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Zephyrhills adapts to growth, economic shifts

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If 2020 demonstrated anything, it was the necessity for area communities to have economic resiliency — that is, the ability to prevent, withstand and quickly recover from shocks to its economic base, whether that’s in response to a pandemic, natural disaster or stock market volatility.

In Zephyrhills, it’s something city planning director Todd Vande Berg and other city officials are actively balancing and preparing for, as the East Pasco municipality experiences a wave of growth and development, as well as transportation and infrastructure improvements.

Zephyrhills Planning Director Todd Vande Berg outlined how the city is setting itself up for future economic windfall during the annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit. (Courtesy of Todd Vande Berg)

Vande Berg provided an in-depth look at the city’s ongoing efforts during the annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit that was held this fall.

One key moving forward, he said, is reevaluating, updating and incorporating some “best practices” into the city’s comprehensive plan and land development code.

This includes taking a harder look at density bonuses and floor area ratios, as well as stream-lining permitting processes and broadening permitted uses, he said.

Prioritizing municipal investments in transportation (multi-modal, pedestrian-oriented, public transit) and infrastructure (water, sewer, communication networks), and recreation is important, too, he said.

Ripe for industrial manufacturing
The city is banking on diversifying its local economy and bringing high-wage jobs to town via a regional industrial/manufacturing buildout.

Local leaders believe this can be achieved through leveraging approximately 9.76 square miles (6,248 acres) of land in the southeast portion of the city around the State Road 39/Chancey Road corridor and Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. There is 3,000 acres to 4,000 acres available for potential industrial development.

Roughly a third of the entire property is within city limits and the remainder in unincorporated Pasco County — representing the largest aggregation of industrial lands in the county.

Within the area is 442 divisible acres of what’s known as the Zephyrhills Airport Industrial Park, a build-ready site equipped with water, sewer and electric utilities, and accessible to natural gas.

As industrial space along the Interstate 4 corridor begins to fill up along Tampa, Lakeland and Orlando, Zephyrhills “might be a next logical location for industrial manufacturing to come to,” Vande Berg said.

He reasoned the city’s vast land offerings is ripe to someday be home to a mix of light and heavy industrial and commercial uses — such as building spaces large enough to house semi-trailer truck bays.

The City of Zephyrhills and other local partners are working to bring industrial manufacturing to several thousands of acres of aggregate vacant land in the southeast portion of the city situated around the Chancey Road/State Road 39 corridor and Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. (Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)

The planning director explained it makes sense now more than ever to prepare for a long-range industrial plan, as Central Florida is following national trends of heavier investment in warehousing than retail construction.

The COVID-19 pandemic expedited this trend as more people and business are working and providing services remotely, in addition to the rise of Amazon and other e-commerce companies, Vande Berg said.

The city also enjoys north-south and east-west state and county road connections that support the long-term vision for industrial development, the planning director said. The city’s municipal airport, CSX main line rail access and close proximity to Port Tampa Bay and Central Florida markets are among its selling points.

“We’re pretty unique in that we have a pretty good roadway network being developed. That’s going to benefit the industrial corridor, to again make us very resilient, but we’ve got to continue to work on that,” he said.

The planning director acknowledged one challenge involves finding a way to widen the U.S. 301 corridor to four lanes from Fowler Avenue in Hillsborough County up through Zephyrhills. The roadway presently stretches four lanes from Port Tampa Bay to Fowler, but transitions to two lanes north through Pasco.

Vande Berg acknowledged that the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) hasn’t been on board with widening the road further north.

To resolve the impasse, the Pasco MPO needs to gather and collaborate with Hillsborough, Vande Berg said, “and really emphasize the importance of getting that segment of road, four lanes.”

He continued: “That four-lane corridor, I think, will pay off huge dividends for manufacturing and just overall betterment of our transportation network.”

Aside from stated transportation improvements to supplement an industrial corridor, Vande Berg also emphasized the importance of having a mechanism that provides workforce training opportunities, as people look to transition to manufacturing jobs.

“I feel like we need to look at identifying, and supporting and incentivizing all those things to provide for more of a diverse workforce,” he said.

Some next steps in the measured industrial corridor planning process include meeting with large industrial property owners; coordinating additional stakeholder meetings; having more discussions with industrial brokers; making airport and railroad improvements; and, continuing with various citywide master plan updates, Vande Berg said.

Growth already ramping up in Zephyrhills
While efforts continue to shape a future industrial hub, plenty is already happening in Zephyrhills in the way of new development, particularly residential construction.

A slew of new housing communities set to come online — such as Abbott Square, 700-plus units surrounding the new Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center off Simons Road; and Abbott Park, 500-plus units tucked behind the Zephyr Commons Publix Shopping Center, off Gall Boulevard.

Other notable homesites include the Link at Calusa Springs, north of Silverado Golf & Country Club; the Oaks at Pasco, southeast of Silverado Golf & Country Club; and Skybird Properties, off Alston Road near the municipal airport.

Various roadway improvements are paving way for new commercial development, too.

Most notable is the $2.3 million state-funded U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road intersection project, now under construction.

The project calls for new traffic signals on U.S. 301 at Pretty Pond and at Medical Arts Court/ Townview Avenue, along with other median and roadway improvements.

The 442-acre Zephyrhills Airport Industrial Park is a build-ready site equipped with water, sewer and electric utilities, and is accessible to natural gas. It’s adjacent to the city’s municipal airport and CSX railroad. (Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)

The addition of signalized intersections at these locations is designed to make it easier to move about the area, and to be an economic driver for the northeast and northwest corners of Pretty Pond.

Once construction is complete, the area is poised to land Chick-fil-A and Chipotle chain restaurants, and other businesses.

Vande Berg joked he frequently gets asked about when Chick-fil-A is coming aboard — and said the popular franchise was waiting until the intersection project received the OK to move forward.

“I’m happy to share that they’re still on board,” the city official said.

He also mentioned enhancements coming to a 1.31-mile stretch on County Road 54, east of U.S. 301, east to 23rd Street.

The city is splitting the cost of the $6.5 million project with Pasco County, which will include the addition of intersection turn lanes; a traffic signal at 23rd Street; and multi-use paths and trails on the north and south sides of the road, among other improvements.

The project is addressing one of the city’s “bigger areas of need” to improve traffic capacity along a busy and sometimes dangerous roadway, Vande Berg said.

Elsewhere, the planning director highlighted a slew of other forthcoming projects and goals, further giving a look inside the booming activity in the city:

  • Mixed-use properties along the Zephyr Commons gateway
  • New Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic off Eiland Boulevard
  • Upgrades to Hercules Park, at U.S. 301 and County Road 54, adjacent to Zephyrhills High and Woodlands Elementary schools.
  • Implementation of form-based building codes from North Avenue to C Avenue, between Sixth Street and Seventh Street
  • Efforts to have more designated complete streets throughout the city, designed to enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities. (This may include adding sidewalks, bike lanes ,or wide paved shoulders; special bus lanes; comfortable and accessible public transportation stops, frequent and safe crossing opportunities; median islands, accessible pedestrian signals; curb extensions; narrower travel lanes; roundabouts and so on.)

Published December 09, 2020

Zephyrhills to update stormwater master plan

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The City of Zephyrhills is updating its stormwater master plan for the first time in more than 20 years — an undertaking that will pinpoint the city’s most prone flooding areas and provide recommendations for addressing drainage issues.

The Zephyrhills City Council on Nov. 9 unanimously approved a project work order with planning/engineering firm Kimley-Horn Associates, for the master plan.

This is a graphic from the city’s last stormwater master plan in 2000, which shows reported flooding and initial inundation assessment. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

The contract calls for the work to be done in 11 months, and provides a lump sum fee of $249,820. The project is being paid for with city revenues and with Penny for Pasco dollars.

The finished master plan will create a tool to determine flood risk, evaluate the level of service, and develop best management practices to reduce flooding and improve water quality.

The update also will include a GIS-based schema that will facilitate a plug and play approach for future updates.

More specifically, the plan includes these components:

  • Conducting an inventory of the primary drainage infrastructure throughout the watershed with detailed analysis of infrastructure in the vicinity of identified flood-prone areas
  • Developing a detailed hydrologic and hydraulic model to characterize runoff responses throughout the watershed and flood conditions in the vicinity of identified flood-prone areas
  • Developing updated floodplain maps
  • Conducting a surface water quality assessment
  • Identifying and evaluating alternatives for improving flooding and water quality in the watershed

Kimley-Horn representatives discussed the scope of work during the council’s session.

Of note, they mentioned the industry standard is to complete a stormwater master plan update every five years, particularly for municipalities like Zephyrhills, which has undergone numerable land annexations over time.

The master plan won’t do much in the way of full-blown construction plans or permitting through SWFWMD (Southwest Florida Water Management District). But, it will identify which particular basins are in greatest need of being fixed, how to do so, and an educated estimated cost for remedies.

From there, city staffers can go to the drawing board and begin to set aside design and construction funding for those particular fixes in future budgets.

The City of Zephyrhills is updating its stormwater master plan for the first time in over 20 years. The $249,820 project is being facilitated by planning/engineering firm Kimley-Horn Associates.
The plan seeks to identify the city’s most prone flooding areas and recommendations to best remedy those issues. (File)

“It’ll give us a map of how to move forward,” Zephyrhills Public Works Director Shane LeBlanc said. “Right now we’re just kind of spinning our wheels, because we don’t have the funding and we don’t have a plan.”

LeBlanc said the updated stormwater is “long overdue.”

Technology has improved significantly since the last update was done between 1999-2000, he said.

“A lot of the technology in modeling that we have now — GIS (geographic information system), LiDAR, all that type of technology — wasn’t around in 1999 when we did out last stormwater study,” LeBlanc said.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe said the plan update could prove useful should the city ever impose a stormwater assessment fee in the future because it will give the city a clearer understanding of what it would cost to resolve potential flooding problem areas.

However, Poe noted, a stormwater assessment is not on the city’s radar yet.

The city manager also said an updated stormwater plan is useful when pursuing grant dollars or state or federal appropriations for various infrastructure projects.

Having an up-to-date, detailed, organized plan with clear objectives gives the city “extra points” in the eyes of those funding sources, Poe explained.

“You can show them the plan, ‘This is what we’re trying to do,’ so that helps being a step closer to grant dollars,” he said.

Although council members initially questioned what they perceived as a hefty price tag for the master plan, they ultimately came around to moving forward with the project.

Councilman Lance Smith, for one, called the plan’s cost “a difficult bite to swallow,” but said he understands the need for updated recommendations for each basin within the city limits.

“It’s a lot of money, but we need to know where to start,” added Council President Charles Proctor. “I do like the fact that it’s going to possibly help us, when we go to Tallahassee (Florida Legislature) to possibly bring back some funding for the city.”

Meanwhile, Councilman Ken Burgess went on to label the plan “a real useful tool” to help the city prioritize its most pressing stormwater projects “instead of just throwing darts at it and getting kind of willy nilly.”

Time to start thinking about legislative requests
In other business, the city manager advised council members to begin considering some state appropriation project requests, in advance of the 2021 legislative session.

A deadline hasn’t been set yet for submittals, but it’s not too early to start identifying priorities, Poe said.

Discussions at the staff level, Poe said, have centered around securing state funding for the following municipal projects:

  • Funding for a 30,000-square-foot multipurpose indoor sports complex at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center (that would be large enough for four tennis courts, among other sports and recreation activities, such as lacrosse and soccer)
  • Additional funding for runway extension 1-19 at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport
  • Seventh Street improvements to make it a “complete street”

In other news, Poe reported that dirt is moving on the U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road intersection — signaling construction has begun on the much-anticipated project.

“Barricades are there. Signs are there. Station markers are there. The message board is up,” the city manager said.

The $2.3 million project, being completed by BRW Contracting Inc., of Land O’ Lakes, calls for the relocation of an existing signalized intersection from the shopping plaza entrance to Pretty Pond Road, a signalized intersection at Medical Arts Court, and all other required roadway improvements.

The addition of signalized intersections at these locations is designed to improve the mobility, and serve as an economic driver for the northeast and northwest corners of Pretty Pond, officials say. The area is expected to be home to a Chick-fil-A, Aldi, and a national hotel chain, among other businesses.

Published December 02, 2020

Issues arise over contract for Zephyrhills project

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Construction on the much-anticipated U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road intersection project in Zephyrhills is in jeopardy of being delayed.

At issue is a contract the city approved for the project, which is considered to be an important improvement to spur commercial development in Zephyrhills.

The city chose BRW Contracting Inc., a Land O’ Lakes company that isn’t on the Florida Department of Transportation’s pre-qualified vendor list.

Florida statute requires contractors to be prequalified with FDOT in order to bid for the performance of road, bridge or public transportation construction contracts greater than $250,000.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe (File)

The intersection project is being funded via a $2.3 million appropriation included in this year’s state budget.

The Zephyrhills City Council last month unanimously awarded the project bid and construction agreement to BRW Contracting, in the amount of $2,161,884.40.

The pre-qualification dilemma was brought up by Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe during an Aug. 10 council meeting. He characterized the issue as “a little bit of a hiccup.”

Poe told council members he’s heard conflicting reports from state officials on whether or not the requirement can be exempted for this particular project. He is awaiting final word from state transportation officials.

Further exacerbating the issue, BRW Contracting has indicated it’s not interested in going through the pre-qualification application process at this point, Poe said.

One possible solution could have been to fast-track that process if the contractor had agreed, the city manager said.

If FDOT doesn’t waive the pre-qualification requirement, the city likely will need to re-bid the project.

Besides delaying the project’s start date, Poe said there’s “a pretty good chance” that the new bids would come in higher. He estimated the difference could be as much as $500,000 to $1 million more.

“I don’t know the science behind that (cost) increase, but we know if we go out to bid, it’s not going to be cheaper,” Poe told council members.

Council president Charlie Proctor echoed that point: “My major concern is that it’s going to cost us a lot more money if we have to go out to bid. There’s just no doubt about it.”

The scope of project calls for the relocation of an existing signalized intersection from the shopping plaza entrance to Pretty Pond Road, a signalized intersection at Medical Arts Court, and all other required roadway improvements.

The addition of signalized intersections at these locations is designed to improve the mobility and serve as an economic driver for the northeast and northwest corners of Pretty Pond.

The area is expected to be home to a Chick-fil-A, Aldi, and a national hotel chain, among other businesses.

Construction was anticipated to get underway sometime before Sept. 1, with completion targeted for spring 2021.

Meantime, Poe has reached out to the offices of state representatives Randy Maggard and Wilton Simpson, as well as FDOT District 7 secretary David Gwynn, for additional guidance and other available options on the matter.

With that, he’s informing state leaders that BRW Contracting is a company the city has worked with previously and has confidence in. The contractor helped build out Simons Road, among other projects.

Should the city be forced to bid the project out again, Zephyrhills City Attorney Matt Maggard said canceling its contract with BRW Contracting shouldn’t present a legality issue.

But, he added:  “We really don’t want that to happen.”

Published August 19, 2020

Intersection improvement gains state funding

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The Zephyrhills City Council is proceeding with plans for an intersection project at U.S. 301, Pretty Pond Road and the Townview shopping center.

Construction is anticipated to begin later this year for a traffic signal intersection project at U.S. 301, Pretty Pond Road and Townview shopping center. The project received a $2.3 million state appropriation. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

Council members unanimously awarded the bid for the project and approved a construction agreement with BRW Contracting Inc., a Land O’ Lakes company.

The project garnered interest from several construction companies, but BRW submitted the only bid, in the amount of $2,161,884.40.

The project is being funded via a $2.3 million appropriation included in this year’s state budget.

It calls for the relocation of an existing signalized intersection from the shopping plaza entrance to Pretty Pond Road, a signalized intersection at Medical Arts Court, and all other required roadway improvements.

The addition of signalized intersections at these locations is designed to improve the mobility and serve as an economic driver for the northeast and northwest corners of Pretty Pond. The area is expected to be home to a Chick-fil-A, Aldi, and national hotel chain, among other businesses.

Construction is anticipated to get underway sometime before Sept. 1, with completion targeted sometime in spring 2021.

Under the agreement, BRW Contracting has 240 days, or eight months, to complete the project upon commencement of construction.

Published July 22, 2020

Development is ramping up in Zephyrhills

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Except for some weeks throughout March and April, the COVID-19 hasn’t halted much new development within the City of Zephyrhills.

That’s the word from Zephyrhills Planning Director Todd Vande Berg, who outlined a number of citywide projects during an East Pasco Networking Group virtual meeting on June 23.

Perhaps the most notable setback, Vande Berg said, involved a slight delay in court installations at the forthcoming Sarah Vande Berg Tennis and Wellbeing Center, due to some extra safety and travel precautions taken from Miami-based construction crews.

However, the nearly $5 million project on Simons Road is proceeding well, with a grand opening scheduled for mid-to-late August.

Zephyrhills Planning Director Todd Vande Berg was the featured guest speaker at an East Pasco Networking Group virtual meeting on June 23. (File)

Aside from that, the planning director said, “I haven’t heard of a lot of slowdown, at least in our community.”

Underscoring the point is the myriad projects and initiatives Zephyrhills has in the pipeline — mainly in regards to new residential construction.

Larger single-family developments underway include The District at Abbott’s Square, Zephyr Lakes, Hidden River, Links at Calusa Springs, plus various expansions to the Silver Oaks and Silverado communities, respectively.

In other words, the city’s real estate market is “very hot right now,” Vande Berg said.

He explained, “I don’t know where all these people are coming from, but these housing subdivisions are selling homes for over $300,000 with HOAs and CDDs. I wasn’t sure how that’d work in Zephyrhills, but you drive up to Silverado and before the lot infrastructure is completed, you’re seeing a ‘Sold’ sign, so it is amazing.

“Even through this COVID-19 environment the residential housing…has really stayed very strong, which helps the city from a budget and revenue standpoint.”

Vande Berg added another 550-plus residential development is being planned around the new tennis center and should be underway a year or so from now.

The Lennar project will feature one-story villas, two-story townhomes and three different lot sizes. “It’s going to be a unique project,” Vande Berg said, adding, “we’re just beginning the due process on that.”

The planning director touched on a number of commercial developments, too.

Much is contingent on the addition of two signalized intersections on U.S. 301, Pretty Pond Road and Medical Arts Courts.

Funding for the $2.3 million project is in the state budget for this fiscal year. The aim of the traffic signal project — already out to bid — is to speed up potential commercial development in the northeast and northwest corners of U.S. 301 and Pretty Pond, and to improve access to the Merchants Square and Townview Square shopping centers.

The project will “spur a lot of development” along the intersection, Vande Berg said.

Additionally, a slew of light industrial businesses have recently set up shop at Park Place Center — an industrial park situated on Chancey Road south of Skydive City. That development is funded by a group of local investors.

“There’s a lot of activity going on in there,” Vande Berg said. “If you get a chance, go back there and drive around in that industrial park and you’ll see everything that’s going on in there.

Zephyrhills will join more than 100 other cities and water treatment facilities across the country in a federal lawsuit that is going after various companies that manufactured firefighting foam containing chemicals found to contaminate water wells. (File)

“We’re always excited when we have new, quality industrial manufacturing coming in, that creates jobs, they don’t require a lot of city services, and they generate a lot of ad valorem revenue for the city, so it’s always very positive, and you see that happening, to help diversify our community economy, and just good business overall,” Vande Berg said.

Another visible construction project underway is the rebuild of Jerry’s Crystal Bar on Gall Boulevard. The bar had been a community landmark downtown for over 60 years, until a fire destroyed the building last May.

The project will fall under the requirements of the city’s form-based code for the U.S. 301/Gall Boulevard corridor area, whereby the facade is aligned right up to the street with a wide sidewalk and all parking is situated behind the bar.

The planning director described the new building as “a big improvement” from beforehand, adding future projects within the corridor will be required to meet form-based code — a tool used to regulate new development in a manner compatible with the community’s vision.

For example, Vande Berg noted a builder is looking to erect townhomes on Seventh Street, so those structures likewise would be situated right up to the street with backlot parking.

Vande Berg observed of the zoning regulations: “You’ve probably seen that in other communities where it’s been pretty successful, so we’re doing the same thing here.”

Another anticipated project moving along is a new 14,000-square-foot Veterans Affairs clinic, at 378727 Eiland Blvd. Construction broke ground last June, but work halted after last-minute changes to modify the facility’s design and layout.

Those site plan changes were recently approved by the city’s review committee, Vande Berg said, “so they should be getting along with that pretty soon, we anticipate.”

In the arena of new eateries, Zephyrhills is set to land Chipotle and Chick-fil-A franchises in the near future.

Chipotle has been approved by the city for a small commercial outparcel in the Zephyr Commons Shopping Center and construction should begin soon, Vande Berg said.

Chick-fil-A, meanwhile, will be located at the northeast corner of U.S. 301 and Pretty Pond Road. The franchise is likely waiting until the new traffic light project is a go before construction gets underway, Vande Berg said.

Some other updates and happenings for Zephyrhills the planning director shared:

  • An extension of Kossik Road is complete, to service the Abbott Park residential development.
  • The city is working with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on continuing State Road 56 east of U.S. 301 with four-lane alignment alternatives, as well as one-way pairs on Gall Boulevard.
  • The city received a $15,000 grant from Duke Energy toward the long-range Zephyrhills Industrial Corridor master plan.
  • The city has applied for a $15,000 grant from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) to revamp the housing element of its comprehensive plan.

Published July 08, 2020

Officials express guarded optimism through COVID-19

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As Florida slowly lifts stay-at-home orders — caused by concerns about potential spread of  coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)  —  local leaders and officials are taking a positive, yet guarded, outlook.

They are hopeful that the regional and state economy can rebound sooner than later.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley (File)

Many retailers and restaurants have announced plans to reopen to modified dine-in and foot traffic, while more parks and beaches are reopening with restrictions.

Signs of optimism are beginning to show, state Rep. Randy Maggard, R-Dade City said, during an April 28 virtual town hall meeting presented by The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

“A lot of people feel we’ve crossed the high point of (COVID-19) and we’re on the downward slide. We hope so,” Maggard said.

In the same breath, he urged people to continue to take necessary safety precautions and “use common sense” in public gatherings.

“It will be good to get our economy going. It’s been tough for a lot of businesses here, it’s been tough for a lot of individuals,” he said.

Maggard also addressed “the 800-pound gorilla in the room” during the speaking engagement. And, that’s the fact that the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) is having trouble managing the massive volume of people filing for unemployment benefit claims.

The state representative pointed out roughly 40% of the 1.8 million claims filed have been either bogus or scams. That has led to further delays in legitimate applicants getting their unemployment benefits, he said.

“The process just takes long when you have to deal with things like that,” Maggard said, adding the DEO is expected to have those issues resolved soon.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley, like Maggard, has an optimistic view of the future of the local economy and markets, overall.

“Things will get better. There is a light at the end of that long tunnel we didn’t think we’d have,” Oakley said.”

He said Pasco government activities have not slowed, in the midst of COVID-19.

Oakley noted that neighboring counties haven’t been so lucky as to keep operations moving along when it comes to handling regular tasks, such as reviewing building permits.

“We’ve continued to work, as we do normally,” Oakley said, “except most of our people are working from home instead of our offices.”

Oakley, 74, is still taking the virus quite seriously, however.

He reported the county had 241 positive coronavirus cases and six deaths, as of April 28. One place particularly “hit hard” is the Royal Oak Nursing Center in Dade City, with 20 positive COVID-19 cases, he said.

The commissioner acknowledged most of the people who’ve died from the disease have had pre-existing conditions. But, he added: “This is not the flu. It’s a little more infectious than the flu is.”

So, while businesses start opening with some semblance of normalcy, Oakley said he’s not yet  comfortable to enter a restaurant or other public spaces.

“You probably won’t see me out in a restaurant, that’s just my feeling,” said Oakley. “Of course, I’m of the age that the virus will treat me a lot worse than it would for younger people, but I think there’s probably a pretty large percentage of young people, middle-aged people that will do that, they’ll go right back out, they’re not fearful of any of that, and hopefully they’re taking precautions.”

Like Oakley, Zephyrhills Police Chief Derek Brewer remains concerned about the serious nature of COVID-19 and feels it isn’t going away anytime soon — witnessing the virus’s impact on the frontlines.

Brewer said there’s an expectation the county’s coronavirus cases could peak sometime around mid-May, based on joint conversations with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and Pasco County Emergency Management.

“We may be getting close to opening the state,” Brewer said, “but, I don’t think we’re going to be ready yet to open it up completely yet.”

The police chief reported Zephyrhills has 25 positive COVID-19 cases as of April 28, representing more than 10% of all cases in the county. Additionally, the department is tracking a total of 48 addresses under investigation as possible COVID-19 cases as of that date.

Meanwhile, Brewer said the local law enforcement agency has observed spikes in domestic violence and disturbance cases, as well as increased juvenile problems, during the course of the pandemic.

On the other hand, the department has seen fewer accidents and total calls for service overall.

With fewer service calls, Brewer said officers have placed more focus on performing spot checks on local businesses that may not be in compliance with state executive orders.

He also noted the department has enacted an “extensive screening process” to determine whether someone absolutely needs to be sent to jail after an arrest. That approach is being taken to try and limit the spread of COVID-19 within the local criminal justice system.

He said the pandemic “has been a been a unique challenge for law enforcement.”

City of Zephyrhills pushing through COVID-19
Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe also offered an update on some of happenings within the East Pasco municipality throughout the town hall discussion.

Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, Poe said the city is “open for business, so there are still a lot of projects that are going on.”

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce organized an April 28 virtual town hall meeting featuring a panel of area leaders and representatives, discussing the various impacts of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. (Courtesy of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce)

For instance, work is progressing on multiple subdivisions and communities that will bring hundreds of new homes to the area. Those projects include the Oaks at Pasco and Links at Calusa Springs located on both sides of Simons Road; District at Abbott’s Square near the forthcoming Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellbeing Center; and Abbott Park, situated on the former Gore’s Dairy property that wraps behind the Publix Super Market at Zephyr Commons on Gall Boulevard.

Several commercial developments are moving along, too.

A couple notable projects under final site plan review include a new Veterans Administration clinic along Eiland Boulevard, as well as the Crystal Bar rebuild on Gall Boulevard, a longtime community staple destroyed in a fire last May.

Poe said a Chipotle Mexican Grill franchise at Zephyr Commons “is projected to come here in the next few months.” Also, the Chancey Partners industrial park project continues its build out with “a lot of businesses going in at that location.”

Poe touched on various city-related projects, as well:

  • Relocation of the U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road traffic signal should get underway in August, spurring development in that area, which he said will eventually include a Chick-fil-A franchise
  • Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellbeing Center construction “continues to be strong” and should be complete around July or August
  • Road paving and resurfacing has been ongoing at various city streets the past several weeks

Elsewhere, the city manager encouraged residents to continue to support local businesses “either by takeout or gift cards or anything that you can do.”

He also noted he’s in conversation with Zephyrhills High School Principal Dr. Christina Stanley to “plan something special” for graduating seniors, such as a parade or other community-wide gathering at some point.

Other speakers during the town hall included Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield and Zephyrhills City Council president Ken Burgess.

Published May 06, 2020

Local businesses getting hit with COVID-19 impacts

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Drive around the region and the impacts of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) are obvious.

Grocery store parking lots are full — with people lining up before the stores open to get their hands on toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and other scarce items.

There’s less traffic on the road because many people are working remotely, and that number may climb if ‘stay at home’ mandates are announced.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered restaurant dining room areas to be closed because of concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Here is a sign letting customers know that the restaurant at Cypress Creek Town Center is open for drive-thru only. (Christine Holtzman)

While grocery stores are slammed, restaurant, gym and nightclub parking lots are empty.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has temporarily shut down bars, nightclubs and gyms, and has ordered dining rooms be closed at restaurants.

Businesses are feeling it.

Some have cut staff, including The Laker/Lutz News, which laid off three employees.

Some businesses have ceased operations, at least for now.

Tampa Premium Outlets had barricades blocking the entrances.

Its website notes that the closure is through March 29, but directs potential shoppers to “stores” and “dining” areas of the website to see if essential retailers, such as pharmacies and food delivery/take-out, are available.

Others are adapting practices to try to preserve business or to respond to changing customer behaviors amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Walkabout Eatery, a restaurant at 18430 Livingston Ave., in Lutz, is serving its customers with takeout, drive-thru and delivery through Uber Eats. The restaurant also has limited its hours to 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and reduced its staff.

In keeping with the governor’s order, Chick-fil-A, at Cypress Creek Town Center, off State Road 56, has closed its dining room and is offering drive-thru only.

Lakeland-based Publix Super Markets, which has several locations in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, is opening at 7 a.m., on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, to allow shoppers age 65 and older the chance to shop for an hour before other shoppers are allowed to enter.

Also, Publix stores are closing an hour earlier, to give staff additional time to do preventative sanitation and restock shelves. Pharmacy hours have been changed to 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with regular hours on Sunday.

Tampa Premium Outlets, at 2300 Grand Cypress Drive, has barricades to keep people out. The website said the outlet mall was temporarily closed because of concerns about COVID-19.

Business owners and employees, meanwhile, grapple with uncertainty.

Amanda Perkins , a hairdresser for 11 years, has had Haven Hair Studio for two years at Porte Noire — A Salon Collective, at The Shops at Wiregrass.

During an interview last week, she said she’d had a number of cancellations — related to COVID-19 because of where the clients recently traveled, or out of a client’s concern about a relative’s compromised immune system.

She was still operating her shop last week, but was getting nervous.

“For me, if it only stayed at six, seven, eight cancellations, that wouldn’t be the end of my world,” Perkins said.

But, she added: “Everybody has all of the same questions: ‘What if this? How do we deal with this?’ It is just nerve-racking.”

On March 22, she decided to temporarily suspend services, according to her Facebook page. She said she will be emailing her clients to inform them how she’ll be handling appointments, both future and missed.

Hope Kennedy, president/CEO of the North Tampa Bay Chamber, said the uncertainty is a widespread concern.

“It’s very hard for the service industry, and we have a very large service industry in Wesley Chapel and in North Tampa Bay,” said Kennedy, who leads a chamber of about 700 members.

The chamber has reached out to its members and has conducted two surveys to get a pulse of what’s happening, Kennedy said.

Walgreens, at 22829 State Road 54, Land O’ Lakes, has new temporary store hours.
Its website says the company is updating its store hours an extra measure to help provide a clean and safe environment for its customers and employees.

“I can tell you the trend is definitely there’s going to be a very negative impact on our small businesses in our communities,” Kennedy said.

In fact, one business indicted it won’t be able to make it back, Kennedy said. “We’re three days in and we’re already hearing that.”

As the situation continues to evolve, stress levels are high, said Kennedy, who understands the sentiment.

“I told somebody the other day, I feel like I’m going through a hurricane, the BP Oil Spill and the Recession, all at the exact same time,” Kennedy said.

But, Kennedy pointed out that she has experienced all three of those, as a chamber executive, and her organization is working hard to find out what chamber members need and to help point them toward resources that can help.

“There’s so much out there and it changes so rapidly,” said Kennedy, who currently has her chamber office set up on her dining room table at home.

“We’re updating our website almost hourly for the various links,” she said.

Meanwhile, she’s encouraging everyone to: “Keep calm and shop local.”

The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce is sharing a similar message.

It’s encouraging its members to “shop local, shop small, shop now.”

The Greater Pasco Chamber announced it would be reaching out to its members who operate restaurants to find out their new hours of operation and whether they operate takeout or delivery, and also to share menu links, when available.

Once that information is collected, the chamber plans to share it.

It, too, is sharing information about potential sources of help.

The Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., a nonprofit economic development agency, also wants to help businesses. It has compiled a list of potential sources of loans and other types of help that are posted on its website, PascoEDC.com.

While local organizations are trying to help businesses seek out sources of help, Gov. DeSantis is urging that economic assistance be provided quickly and simply — to those needing it, in light of COVID-19.

Need some help?
Information on these websites/links may be useful:
North Tampa Bay Chamber: NorthTampaBayChamber.com
Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce: GreaterPasco.com
Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce: ZephyrhillsChamber.org
Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.: PascoEDC.com
FloridaDisaster.biz/BusinessDamageAssessments
SBDCtampabay.com/coronavirus

Published March 25, 2020

Zephyrhills is gearing up for big changes in 2020

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As a new decade approaches, the City of Zephyrhills plans to open a much-anticipated tennis facility, plans to extend its airport runway, will be engaged in infrastructure improvements and could possibly end a 60-year tradition of operating its own fire department.

Here’s a closer look for what’s on the horizon for 2020 and beyond:

Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center
The $4.9 million Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center is expected to be open in late summer, about a year after its July 2019 groundbreaking.

The much-ballyhooed facility, at 6585 Simons Road in Zephyrhills, will feature:

  • Eleven outdoor tennis courts (eight clay, two hard surface, one exhibition), eight pickleball courts and four padel courts
  • An adjoining 7,400-square-foot indoor wellness center, with a fitness and rehabilitation studio, salt/sauna room, cryotherapy, pro shop, café, kid’s area and more.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe recently told The Laker/Lutz News that the city also has requested an additional $1.5 million in state appropriations for a second phase of the project, which would encompass a 30,000-square-foot multipurpose indoor facility for tennis, soccer, athletic training, banquets, receptions and so on.

Zephyrhills Fire Department consolidation?
The Zephyrhills Fire Department could be absorbed by Pasco County Fire Rescue sometime in 2020, after nearly 60 years of operation and tradition.

The county is drafting up a tentative agreement that will be presented and reviewed by Zephyrhills officials sometime in early 2020, Poe said.

The move is due in part to funding and staffing issues that have plagued the city’s fire department, the city manager said.

Should the merger occur, Pasco County Fire Rescue would operate the city’s two fire stations and would absorb the city’s fire department personnel at their proper pay step.

The county also would ensure and maintain additional staffing needs at both stations and place an ambulance within the city limits.

Zephyrhills Municipal Airport’s runway 1-19 is getting a $5.9 million extension. (File)

Airport runway extension
Work is progressing to extend Zephyrhills Municipal Airport’s runway 1-19, a measure to accommodate larger passenger and corporate jets, and spur aviation and industrial development.

The city received $5.9 million in state appropriations to extend the runway by 1,200 linear feet — which will bring it to about 6,200 feet.

Engineers and officials are analyzing the design of the project, keeping in mind any potential  impacts it could have on Skydive City’s landing zone, Poe said.

The airport also is set to receive an upgraded fuel farm, as well as airfield beacons and lighting improvements, he said.

Relocation of U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road traffic signal
Development plans at and near the corners of U.S. 301 and Pretty Pond Road have prompted the relocation of the traffic signal that currently is located at Merchants Square and Townview shopping centers, to a new location at Pretty Pond Road.

The city is working with the Florida Department of Transportation on the design, and has requested $2.3 million in state funds  for the project. If funding comes through, construction likely would begin in August or September. Completion is targeted for early 2021, the city manager said. Relocating the signal would improve traffic flow, he said.

Meanwhile, the city has budgeted $600,000 for road resurfacings in 2020, the most significant being 12th Street in front of Zephyrhills High School.

New developments on tap
Zephyrhills expects to see a surge in population growth over the new decade, as residents move in to make their homes in residential projects that are now at the permitting stage, are already coming out of the ground, or have received entitlements for future development.

Larger single-family developments include The District at Abbott’s Square, Zephyr Lakes, Hidden River, as well as expansions to the Silver Oaks and Silverado communities. Meanwhile, Wire Ranch Apartments and Pretty Pond/Wire Road Apartments are some of the larger multifamily units in the works.

Commercial development is expected to follow.

Chipotle and a Chick-Fil-A are expected to open in Zephyrhills, and there are rumors the city could become home to some other chain restaurants and businesses.

Published January 01, 2020

Economic summit to focus on industrial hub

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Local business and government leaders in Zephyrhills will join together for an event that will spotlight the city’s industrial corridor and ongoing efforts to cultivate high-wage manufacturing jobs.

The third annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit is scheduled for Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Zephyrhills City Hall, 5335 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills.

The summit primarily will focus on the city’s forthcoming industrial corridor master plan and Zephyrhills Municipal Airport runway extension, according to a press release from the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce executive director Melonie Monson is organizing the third annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit.

Other topics will broach infrastructure and the East Pasco roadway network, plus updates on various state and county intergovernmental collaboration projects in the region.

The event is presented by the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition (ZEDC) in partnership with the City of Zephyrhills and the Zephyrhills chamber.

Registration is $10 and will include lunch and continental breakfast.

The summit will feature interactive discussions and presentations from the following speakers:

  • Billy Poe, Zephyrhills city manager Billy Poe
  • Dr. Randy Stovall, Zephyrhills chamber president
  • Todd Vande Berg, city planning director
  • Mohsen Mohammadi, chief operations officer for American Infrastructure Development
  • David Gwynn, District 7 secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
  • Randy Maggard, State Rep. District 38
  • Ron Oakley, chairman of the Pasco County Commission
  • Tom Ryan, economic development manager for Pasco Economic Development Council, Inc.
  • Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy

Zephyrhills’ proposed industrial development hub focuses on a large grouping of industrial properties and adjacent areas within the Chancey Road corridor and municipal airport.

The planning area is generally bound by Melrose Avenue to the north, the CSX Transportation railroad and U.S. 301 to the west, Pattie Road to the south, and Barry Road and the Upper Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area to the east. That encompasses approximately 9.76 square miles (6,248 acres), including 33% within Zephyrhills and the remainder in unincorporated Pasco County — representing the largest aggregation of industrial lands in Pasco.

Zephyrhills chamber executive director Melonie Monson, who’s organizing the summit, underscored the need to build out the industrial corridor, to recruit employment-generating manufacturing companies and to develop a middle-class workforce in Zephyrhills.

The city is pining for a “medium-sized industrial manufacturer,” Monson said, to give local high school graduates a place to work, so they can remain in the community.

The chamber director believes that Zephyrhills could attract such a company soon. She cited the city’s recent efforts to partner with Pasco County to spend millions of dollars to extend water and sewer to the industrial site.

“It’s just ready for industry, it just is,” she said.

Monson put it this way: “We’re excited the city’s being proactive instead of reactive, so when that big person hits and says, ‘I want to come here,’ we’ll be ready for that and say, ‘Here’s your spot, this is what we have, these are the incentives, this is your workforce.’

“That’s what we’re working toward, to put all those pieces together to make sure that we get what we want here,” Monson said.

She said the industrial corridor also could pave the way for other companies in distribution, light manufacturing, aviation and so on.

“I believe it’s going to have a lot of different textures to it,” the chamber executive said.

She is encouraged by the city’s direction in recent years of attracting younger families and groups to live, work and play.

She mentioned the downtown area alone has added a brewery, a billiards hall and axe-throwing venue, and other things to do.

Zephyrhills also is in the midst of getting a state-of-the-art tennis center and thousands of new homes and apartments.

The city recently landed its first Starbucks and Wawa. A Chick-Fil-A in the works.

Other notable businesses set to come online include Aldi Supermarket, PetSmart, Marriott Fairfield Hotel and Dollar General.

“We’re getting there. In the last three or four years you’ve just seen this huge spur of development,” Monson said.

Previous Zephyrhills economic summits focused on the medical community and education. Monson said next year’s will likely be geared around workforce development.

The summits encourage stakeholders to collaborate to help move Zephyrhills forward as a viable community.

“We’re the only community in Pasco County that’s doing something like this — where we have a coalition that really focuses on pro-business, pro-education, trying to make our community stand out in the midst of all of the other communities.

“We just every year want to make sure that we let people know what we really have here and what we’re doing and why you might want to come and be a part of the Zephyrhills community,” Monson said.

For information and to register for the summit, contact Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce director Melonie Monson at (813) 782-1913 or

Published October 2, 2019

 

 

Dade City set for fall fun

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The autumn season will soon be ushered in with the St. Joe Fall Festival, which will feature a wide range of vendors, diverse food selections and fun activities for kids.

At the St. Joe Fall Festival, kids will be able to show their creative skills with pumpkin painting. This will be one of many activities at the fall event on Oct. 5.
(File)

The Oct. 5 event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 32145 St. Joe Road in Dade City.

Hungry patrons can choose from a diverse selection of foods ranging from barbecue ribs, and Cajun and Polish cuisines, as well as catering by Chick-fil-A.

Tickets, which sell for $1, can be used to purchase adult beverages — for those who are old enough — and also can be used toward a gift basket drawing.

There will be picnic tables where people can relax, enjoy live performances and eat.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office will present a canine demonstration.

And, there will be plenty for the youth to do, with bounce houses, face and pumpkin painting, obstacle courses and touch-a-tractor.

A $15 wristband gives kids unlimited access to activities.

Parking is free and the event is pet-friendly.

Proceeds will go toward the upkeep of the church.

For additional information, please call Larry Plunkett at (813) 431-8569.

What: St. Joe Fall Festival

Where: Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 32145 St. Joe Road in Dade City

When: Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cost: Free

Details: Patrons can check out items offered by various vendors and sample a diversity of ethnic foods. Activities will be offered for youths and there will be live music.

Info: Call Larry Plunkett at (813) 431-8569

Published October 2, 2019