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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Thousands turn out for barbecue and blues

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The results are in, and the eighth annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Festival drew a crowd of more than 12,000, according to festival organizers.

The event, held Jan. 20, at the festival venue at Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, featured blues music, award-winning barbecue, and vendors offering goods and services.

The Ed Wright Duo, The Doug South Band, The Legendary JCs, Chuck Riley’s All-Star Revue and Someday Honey Entertainers were the slate of entertainers lined up for the festival.

People settled in their lawn chairs to listen, or danced in front of the stage, as musicians entertained at the festival dedicated to blues and barbecue in Zephyrhills. (B.C. Manion)

People set up lawn chairs to listen, while others danced in front of the Florida Hospital Pavilion stage.

Dozens of professional and backyard barbecue teams competed for prizes and bragging rights.

Melonie Monson, executive director of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, was enthusiastic about the event’s success.

“It is exciting to say this was our favorite BBQ yet; our team was amazing. We, at the chamber, are ecstatic with how everything came together,” Monson said, in a news release.

She noted having the event at the same facility for the second time made it easier to organize setting up the event, and offered a simpler layout for festival-goers to navigate.

She also expressed appreciation for the people who helped pull off the event. About 200 volunteers are involved each year.

“The teams this year were top notch, we had a variety of concessions who put out amazing food, the Kidz Zone was a huge hit, I heard rave reviews of the car show, and the bands were better than ever,” Monson said. “I talked to many who traveled far just to hear our bands,” she added.

As usual, the festival was built around a Florida BBQ Association-approved barbecue competition. More than 50 professional and backyard teams competed in the four standard categories of chicken, pork, brisket and ribs.

Professional teams had the added incentive of potentially winning $10,000 in prizes.

In the professional barbecue division, Hot Wachulas of Bartow, under head cook Matt Barber, took top place overall winning $2,000, plus $700 in individual category awards, not to mention an unprecedented rare score of a full 200 points for Ribs.

Swamp Boys of Winter Haven, led by Rug Bagby, took second place winning $1,500 and $850 in individual category awards. Both won trophies as well.

Backyard division winners were 27 South BBQ of Babson Park, under Danny Sharpless, in first place, winning a trophy and $200, and Smokin’ Ain’t EZ of Valrico, taking second place under Sam Nowakowski, winning a trophy and $100.

Monson noted that two of the teams received a perfect 200 score on their individual entry, which she said, “I’m told never happens and is unprecedented. That makes me proud to know we gave them the right combination to help them excel.”

The festival was enhanced this year with a Rock Wall in the Kidz Zone, sponsored by Suncoast Credit Union.

The car show was run by veteran Ronnie Setser, and Roy Kesner of Riverview took “Best of the Best” in early models with a 1937 Ford 3 Window Coupe.

Other highlights included an aviation showcase, access to the Military History Museum, and a business expo, the news release said.

Barbecue competition results:
Professional Division
Overall Winners: Hot Wachulas, first place; Swamp Boys, second place; GetChewSumBBQ, third place

Chicken: Uncle Toad’s BBQ, first place; Backyard Bro’s, second place; Hot Wachulas, third place

Ribs: Hot Wachulas, first place; Swamp Boys, second place; Sweet Smoke Q, third place

Pork: Pig Chicka Cow Cow, first place; GetChewSum BBQ, second place; Going Yard BBQ, third place

Brisket: Swamp Boys, first place; Uncle Toad’s Competition BBQ, second place; Uncle Kenny’s BBQ, third place

Backyard Division
Overall Winners: 27 South BBQ, first place; Smokin’ Ain’t EZ, second place; Big Red BBQ, third place

Chicken: Big Red BBQ, first place; Smokin’ Ain’t EZ, second place; 27 South BBQ, third place

Ribs: 27 South BBQ, first place; Smokin’ Ain’t EZ, second place; Papa’s BBQ, third place

Pork: 27 South BBQ, first place; Smokin’ Bros, second place; Bahr’s Smokin Butts, third place

Brisket: Smokin’ Bros, first place; Big Red BBQ, second place; 27 South BBQ, third place

Published January 31, 2018

New Sienna Village office park approved

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Sienna Village, a small office park off State Road 54, is about to get a companion – Sienna Village II.

Pasco County commissioners approved a rezoning for the new office park, which will be on the southwest corner of State Road 54 and Sofia Drive. It is east of the existing Sienna Village, and about one-third mile from the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41.

The rezoning allows up to 150,000 square feet of professional office, and up to 30,000 square feet of commercial. The property, including the existing Sienna Village, covers about 15 acres. The undeveloped portion includes several dilapidated residences.

Sienna Village Office Park was built in 2008. Developers are planning a new office park, off State Road 54 and Sofia Drive. (Kathy Steele)

“Sienna Village I is just a lovely project,” said Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey. “I’m glad to see it (Sienna Village II) coming here today.”

Businesses in the existing office park include the Merricks Law Group, Suncoast Skin Solutions, Lumina Dental, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, and Caribbean Mystique-Massage & Wellness Spa.

Developers want to use Sofia Drive as access into the new office park. The roadway is privately owned, and unpaved, except where it intersects with State Road 54.

Issues related to Sofia Drive’s ownership must be worked out, but developers propose to pave and bring the roadway up to county standards.

Bus stops also would be accommodated, if the county makes public transit available there.

The office park’s proximity to the busy intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41 also could have future impacts on the site, according to county records regarding the rezoning application.

Pasco currently is reviewing recommended solutions to resolve traffic gridlock at the intersection, which has about 100,000 vehicles a day passing through it.

A volunteer task force, working on the county’s Vision 54/56 project, recommended a variety of options, including elevated lanes, and a system of at-grade frontage roads.

The county also has requested a study to determine if an underpass is a practical and financially viable option.

Published January 31, 2018

Kumquat Festival offers a slice of Old Florida charm

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The Kumquat Festival, which pays homage to a tiny orange fruit with a tangy flavor, carried on in its usual fashion — despite this year’s challenges to the kumquat crop.

MacKenzie Brewer, Miss Pasco County Fair Outstanding Teen, left, and Courtney Graham, Miss Pasco County, pose with local jam and jelly businesswoman Cristi Williams, of Jovita Treats, and her assistant, Faith DiMaria, 9. (Richard K. Riley)

Citrus greening, insects and Florida’s recent hard freezes dealt a blow to the kumquat crop — knocking out sales of fresh kumquats this year.

But, there were kumquats to sample, and plenty of kumquats served up in jams, jellies, pies, salads, sangria and all sorts of other concoctions.

The atmosphere was festive, there were lots of vendors — and there were quilts and cars and entertainers to enjoy.

John Moors, executive director of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, put it like this in a news release: “tens of thousands of people came from all over the Tampa Bay region – residents, winter visitors and tourists joined in the fun. Over 400 vendors and sponsors sold and promoted their wares and services. Our entertainment stage at the Historic Courthouse featured free live performances from wonderful local talent all day. Many of the shops and restaurants in Dade City and the surrounding area enjoyed their busiest day of the year.”

Moors also noted that the festival, which offers free admission, free parking and free shuttles, could not happen if it weren’t for the generous support of sponsors.

Published January 31, 2018

Cheryl Howard, of Spring Hill, and Marilyn Prill, of Brooksville, enjoy their first visit to the festival and share their first slice of kumquat pie.
Judy Croucher, of East Pasco Quilters, shows Hugh Embry Library Manager Angel Liranzo one of the quilts on display during the Kumquat Festival.

Ranch Days is back for its second act

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When the organizers were gearing up to debut Ranch Days last year at Little Everglades Ranch, north of Dade City, they proceeded with caution.

They wanted to see how the event went, before making plans for another one.

Apparently, the event went well because now event planners are gearing up for the second annual Ranch Days on the 2,050–acre property, owned by Bob and Sharon Blanchard.

Kevin Campbell, events coordinator for Little Everglades Ranch, and Melissa Black brought a WWII amphibious landing craft that will be used for rides at the Ranch Days event in February. (Richard K. Riley)

Slated for Feb. 10, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and for Feb. 11, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the event offers a chance to listen to music, grab a bite to eat, and take home a purchase or two. Little Everglades Ranch is at 17951 Hamilton Road, north of Dade City.

Last year, about 5,000 turned out, said Kevin Campbell, who along with his wife, Andie, coordinates events at Little Everglades Ranch.

“For a first-year event, we were pleased with the amount of people that we had out,” he said.

This year, he said, there have been some improvements.

“The stage is bigger and better,” Campbell said.

“Where we have the stage sits on a real gentle kind of hill to the north, and there are three or four real big live oak trees kind of around it.”

“The music is great. We went a little bit harder on some of the headline entertainment,” he said.

This year’s lineup includes Thomas Wynn and The Believers, as the headline act on Feb. 10. “They’re kind of a bluesy-rock Florida group.”

Another act, Colin Axxxwell, is coming from Nashville.

“He’s just so good. I had to book him,” Campbell said.

There’s also Bill “The Sauce Boss” Wharton.

“Bill is a 72-year-old man who has been playing music for many years. For the last 30 years, he cooks out a batch of gumbo on the stage. He comes up in a chef’s coat and a chef’s hat. He plays guitar all by himself, with a bass drum and a high hat.

“When he first comes out, I think he has a 12-gallon pot. We give him all of the ingredients and he fills this pot up, and he starts his batch of gumbo — and then 67 minutes later he takes the batch of gumbo … and he gives out 100 bowls of gumbo.”

Another act, Mean Mary, is back again from last year.

“She’s been playing since she was a 4- or 5-year-old child. She plays fiddle and banjo. “She’s really, really talented,” Campbell said.

The Junior Savage Race is back, too, complete with medals for the kids who complete the course.

This year’s guided tours include a bus tour, swamp buggy rides, a ride on a Vietnam-era amphibious supply vehicle, and camel rides. The bus tour is new.

The event also offers a petting farm, pony rides, face painting, and entertainment by Mr. Tommy.

Other acts will include high-wire shows by Tino Wallenda, of the Flying Wallenda Family, and a snake show and exhibit by Jim Mendenhall, a snake handler and expert.

Lady Kitty will be there, with her birds of prey; and, Rick and Jan Stratton will provide a juggling and variety show, with their sidekick, Snorkel the pig.

He offered these tips for enjoying the experience. Buy tickets for rides early, wear hiking boots, and bring lawn chairs and blankets, to relax on while you listen to the music.

“The rides were booked solid last year,” he said. “People just loved going across the ranch,” he said.

The amphibious vehicle goes across the ranch and into the lake.

There are plenty of choices for food, and there’s beer, soda and water.

Admission is free, but parking is $10 for cars, and $25 for buses and RVs.

Campbell think it’s an event that families will enjoy.

“You pay for rides, and you pay for food and you pay to park,” Campbell said, but everything else is free, he said.

No coolers or pets are allowed. The event will be held, rain or shine.

For more information, visit RanchDays.com.

Ranch Days
Where: Little Everglades Ranch, 17951 Hamilton Road, Dade City
When: Feb. 10, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Feb. 11, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Admission is free; parking is $10 for cars, $25 for buses and RVs; vendor charges for food, rides and purchases
Details: Live music on two stages, ranch tours, exhibitions of a high-wire act, a juggling and variety act, birds of prey and indigenous snakes, kids’ activities and more
Info: Visit RanchDays.com.

Published January 31, 2018

Solar co-ops offer savings on solar panel installations

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Florida lags behind other states in producing clean, renewable energy from the sun. It doesn’t crack the top 10 in state rankings, even while being promoted nationwide as the Sunshine State.

But, Florida, along with other states across the country, is embracing solar power, and other clean energy sources, in ways that don’t always get noticed.

Workers install solar panels on a rooftop.
(Public Domain)

Solar panels, wind farms and electric-powered vehicles are among the technologies driving the alternative energy industry.

It’s often described as the quiet revolution, said David Sillman, coordinator for North Pinellas FL Sun, or Solar United Neighbors of Florida.

Sillman was the featured speaker on Jan. 22 at the Dade City Garden Club meeting. His topic was “Electrifying Future: Solar and Alternative Energy.”

The Solar Energy Industries Association has ranked Florida 13th nationally for solar capability, but also reported that the state has the third-highest potential for solar capacity.

Sillman said other rankings have put Florida as low as 18th.

“The good news is, we’re catching up,” Sillman said.

The Washington D.C.-based Solar United Neighbors and its chapters around the country are joining with other like-minded organizations and nonprofits, including the League of Women Voters and the Sierra Club, to promote solar power.

North Pinellas FL Sun and the local League of Women Voters, for instance, partnered in 2016 to launch the St. Pete Solar Co-op.

There also is the Hillsborough County Solar Co-op.

Currently, Sillman said he knows of no cooperatives in Pasco County.

But, solar cooperatives are simple to pull together. “All that is needed is volunteers,” he said.

It can be neighbors who want to install solar panels on their homes, or who simply want to learn more about the renewable energy industry. Joining a cooperative doesn’t require that a member install solar panels.

However, as a group, members can get bids from local solar companies that offer discounted rates on installation, Sillman said.

Costs over the past years have fallen, he added.

His costs in 2011 were about $25,000 for a three-bedroom, two-bath home. It might cost about $10,000 today, Sillman said.

According to Clean Energy Guide, costs for solar panels have dropped 99 percent, from $50 per watt in 1979 to 50 cents per watt in 2015.

Also, federal tax credits are available.

Typically, solar systems pay for themselves within 8 ½ years, and they come with 25-year warranties, Sillman said.

The life of a system can be from 30 years to 40 years, he added.

For information on solar energy and cooperatives, visit SolarUnitedNeighbors.org.

Published January 31, 2018

Ft. King ranch land too costly for conservation program

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A volunteer advisory committee had recommended that 17 parcels of the former Ft. King Ranch be added to a list of conservation lands worthy of purchase by Pasco County.

But, the Pasco County Commission balked at the potentially pricey cost of buying nearly 3,600 acres, and voted against the committee’s wishes.

The property, owned by the limited liability partnership of Secret Promise, is situated off State Road 52, near the Ehren Cutoff. It stretches from the northern boundary of Cypress Creek to the Crossbar Wellfield, near Bellamy Brothers Boulevard.

Florida Estates Winery is located on land offered to Pasco County for its conservation lands’ program. (Kathy Steele)

“That’s a very, very large purchase,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore. “It could crush future projects. It’s almost to the point if we add this, we can’t add anything else.”

Currently, the county’s ELAMP, or Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program, has nine properties under review for purchase. The program’s budget has a balance of about $27 million from the Penny for Pasco program.

The total value of land and buildings for the 17 parcels adds up to about $14.3 million, according to the Pasco County Property Appraiser’s valuations.

The county has more pressing needs than buying land of which only 20 percent is environmentally sensitive, said Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley.

“I would rather see that money go to properties in other parts of our county that actually helps flooded areas, and helps a lot of citizens,” he said.

The late Dr. Crayton Pruitt, a noted heart surgeon from St. Petersburg bought the property in 1997 for about $3.1 million.

Peter Wallace, registered agent for Secret Promise, made an offer to sell the land to the county.

The 11-member advisory committee took up the matter last summer and requested an evaluation of the property.

Committee members in November voted to recommend its placement on the ELAMP list, and for a negotiated deal to buy part or all of the property.

The county would be able to buy the land outright or buy only the development rights.

The site meets the definition of agricultural reserve land, and includes pastures, wetlands, pine flatwoods, freshwater marshes, and wildlife habitats.

On a graded scale, it earned 52 out of 80 points, according to the evaluation report.

Moore pressed for an opinion from Keith Wiley, the county’s interim director for parks, recreation and natural resources department.

“I always maintain my neutrality,” Wiley said. But, he added, “At the least, it’s one of our lower priorities.”

Years ago, the land was re-zoned for future development of single-family homes and retail, with about 2,000 acres left as open space.

Currently, there are three small houses on site, as well as a working cattle barn and two workshops.

Florida Estates Winery also is located on site.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey wondered if the winery owners would want to remain. She also had concerns about the county’s future plans to build a road through the property.

“I want to be real cognizant of the road system,” she said.

If the property were put on the county’s waiting list, Starkey said that didn’t mean the county had to purchase it.

“The devil is in the details of the deal,” she said.

After the vote to keep Secret Promise off the list, Oakley left the door open for reconsideration.

He asked Wiley to come back with new information, if it puts the land higher on the ranking scale.

Published January 31, 2018

Mother of twins dies after casino boat fire; donations sought

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A GoFundMe account has been set up to aid the children of Carrie Dempsey.

The 42-year-old woman, who lived in Lutz, died Jan. 14, hours after a fire engulfed a casino shuttle boat ferrying about 50 passengers to a casino ship in the Gulf of Mexico.

She was the sole fatality among about 15 passengers who needed medical attention, according to news reports.

Carrie Dempsey
(Facebook.com)

Dempsey leaves behind 12-year-old twins, Chad and Megan. Dempsey’s husband, Joseph Dempsey II, died in 2011, at the age of 33, according to an obituary.

The children are being cared for by their grandparents.

“We are reaching out to raise funds for Chad and Megan’s care and education, that their grandparents may not have been financially prepared for,” according to a written statement on the GoFundMe page. “Chad and Megan are two kind-hearted, athletic and academically gifted children who deserve a bright future. They have incurred so much loss and heartache in their short lives.”

Bridget Verrecchia is listed as the fund’s organizer. She is vice president of the ways and means committee of the PTA executive board for McKitrick Elementary School, according to the school’s website.

Segal Funeral Home is handling funeral arrangements.

According to an obituary, Dempsey moved to the Tampa Bay area in 1985 from Cleveland, Ohio.

She will be “remembered for her sense of humor, quick wit and infectious laugh, but mostly as a devoted and loving mother,” the obituary states.

Graveside services are scheduled for Jan. 25 at 2 p.m., at Gan Shalom Cemetery, 3527 E. County Line Road in Lutz. In lieu of flowers, a college fund will be established for Dempsey’s children.

The cause of the fire aboard the Island Lady is under investigation, according to a spokesman with the U.S. Coast Guard.

About 50 people were aboard as the shuttle, operated by Tropical Breeze Casino, steered toward the gulf, and a casino ship in international waters.

The boat’s captain noticed the engine was overheating, and prepared to return to shore when a fire broke out, according to news reports.

The reports said the captain ran the shuttle aground in the Pithlachascotee River, about 100 yards from shore in Port Richey.

Passengers and crew had to jump into chilly waters. Rescuers included nearby neighbors, Port Richey police, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Fire Rescue, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The boat burned down to its hull, reports added.

For information, visit GoFundMe.com/the-dempsey-family.

An online guestbook is available at SegalFuneralHome.com.

Published January 24, 2018

An underpass for U.S. 41/State Road 54?

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Talk of solving traffic jams at U.S. 41 and State Road 54 often centers on building elevated lanes to ease massive numbers of vehicles through the intersection.

But now, Pasco County’s Metro Planning Organization wants to toss in a new solution – an underpass that would tunnel under the intersection.

Pasco County will consider an underpass as a solution to traffic gridlock at U.S. 41 and State Road 54. (File)

Consultants with Tindale-Oliver will complete a $15,000 study to determine if the underpass would work, and what the potential costs would be. The study, which will also consider an underpass at Little Road and State Road 54, is expected to take 60 days to 90 days.

“We should be able to see every possible option that is available,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey agreed.

“I think we should see if it’s an option or not,” she said.

The study’s answers will determine whether to add the underpass to a list of recommendations already produced by a volunteer task force. The task force for “Vision 54/56” has spent about two years on the matter.

They whittled 18 recommendations to four recommendations. Their choices included a system of parallel frontage roads at-grade level and elevated express lanes at major intersections. No build also is an option, but underpasses weren’t in the mix.

Task force member Sandy Graves said digging underground raises concerns about sinkholes. “How would that work?” she asked.

The MPO board, which reviews transportation matters, is composed of Pasco County commissioners, and elected officials of the county’s cities. David Gwynn, secretary of District 7 for the Florida Department of Transportation, is a nonvoting advisor.

The board unanimously approved funds for the study at the Jan. 11 meeting in Dade City. Board members tabled a review and vote on the recommendations from the task force.

If the underpass is deemed feasible, the county could ask the task force to reconvene. The cost of the study initially was $35,000, which included the consultants facilitating a task force meeting with documentation and additional analysis.

MPO board members balked at the additional $20,000 of cost, choosing instead to explore holding a future task force meeting with county staff members.

Trinity resident and commercial real estate agent Charles Puccini spoke during public comment and urged the board to carefully consider their final recommendations. He said the roadwork on U.S. 19 has made area businesses less visible and accessible.

“Make sure the solutions do not effectively block and damage the economy of Pasco County,” he said.

Regarding the task force, Puccini said: “It’s a great idea what you’re doing here.”

Published January 24, 2018

County seeks business park for future development

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Pasco County wants to encourage more business parks and diversify the county’s job base.

The county’s Office of Economic Growth is spearheading that effort by scouting for vacant land that can be made site-ready to attract developers on speculation.

In keeping with that goal, county staff members introduced a proposal for the Vibrant Sun Business Park at a Jan. 11 meeting of the Development Review Committee.

The park, on a large triangular swath of county land, would be bordered on the east by Old Pasco Road and on the west by Interstate 75. It also is near State Road 54 and Overpass Road.

If approved, the site would be available for 2.2 million square feet of corporate offices, manufacturing and distribution, industrial, and mixed office uses.

The county especially wants to encourage corporate business parks with campuses of multiple buildings.

A site-ready property could clear the way for quicker development, county officials said.

Committee members voted to recommend approval of a comprehensive land use change, as well as a rezoning of the site.

The Pasco County Commission will make the final decision.

“We have enough residential approved in the county,” said Chris Williams, a committee member and director of planning for Pasco County Schools. “We need some business and light industrial that can attract companies and bring some jobs.”

It’s unknown what development offers might be made to the county, however.

“We’re looking to prepare the site as a ready site. We don’t have a plan in place for disposition of the parcel,” said Peter Lent, program administrator for the county’s Office of Economic Growth. “We don’t have a use in mind right now.”

That bothered some area residents, who live off Old Pasco Road. They said they worried about the lack of information on what businesses might operate on the site. They also had questions about traffic impacts, loss of property values and whether a business park fit well next to residential.

Dennis and Ethel Seaton live on Bay Pines Drive, across from the proposed park. They have a 14-year-old son who has cerebral palsy and is sensitive to “bright lights and sudden noises,” his father said.

“There would be big lights up there,” he said. “This would cause major concern for us. It’s going to cause overwhelming congestion and my son to go into seizures.”

Residents also asked if the county had a plan to deal with the increasing traffic congestion in the area.

The speed limit on Old Pasco Road is 35 mph, but resident Jean Jakes said, “No one, including school buses, obeys it. You’re going to have to put a (traffic) light every three steps.”

Jakes didn’t see how industrial next to residential could be a good fit.

“There is no compatibility,” she said. “It doesn’t match the neighborhood. It doesn’t match the area. It doesn’t match the use of the land.”

County officials said differently zoned areas often sit next to each other, but that buffering requirements would provide separation between the business park and nearby homes.

The 91-acre site is close by an area in northeastern Pasco already targeted for new residential and commercial development.

The Connected City corridor encompasses about 7,800 acres of property designated as a state-approved development district. It is bordered by Interstate 75, State Road 52, and Curley and Overpass roads.

The initiative is focused on creating communities that are the wave of the future, with new jobs based on cutting edge technology. The first master-planned community under construction is Epperson, at Overpass and Curley.

Major road projects are underway to widen State Road 52 and build a new interchange at Overpass and I-75.

Old Pasco Road intersects State Road 52, which is being widened from two lanes to six lanes, from west of Old Pasco to east of Corporate Boulevard.

But, in response to residents’ queries, county officials said there are no plans or funds for widening Old Pasco. Any project likely would be in the long-range plan stretching to 2040.

Right of way is being obtained for the Overpass interchange, but construction isn’t scheduled until 2022.

Published January 24, 2018

Pasco could ease ban on digital signs for tourist venues

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Pasco County is getting ready to ease a ban on digital signs, but will retain strict limits.

The Pasco County Commission reviewed a proposal on Jan. 9 that would allow digital signs for “regional attractors” that hold a minimum of 50 tourist-related events a year.

The venues must be located on at least 200 acres or have buildings totaling a minimum of 35,000 square feet to qualify.

This digital sign at Pasco-Hernando State College is one of the few permitted digital signs in Pasco County. An amended ordinance could soon permit regional tourist venues the same privilege. (File)

The venues also must have 450 parking spaces or a minimum seating capacity for 2,000 people, and must have frontage on an arterial road or Interstate 75.

No digital signs would be permitted within Pasco’s designated northeast rural district. Currently, some area schools are permitted for digital signs, including Pasco-Hernando State College.

According to the proposed ordinance, the signs for regional tourist attractions could display “multiple differing messages in a short amount of time to the traveling public without creating the clutter of temporary signage and advertising devices.”

The two immediate beneficiaries of the new sign rules could be Pasco County Fairgrounds and Florida Hospital Center Ice.

Pasco County commissioners are scheduled to vote on the matter at two public hearings. The first was on Jan. 23 in New Port Richey; the second on Feb. 6 in Dade City.

“We’ve been trying to do this for quite some time,” said Dicky Brown, president of the Pasco County Fair Association.

The Pasco County Fair is held there annually but, Brown said, the venue hosts many more events throughout the year.

Some of those events include mud runs, gun shows and circuses.

“The digital sign would definitely give us some more attention,” Brown said.

Brown also noted that the county also could use the sign to get messages to residents during emergencies.

In recent months, the county has been addressing the matter of digital advertising in the age of LED lights, and rotating displays.

In February, commissioners agreed to lift a 17-year ban on digital billboards in a deal with outdoor advertising companies to eliminate older, static billboards.

The goal is to end clutter and blight on county roads.

Digital signs generally would remain banned.

The new rules under consideration would be the exception.

Restrictions on permitted digital signs would include:

  • A height limit of 11 feet, as part of a monument sign
  • A maximum of 60 seconds each for rotating messages
  • No special effects, such as flashes, scrolls or animation

Published January 24, 2018