Local News

Mixed use development slated for Wesley Chapel

March 19, 2024 By Joe Potter

The Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved an ordinance rezoning 76.72 acres of property south of State Road 52, approximately 900 feet west of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, to a Planned Development (PD) during their March 12 meeting in Dade City.

The changes will permit a maximum of 130,000 square feet of commercial/office, 300 multifamily dwelling units and 50 townhomes to be developed on the site.

It is anticipated that the proposed new amount of commercial/office space will prioritize employment generation along the frontage of SR 52 and will provide adequate connectivity and accessibility to adjacent communities and between the different uses within the development according to Pasco County records.

Other positive factors considered in making the zoning change were the anticipation that the increase in the square footage of commercial use in the area could bring more jobs to the county, resulting in more revenue and less consumption in services, according to county records.

It’s proposed that 5.96 acres of the property will be for commercial use, 28.63 acres for a combination of commercial and residential use and 41.36 acres for residential.

The applicant was listed as Thompson Thrift Development Inc., and attorney Barbara L. Wilhite was listed as the authorized representative for the owner(s) of the property.

The recording of a Plat with Performance Guarantees was approved for Jen Tampa 5, LLC – Mirada Parcel 15B-1. The developer proposes to have a residential subdivision comprised of 65 single-family lots on 75.3 acres between Kenton Road and Future Tyndall Road.

The site is in the “Connected Cities” area east of Interstate 75 and south of SR 52. The developer is required to have a security bond in the amount of $3,006,250.20 to cover the estimated cost of landscape and infrastructure work that hadn’t been completed prior to the filing of the plat.

An ordinance changing the zoning of 7.12 acres of property on the north side of State Road 54, approximately 1 mile west of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, to Commercial (COM) and Conservation (CON) also was approved. The applicant wants to develop 12,600 square feet of retail/restaurant.

Plans call for 1.59 acres for commercial use and the remaining 5.53 acres to be used for conservation.

Housh Ghovaee was listed as the authorized representative for the owner(s) of the property.

The property was previously zoned RES-6 (Residential 6 Du/Ga).

Also approved, a zoning amendment for approximately 28.10 acres in south central Pasco. The change, requested by New River LTD Pasco, Houck Corporation/New River Houck, was from a C-2 General Commercial District to an MF-1 Multiple-Family Medium Density District Pasco. It had originally been listed as a consent item on the meeting’s agenda but District 5 Commissioner Jack Mariano requested it be removed for discussion.

The applicant plans to develop a maximum of 140 townhomes on the property located at the intersection of SR 54 and Ashton Oaks Boulevard. Mariano expressed concerns about there possibly not being adequate space for vehicles to park since plans call for each of the townhomes to have a one-car garage. There also will be space on the driveway of each townhome for one additional vehicle to be parked.

Attorney Wilhite, who was speaking on behalf of the applicant, emphasized there had been extended discussions over several months regarding the plans for the development.

It was approved by a vote of 4-1 with Commissioner Jack Mariano casting the dissenting vote.

NaphCare Inc. was awarded a bid not to exceed $81,524,720.98 to provide comprehensive inmate medical, mental health and pharmaceutical services for up to 2,040 inmates during fiscal years 2024-2029. The amount that will be paid annually will vary over the five-year length of NaphCare’s contract. There also will be an option to renew the contract for an additional five years after the current contract expires.

Two agreements to purchase vehicles during fiscal year (FY) 2024 that began Oct. 1, 2023 were approved. The agreement with Bartow Ford Co. is not to exceed $7,000,000 and the agreement with Beck Auto Sales of Palatka is not to exceed $1,500,000.

The agreement states that Ford Motor Co. vehicles may be purchased from Bartow Ford as needed, while various vehicles, including SUVs and light trucks, may be purchased from Beck Auto Sales as needed.

An ongoing cooperative purchase agreement to spend up to $1.779M as needed for maintenance also was approved.

Contract Management Services FL, LLC (CMSF) was awarded a bid not to exceed $1,020,000 as needed for general maintenance services for FY 2024-2026. CMSF will be paid in equal annual installments not to exceed $340,000. The company will assist in the operation and maintenance of the county’s water utility infrastructure on an as-needed basis and also will help support the operations and improve quality and reliability of the utility system.

Two task orders with Carollo Engineers Inc. (CEI), for a total not to exceed $856,926 for FY 2024 was approved. CEI is to prepare updates for the county’s Wastewater Master Plan Project and also for its Reclaimed Water Master Plan Update Project. The purpose for the update to the Wastewater Master Plan is to provide a strategy to accommodate anticipated demand and capacity needs for existing and future customers through 2045. The purpose of the updated Reclaimed Water Master Plan is to ensure that adequate supplies and pressures are available for existing and future customers through 2045. Both of the updated plans will include projections with planning horizons of five years, 10 years and 20 years.

Published March 20, 2024

Interactive wildlife recreation finder unveiled

March 19, 2024 By Mary Rathman

Florida has one of the nation’s largest systems of state-managed wildlife lands, which are managed primarily for wildlife conservation and nature-based public use. Options for experiencing wild Florida can be difficult to narrow down, with more than 6 million acres of state-management conservation lands.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has announced the WMA (Wildlife Management Areas) Recreation Finder, an interactive virtual map for Florida residents and visitors looking to find the perfect outdoor experience on public lands, according to a news release.

(Courtesy of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)

Key features in the WMA Finder include:

Location-based search: Find local WMAs by entering your zip code.
Recreational experiences: Filter by activities such as boating, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, wildlife viewing and more.
Trail types: Explore different types of trails, including nature trails, paddling trails and scenic boardwalks.
Amenities: Find WMAs equipped with amenities like picnic areas, viewing structures, campsites, fishing piers and boat launches.
Accessible facilities: Identify WMAs with accessible trails, boat ramps, paddle launches, viewing structures, picnic areas and hunting blinds.

The map also includes details on how to plan a visit, including hours of operation, entrance fees, directions, links to the WMA website and regulations.

The FWC maintains, enhances and restores native natural habitats for the benefit of plant and animal populations, as well as for the people of Florida.

The Recreation Finder map can be found at tinyurl.com/zcbknz7b.

To view a video tutorial, visit youtu.be/ORZ9NgRZf-c.

Published March 20, 2024

Florida parental rights law survives multiple legal challenges, ends Disney feud

March 19, 2024 By Bethany Blankley

(The Center Square) – Florida has won its legal battle over its Parental Rights in Education Act, which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law two years ago this month.

A settlement agreement was reached this week, prompting the lawsuit to be dropped. The law remains in effect, handing DeSantis a win.

The law prohibits teachers in kindergarten through third grade from teaching about “sexual orientation” or “gender identity” in the classroom. Numerous media outlets and opponents of it, including President Joe Biden, claimed the law is “anti-gay,” or uses the words “don’t say gay” to suggest it’s anti-LGBTQ. A review of the seven-page bill by The Center Square first revealed no such language exists; the bill never uses the word “gay.”

Not soon after the bill was signed, a special session was called for the legislature to strip Walt Disney Company of its self-governing status after company executives campaigned against it. Disney sued, and a war of words escalated among Disney executives, the White House, the governor and some Florida parents, and federal and state legislative leaders.

By mid-2022, DeSantis’ message on education freedom was resonating in battleground states, a teacher’s union poll found. By the end of 2022, Florida ranked first in parent-led education and its public schools were ranking among the top in the country.

By February 2023, DeSantis signed a bill into law stripping Disney of its self-governing privileges. By April 2023, the Florida legislature moved to extend provisions of its parental rights law and DeSantis also signed into law a Teacher Bill of Rights. Other state legislatures began passing school choice and parental rights bills following Florida’s model. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pointed to Florida’s education success as a reason for Texas to pass a school choice bill.

Meanwhile, Disney continued its legal pursuit, suing DeSantis in April 2023 claiming that the legislature dissolving its self-governing status violated its First Amendment rights to free speech. By June 2023, the state argued Disney had no basis to sue Florida and moved to dismiss the case. By January 2024, Disney’s case was dismissed by a federal judge.

And then on Monday, the lawsuit filed over Florida’s parental rights bill was defeated.

“We fought hard to ensure this law couldn’t be maligned in court, as it was in the public arena by the media and large corporate actors,” DeSantis’ General Counsel Ryan Newman said. “We are victorious, and Florida’s classrooms will remain a safe place under the Parental Rights in Education Act.”

The governor’s office says the case being dropped was “a major win against the activists who sought to stop Florida’s efforts to keep radical gender and sexual ideology out of the classrooms of public-school children in kindergarten through third grade.”

The law, which is now in effect, prohibits classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity in K–3 classrooms. After grade 3, such conversations are required to be age appropriate. The law also requires parents to be notified at the beginning of every school year about health care services their schools offer and have the ability to decline them. It also requires schools to receive permission from parents to administer questionnaires or health screenings to their children.

Activists who opposed the law and media outlets “carrying water” for them, the governor’s office said, “wrote countless stories lying about the intent, design, and application of the law. The activists carried these same lies into the courtroom – thankfully, to no avail.”

Published March 20, 2024

Photo contest ‘captures the real Florida’

March 19, 2024 By Mary Rathman

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Park Service announced the winners of the 2023 Florida State Parks Photo Contest. This year’s contest had three competitive divisions: Professional/Hobbyist, Student and Mobile Phone.

‘Morning Glow,’ John Hootman (Courtesy of Florida State Parks)

The contest provides an opportunity for people to explore their favorite parks and win prizes for future adventures, as well as create memories in Florida’s state parks. Winners receive prize packages including outdoor gear and Florida State Parks merchandise.

“We received thousands of outstanding photos this year, making it challenging to select just three winners. What makes Florida State Parks so special, our diversity of wildlife, flora and geography, has been captured perfectly in these photos,” said Chuck Hatcher, director of the Florida Park Service, in a news release.

Florida’s 175 state parks, trails and historic sites offer beautiful backdrops for recreational and nature-based photos. The 2023 contest asked residents and visitors to “Capture the Real Florida” and nearly 3,800 high-quality photos were submitted, the release says.

These are the first-place winners for the 2023 contest:

Professional/Hobbyist: “Morning Glow” by John Hootman. Photo taken at Manatee Springs State Park near Chiefland.

Student: “It Never Ceases” by Hope Bartlin, student at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. Photo taken at Hillsborough River State Park.

Mobile Phone: “Reflection” by Tiffany Grandstaff. Photo taken at Honeymoon Island State Park.

To view all the finalists and winners, visit FloridaStateParks.org/PhotoContest-2023.

The 2024 photo contest will open this summer.

Published March 20, 2024

State lawmakers passed health care, social media restriction bills

March 19, 2024 By Andrew Powell

(The Center Square) — The Florida Legislature wrapped up its 2024 session on Friday passing various bills ranging from prohibiting identity politics in colleges to banning children from using social media.

Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, and House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, both had different priorities of focus this year, with Passidomo focused on health care issues and Renner focused on social media and the dangers of the internet.

House Bill 3 restricts the use of social media platforms for minors under the age of 16, completely banning children under age 14 from being able to create a social media account. Parents are able to opt in for their 14- and 15-year-old children.

Third-party age verification would also be required of websites that contain adult content or materials deemed harmful to minors, restricting these sites to age 18 and over.

Passidomo released her “Live Healthy” package of legislation, which included incentives designed to grow the health care workforce as Florida faces potential doctor shortages in coming years, which includes removing barriers to increase workforce mobility. The legislation would also increase access for underserved counties and incentivize innovation.

The state’s $117.4 billion budget was passed by lawmakers for the 2024-25 fiscal year, initially proposed to be $115 billion, and was $1 billion over Gov. Ron DeSantis’ $114.4 billion budget recommendation. The budget includes pay raises for state employees, increased funding for public schools, and sales-tax “holidays” speckled throughout the year.

According to a news release from DeSantis’ office, the budget includes $14.6 billion of surplus, and secured a further $500 million to pay down further Florida’s debt, with a total of $5.3 billion of debt having been paid since DeSantis took office in 2019.

Lawmakers also passed HB 1291, which would remove identity politics from teacher preparation programs at colleges and universities, including any lessons based on the theory that sexism, racism, oppression, and privilege “are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.”

The state’s last-resort insurer Citizens Property Insurance Corporation underwent some minor changes as lawmakers passed Senate Bill 1716. The bill would merge all of Citizens accounts into one and limit the impact on Florida by making some second homes ineligible for coverage. Private insurers would also be able to do business in Florida under certain conditions.

Published March 20, 2024

Florida leads the nation with further expansions to its workforce

March 19, 2024 By Andrew Powell

(The Center Square) — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that the job growth in Florida continues to outpace the nation in 2024, particularly in the private sector, with more than 37,900 jobs added in January of this year, a 0.4% increase.

According to a news release from DeSantis’ office and data from the Florida Department of Commerce, currently this increase is double the national rate of 0.2%, while Florida’s economic data indicates confidence among the Sunshine State’s workforce, which also grew by 243,000 or 2.2% since January 2023. Nationally, the workforce only grew at a rate of 0.8% during the same time period.

“Florida has started off the year strong by growing jobs at twice the national average. Florida continuously outperforms the national economy with fiscal stewardship, growth-friendly policies, limited government spending, and one of the lowest tax burdens per capita in the nation.” DeSantis said in a news release.

A whopping 9,700 jobs were added in January in education and health services, taking the top spot among all major industries. Tourism added 9,400 jobs, while business and professional services added 7,500 jobs, and according to DeSantis, revised economic data from 2023 showed that the economy has passed original estimates.

DeSantis thanked the implementation of Florida’s E-Verify law for the growth within the tourism industry, which ensures that companies employ legal citizens.

Statewide unemployment remains lower than the national rate for 39 consecutive months, according to DeSantis, who pointed out that the national unemployment rate was 3.7% for January 2024, 0.6 percentage points higher than Florida.

According to the news release, data indicates that there are more than enough jobs for Floridians seeking work, with more than 405,000 jobs posted online in January.

DeSantis also added job reports by region, with Fort Lauderdale’s labor force increasing by 30,606, a growth of 2.9%. Approximately 16,500 jobs were added to the private sector, an increase of 2.2% over the year.

Jacksonville’s private sector employment increased by 1.6% or 11,400, while the city’s unemployment rate was 3.3% in January 2024, an increase of 0.4 percentage points over January 2023’s rate of 2.9%.

The Miami metro area gained the highest number of private sector jobs among all metro areas. Private sector jobs increased by 3.8% or 43,900, while the unemployment rate dropped by 0.5 percentage points to a rate of 1.4%.

Published March 20, 2024

Community celebrates Benedictine Sisters

March 12, 2024 By Mary Rathman

The Saint Leo University community celebrated the 135th anniversary of the founding of the Benedictine Sisters of Florida on Feb. 28, the date in 1889 when five nuns arrived in rural East Pasco County from Pennsylvania to staff schools.

Sister Roberta Bailey, prioress, discusses the history of the Benedictine Sisters of Florida. (Courtesy of Caroline Jorgensen/Saint Leo University)

At the request of Father Gerald Pilz, the nuns began teaching in San Antonio and St. Joseph, helping to create the school that would become Saint Leo University and to found the Benedictine Sisters of Florida.

During Saint Leo’s lunch and program, Father John McEvoy gave the opening prayer and Town of St. Leo Mayor Mike D’Ambrosio read a proclamation, recognizing the 135th anniversary and in honor of the sisters’ service to the community.

Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Florida, acknowledged the significance of the occasion: “We are grateful for all that God has done for us throughout these 135 years since our founding sisters ventured forth from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Pasco County, Florida. We’ve opened and withdrawn from schools — all still a credit to our transitional skills as they continue in some form to serve the founding purpose. Some changes were welcome and settled in easily; some sat uneasy on the sisters’ shoulders as they responded to ‘the call of our times,’” said Bailey in a news release.

Saint Leo student Lili Kozlowski greets the Benedictine Sisters of Florida.

From 1929 to 1959, the sisters operated St. Benedict’s Prep school for boys. Holy Name Academy provided day and boarding programs for girls until 1964, according to the release.

“Shifting gears, we built new dormitories and a cafeteria to provide services to Saint Leo College students,” Bailey said. “In 2014, we made the courageous decision to ‘begin again’ the great adventure of the Benedictine Sisters of Florida. We sold our property north of Highway (County Road) 52 to Saint Leo University and built a one-level house on a former citrus grove across the highway.”

The prioress also noted the many careers the sisters have had: classroom teachers, principal, mission superior, CCD teachers and coordinators, and “mom” at Good Counsel Camp. The Benedictine Sisters of Florida have served as archivists, hospice volunteers, health care providers, laundry and kitchen staff, seamstresses, artists and more.

“The Benedictine Sisters, and the monks, offer an example of flexibility, perseverance and stability. Their many friends within and outside our community clearly pay tribute to our sense of radical Benedictine hospitality. In conclusion, the Benedictine Sisters of Florida continue to ‘do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, thanking God through him,” said Bailey.

Published March 13, 2024

Planning commission approves zoning amendments

March 12, 2024 By Joe Potter

The Pasco County Planning Commission approved two zoning amendments and two comprehensive plan amendments during its March 7 meeting.

The Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will need to finalize these decisions at future meetings. This is because the Planning Commission acts in an advisory capacity to the BOCC.

Discussed at length was the approval of the transmittal of a comprehensive plan amendment affecting a 92.6-acre parcel on Bellamy Brothers Boulevard to the BOCC for its adoption. The request had originally been listed on the meeting’s agenda as a consent item and such items are typically adopted with little or no discussion.

This request, submitted by Sandarben LLC of Odessa, proposed that the zoning of the property, which is currently AG (Agriculture), be changed to AG/R (Agriculture/Residential). This would enable 18 homes to be built on the property where only nine currently are allowed.

The proposal was approved by a 4-2 vote, with Planning Commission members Chris Williams and Jon Moody voting against it.

The Florida Department of Commerce (DOC) and other agencies had reviewed the request because of the size of the property in question. The BOCC received a letter of no comment from the Florida DOC.

An area resident, Ralph Barthle, asked for the request to be denied. Barthle said he is concerned about 10 traffic fatalities that had occurred on Bellamy Brothers Boulevard between 2017 and 2023. This was on the stretch of the road from the Hernando County line to State Road 52 in Pasco County.

He told Planning Commission members five of the fatalities had been from 2017-2022 while five more had occurred in 2023 alone. People don’t drive on Bellamy Brothers Boulevard as they should and also speed around curves, according to Barthle.

The property owner’s representative defended the request. She told Planning Commission members a curve on Bellamy Brothers Boulevard near the affected site was not one that was conducive to causing a traffic accident because of its elevation or other factors.

In other matters last Thursday, the Planning Commission:

Approved a zoning amendment for Serene Preserve Master Planned Unit Development (MPUD) that was requested by EC-Willow Bend LLC of St. Petersburg. The property is currently zoned E-R (Estate Residential). The requested change referred to by the BOCC would permit the development of 37 single-family detached units near Willow Bend Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.
Approved a zoning amendment for 1.95 acres of property located on the northeast of Tupper Road and State Road 54. The property is currently zoned R-2 (Low Density Residential District) and C-2 (General Commercial District). The requested change that was referred to the BOCC is for the entire property to be zoned C-2.
Recommended approval of a comprehensive plan amendment requested by Finlay Commercial Center to permit 3.49 acres of property north of Dade City to be changed from RES-6 (Residential-6 DU/GA) to COM (Commercial). If approved by the BOCC, this would allow the property located on the east side of U.S. 301 and approximately 750 feet south of U.S. 98 to be used for commercial purposes.
Timber Ridge LLC of Dade City requested a continuance to the April 4 Planning Commission in Dade City of a zoning amendment it is seeking. The applicant would like to have the zoning of the approximately 48.42-acre parcel located at 15845 14th St., to be changed from R-3 (Medium Density Residential District) to an MPUD (Master Planned Unit Development. The item was originally on the consent agenda but the applicant requested the continuance. If adopted by the BOCC, the applicant could be allowed to develop a maximum of 190 single-family detached units.

Published March 13, 2024

Proposed ordinance could help spark employment growth

March 12, 2024 By Joe Potter

The Pasco County Planning Commission agreed to refer a proposed ordinance to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) that, if adopted, is likely to help promote increased employment growth in the county.

Several amendments to Pasco County’s Comprehensive Plan are being proposed.

One of the purposes of the proposed ordinance is to streamline policy implementation and to upgrade policy approaches in response to market demands.

Also being considered is an amendment that would provide for better flexibility in implementing employment-generating land use classifications.

If the ordinances are adopted, authorized commercial uses and the general range of potential uses to further the intent of employment generation would be amended.

Industrial compatibility adjacent to wetlands, commercial development in general, and land uses and floor area ratios (FAR) within Future Land Use (FLU) categories are being considered.

Making changes in commercial infill development, commercial location limitations and amending calculations of residential densities would occur if the ordinance was adopted.

The county’s intent of restricting Industrial Heavy (IH) uses adjacent to wetlands would also be clarified along with clarity on where commercial development could occur. Meanwhile, provisions allowing for greater flexibility for where neighborhood commercial development could occur also would be included.

In addition, the location of commercial development being able to occur at collector and arterial intersections including collector/collector, arterial/arterial and collector/arterial intersections would be clarified.

Size limitations would be increased from 4 acres to 5 acres, to align with how commercial infill is treated.

Texts would be amended to remove prohibition of light industrial land use classifications and uses adjacent to Category 1 wetlands.

And finally, there would be provisions for amendments that would be necessary for consistency if the ordinance was adopted.

The BOCC is scheduled to consider the ordinance for adoption at its June 4 meeting in Dade City.

Published March 13, 2024

Pasco Extension opens food pantry in Dade City

March 12, 2024 By Mary Rathman

UF/IFAS Cooperative Extension Pasco County has announced a new food bank providing essential food items for community members at the One Stop Shop, 15029 14th St., in Dade City.

The food pantry will be open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. It will be stocked by The Volunteer Way and will provide these types of food: protein, beans, frozen vegetables, and fruit, according to a news release.

Families can receive one box per week, with amounts of food based on family size. Food items will vary, as will amounts.

For additional information, call 352-521-1254.

For more about the Extension Service, including volunteer opportunities, visit MyPas.co/UFIFASPascoExt.

Published March 13, 2024