Local News

NEW PORT RICHEY – The Pasco County Board of County Commissioners approved an ordinance Feb. 25 to amend the comprehensive plan to allow accessory dwelling units in future land use categories that allow single-family residential development.

Accessory dwelling units are a small, self-contained residential unit on the same property as a primary single-family home. They are often referred to as “granny flats,” “in-law units” or “backyard cottages,” and they can be either attached to the main house (like a basement or garage conversion) or detached (such as a separate small house in the backyard).

They will be generally smaller in size than the primary residence, often ranging from 200 to 1,200 square feet.

In many areas, accessory dwelling units would be subject to specific zoning laws that regulate their size, location and usage. They would offer flexible living solutions, help maximize property use and could be a source of rental income for homeowners.

Also, accessory dwelling units would provide additional housing ancillary to the principal dwelling unit to increase housing opportunities, promote mixed-income neighborhoods, encourage infill development, address the “missing middle” housing types, address affordable housing needs and provide housing opportunities for extended families.

Decision delayed on proposed 63-lot subdivision

Commissioners held off on a rezoning decision that would allow a 63-lot subdivision on 34.24 acres at Hudson Avenue and Colony Road in Hudson. 

Several neighbors on Foxfire Drive told commissioners during a public hearing that they were opposed to DRB Group’s rezoning request.

Some of the reasons cited included concerns that the development would negatively affect property values and the agricultural and residential areas adjacent to it. Another concern was the unsafe conditions that would exist if increased traffic occurred on Foxfire Drive.

The applicant planned to have ingress and egress to the development via Foxfire Drive, a county-maintained road on the south side of the property. But many of the people speaking against the rezoning said they thought it would be better for ingress and egress to be from Colony Road.

Commissioners suggested Foxfire Drive only be used for emergency access to the subdivision.

The applicant agreed in its application to convey, at no cost to the county, the right-of-way for access by Palm Winds MPUD to the Colony Road Vision Road. That road has been under construction for a few years but doesn’t provide access to Hudson Avenue, which the county eventually hopes to achieve.

Commissioners extended the hearing to its March 25 meeting.

Decisions paves way for apartments

Commissioners approved a conditional use amendment made by Spanish Lakes Land Company LLC/Spanish Lakes CU that would allow the development of up to 360 apartments on 18.65 acres located 150 feet north of State Road 52, east of Deerbook Boulevard. 

That approval also increased the height of the proposed apartments from three stories to a maximum of four stories.

Ingress and egress from the project would be through appropriate turn lanes on Shady Hills Road.

One of the conditions of the approval was also that the county engineer would work with the applicant to determine if a safe traffic lane could be developed to provide interconnection within the proposed project.

Other approvals included: 0

• A rezoning request by Walker Development Company that would allow the construction of a 7,500-square-foot office building within the Pristine Lake Preserve MPUD.
• The renaming of a portion of Pasco Road to Tradeway Boulevard. The affected area of the road extends 3,100 feet north of County Road 52. This was done since Old Pasco Road extends north and Pasco Road needs to extend east due to realignment of the road.
• Plats with performance guarantees were also approved. M/I Homes of Tampa, LLC, made its request for the development of 135 single-family lots and associated infrastructure on 69.639 acres within the Two Rivers development. The property is east of Morris Bridge Road and south of State Road 56. The county has received two surety bonds from M/I Homes totaling $6,570,261.64 to cover those costs.

Good Life Development Inc., made its request for the development of 20 residential lots and associated infrastructure on 31.2 acres within Spring Valley Estates. The property is located on the west side of Spring Valley Road at the intersection of Spring Valley Road and Clayton Road. The county has received a surety bond in the amount of $236,017.25 to cover those costs.

LAND O’ LAKES – The Pasco County School Board honored Michael Baumaister, chief of safety and emergency operations, during its March 4 meeting.

Baumaister was recently recognized as the FIRST School Safety Specialist of the Year by Florida’s National Summit on School Safety. 

District officials credit Baumaister for evaluating and enhancing the safety program established in 2018, improving processes and organizational structure.

He also developed numerous procedures and safety plans, fostering relationships with school administrators. 

His motto, “Safety is everyone’s responsibility, and we cannot turn schools into prisons,” guided his efforts. 

Within his first 90 days, he visited every school, creating support documents and opening communication lines to ensure the safest environment possible. Since his hiring in 2020, there have been significant improvements in infrastructure, safety policies and oversight, according to Pasco County Schools.

Prior to joining the school district, Baumaister retired as a major with the Tampa Police Department after serving there from 1996 to 2020. He also worked as a deputy with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office.

Superintendent updates board on homework

The school board learned that a plan to grade students on their homework will be implemented at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year in September. 

Superintendent John Legg, who was elected in November, told board members during their Feb. 4 meeting that he thought the homework that teachers assign to students should be part of what’s used to determine their grades.

This would reverse a decision made by the school board three years ago to not have the results of students’ homework count toward their grades.

Legg had initially hoped to have the policy change become effective by the end of March. However, the decision to wait until the fall to implement it is the result of students being too far along at this time in the current school year.

Legg said teachers who had been preparing to implement graded homework in their classes also need several more months to do so.

Teachers won’t be required to insist their student’s homework must be graded according to Legg. 

Board gets update on Fox Hollow walls

The school board also learned that the decision to enclose the kindergarten pod and fourth and fifth grade sections at Fox Hollow Elementary School is having a positive effect.

Doing this has reportedly significantly decreased the amount of distractions occurring there.

“We need to ensure every classroom is a distraction-free environment,” Legg previously said.

This work is part of an effort to install walls to enclose up to 700 classrooms in schools in the district.

Legg told board members during their Feb. 18 meeting that installing the walls would also make those classrooms safer for students and teachers.

Fox Hollow Elementary School’s staff previously made it known that they wanted their school to be the first in the district for this work to be done.

There are about 700 open classrooms throughout the school district. It will take about two years to enclose all of them at an estimated cost of $2.1 million, or $3,000 each, according to school board records.

LAND O’ LAKES – Pasco Schools Superintendent John Legg informed school board members on Feb. 18 that work is underway to install walls to enclose up to 700 classrooms in schools in the district.

The reason for this, Legg told board members, is to decrease the amount of distractions occurring within classrooms without walls while making those classrooms safer for students and teachers.

“We need to ensure every classroom is a distraction-free environment,” Legg said.

Fox Hollow Elementary School is the first school in which the walls are being installed.

Fox Hollow, which was built in 1991, used an “open schools” concept featured at that time. Its purpose was twofold: to make it easier for students to work with children in other classes and to allow teachers to collaborate.

Now, however, the collaborative setting is distracting, according to Principal Jessica Pitkoff.

Walls have already been installed in Fox Hollow’s kindergarten pod and work was underway in its fifth-grade section when Legg informed board members of his decision.

There are about 700 open classrooms throughout the school district. It will take about two years to enclose all of them at an estimated cost of $2.1 million, or $3,000 each, according to school board records.

District maintenance and construction workers will be used to do the work, according to Legg.

“It’s going to be driven from the principal level and the classroom level,” Legg said. “Some schools may not want the classrooms closed in.”

He added, though, that the concept of “open schools” was a model that “no longer functions in our current age.”  

Board member Megan Harding said she supported the idea. She taught at Fox Hollow before being elected to the board. Harding said she disrupted things when they occasionally ran from a class into the shared area.

Board member Jessica Wright said safety was one of her concerns. She has two children who attend another elementary school without classroom walls.

Walls are also being erected in schools without walls in Pinellas County.

Outstanding educator

Laura Carlson was recognized as an Outstanding Educator for the 2024-2025 school year.

She was introduced and praised by Colleen Wilkinson, principal of New River Elementary School. 

Carlson was a founding member of New River Elementary School when it opened in 2007. Prior to that, Wilkinson said, Carlson had begun her educational journey at Centennial Elementary School.

Carlson has a master’s degree in special education, which has equipped her to consistently demonstrate a passion and enthusiasm for teaching that is truly inspiring, Wilkinson said. 

Wilkinson described Carlson as “an invaluable member of our New River family.” 

Recognizing volunteers

Three volunteers were also honored for outstanding things they have done for Pasco County Schools.

• Keri Bethel was honored as Outstanding Volunteer of the Year. Bethel was recognized for all that she does to support students and staff at Shady Hills Elementary School.
• Victor Kodish was honored as the Outstanding Senior Volunteer. Kodish retired after working at Pine View Middle for more than 40 years but returned to the school as a volunteer. 
• Grace Carlton was honored as the Outstanding Youth Volunteer of the Year. Grace, a student at Gulf Middle, volunteers at Richey Elementary each week after school. 

TALLAHASSEE – State Sen. Danny Burgess (R-Zephyrhills) has filed legislation to examine the impact of phone-free school campuses on student achievement and behavior.

Senate Bill 1296 establishes a pilot program in six Florida school districts that currently have or will be implementing a policy to prohibit the use of cell phones by students during the entire school day.

“Florida became a model for the rest of the nation when we first passed legislation in 2023 to remove cell phones from classrooms,” Burgess said. “I was proud to help spearhead that policy change, which has helped to remove distractions, improve focus during class time and increase student interaction. Now, I believe there is more we can do to further promote ideal learning environments to increase student achievement. By establishing phone-free school campuses, we can encourage students to connect more personally with each other and their teachers and better support their academic efforts.”

The Foundation for Florida’s Future highlighted the importance of the legislation.

“Schools should be places where students and teachers are free to focus on learning,” said Nathan Hoffman, senior legislative director for the Foundation for Florida’s Future. “Data continue to show that eliminating the cell phone distraction, not only in the classroom as Florida has in place now, but throughout the entire school day produces better outcomes – both from a school climate perspective as well as academic. This is important legislation that will keep the Sunshine State moving forward. We thank Senator Burgess for being the champion of this issue for all students and teachers in Florida.”

Florida law currently prohibits student cell phone use during instructional time. SB 1296 would require the Florida Commissioner of Education to coordinate with six school districts selected by the Florida Department of Education which represent two small, two medium and two large counties that currently, or will in the 2025-26 school year, implement a policy that prohibits the use of cell phones by students during the entire school day, while on school grounds or engaged in school activities off school grounds during the school day. 

The department would be tasked with providing a report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives before Dec. 1, 2026, summarizing the effect of each district policy on student achievement and behavior. 

The report must also include a model policy that school districts and charter schools may adopt and outline exceptions for health emergencies, disasters, students with disabilities and English Language Learners, on school buses, or during activities outside of the school day. 

The report must also include student code of conduct provisions for violations of the policy which facilitate bullying or cheating, constitute illegal behavior, or capture pictures or video of another student during a medical episode.