The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Wesley Chapel/New Tampa News

Wesley Chapel Boulevard widening to start soon

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Wesley Chapel Boulevard, between State Road 54 and State Road 56, is a busy road and has needed widening for years. That work is expected to begin in nine months, according to Margaret Smith, Pasco County’s engineer. (Mike Camunas)

Right of way needed to widen Wesley Chapel Boulevard has been acquired and the work to widen the busy road is expected to begin within nine months.

Once the project is completed, the road will have three lanes in each direction between State Road 54 and State Road 56.

Some of the widening work has already occurred.

The project is of considerable interest to motorists who use it for their daily commutes, to take advantage of the area’s shopping and dining options, and to access Interstate 75, via State Road 54 or State Road 56.

Wesley Chapel Boulevard also is known as County Road 54.

It straddles the edge of Cypress Creek Town Center, where State Road 54 turns into State Road 56, and it leads to the other part of State Road 54, which heads east through Wesley Chapel toward Zephyrhills.

Published March 22, 2023

Planning is ‘a balancing act,’ planning board chairman says

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When the Pasco County Planning Commission considers a request, it needs to look at the issue from every side, board chairman Charles Grey said during a recent meeting.

“It’s a balancing act. You’ve got to balance the rights of a property owner with the rights and the expectations of the current citizens in the area. So, what we try to do is push and pull until we feel we have a reasonable balance in that area. It’s never going to be perfect,” Grey said, during a March 2 public hearing.

His remarks came during consideration of a request to allow a maximum of 162 townhomes, on a 40-acre site off Caroline Drive, in Wesley Chapel.

Attorney Barbara Wilhite, representing the applicant, said the request calls for 162 on land is designated on the long-range plan for up to 194 units.

The previous zoning allowed single-family detached residences; this one calls for townhomes, which essentially are attached residences, Wilhite said.

The site is within the county’s urban service area and the county has identified future “vision” roads in the area.

Vision roads are roads that are not yet part of any capital improvement plan, but are envisioned as being necessary to serve future growth.

Wilhite said there are two significant vision roads in the area, including a vision road that would extend Bruce B. Downs Boulevard through Wiregrass, Saddlebrook and north to Overpass Road.

The other vision road is an extension of Wells Road, Wilhite said.

“Because of these major roads, there will be higher density and intensity, as you approach these intersections,” Wilhite said.

She also noted there are some advantages of townhome development over detached single-family development.

“One of the benefits of the townhomes is that you have a central amenity,” she said. “By contrast, at individual residences, pools can be within 5 feet of the property line.”

Wilhite also noted: “Townhomes are commonly maintained. If you live in a townhome, you pay your HOA to maintain your roof, your paint, your shrubs, your grass and the landscaping in the common areas. In a single-family subdivision, you pay your HOA to chase your neighbor to try to get them to comply.”

She showed the planning board a visual of the proposed site plan.

“You see a lot of ponds on here because of the density. We have property. We’re able to cluster those townhomes and create a very nice living environment,” Wilhite said.

The attorney acknowledged that neighbors are concerned about additional traffic that will traveling down Caroline Drive, en route to State Road 54.

Several of those neighbors spoke during the public comment portion of the hearing, expressing concerns about traffic.

Others spoke about the incompatibility of a townhome community next to single-family homes, and others mentioned the potential loss of area wildlife and a concern about a potential increase in crime resulting from more people moving into the area.

The developer has agreed to pave Caroline Drive to Pasco County standards.

He also has agreed to install a sidewalk on one side of Caroline Drive.

That concession came after board chairman Grey asked if a sidewalk would be added on Caroline Drive, to address safety concerns.

“In order for me to feel comfortable about approving a new development, it needs to bring something to the existing area they don’t have. It can’t just take,” Grey said.

“If it doesn’t enhance the adjoining areas in some significant way, then why put it there? It’s not ready for it,” Grey said. “We’ve got to look out for our citizens.”

The developer also will do any necessary access management improvements that are required at State Road 54 and Caroline Drive.

Plus, there will be an emergency-access only gate at Tucker Road, but that designation could change in the future if Tucker Road is paved and the county’s future road network is established.

The developer also has agreed to construct a six-foot fence around the project, which will be gated.

The county’s planning staff recommended approval of the request and the planning board concurred, with the exception of Planning Commissioner Peter Hanzel, who voted no.

Hanzel said he would prefer the site be developed with larger, single-family homes.

Published March 22, 2023

Festive day marks open house for BayCare Wesley Chapel Hospital

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Visitors had plenty of options at BayCare Wesley Chapel Hospital’s community open house.

Outdoors, they could get free health screenings, apply for jobs, grab a bite from a food truck and enjoy live music.

Indoors, they could take self-guided tours, with stops in various parts of the hospital.

They could peek into the fully equipped private patient rooms. The rooms have ample space for visitors and they are Alexa-enabled, allowing patients to play music, turn lights off and on, raise and lower blinds, and, of course, call the nurse, among other things.

BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel is scheduled to open on March 7. It aims to help meet the health care needs in a growing region. (B.C. Manion)

Tour-takers also could see a surgical suite, check out different departments, learn about various services and enjoy the artwork adorning walls along some hospital corridors.

They also could get a glance at the hospital’s restaurant, Waves Café, and take a look at the gift shop.

Hospital employees were stationed at spots throughout the tour, to field questions. Signs were posted, too, providing additional details.

Staffers eagerly shared their enthusiasm for being part of the BayCare team.

Some employees at the Wesley Chapel location transferred from other BayCare hospitals. They said they’re happy to work closer to home.

Others are new to the health care organization.

Many — whether new to BayCare or not — said they were attracted by having the opportunity to be part of a brand-new hospital and to help set the tone for quality care.

Rebecca Schulkowski, president of BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, is enthused, too.

Rebecca Schulkowski, president of BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, is eager to lead a new hospital that aims to introduce the area to BayCare’s quality of care. Some patients who will use the hospital already are familiar with BayCare because they’ve received care at the health system’s St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz and at BayCare’s main campus in Tampa.

“I’m just so thrilled to be here. I’m so excited to be a part of bringing something new to the community, to be able to represent BayCare and the BayCare values,” she said.

She was pleased, too, by the event’s turnout.

“It’s been a phenomenal morning. It’s extremely humbling, to me, to see how gracious the community is to us,” the hospital executive said.

Thousands turned out.

The crowd was diverse. There were families with young children, retirees and people of all ages, in between.

The vast majority arrived in shuttle buses provided by the hospital, catching rides at stops at The Shops at Wiregrass or Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

Others strolled over, from the adjacent Seven Oaks neighborhood.

“It’s a testament of the healthiness of this neighborhood — how many people have just walked over,” Schulkowski said.

All of the patient rooms in the hospital are private. They are Alexa-enabled and there’s ample room for visitors, too. Visiting hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Many of those she spoke with were curious about the hospital’s services.

Those services will include medical services and health care resources relating to: breast health; diabetes and endocrinology; diagnostic services including imaging and lab; ear, nose and throat; emergency room; gastroenterology; heart and vascular; intensive care unit with virtual-monitoring beds; interventional radiology; orthopedics; primary care; pulmonology and respiratory; surgery including robotic surgery; urology and wound care.

But the services will not include labor and delivery.

“One of the reasons we chose not to do it is when we looked at the demographics, most of the people moving to this area — they’re established families,” the hospital president said.

BayCare does offer those services at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz and St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital in Tampa.

Beyond providing health care services, BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel is providing a significant number of jobs.

It currently has about 350 team members, including full-time, part-time and labor pool positions, with about 90% of the openings filled, Schulkowski said.

There also will be additional staffing needs, as the hospital grows.

“We built the foundation of this hospital, with expansion in mind. We want to grow with the community,” Schulkowski said.

She estimated the staff will grow to around 600 in the future.

Originally, expansion wasn’t expected for at least four or five years.

But the hospital president said: “According to the response of the community this morning, it might be faster than I thought.”

BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel
Where: 4501 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. (The location is on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, between State Road 56 and State Road 54, east of Interstate 75.)
When: Opening day is March 7. Visiting hours will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Why: The hospital will provide health care services in a growing region. It has 86 private rooms and 20 Emergency Room beds. It offers comprehensive medical services and health care resources, including an emergency department, an intensive care unit with virtual-monitoring beds, diagnostic services such as imaging and lab, and surgical services.
Cost: The 318,000-square-foot building is on a campus of more than 40 acres. The project’s estimated cost is $246 million.
Fun fact: Alexa stands ready to assist. Patients can ask Alexa to play music, turn on the TV, turn off the TV; raise the blinds, lower the blinds; change the temperature; and, of course, call the nurse.

Published March 01, 2023

 

Pasco eyes possible Ridge Road extension to Overpass Road

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The final segment of the Ridge Road, which is scheduled to reach U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes, could turn into just another stop along the road.

The board of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) — the county’s lead transportation planning agency — has decided to let its staff explore the possibility of extending Ridge Road over to Overpass Road in Wesley Chapel.

The study came at the suggestion of Pasco County Commission Chairman Jack Mariano who noted that work has been approved to plan an extension of Overpass Road to U.S. 301.

If that extension occurs to the east of Overpass and if the proposed link is approved to U.S. 41, then Ridge Road potentially could become another east-west road corridor across Pasco.

The stars on this map indicate the end point of Ridge Road on U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes and a potential endpoint for an extension that would take it to Overpass Road. The potential extension is just an idea at this point. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

Mariano discussed the idea with Carl Mikyska, executive director of the Pasco MPO, and brought the issue to the board at its Feb. 9 meeting, for discussion and direction.

“Currently, state roads 54 and 52 offer east-west movements, but there’s a distance between those two roads. The concept here is to look at a mid-county, east-west connection,” Mikyska said.

Mariano told his MPO board colleagues: “The traffic relief we’ve felt from the Ridge Road extension, running from let’s call it Moon Lake to Suncoast has been great,” Mariano said.

Ridge Road is slated to reach Sunlake Boulevard in the summer and then stretch over to U.S. 41 in 2025, he said.

He encouraged his colleagues to support a closer look at extending it to Overpass Road.

“Let’s investigate it, see if it works. I think if you put that other road going across this whole county, it’s going to really help us long-term with our transportation issues,” he said.

Mariano added: “This is not a brand-new idea. When I was first elected, this was one of the things we talked about. We had to decide whether we were going to keep fighting with (U.S.) Army Corps (of Engineers) to get the Ridge Road extension, we were looking to get all of the way to (Interstate) 75.”

The decision was made at that time to get Ridge Road to U.S. 41 and then look at an additional extension, Mariano said.

“I think it’s wise to take a look at it now. Let’s get started on it and see where it takes us.”

Starkey asked about potential environmental restrictions.

Mikyska noted: “There are some wellfields in there and it’s labeled the Cypress Creek Preserve.”

Starkey added: “I don’t know what kind of restrictions are on there. I just don’t know what we would be up against if we went through there.”

Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman expressed words of caution.

“So, obviously this goes through the heart of my district,” he said.

“The property that is owned through here is kind of a conglomerate of Tampa Bay Water, SWFMD (Southwest Florida Water Management District) owns parcels and there’s some private entities.

“As it gets further east, there’s conservation easement with one family. A little bit further south, Quail Hollow, then it connects into the Overpass area.

“That area is such a significant area for our water supply, our water quality,” he said.

“Studying it (the road extension), is one thing. I think we really, really need to understand the impacts, if we go disturbing that because that water supplies, obviously, you know the Greater Tampa Bay area, with an essential resource,” Weightman said.

“It’s a very environmentally sensitive place. It’s a very pristine piece of nature.

“I just want that on the record as we look at this,” Weightman said.

Mariano responded: “I respect what it is. I look at the Suncoast Parkway running right through the heart of Serenova. Keep in mind, too, when we did that, there were 6,500 homes that had been built, 250 acres of commercial development, 250 more acres of other retail that was going to be put in and all of that got extinguished going through.

“I don’t know what the limitations are. I don’t exactly know all of the effects. But I will say, I think that we’ve built that Ridge Road extension, environmentally very sensitive, protected everything down below it.”

Mariano added that the extension could be a two-lane road or a four-lane road.

“We don’t know until we study, the ramifications, etc., but it’s such a critical piece of us, going east-west. I think it’s worth a look. Especially now, since the Overpass interchange has been built. That’s a $55 million product that we’ve got for infrastructure, instead of going all of the way to (U.S.) 301. I think we need to look at both sides.

Weightman responded: “I don’t disagree with looking at a road concept. My concern is once the road is there and limits are pushed, for developments and what comes along with it. I think we just need to be very measured, as we go through this process and really understand the impacts of these properties and building on them.”

Mariano: “’I’m not looking at anything but the roadway to go through.

“If we don’t look at it, we’ll never know.”

Lance Smith, who sits on the Zephyrhills City Council, told his colleagues: “I’m like Commissioner Weightman, I’m very sensitive to the land there. We can study that and we could minimize any impact to it because we don’t need sprawling development along a road, but if we need to move traffic, that’s a different issue.”

The next step will be for the Pasco MPO staff to look at the idea, as it screens projects that would be conducted with the long-range transportation plan.

That list is due in December of 2024, Mikyska said. 

“So the suggestion would be, that as we put in projects to the long-range plan, we take them to a higher-level screening,” Mikyska said.

That screening will provide “a better sense of what exactly we would be facing, in terms of any challenges, such as you’re identifying here.

“I think that would give you a clearer picture of what this facility may offer for challenges and opportunities, and it would allow you to have a more informed choice as we look at going forward or not going forward,” Mikyska said.

Published March 01, 2023

Saddlebrook Resort redevelopment request delayed

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The Pasco County Commission is set to take up a request involving the redevelopment of Saddlebrook Resort at its April 4 meeting.

After several hours of testimony on Feb. 7, the board decided to delay the request until then, to provide more time to get questions answered and to give opposing parties a chance to seek resolution.

The issue involves a request by Miami-based Mast Capital to redevelop Saddlebrook, which opened in Wesley Chapel in 1981.

At its prime, Saddlebrook was known internationally for excellence in its golf facilities, with its two Arnold Palmer-designed courses and for its tennis facilities and programs.

Future plans for Saddlebrook Resort remain a topic of debate. (File)

Elite athletes flocked there to use the resort’s facilities, and its golf and tennis academies helped to prepare future champions.

But there’s consensus now that improvements are needed at the 40-year-plus facility to restore its former glory.

Contentious debate continues, however, over whether Mast Capital’s vision is the best way to move forward.

“I get the sense that we’re all at an impasse — the board members, Mast and their project, and the residents,” Commissioner Seth Weightman said.

He called for a continuance.

“I’d like to spend some more time, meet with the applicant — get some assurances and an understanding on what we’re looking like going forward, what the final plan is,” Weightman said.

Commissioner Ron Oakley said he hopes the delay will give opponents a chance to come closer to resolution.

“Somewhere in the middle is the right fix, for the residents and for Mast,” Oakley said, adding if they can find common ground in the middle, both sides can win.

During the Feb. 7 public hearing, the county board considered Mast Capital’s request to transmit its proposed land use change to the state Department of Economic Opportunity and other state agencies for review.

That’s just one step in the process, which also requires Mast Capital to obtain county board approvals of a proposed land use change and a revised Saddlebrook master plan.

Attorney Barbara Wilhite represents Mast Capital, which purchased Saddlebrook about 10 months ago, from Tom Dempsey, the original owner.

Wilhite explained Mast Capital’s proposed changes.

In broad strokes, the redevelopment plan has four parts: two areas are within Saddlebrook’s gated community and two outside, next to State Road 54.

The redevelopment calls for 105,000 square feet of commercial and retail entitlements — a 5,000-square-foot increase over its current entitlement. It also calls for an additional 55 beds for the existing golf and tennis academy; a 12,000-square-foot clubhouse; 155 townhomes; and 465 apartments.

Development along State Road 54 would include a mixture of commercial and residential uses in a walkable area featuring neighborhood parks, patio seating, a wide boulevard and other amenities, according to the proposal.

Plans also call for dual left-hand turning lanes leading out of the resort’s main entrance. Plus, an additional right-in/right-out access would serve the new development along State Road 54.

Jordan Kornberg, managing director and head of acquisitions for Mast Capital, explained the company’s vision for Saddlebrook, which is located off State Road 54, east of Interstate 75.

“We want it to be a world-class resort again. We want to prop up the golf academy, the tennis academy and really all of the existing components of that business are our focus.

“This will create jobs, significant economic benefit to the county and enhance the existing residents and the community,” he said.

Since acquiring Saddlebrook, Mast Capital has invested $5 million in capital improvements and expects to spend $5 million more this year, Kornberg said.

Bryce Swanson, a golf course architect for Rees Jones Inc., described plans for replacing the resort’s two 18-hole Arnold Palmer golf courses with three nine-hole courses.

Commission Chairman Jack Mariano, noting he’s recently played golf at Saddlebrook, spoke against the idea of reconfiguring the courses.

“Why can’t we just work to improve what’s there?” Mariano asked.

“The greens are in fantastic shape. The best I’ve seen them, maybe ever. That course is well-designed. It drains well, if it’s maintained,” Mariano said.

Swanson disagreed: “The golf course is in dire need of repair.

“The drainage system doesn’t work. The irrigation system is on Band-aids. Things need to be repaired,” he said.

One course can’t be used during the rainy season because the drainage is so poor, he said.

Swanson said his company told Mast Capital that putting things back to the way they were would be “more of a short-term fix.”

Saddlebrook resident Patrick Hogan said he and his wife purchased their home — with its views of holes 12, 13 and 14 — with the expectation it would stay that way.

“In our mind, we didn’t just buy a home with a golf course view. We bought a home with a Palmer golf course view. Rees Jones is very reputable, but they are not Arnold Palmer and we will no longer have Arnold Palmer courses.”

Hogan questioned how the resort could attract tournaments without an 18-hole course.

Kornberg said the new design has flexibility: two nine-hole courses could be combined for an 18-hole course.

Numerous residents urged the county board to reject the request.

Joann Barbetta, who lives on Fox Hunt Drive, and her husband, Larry, organized the Save Our Saddlebrook Coalition.

Joann Barbetta told the county board: “Ten years ago, we came to Saddlebrook, when our daughter had dreams of training at a tennis academy.

“The tennis drew us in, but the wonderful people, the natural beauty and the abundant wildlife made us stay.

“You can see that Saddlebrook is simply spectacular,” she said, referring to video shots of the resort’s natural areas. “The expansive and dense collection of trees, the winding roads, the spacious driving range were all carefully laid out.

“The homes are spaced far apart, with a lot of privacy and large open spaces. The peacefulness and serenity of that, cannot be overstated,” she said.

Larry Barbetta added: “We love our community. We are here to make sure that anything that’s done in the development and redevelopment of our community is consistent with the values, heritage and builds on the legacy of Saddlebrook.”

A number of other speakers raised concerns about traffic; insufficient fire, police and emergency services; a threat to their quality of life; and, a potential drop in property values.

But Barry Shein, treasurer on Saddlebrook’s condo association’s board, said the coalition of opponents do not represent everyone with property at the resort.

He said his group has been working with Mast Capital and is confident its representatives “are people of integrity.

“I believe they will do what they say they are going to do,” he said.

Shein also noted the Mast Capital proposed development will help generate money needed to make improvements to upgrade the property.

The condo board’s attorney, according to Shein, has been involved in drafting the deed restriction “to make sure, in perpetuity, the golf course would remain a golf course.”

Published February 22, 2023

Pasco Pepin school expected to be built by 2024

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Pasco County Schools has moved a step closer in its partnership with Pepin Academies, to establish Pepin Academy at Kirkland Ranch, a new charter school for third- through 12th-graders.

The school will be on the campus of Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, at 9100 Curley Road in Wesley Chapel.

It will be built to accommodate 400 student stations, and beyond standard classrooms, it will have an administrative suite, media center, student dining/multipurpose room, music room, art room, and other elective classrooms/labs, according to information in the Pasco County School Board’s Feb. 7 agenda packet.

The project also may include infrastructure for a future gym if the gym cannot be accommodated within the current construction budget.

Other parts of the plan include exterior covered play areas, playgrounds and a playfield. 

Also, there will be an on‐site parent pickup and drop‐off driveways, the agenda materials say.

The school board and Pepin Academies are listed as owners in the agreement approved with Hepner Architects, as part of the school board’s consent agenda.

Pepin Academies selected Hepner for the project, which has a construction budget of $14 million. Construction is expected to be completed by summer of 2024.

The agreement includes providing basic services: architectural design, civil engineering, landscape/irrigation design, structural engineering, other engineering, and a criteria‐based fire sprinkler design.

The architect proposed a fixed fee in the amount of $908,000, for basic services, which includes  $75,800 for civil engineering basic services.

The school board’s action follows the approval of a contract in November — between Pepin and the school board — which sealed the deal on the unique partnership.

The school construction must meet all state requirements, and Pepin and the school board have agreed to fund the construction of the school using impact fees.

When it approved the partnership, the school board also approved a memorandum of understanding, as well as a step-in agreement for the district to take over the school, should the charter school cease operations.

Pepin Academies are full-time exceptional student education day schools that offer a standard diploma option for students with learning and learning-related disabilities in grades three through 12, according to Pepin’s website.

Pepin Academies operates a Pasco campus in New Port Richey, one in Tampa and one in Riverview. It provides individualized instruction, focused on providing academic and social achievement, its website says.

The new charter school will be the third school on the Kirkland Ranch campus. Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, a magnet school for grades nine through 12, is already operating, and Kirkland Ranch K-8 is set to open in August 2024.

Published February 22, 2023

Overpass Road interchange opens at Interstate 75

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Interstate 75 now has three exits to Wesley Chapel.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) announced on Jan. 18 that the new interchange with exits to I-75 at Overpass Road in Wesley Chapel were open. The new Overpass Road also now connects Old Pasco Road, all the way east to Handcart Road.

An aerial shot of the new interchange at Overpass Road in Wesley Chapel, which now features a ‘flyover’ ramp for westbound Overpass Road traffic entering southbound Interstate75. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation)

The $64.4-million project began in Feb. 2021, with Overpass being closed completely as construction crews removed the previous two-lane bridge and installed the new four-lane overpass.

Located about halfway between the State Road 54 and State Road 52 interchanges, the new Exit 282 provides an alternative commuting option to area residents, especially those who live in older established communities on Old Pasco Road, as well as newer communities headed east on Overpass, such as Epperson Lagoon and Watergrass.

The interchange includes exit and entrance ramps to both directions of I-75 and features a “flyover” ramp for westbound Overpass Road traffic entering southbound I-75.

Drivers are advised to be alert to new traffic signals that are now active at the ramp intersections with Overpass Road. Workers also will continue to be in the area over the next few weeks completing the project, such as opening both lanes of the flyover and calibrating the digital road signs positioned before the interstate on ramps that give traffic updates.

Additionally, FDOT recently proposed a tentative five-year work program that includes about $433 million worth of roadway improvements in Pasco County.

That figure includes about $258 million worth of projects to expand roadway capacity, but also includes resurfacing, pedestrian and bicycle safety enhancements, and other work, too, according to Jensen Hackett, of FDOT.

One of the many projects in that budget proposal is adding lanes leading from the State Road 56

interchange heading south toward I-75 and toward I-275. When complete, the project will be similar to the lengthy exit from I-75 toward State Road 56. The idea is to make it easier for motorists to get over to I-75 or over to I-275. Right of way acquisition is proposed for fiscal year 2024 and construction for fiscal year 2026.

Published February 01, 2023

Applications now being accepted for Spotlight on Talent

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Faith Phaller was named winner of the $1,000 Pasco Heritage Scholarship during last year’s Spotlight on Talent. (Courtesy of Heritage Arts Center)

Spotlight on Talent, a regional talent competition that’s celebrating its 40th year, is accepting applications for this year’s contest.

The deadline to apply is Feb. 9. Auditions have been set for Feb. 25.

The event, presented by the Heritage Arts Center Association, gives young performers a chance to show off their talents, as well as to compete for cash prizes, trophies, and a scholarship that is awarded to the most outstanding senior.

Hundreds of performers will audition in front of a panel of professional judges, who select the finalists. There are singers, dancers and instrumentalists, and competitors can enter as solo acts, as part of a group, or both. The competition also is divided by age groups.

Finalists from the audition will perform in two shows, set for March 25.

The performances typically attracts audiences numbering into the hundreds.

Over the years, the annual competition has gone on — even in the midst of COVID-19, without a stage or audience.

This year, the event is scheduled to take the stage at the Center for the Arts at Wesley Chapel, at 30651 Wells Road, in Wesley Chapel.

For more information, or to apply to compete, visit HeritageArts.org.

Published February 01, 2023

Interchange at Overpass Road and I-75 expected to open soon

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The new Interstate 75 interchange at Overpass Road, in Pasco County, is expected to open by the end of January.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley shared that news during the county board’s Jan. 10 meeting.

The new interchange is about 3.5 miles south of State Road 52 in Pasco County.

The new diamond interchange will include a flyover ramp for westbound Overpass Road access onto southbound I-75, according to information about the project included on the Florida Department of Transportation’s District 7 website.

Ridge Road will eventually be extended east, all the way to U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes, and go through the planned town of Angeline. (Mike Camunas)

To accommodate the new interchange, Overpass Road has been widened from two lanes to four lanes between the interstate and Old Pasco Road, and six lanes between the interstate and Boyette Road. Blair Drive has been realigned to connect with Old Pasco Road. McKendree Road has been realigned to connect with Boyette Road.

At the same meeting, County Administrator Mike Carballa told board members that the bid for the next phase of the Ridge Road extension could go out as soon as this winter or spring.

That project will extend the transportation corridor from the Suncoast Parkway to U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

The first leg of the extension now carries traffic from Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey to the Suncoast Parkway in Land O’ Lakes. The second leg, which is slated for completion in 2025, will extend Ridge Road over to U.S. 41, also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

County officials have pushed for the Ridge Road extension for decades, but encountered legal challenges from environmentalists and faced permitting delays.

Pasco officials persisted in the quest to get the new road, describing it as a critical hurricane evacuation route and as another needed east-west transportation corridor for Pasco motorists.

Officials also have noted that the extension will improve accessibility to a rapidly growing area in Pasco County, as plans move ahead for Moffitt Cancer Center’s Pasco campus, which is expected to attract life science companies and researchers from around the globe.

The campus is in the center of a newly emerging area, known as Angeline, which will feature diverse housing styles, an extensive trail system, the latest in internet technology, schools, a community farm, wetlands and other features.

On other topics:

  • Commissioner Kathryn Starkey told her colleagues that the county needs to have an enforcement plan to respond to illegal used car dealerships and storage facilities. She’d also like the board to have a discussion on the issue of short-term rentals. Plus, she informed them of a planned celebration for international business at the board’s Feb. 21 meeting.
  • Commissioner Gary Bradford also informed the board that he had spoken at a groundbreaking ceremony for Fire Rescue Station No. 20, on Little Ranch Road. The old station had two bays. This one will have four.

In addition to hearing those updates, the county board:

  • Approved an agreement with Asphalt Paving Systems Inc., for the Lacoochee Industrial right of way improvements, segments one and two, for nearly $2.17 million
  • Approved a contract for $730,246 with Daikin Applied Americas Inc., to replace the chiller system at the East Pasco Government Center. The 22-year-old chiller HVAC system has outlasted its expected 15-year life cycle and for the past year a rented, temporary exterior chiller system has been used to cool the build. The price includes a 10-year warranty for parts and labor.
  • Approved spending up to $69,000 for a Staff Development Day appreciation celebration ceremony for all county employees, planned for Feb. 20
  • Approved a contract with Sunbelt Sod & Grading Company for a total of $1.75 million, for as-needed sod over fiscal years 2023 through 2025
  • Approved a contract with Daikin Applied for $304,490 for the purchase and installation of five energy recovery ventilators and the installation of a safety railing system in the Charlie Barracks of the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center

Published January 18, 2023

Pasco approves about 400 new residential entitlements

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The Pasco County Commission has set the stage for an additional 240 single-family homes, near an area known as the Villages of Pasadena Hills in the southeast part of the county.

The board voted unanimously on Jan. 10 to approve a request to change the county’s long-range plan to increase the development potential on 61 acres of land, at 59430 Billmar Road, in Wesley Chapel.

The land previously was designated for up to three dwellings per acre, but the county board changed the category to allow up to six units per acre.

However, the applicant has agreed to a maximum of 240 units, which works out to be an average of 3.93 units per acre.

County planners and the Pasco County Planning Commission each recommended approval of the request.

The development is perceived as a transitional land use between the Villages of Pasadena Hills and surrounding higher density residential land uses. The request also is considered to support the mission of the county’s South Market area, according to materials in the county board’s agenda packet.

The site abuts the Chapel Crossing master-planned unit development (MPUD) to the west and Avalon Park West, formerly known as the New Rivers MPUD, to the south.

The access to the site is on Billmar Road, a 13-foot-wide private residential dirt road. There is a proposed trail that will bisect along the south side of the project site named the Eiland Boulevard Trail.

There also is a proposed arterial roadway identified on the highway vision road map as Zephyrhills Bypass extension planned for future development that will provide additional access south of the proposed project site.

There are no roads or access located to the east side of the subject site.

A rezoning request for the Hamilton Oaks MPUD is associated with the land use change.

In another action the county board approved a rezoning to change an agricultural-residential zoning to a medium density multifamily district, allowing the development of 158 townhomes.

The 30.2-acre site, at the intersection of Chancey Road and Diana Drive, historically has been used for timber and grazing.

Published January 18, 2023