The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Pasco’s building boom creates a backlog in permits

By

On the up side, there’s a building boom going on in Pasco County.

On the downside, there’s a logjam in processing building permits.

County Administrator Dan Biles addressed the issue during the Pasco County Commission meeting on Jan. 12.

During the last quarter 2020, Pasco County issued 1,794 single-family residential permits — outpacing Hillsborough county, which issued 1,632 single-family new permits during the same period, Biles said.

Keeping up with the increased volume has posed a challenge, the county administrator acknowledged.

Biles added: “We are working several things to try to address level of service issues.”

One strategy involves off-loading some of the work to private providers.

To encourage that, the county is waiving its normal $600 administrative fee charged to private plan reviewers and inspectors. That waiver will be in effect through July 9.

“We are encouraging single-family homebuilders to use private providers during this time of high-volume building permit activity in Pasco County,” Esther Oluyemi, a Pasco County building official, said in a news release. “Over the past several months, our team has been reviewing as many as 100 more applications per month than usual, and private providers can help us maintain the level of service our customers expect.”

Here’s a look at the demand that Pasco County has been experiencing.

  • Pasco County is now reviewing 721 new single-family residential permit applications.
  • The county’s building and construction services department processed 5,741 new single-family residential permits in 2020, an increase of 32% from 2019.
  • The number of monthly single-family residential permit applications in Pasco has been higher in each of the past six months than in any month during the past eight years.

Florida law allows for plan review and inspection code compliance services through a process that is referred to as the Private Provider program governed by Florida Statute Sec. 553.791. The program offers an alternative to traditional review and inspection services provided by local enforcement agencies.

Builders with additional questions, can contact Pasco County Central Permitting at 727-847-8126.

Published January 20, 2021

Enjoying entertainment, and sampling syrup

By

Syrup-makers at ‘Raising Cane,’ an event at the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, used the same techniques that were used in the 19th century to make sugar cane syrup. Here, Jerry Moates, of Zephyrhills, right, and Marcus Copeland, left, of Dade City, filter and skim the cane syrup juice as it boils down in the 80-gallon kettle. The Southern Syrup Maker’s Association also had a cane syrup tasting and competition at the event. (Fred Bellet)

For some, the chance to sample syrup was the big attraction.

Others wanted to watch a WW II reenactment.

Still others wanted to check out the traditional craft demonstrations, enjoy some food, or take a look at the model trains.

“Raising Cane,” an event held on Jan. 9 at the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, in Dade City, seemed to have offerings that appealed to a diverse crowd.

The event, which ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featured old-fashioned syrup making and tasting, music by Emett Stevens, and a chance to step back in time, while reenactors presented a battle from World War II.

Published January 20, 2021

World War II U.S. Army reenactor Joe Gibson, of Fort Myers, took part in the World War II battle reenactment at ‘Raising Cane.’ His wife, Tara Gibson, reenacted the role of a French Resistance freedom fighter.
Hannah Schultze, of Tampa, explains the major role that women in the service played during World War II.
Jennifer Pettys holds on to some stalks of cane sugar that she plans to plant at her Polk City home. She was the event with her friend, Lyle Combee, of Polk City.
Hannah Schultze, left, of Tampa, emphasizes the important role women in the service played during World War II. She and Hannah Hoffman, right, of Tampa, display a portion of a female Marine uniform.
World War II U.S. Army reenactor Joe Gibson, of Fort Myers, and Kevin Slaughter, of Brooksville, prepare a 943 GPW Jeep for a skirmish against German reenactors in a battle dubbed the ‘Raid on Renault.’
John Falls, of Dade City, made sure the fire was hot under the 80-gallon kettle used for syrup-making. Temperature readings showed the syrup reaching 200-degrees and more.
Mark Redden, 10, center, and his brother, Matthew Reddon, 8, right, both of Dade City, get a closer look at the boiling cane juice, as Jerry Moates, left, talks about the age-old process of making cane sugar syrup.
Mike Alvarez portrayed an American G.I., during a World War II battle reenactment at ‘Raising Cane.’ Here, Alvarez, wearing the U.S. Army uniform of a corporal in the 34th Infantry division, rests on a Browning heavy machine gun. He and others with the Florida Historical Preservation group took part in the reenactment designated as the ‘Raid on Renault.’
Dressed in 1800s-period clothing, Jeanene Fisher, of Zephyrhills, left, volunteered her time to make corn cakes. Here, she shows 7-year-old Raygan Mae Phillips, right, how to make the batter. The young girl was the event with her dad, Cody Phillips; her mom, Brandi Phillips; and, her little brother, Rhett Phillips, 3. In the background, smoke billows from the chimney over the syrup-making shed.

Talent showcase scales back due to COVID

By

The show must go on — but this year it’s a scaled back version.

The 38th “Spotlight on Talent” competition will be held on March 6 — to give talented students a chance to show off their talents.

But this year’s crowd will be considerably smaller than usual — because of restrictions being followed to avoid the potential spread of COVID-19.

Only immediate family members may attend, social distancing and masking will be required, and the contestants will only come for their age category performances and awards, and then leave, according to a news release from the Heritage Arts Center Association, which puts on the competition.

All types of talent are welcome to compete, and there are several age categories for solos and group categories.

A student may enter as a solo and with a group.

Application fees are $40 for a solo, and $5 for each addition group contestant. The cap for a group is $85.

Participants are judged primarily on talent with additional points for stage presence and appropriate appearance, the news release says.

Those interested in competing can apply through Jan. 28, at heritagearts.org.

Participants will be rated by a panel of paid, professional judges, who will provide feedback and scores.

The contest includes $4,000 in cash and trophy prizes, and a $1,000 scholarship to the high school senior from Pasco County with the highest judges scores.

For more information, contact Barbara Friedman at  or by calling 352-567-1720.

Published January 20, 2021

Lower speed limit approved on South County Line Road

By

The Pasco County Commission has approved reducing the speed limit on a stretch of South County Line Road, between Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and Mansfield Drive.

Commissioners approved spending $1,000 for new speed limit signs for the road.

Currently, the speed limit is 40 mph. The new limit will be 35 mph. The new speed limit takes effect when the new signs are installed.

The action follows a review of three years of crash data and observations of pedestrian crossings on the street.

Transportation experts believe the lower speed limit should minimize run-off-the-road crashes, and will improve pedestrian safety, according to background materials in the Jan. 12 agenda packet.

Published January 20, 2021

Judges take on leadership roles at Boy Scouts

By

Two Hillsborough County judges have been selected as leaders in the Greater Tampa Bay Area Council of Boy Scouts of America, according to a news release.

Judge Thomas Palermo will serve as chairman of the Fort Brook District, one of nine districts in the council. Judge Michael Bagge-Hernandez will serve as vice chairman.

The district encompasses the western half and northern half of Hillsborough County.

Palermo, appointed as a judge in 2019, lives in South Tampa and grew up in the Carrollwood area. The former American University Student Body President and Jesuit High School alumnus earned his law degree in 2001 from Florida State University College of Law.

He is married to Brittany Palermo. They have one son, a Webelo Scout in St. John’s Episcopal Church’s Cub Scout Pack 23, where Palermo is an assistant cubmaster and den leader.

Palermo’s son’s love for Scouting was one reason he became the district chairman.

In his role as chairman of the district, which has more than 90 Scouting units and serves more than 2,500 youth, he hopes to recruit and rebuild units as participation has been affected by the COVID-19 virus.

Bagge-Hernandez  became a judge January 2020, after working for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Puerto Rico and in the Middle District of Florida, the news release says.

A former Cub Scout at St. Mary’s Episcopal Day School, the Jesuit High School alumnus graduated from Stetson College of Law in 2007. A north Hillsborough County resident, he is married and has two young children, who he wants to enroll in Scouts when older.

“I accepted the position as vice chair in hopes to give back to the organization that did so much for me,” Bagge-Hernandez.

His goal, he said, is to support the organization in rebuilding from a difficult year.

The Greater Tampa Bay Area Council (GTBAC) is a local council in western Florida chartered by the Boy Scouts of America. The Council encompasses nine counties and serves more than 15,000 youth in 189 Cub Scout packs, 192 Boy Scout and Varsity Scout troops, 36 Venturing Crews and five Sea Scout Ships. In addition to the Lewis Hill III Service Center, located at 13228 N. Central Ave. in Tampa, the GTBAC maintains six camp properties: Camp Owen J. Brorein in Odessa, Camp Soule in Clearwater, Flaming Arrow Scout Reservation in Lake Wales, Sand Hill Scout Reservation in Brooksville, Big Foot Wilderness Camp in the Green Swamp, and Camp Alafia along the Alafia River in Lithia.

Published January 20, 2021

Rioters breach U.S. Capitol building

By

Editor’s Note: The Laker/Lutz News, normally a strictly local publication with limited political coverage, is presenting this account because of the historic nature of last week’s events.

Repercussions continue to play out from the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol Building by a violent mob — on the day members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives were meeting to count Electoral College votes to certify the results of the 46th presidential election.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other members of Congress, including some Republicans, are calling for President Donald J. Trump to resign from office; or, to be removed from his post through invocation of the 25th amendment; or, for him to become the first president in the nation’s history to face impeachment for a second time, according to national news reports.

In a interview on CBS’ 60 minutes, Pelosi told reporter Lesley Stahl: “There is strong support in Congress for impeaching the president a second time. This president is guilty of inciting insurrection. He has to pay a price for that.”

On the morning of the joint session of Congress, in remarks to supporters, Trump reiterated his claims that the election had been stolen and he encouraged the crowd to march up to Capitol Hill.

By the time the joint session of Congress began, there were thousands of people assembled outside the building. News footage showed that large numbers carried Trump flags or displayed other signs of support for the president.

At one point, the crowd breached the barricades.

People began climbing the steps, scaling the walls and occupying the terrace of the Capitol building, as seen on live coverage or video footage of the event. Some rioters smashed windows and climbed inside.

The mob streamed through the Capitol, ransacking offices and posing for photos.

Members of Congress hid behind or under furniture. There was an armed standoff at the House front door, with guns drawn by police to protect the chamber.

Five people died, including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who passed away a day later from injuries suffered during the riot.

Efforts continue to identify, find and make arrests of those who stormed the building. An investigation also is expected over security failures, according to national news accounts.

During the interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes, Pelosi showed where an intruder posed with his feet on a desk in her office. She also showed the office where members of her  staff turned off the lights, hid under the table and kept quiet, as intruders attempted to break in.

During the siege, President-Elect Joe Biden made an appearance on national television.

“At this hour, our democracy is under unprecedented assault, unlike anything we’ve seen in modern times. An assault on the citadel of liberty, the Capitol, itself,” Biden said.

He told viewers: “It’s not a protest. It’s insurrection.

“This is not dissent. It’s disorder. It’s chaos. It borders on sedition, and it must end — now,” Biden said.

“The certification of the Electoral College vote is supposed to be a sacred ritual. The purpose is to affirm the majesty of American democracy. Today is a reminder, a painful one, that democracy is fragile.”

Biden called upon Trump to go on national television to demand an end to the siege.

Trump issued a video, asking his supporters to go home, while expressing his love for them.

Later, he issued another video, calling for prosecution for those breaking the law, and promising a peaceful transfer of power.

Meanwhile, once order was restored at the Capitol, the House and the Senate resumed counting the Electoral College votes.

Congressional leaders said it was important to complete the count at the Capitol, as a sign of the strength of democracy.

During that count, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell spoke out against objections raised by some colleagues.

“President Trump claims the election was stolen. The assertions range from specific local allegations, to constitutional arguments, to sweeping conspiracy theories,” McConnell said, during live coverage of the proceedings by CNN.

“I supported the president’s right to use the legal system. Dozens of lawsuits received hearings in courtrooms all across our country. But over and over, the courts rejected these claims,” McConnell said.

“The voters, the courts and the states have all spoken. They’ve all spoken. If we overrule them, it would damage our Republic forever.

“If this election were overturned by mere allegations from the losing side, our democracy would enter a death spiral,” McConnell said.

The counting of Electoral College votes continued until it was completed, just after 3:40 a.m., according to a CBS report. Biden received 306 Electoral Votes; Trump, 232.

The inauguration ceremony for the nation’s 46th president and vice president is set for Jan. 20, at noon, when Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will be sworn into office.

Trump has said he does not plan to attend.

It is unclear at this time how security concerns will affect the inauguration ceremony — which already had been scaled back due to concerns about limiting the potential spread of COVID-19.

Published January 13, 2021

Zephyrhills development yields roadway concerns

By

The City of Zephyrhills is experiencing booming growth and development that includes thousands of new homes and myriad commercial projects — and that’s on top of a newfound tourism and visitor rush felt with the opening of the $4.9 million Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center, at 6585 Simons Road.

As the city begins to add new population and outsiders, concerns are increasing about the ability of the city’s road ways being able to sustain traffic arising from all the happenings in the small East Pasco town.

Those qualms were front and center at a Zephyrhills City Council meeting last month.

“We’re having tremendous growth right now, and I think it’s really hard to stay ahead of it, I really do, from a traffic management standpoint,” Councilman Lance Smith said.

Zephyrhills development yields roadway concerns. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

“We see it in (Pasco County). In the county we see the lag that’s happened, and my gosh, how long have they been working on (State Road) 54, adding additional lanes? I’m just concerned that we stay ahead of it,” the councilman said.

Smith directed attention to the Abbott Square development that will add some 700 units surrounding the new tennis center on Simons Road.

The roadway is already becoming a problem with motorists trying to make left-hand turns off the Simons Road/Eiland Boulevard intersection, without a traffic signal, he said.

He also observed “cars stacked up turning left” during a recent event at the tennis complex, therefore increasing the likelihood of accidents and wrecks.

“People get frustrated when they can’t make that left-hand turn, and they’re willing to take a chance when they do that,” Smith said.  “We need to do something.”

In response, Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe explained a signalized intersection improvement is tied into a developer’s agreement with the Abbott Square homebuilder, Lennar Corporation. Meanwhile, the city is looking to time up those signalized improvements and connect Simons Road into Fort King Road by the end of 2021, Poe said.

Smith credited city staff for “doing a really good job” with facilitating various development projects — along with getting some transportation projects in the pipeline, such as the busy U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road and County Road 54/U.S. 301 intersections.

But he cautioned that those involved must think of any potential issues that might result before construction actually begins on a particular project: “Just put on your thinking cap when you’re looking at these developments, ‘How’s it going to impact the road network around it?’”

Smith brought up the example of consulting engineers not including a right-hand turn lane into the recent State Road 56/Morris Bridge Road project.

He said: “Let’s try and avoid (those mistakes). Somebody holler and say, ‘Hey, you forgot this.’ It’s a shame to open up a new road and have these goat trails on the side where people are coming up and making their own right-hand turn lane.”

Meanwhile, another Zephyrhills roadway issue brewing is the sustainability of Wire Road. Nearby construction is afoot on Abbott Park, a 500-plus unit development popping up on the site of the former Gore Dairy Supply property.

Councilman Alan Knight observed: “Wire Road’s taking a beating already and you know with the new people coming in, and we’re looking at 500 homes — whew, it’s going to be tough (to maintain).”

Poe explained that Wire Road is scheduled to be repaved at some point but has been pushed back due to Abbott Park’s construction. Also, Poe said city officials are having internal discussions to find some way to get a utility transmission pole relocated, so that Wire Road can be connected with Kossik Road. There’s also designed plans — but not yet budgeted —  for Dairy Road to be extended north to connect with Kossik Road, the city manager said.

Meanwhile, Knight and other council members called for additional funding and resources to move such transportation projects forward.

Knight, for one, made a vocal plea for more help from the Pasco County Commission: “There’s a lot of money coming from our county commissioners that are going other areas…and some of that money needs to come to us. I’ll be the first to be very vocal about it. I see where a lot is going to Wesley Chapel; I understand the growth. I understand a lots going, but Zephyrhills needs to get some of that money. We need to get some improvements. We’re growing at a rate that’s unreal.”

Council President Charles Proctor echoed those sentiments: “This city is growing so fast. We all lived here a long time and I believe we’re doing our best to stay ahead of it, but we definitely need to work with the state and with the county to stay ahead of it.”

Published January 13, 2021

400 apartments proposed on Wesley Chapel Boulevard

By

The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a change to the county’s comprehensive plan that would allow consideration of up to 400 apartments to be developed on 28.2 acres, at the intersection of Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Hay Road.

Planning commissioners recommended approval, despite objections from commissioners Peter Hanzel and Roberto Saez.

The proposed change of the comprehensive plan is the first step in the process to permit the proposed development. A zoning change would be required, too.

The Pasco County Commission has final jurisdiction over land use and zoning changes.

The current land use designations on the property allow up to six dwellings per acre, and also light industrial uses. The proposed change would allow up to 24 dwellings per acre.

County planners recommended approval of the request, which they say will yield about 13 dwellings per acre on the land because it has a significant amount of wetlands.

The county’s comprehensive plan does not have a category between RES-12, which allows up to 12 units per acre, and RES-24, which allows 24 units per acre.

In this case, the applicant has agreed to cap the density at 400 units, as a condition in its  planned request for a master-planned unit development rezoning.

In the agenda background materials, county planners said the request is supported by the comprehensive plan as “an appropriate transitional land use between the single-family residential development to the north and zoned multifamily district to the west.”

They also noted that a proposed employment center use abuts the property, and that generally encourages higher densities to support that type of use.

Joel Tew, an attorney representing the applicant, said “this site is entirely appropriate for multifamily development.”

Hanzel objected.

“We have an overabundance of apartments in that area. There is no need for another apartment complex out there,” Hanzel said.

He voiced concerns about the county having an oversaturation of apartments, creating the prospect for problems down the road, when “huge apartment complexes will begin to deteriorate.”

Planning Commissioner Michael Cox said: “I personally think there are plenty of apartments right now.”

But, he added: “The fact is that this request is consistent with the comp plan. Ultimately, a decision to deny would have to be defensible in court.”

Planning Commission Charles Grey agreed: “When we deny something like this, we need a leg to stand on.”

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore frequently has pressed for less apartment development in the county, contending that Pasco already has more than enough.

Cox said if the county wants less apartment development, it needs to change its comprehensive plan to reflect that.

Published January 13, 2021

Law enforcement memorial receives donations

By

Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s office raised $8,727.38 to support the construction of a permanent law enforcement officers memorial on the grounds of the Historic Pasco County Courthouse, in downtown Dade City.

The tax collector’s five offices highlighted the Pasco Fallen Law Enforcement Officers Memorial as the charity of the month in November.

The campaign had been begun pre-COVID, but was rescheduled to November because of the pandemic, according to a news release from Fasano’s office.

Staff and leaders from the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Fallen Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and Pasco’s Back the Blue. (Courtesy of Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s Office)

Pasco County holds a memorial service each year to honor law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

However, Pasco County is the only county in Florida without a permanent memorial that can be visited year-round.

Local attorney Craig LaPorte has been heading up the effort to raise funds to build a permanent memorial, and he asked Fasano to help bring the fund drive to the finish line, the news release adds.

A check presentation was held in December, with Fasano joined by members of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and Bob George and members of Pasco’s Back the Blue, an organization created to help support law enforcement officers.

“On behalf of the board of directors of the Pasco County Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial and Benefit Foundation we want to extend our sincerest thanks to Mike Fasano and his entire staff for making our foundation the beneficiary of the Pasco County Tax Collector Charities,” LaPorte said, in the release. “He was kind enough to select us for the April 2020 Charity of the Month, but unfortunately as COVID-19 jumped into our lives, he was forced to close in-person office visits for a time. So, in order to help us realize our goal of constructing a permanent memorial to Pasco’s Fallen Law Enforcement Heroes, he put us back on his queue for November. Thanks to the generosity of Pasco’s citizens, and Mr. Fasano and his charity, we raised enough funds to put us “over the top.” As a result, we are now in the process of the final stages leading to the construction of the memorial in front of the Pasco County Historic Courthouse in Dade City.”

“It has been such an honor to work with the fine men and women of our law enforcement community to help raise the funds that will help construct this long-needed memorial,” Fasano said, in the release. “For any one law enforcement officer to die in the line of duty is one too many. Unfortunately, many good officers have been killed in Pasco over the years. This memorial will honor their sacrifice and the good work they did protecting our county from lawbreakers of every sort. A very generous community stepped up to show their support for the members of our law enforcement agencies.”

Another local group also helped to put the fundraising efforts for the memorial over the top, according to Sandy Graves, president of the Land O’ Lakes Rotary Club Charities Inc., a charitable arm of the club.

The club’s charitable group contributed $2,000 for the permanent memorial.

Published January 13, 2021

New community planned along State Road 56

By

The new Two Rivers community proposed to rise along State Road 56, between Morris Bridge Road and U.S. 301, is a step closer to reality.

The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended the approval of changes to a highway vision map and to the text of the county’s comprehensive plan — to bring the envisioned project closer to fruition.

The Pasco County Commission has final jurisdiction over land use and zoning decisions, so the project still needs additional approvals before any work can commence.

But, plans for the area envision a 3,405-acre community that offers a mixture of housing types, work opportunities, shopping, recreation and schools.

The Two Rivers project has been in planning stages — off and on — for more than 10 years, and there have been a number of ownership changes, according to Craig Lohmiller, a group leader for Ardurra, who has been involved with the project for more than a decade.

Current plans call for creating Two Rivers as a master-planned development in Pasco County, which would tie into a community under the same ownership that is south of the Pasco-Hillsborough line, according to attorney Clarke Hobby, co-counsel on the project along with Attorney Joel Tew.

Background materials in the agenda packet detail that planning for the project site includes:

  • 246 acres of conservation area
  • 3,875 single-family homes
  • 1,400 multi-family homes
  • 1,125 age-restricted homes
  • 1.3 million square feet for a targeted industry
  • 630,000 square feet retail

The plan also includes schools for elementary, middle and high students, on property that would be next to an 80-acre county park.

The plan calls for an extensive trail system that provides connectivity within the community, Hobby said.

It emphasizes walkability and also encourages the use of alternate modes of transportation, such as golf carts, to get from place to place, Lohmiller said.

The plan also calls for numerous recreational amenities, including recreational complexes, multipurpose fields, ball diamonds, an aquatics center, playgrounds, a dog park, tennis and basketball courts, and open spaces, Lohmiller said.

“We’re really excited about that,” he said.

There’s a large boulevard loop within the community, which will create a way to get around, without disrupting major wetland features, Lohmiller said.

Plus, there will be areas along the loop that “will support neighborhood retail, restaurants, other commercial opportunities, coffee shops, things like that, to really engage the community.

“When you complete the loop, with the southern piece of the property, it’s about 6 ½ miles,” he said.

Lohmiller envisions community activities, such as farmer’s markets, runs and festivals.

Hobby told planning commissioners that the project has had starts and stops since the mid-2000s.

Now that the extension of State Road 56 has been completed, he said, the project “is really ready to take off.”

State Road 56 was extended through this project and two others, Hobby said, and the county was able to build the road as a four-lane road, instead of two lanes, through a state infrastructure bank loan, through the Florida Department of Transportation.

“The county and the applicant owner worked together with two other big projects, to make (State Road) 56 happen, all at once. It’s been a collaborative deal for a number of years, and the county needs those mobility fee surcharges to pay back the state infrastructure bank loan that the county took out,” Hobby said.

The county’s transportation staff resisted two changes to the highway vision map, proposed by the applicant.

One involved reclassifying a road and the other involved removing a road.

The applicants explained their rationale, and planning commissioners supported their request.

Another proposed change initially called for removing an extension of County Line Road from the map because there are plans to extend it to the south, on land owned by the same property owner in Hillsborough County.

But David Goldstein, Pasco’s chief assistant county attorney, suggested a different option. He said the road should be kept on the map, along with a note to indicate it would not be needed, if a parallel road was built in Hillsborough County.

“Hillsborough County has been known to threaten us, if we don’t give them something they want on a different road. If for some reason they try to hold us hostage and not allow construction of the network to the south, I don’t want us to be stuck without any east-west road,” Goldstein explained.

Tew and Hobby agreed with Goldstein’s solution.

This request will now go to the Pasco County Commission for consideration.

If the proposed changes are approved, the applicant’s next step will be to see a rezoning to a master-planned unit development, which is expected in coming months.

Published January 13, 2021