DADE CITY – The Pasco County Planning Commission recently delayed a decision until March 6 on a rezoning request made by Evans Properties Inc., on 80 acres within the Northeast Pasco Rural Protection Area.
The planning commission held a lengthy public hearing Feb. 6 prior to voting in favor of the continuance.
The Pasco County Board of County Commissioners, which has the final authority on rezoning requests, has scheduled a public hearing regarding Evans’ rezoning request on March 11 in Dade City.
The Evans family’s property, located south of County Line Road North and east of Lake Iola Road, is currently zoned as an agricultural district.
They want to change the zoning to a master planned unit development to build 300 multi-family units (platted townhomes and condominiums), 100,000 square feet of commercial space and 1.5 million square feet of light industrial uses on the site.
Future land-use plans have designated the Evans’ property as employment center for the past 20 years.
The Pasco County Department of Planning, Development and Economic Growth had recommended the planning commission to do one of three things regarding the Evans property.
Planning staff’s initial recommendation was to continue the request to the planning commission’s March 6 meeting in Dade City. This was because they had received a lot of new information from the applicant a short time before the Feb. 6 meeting.
Staff’s alternative motion 1 was that the planning commission recommend county commissioners deny the rezoning request. Alternative 2 was to have the applicant’s conditions of approval, which were included in its application, to be attached if the planning commission recommended approval of the rezoning request.
Staff’s desire to have the planning commission recommend denial was based on its opinion that Evans’ request was inconsistent with several parts of Pasco County’s Comprehensive Plan Objectives and Policies regarding the existence of an employment center within the Northeast Pasco Rural Protection Area, which is designed to preserve its agricultural and rural characteristics.
They included but weren’t limited to provision of potable water services for industrial and employment center land uses; central water in employment center areas; provision of potable water and sanitary sewer; provision of potable water – rural area; and rural residential roads.
It was also staff’s opinion that Evans’ request was inconsistent with four parts of the Land Development Code:
- LDC Section 402.2.F- Master Planned United Development Standards of Review;
- LDC Section 402.2.G.2- Master Planned Unit Development Staff Review;
- LDC Section 604-Northeast Pasco Rural Protection Overlay District; and
- LDC Section 901.6.D.11- Street Design and Dedication Requirements.
Six planning commission members expressed concerns about Evans’ request.
Jon Moody told staff that he thought some of their reasons cited for denial were “an absolute grasping at straws that you’re not going to get anywhere with.” He recommended staff “do its homework” and come up with some conditions for approval for the rezoning request.
Moody added there appeared to be unanswered questions regarding Evans’ rezoning requests on the sides of both staff and the applicant and some resolutions need to be made.
Derek Pontiltz said he had some concerns whether the level of zoning Evans is requesting, “is premature for the area.”
Chris Poole said he thought this was the most difficult case that’s come before the planning commission in the time that he’s been a member.
Chris Williams, who is the representative for Pasco County Schools, said the planning staff couldn’t tell him what needed to be done to the developer’s plan to make it compatible with the comprehensive plan.
“Since we just got it last night, I don’t think anybody’s had a chance to come up with a solution,” Chairman Charles Grey said.
Vice Chairman Jamie Girardi said this was “probably one of the most contentious things we’ve had here in probably eight or 10 years.”
Joel Tew, who is a land-use consultant for the applicant, said his client would be willing to make whatever changes were necessary to its conditions.
David Engle, director of the planning department, said he was willing “to do my best to work with the Evans folks … to see if we can find a collaborative consensus but I can’t guarantee it but we will give it an effort.”
Engle added he didn’t have any axe to grind with Mr. Tew or the Evans family and that he would treat them with respect like he does with other property owners.
