Often, during rezoning cases, area residents step up to point out potential problems with traffic, flooding and other negative impacts the new development could bring.
But during a recent case involving a property in northeast Pasco County, two residents made it a point to show up to speak in favor of a request.
The request, by Floyd Philmon Groves LLC, involves changing the zoning on 38.02 acres from an agricultural district to an estate residential district, which allows two homes per acre. The site is at the northwest corner of the intersection of Platt and Blanton roads.
The request had received recommendations for approval from the county’s planning staff and from the Pasco County Planning Commission, and since there was no opposition, was included as part of the Pasco County Commission’s consent agenda.
Items on consent are approved in a single motion, without discussion.
But an area resident asked for it to be pulled from the consent agenda because she wanted to discuss it.
So it was pulled, and Nancy Hazelwood, who has been a strong proponent of preserving the rural nature of Northeast Pasco County, stepped up to the podium to address the county board.
“To me, it’s very important to say that this is something that’s being done right, in the Northeast Rural Area, going from Ag (agricultural) to Estate Rural 2,” Hazelwood said.
“It’s something that’s great for us and we hope that this continues to be done in this way,” she said.
Alma Coston, who owns property nearby, told commissioners: “I definitely approve this subdivision.”
Like Hazelwood, she’s been intensely interested in preserving Pasco’s rural areas in the northeast part of the county.
“I’ve been working on this since Sylvia Young was a county commissioner. That’s a long time to go to all of these meetings,” Coston said.
“I’ve been trying to protect this area. I think this whole Northeast Pasco should be 2 ½-acres (lot size) or greater, because this is a rural area and that’s what we want. We want it to stay rural.
“And, most of the new coming people are from Tampa because they want to get away from the congestion, the box home and they want the freedom to have more land with their homes. “They want to have horses, or cattle, or whatever.
“You know, with 2 ½ acres, I’ve seen them have cattle on it.
“I definitely think this is a good plan and all Northeast Pasco (lots) should be 2 ½ acres or greater.”
After the women concluded their remarks, the county board approved the request, 5-0.
Published October 20, 2021
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