retail facilities.

Moffitt Cancer Center also will have a significant impact, when it establishes its 775-acre campus near the soon-to-open Ridge Road extension and Suncoast Parkway.

Moffitt’s Pasco campus will include lab, office and manufacturing space. It’s also expected to be a magnet for biotech and life sciences enterprises and innovation.

Job creation estimates vary, but Wells said it could yield as many as 25,000 jobs over its 20-year build-out, he said.

“Moffitt is going to be larger than downtown Tampa,” Wells said. “That should pretty much sum it up. It’s crazy. It’s exciting.”

A new apartment community, Avidity Living, is being built at State Road 54 and Oak Grove Boulevard, in Land O’ Lakes Pasco County Property Appraiser Mike Wells says apartment communities rank among the highest-valued properties in the county. (Fred Bellet)

Pasco’s apartment dilemma
Wells also shared his views on the county’s temporary moratorium on applications seeking new entitlements for apartment development.

The moratorium applies to new applications in an area primarily in Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore advocated for the temporary moratorium, to allow time to find out how many apartments are already entitled and how many are needed to meet market demands.

He has argued that approving too many apartments will lead to a glut on the market, which eventually could result in derelict buildings and associated problems.

Wells said he understands the moratorium decision, but emphasized there is a need for apartments in certain parts of the county.

“I feel the market decides those things, but my opinion doesn’t matter anymore, and I respect the board with the decision that they’ve made, and it’s not easy,” he said.

He continued, “It’s just about trying to do it a little smarter. You look at these apartment complexes, they don’t get any breaks. There is no homestead. They pay full tilt. They take up less space (than housing developments).”

Wells also pointed out apartments lead the way in construction value “by a pretty substantial margin.”

In fact, six of the 10 highest-valued commercial properties in the county are apartment complexes, he said.

Those include:

  • Lantower Cypress Creek: $75.29 million
  • Lotus at Starkey Ranch: $71.93 million
  • Horizon Wiregrass: $71.56 million
  • Tapestry Cypress Creek: $62.05 million
  • Trinity Exchange: $61.69 million
  • Lantower Asturia: $56.45 million).

Six of the largest commercial sales in the county also have been apartment developments, Wells said.

Those are:

  • Pier 8 at the Preserve: $100 million
  • Lotus at Starkey Ranch: $87 million
  • Tapestry Cypress Creek: $78.49 million
  • Parc at Wesley Chapel: $53.57 million
  • Worthington Court: $15.61 million

Updates within property appraiser’s office
Elsewhere, Wells shared the various changes within the property appraiser’s office since he was elected to replace Gary Joiner, who won the post in 2016, but chose not to seek a second term.

So far, Wells said, there have been updates to the website’s parcel database, based on input from industry professionals.

Property record searches now yield more detailed information, such as school versus non-school values and the sinkhole status, including the exact year a sinkhole was stabilized or remediated.

Wells also is working on making the website easier to navigate, noting: “The idea should be less clicks, not more,” he said.

Additionally, Wells has hired some employees from the private sector, including a licensed surveyor — something new for the office.

Wells said his office is required to inspect every property on a five-year cycle.

His 54 staffers handle about 5,500 parcels apiece, he said.

He also noted that his homestead fraud investigators added $69.5 million back to the tax roll in 2020 — equating to roughly $1.2 million in recovered revenue.

“There’s been a lot of things that we’ve found,” Wells said, noting one scheme that is used involves landlords having renters sign up for homestead exemptions on rental properties.

“There’s been a lot of things that we’ve found,” he said.

The investigative group works closely with the county’s municipalities and the sheriff’s office to track down illegal activities, the property appraiser said.

Published December 01, 2021

Plan calls for 410 residences in Land O’ Lakes

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval for up to 410 single-family detached and attached residences on 322.21 acres, on the north side of Wisteria Loop, approximately 2,100 west of U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

The planning board gave its stamp of approval to the project, known as the Clark master-planned unit development (MPUD), during its Nov. 4 meeting.

No one from the public spoke for or against the request and the planning board recommended approval, without discussion, as part of the board’s consent agenda.

The request was submitted by the Robert J. Clark, Jr. Trust and the John M. Clark Revocable Trust. It calls for changing the current zoning from agricultural residential, estate residential and rural density mobile home zoning to MPUD, which allows for creating a specific plan for the rezoned area.

The proposed plan call for a mix of lot sizes with 40-foot wide lots being the minimum. However, at least 40% of the single-family detached residences will be on 50-feet wide lots, or larger, according to the planning board’s agenda backup.

There are also conditions regarding the inclusion of architectural details for the single-family detached products to prevent monotony, and front yard/street trees to ensure trees are required in the front of lots and/or along roadways, the agenda materials say.

This development will have access to Causeway Boulevard to the north and shall not have vehicular access to Bexley Road/Wisteria Loop other than an emergency-only access.

The upland portions of the project in the southeast and southwest shall be preserved for open space/stormwater/mitigation, as depicted on the Master Plan, and shall not be developed for residential uses as they would not have direct access to the project’s internal roadways/Causeway Boulevard, the materials add.

Also, the master plan shows pedestrian/sidewalk access to Land O’Lakes High School on the northeast and to the conceptual/planned Bexley/Wisteria Trail, according to the agenda packet.

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

Published December 01, 2021