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Chris Williams

Apartments proposed on Bruce B. Downs, at Eagleston

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a conditional use permit to allow an apartment development on the west side of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, south of Eagleston Boulevard.

The request, submitted by Adventist Health System Sunbelt Healthcare Corporation, would allow a maximum of 248 apartments on the 16.24-acre site. Adventist intends to sell the land to enable the development.

The Pasco County Commission is scheduled to hear the request on Jan. 12 at 1:30 p.m., in the board’s chambers at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City.

Pete Pensa, director of planning for AVID Group of Tampa, outlined details of the request for planning commissioners.

The property is located at 5101 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., which is about one-fourth mile south of Wesley Chapel Boulevard, Pensa said. It has direct frontage on Bruce B. Downs and Eagleston boulevards.

There’s a mixture of development in the area, including retail, medical office uses, car dealerships and an assisted living facility, Pensa said.

It’s south of BayCare’s planned hospital, which recently was announced, Pensa said.

Baycare hospital officials recently had a ceremonial groundbreaking for the facility, which is under construction.

Other nearby uses include fast-food and sit-down restaurants, and a bank, Pensa added.

“To the south of us are townhomes and single-family subdivisions,” he said, adding, “there is no existing multifamily within this mixed-use quadrant.”

He also mentioned that multifamily is an appropriate transitional use between commercial to the north and single-family residential to the south.

The site has been zoned for commercial use since 1984, but there hasn’t been a market for that use, Pensa said. “They’ve not been able to find a buyer and developer.”

“There are a variety of commercial uses in the area that support the project, both from  opportunities for shopping and eating, as well as working, including the BayCare facility,” he said.

The hospital is expected to have 275 jobs, and the nearby assisted living facility.

Plans call for preserving a significant portion of the apartment project property, Pensa added.

Amenities will include walking trails around a pond, a park, a dog park, picnic areas, a clubhouse and a pool.

Pensa also noted that there would be fewer trips generated by this development than from a commercial use. And, he said there is water, sewer and reclaimed water available to service the site.

He submitted two letters of support for the project.

However, there were objections.

Todd Yontec emailed his objections, noting that he’s a longtime resident of the Seven Oaks community and objects to adding apartments in an area that already has plenty of residential development.

“This would truly be poor planning by the commission, if it keeps adding apartment complexes without encouraging the building of the infrastructure to support the increasing population density in this area,” Yontec wrote.

“The only deviation from this original plan that I would support would be to return the parcel to wetlands, or create a park,” he added.

Planning commissioner Roberto Saez, who lives in Seven Oaks, also objected to the request.

He said the area is oversaturated with apartment complexes.

“I go to Publix. Every time, it’s getting busier,” he said, making it harder to find parking.

“As an owner, I believe it is increasing the value of my property. As a user, it can be a real nightmare. I don’t see any type of expansion of Bruce B. Downs. I don’t see any plan to cover the schools,” Saez said.

“I have a hard time with the project, to be honest with you,” the planning commissioner added.

Saez said he’s also concerned about overloading Seven Oaks Elementary School.

Chris Williams, who represents Pasco County Schools on the planning board, said the proposed development would generate 30 elementary school students.

Saez voiced skepticism about that projection.

But, Williams said the biggest impact on schools comes from single-family developments.

As the school district’s director of planning, Williams is in charge of the planning done to address future school needs.

He said he has no concerns about the impact on schools from the proposed development.

“We don’t object to this particular development,” Williams said.

Revised on Jan. 3, 2021

Boundaries to be set soon for Starkey Ranch K-8

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The Pasco County School Board is scheduled to set boundaries for the new Starkey Ranch K-8 school at the board’s Dec. 1 meeting.

The school — part of a complex that includes a theater, library and cultural center — is scheduled to open in the 2021-2022 school year.

The board held a public hearing on the proposed boundaries during its Nov. 17 meeting, with no one stepping forward to offer public comment.

“Starkey Ranch K-8 is built to house about 1,500 students. Initially, the school will open with kindergarten through seventh-grade students. The plan is to grandfather rising eighth-graders to their existing school,” Chris Williams, the district’s planning director told the school board during the public hearing.

“Staff put together a plan to rezone about 450 students from Longleaf and Odessa elementary schools to Starkey Ranch.

“In addition, approximately 100 students from River Ridge Middle School are proposed to be rezoned to Starkey Ranch,” he said, noting the students assigned to Starkey Ranch K-8 live in the development.

“With the Starkey Ranch development continuing to build houses for the next couple of years, we expect growth of about 200 K-8 students per year, so with growth, we anticipate approximately 750 K-7 (kindergarten through seventh grade) zoned students upon opening.

“That leaves quite a few seats open for magnet school. However, we will be working to make sure we keep seats available and open for growth, in that area,” Williams added.

District staff had an open house to explain the boundary proposals, and also accepted comments via the district’s Let’s Talk portal, Williams said.

Six comments were received via Let’s Talk.

“One person requested Asturia to be zoned for Starkey Ranch; one requested the Woodlands neighborhood of Longleaf to be zoned for Starkey Ranch. Others had questions about Starkey Ranch registration and grade configurations,” Williams said.

The district also is recommending a slight boundary shift affecting the Watergrass and Wesley Chapel elementary schools.

The change is being made as a result of the Epperson Ranch subdivision, Williams said.

“That area of Epperson Ranch being developed goes all of the way up to Tindale Road.

“You’ll also notice a small sliver above Tindale Road that has a few houses. Originally, when we were developing this plan, there were no elementary children who lived there who were attending the zone of Wesley Chapel elementary, but come August, one student did move into that area. We’ve been talking among ourselves. They will be rezoned to Watergrass Elementary, but if they choose to remain at Wesley Chapel Elementary, we plan on accommodating them,” Williams said.

Additionally, Superintendent Kurt Browning does not intend to reset school choice for any of these schools that are affected by the boundary changes and grandfather children in with transportation.

The final public hearing on the proposed boundary changes for Starkey K-8, as well as Watergrass and Wesley Chapel elementary, is set for 9:30 a.m., on Dec. 1, in the board chambers at district headquarters, 7205 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Published November 25, 2020

Boundary process beginning soon for Starkey K-8

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Construction of the new Starkey K-8 school is well underway, and Pasco County Schools has begun notifying families that may be affected by the boundary changes that will be required to assign students to the school.

The school — part of a complex that includes a theater, library and cultural center — is scheduled to open in the 2021-2022 school year.

Significant progress has been made on the construction.

“I drove by Starkey K-8 the other day and it is just incredible how that building has come up out of the ground,” Superintendent Kurt Browning told Pasco County School Board members at their Sept. 1 meeting.

“It is a phenomenal facility,” Browning said. “It’ll be a huge addition to the Starkey Ranch development, so we’re excited about that.”

But, whenever a new school opens, the district must draw new boundaries — a process that can sometimes become controversial.

Browning told board members that the district is preparing to begin the boundary process for Starkey K-8.

“We’ll be communicating with potentially impacted families currently attending Odessa Elementary School, Longleaf Elementary School and River Ridge Middle School, regarding the timeline and the process,” Browning said.

“Our plan is to open the K-8, as a K-7, its first year, and then become a K-8, in its second year,” Browning said, noting that district staff would be sending out communications in the afternoon. following the board meeting.

“I wanted the board to know about it, first,” he said.

Watergrass and Wesley Chapel elementary schools also may see some boundary shifts, Browning said, but he added there are no students currently in the areas that would be affected.

“Proposed maps will be developed this month and a parent night workshop is planned for Oct. 6, at Odessa Elementary School,” Browning said. “The public hearing for the boundaries proposal is planned for Nov. 17 at 6 p.m., with final school board action on Dec. 1.

“We’ll continue to communicate with potentially affected families throughout this process and provide opportunities for feedback. And, this time, we’ll be relying heavily on our ‘Let’s Talk.’”

In other news, Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd shared information regarding the district’s inventory of surplus sites that are available for future construction of schools, as the district grows.

There was a time when the district didn’t have any land for future schools, Gadd said, describing how he would drive around the county in his pickup truck searching for acreages with for sale signs.

When he found one, he’d have Chris Williams, the district’s director of planning, check it out.

Over time, the district has acquired a number of sites, through purchases and as part of development orders that require sites to be dedicated for schools, as part of development approvals.

“We now have very tight procedures for receiving land from developers,” Gadd explained to board members.

“We are well-positioned for the future, in terms of building schools and preparing for future growth in this county.”

School board member Alison Crumbley applauded Gadd and other district staffers who have addressed this issue, noting she remembers when the district faced significant challenges in securing affordable land.

Meanwhile, the Pasco County Planning Commission recently took an action that relates to a planned district school site.

Planning commissioners voted on Aug. 27 to recommend the school district’s proposed site for the Kirkland Academy of Innovation, on a 104.4-acre site, southeast of the intersection of Curley Road and Kiefer Road.

The planned project will consist of two buildings, totaling 228,458 square feet.

No one spoke in opposition to the request at the planning commission’s meeting.

Published September 09, 2020

School projects address district needs

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A global pandemic has cast uncertainty regarding what will happen in the coming school year, but the work goes on to build, expand and renovate schools in the Pasco County school district.

Rapid growth in recent years has caused school crowding. And, anticipated residential construction has created a need for schools in previously undeveloped areas.

Cypress Creek Middle School in Wesley Chapel will have its inaugural first day of school when the 2020-2021 school year begins. (B.C. Manion)

Across the district, enrollment is expected to increase by slightly more than 1,900 students for this coming school year, and that includes charter schools, according to Chris Williams, director of planning for the school district.

It remains unclear if that projection will come to fruition, in light of impacts from COVID-19 on residential construction.

The district’s enrollment will grow — but, it’s not clear how much, Williams said during a school board workshop on the district’s capital improvement plan.

Numerous projects are planned in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, according to Williams’ presentation.

The planning director also provided an overview of schools expected to face another crowded year in 2020-2021.

Construction is underway at the Starkey Ranch K-8 School, near the intersection of Long Spur and Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa. The project, which includes private and public partners, will feature a school, a library and a cultural center, next to a district park. The public will be able to take advantage of the library, cultural center and park. (B.C. Manion)

Williams said he expects Odessa Elementary to be “just slammed full,” for the upcoming school year. “I don’t know (if) we could put any more students there,” he said.

“Fortunately, the relief for Odessa Elementary is the Starkey K-8, which will open, of course, next year. So, Odessa, we’re just working with them to get them through this coming year.

“Oakstead Elementary continues to be a little bit over capacity.

“I don’t know how much opening Starkey K-8, as mostly a magnet, will impact Oakstead (Elementary), but certainly it could have some impact on Oakstead Elementary, as well.

“Connerton (Elementary) continues to be over capacity,” he said.

But, he said, Connerton is experiencing “slow growth,” so the district will monitor the situation.

Wesley Chapel Elementary is expected to be slightly over capacity, but two new charter schools opening this year in Wesley Chapel — Pinecrest and Innovation Preparatory (inPrep) — are expected to have an impact, Williams said.

An additional classroom wing has been added to Bexley Elementary in Land O’ Lakes, to increase its capacity to meet growing enrollment needs. (File)

At the middle school level, the construction of Starkey Ranch K-8 will provide relief to River Ridge and Seven Springs middle schools, and also will likely have some impact on Rushe Middle School, too, Williams said.

A magnet 6-12 school will be opening in 2023, in the upcoming Angeline development in Land O’ Lakes, Williams said. He expects that to have an impact on Pine View and Rushe middle schools, and perhaps on River Ridge Middle, too.

“By then, Ridge Road will be complete,” the planning expert said, creating access to the new 6-12 school from all of those areas.

“Finally, after many years, we finally provide some relief to John Long Middle, with the opening of Cypress Creek Middle,” Williams added.

“Weightman Middle certainly is in a growth area,” he said, but charter schools in the area are expected to have an impact.

Williams added: “Also, we are planning in 2024 to open a magnet school, K-8, over in Wesley Chapel that also will provide relief to some of those schools.”

Sunlake High School in Land O’ Lakes also has a new classroom wing this year, to accommodate enrollment growth. (File)

At the high school level, Williams said additional capacity was added to Land O’ Lakes High School during its renovation. A new classroom wing added to Sunlake High School will be ready for occupancy this year.

A new wing added to Bexley Elementary also is ready for the 2020-2021 school year.

The future 6-12 school in Angeline also will increase enrollment capacity in the Land O’ Lakes area, Williams said.

The opening of Cypress Creek Middle School this fall, will have a ripple effect on enrollments.

First, it allows Cypress Creek High School to house additional students in grades nine through 12, while Cypress Creek Middle School serves students in grades six through eight.

The additional capacity at the high school allows the school district to relieve crowding at Wiregrass Ranch High. The new middle school allows the district to relieve crowding at John Long Middle.

Wiregrass Ranch won’t feel the full impact for a couple years, Williams said, because the district grandfathered this year’s juniors and seniors at Wiregrass Ranch.

Construction continues on a remodeling project at Zephyrhills High School. (B.C. Manion)

And, of course, the planning director said, the Wiregrass area is still experiencing growth.

He also noted that Pasco High is over capacity. The area, however, isn’t experiencing much growth.

The district is evaluating projects that could add capacity at Pasco High in the future, he said.

Zephyrhills High’s capacity is being increased through a project now in progress at the school, he added.

When The Innovation Academy at Kirkland Ranch opens, expected in 2023, it likely will have a significant impact on enrollments in schools on the district’s east side, he said.

Besides work that has been wrapped up recently, is underway, or on the drawing board — the district also has been securing sites for future schools.

Previously, the district has found itself in the position of being unable to find affordable land for schools, Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd told school board members.

It has resolved that issue, he said.

“As a district, we are in tremendous shape when it comes to land to build schools,” Gadd said.

Published August 05, 2020

Pasco Schools uncertain about COVID-19 impacts on growth

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Pasco County Schools expects to experience some growth in the coming school year, but the district remains uncertain about just how much.

The district has been projecting a growth of slightly more than 1,900 students, district-wide, including charter schools.

But, Chris Williams, the district’s director of planning, said he’s not sure whether that projection will hold up.

“I’ve been looking at the situation and the housing situation with COVID-19, and the big question is are we going to hit our 1,900 growth? I don’t know if we are, it’s hard to tell,” Williams said, during a Pasco County School Board budget workshop session on July 7.

“I do anticipate that we will have growth,” Williams said.

“I don’t know that we’ll hit our 1,900. We may. But, with a slowdown in housing, we may not get that high,” Williams said.

In a 6 p.m. board meeting the same day, Superintendent Kurt Browning addressed a parent’s concern about trying to choose an option for next school year, at a time when COVID-19 is spiking.

The school district is offering parents three choices for the 2020-2021 school year: Traditional brick-and-mortar; mySchool Online, a more structured approach to online learning than during the last part of last school year; and Pasco eSchool, which offers greater flexibility for virtual learners.

A caller into the telephonic board meeting expressed concerns about having to choose an option so many weeks before school starts, when so much still could change.

Browning reassured the parent that parents who choose the brick-and-mortar or mySchool Online won’t be locked into their choice.

There’s less flexibility with Pasco eSchool, he said, because that’s a separate entity with its own curriculum and different funding method.

The district’s initial deadline for parents to make a choice was July 1, but it extended the deadline to July 8, to give parents more time.

Browning said the district’s options resulted from extensive feedback it received from stakeholders through a Thought Exchange and discussions with stakeholder groups.

“We need to have decisions made by parents so that we, as a district, can allocate positions,” Browning said.

The district understands this is a trying time, Browning said. “We have to be flexible. We do know that things are changing literally hourly.”

The superintendent also addressed the issue of requiring face masks.

Board members appeared to be leaning toward mandatory masks during a previous workshop session, but Browning said he wants the district to hold off on that decision for now.

“We’re monitoring that situation. We’re looking at research, best practices,” Browning said, adding that the district is working with the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.

“We’ll make a decision as we get closer to school start and that decision will be made public to our parents as soon as it is made,” Browning said.

“We will be making decisions right on up to the day that teachers return on Aug. 3, and we’ll be making decisions right on up, including to the start of school on Aug. 10.

“We know that parents are eager for information. They’re eager for accurate information.

“We’ve received hundreds, if not thousands, of questions,” Browning said.

School board member Megan Harding said that she has been flooded with emails and telephone calls relating to masks.

“I think that’s been a lot of worry for parents, on both sides,” Harding said.

Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd said the district has been working on guidelines, so it will be ready to use them, if that’s the direction the district decides to take.

Browning said he prefers to monitor the situation and make a decision closer to the start of school.

“I think it’s a little premature at this point. I understand the parents want either a yes or a no, but things are changing. And, quite honestly, they are changing hourly.

“I think having guidelines in the que, ready to go for consideration, is a wise move. But, I think it’s early to make a decision about masks right now,” the superintendent said.

Published July 15, 2020

Pasco County School is redrawing boundaries

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Turnout was light for a public workshop regarding school boundaries held last week at Wiregrass Ranch High School.

Thousands of students will be affected by the proposed changes, but the vast majority of changes relate to Cypress Creek Middle School, which is set to open in the fall of 2020.

The school district initially had planned to open both a high school and a middle school on the campus at 8701 Old Pasco Road.

Chris Williams, director of planning for Pasco County Schools, explains proposed boundaries for Cypress Creek Middle School, during a public workshop on proposed school boundary changes. (Christine Holtzman)

But, the district was short on funding, so initially the high school buildings were used to house students in grades six through 12.

When the new middle school opens next fall, students in grades six through eight will shift to the new building.

But, boundary changes are needed to fill up remaining capacity at both the middle school and the high school.

The proposed changes primarily affect the Seven Oaks neighborhood, said Chris Williams, director of planning for Pasco County Schools.

Specifically, the school district is proposing that 613 students now zoned to Wiregrass Ranch High School be shifted to Cypress Creek High School, and seven students zoned to Pasco High School be rezoned to Cypress Creek High School.

If that’s approved, the estimated enrollment at Cypress Creek High School would be 2,080, in a school which has a permanent capacity of 2,090.

After the proposed shift, Wiregrass Ranch would have an enrollment of 1,606 students, in a school with a permanent capacity of 1,633. Pasco High would have an enrollment of 1,602, in a school with a permanent capacity of 1,491.

The proposed boundary changes also call for shifting over to Cypress Creek Middle, an estimated 446 students now zoned to John Long Middle and five students now zoned to Pasco Middle.

If those changes are approved, Cypress Creek Middle would have an estimated 1,554 students, in a school with a permanent capacity of 1,600. John Long Middle would have 1,167 students, in a school with a permanent capacity of 1,327. Pasco Middle would have 918 students, in a school with a permanent capacity of 875.

Under the proposal, seven students living along State Road 52, at the north end of Old Pasco Road, would be reassigned from Pasco High to Cypress Creek High.

That shift is being proposed because where they live is a straight shot to Cypress Creek High, Williams said. “We felt that made sense.”

Alex Morales, of Wesley Chapel, center, and his wife Jessica, speak with Wayne Bertsch, communications and government liaison for Pasco County Schools, about their concerns relating to proposed school boundaries. The Morales family lives in Seven Oaks, a neighborhood that is currently zoned for Wiregrass Ranch High School, but under the new proposal, will be zoned for Cypress Creek High School.

The district also is proposing to shift an attendance area with 17 students in San Antonio Elementary over to Quail Hollow Elementary.

“These kids currently go to San Antonio Elementary, Pasco Middle and Pasco High. So, now they’re going to go to Quail Hollow Elementary, Cypress Creek Middle and Cypress Creek High,” Williams said.

In another proposed change, an attendance area with 143 students now zoned to Wesley Chapel High would be reassigned to Zephyrhills High. That would bring Zephyrhills High’s enrollment to 1,780, at a school with a permanent capacity of 2,004. It would bring Wesley Chapel High’s enrollment to 1,438, at a school with a permanent capacity of 1,506.

Williams said the change addresses a previous boundary shift.

“We rezoned some kids several years ago out of Wiregrass and John Long into Wesley Chapel and Weightman. We kind of shifted these kids over to Stewart Middle, but there wasn’t room at Zephyrhills, so they went to Wesley Chapel.

“The bulk of these kids go to Chester Taylor Elementary, then they go to Stewart and then they go to Wesley Chapel,” Williams said.

The planning director also noted that “Wesley Chapel has all of this growth coming from Epperson Ranch.

“So, we think it makes sense to fix the feeder pattern. Elementary and middle doesn’t change: They’ll still go to Chester Taylor and Stewart Middle. But, now they’ll go to Zephyrhills (High),” Williams said.

Zephyrhills High has room because the district just built a new classroom wing there.

As of last week, Williams had not received any feedback on the proposed shift affecting Zephyrhills High.

Overall, he has received about three dozen comment cards regarding the proposed boundary shifts changes — the vast majority coming from the Seven Oaks neighborhood.

As is often the case, those commenting said they’d bought their home in a specific neighborhood because of the school their child would attend, or they objected to the change because the new school is farther away from their home than their current school.

When the district drew up the original boundaries for Cypress Creek Middle High, it announced it would likely be shifting the Seven Oaks neighborhood over when the new middle school opened.

But, apparently that word did not get out to everyone, Williams said.

Jessica and Alex Morales, who live in Seven Oaks, said they moved into the neighborhood so their daughter could finish high school at Wiregrass Ranch. But, it now appears that their son, who is a freshman at Wiregrass Ranch, will be reassigned to Cypress Creek High next fall.

They attended the public workshop to see if there was any possibility their son could stay at Wiregrass Ranch High.

“We had moved from New York. He met all of his friends in sixth grade,” Jessica Morales said.

Under the proposal, he’ll be attending a high school that’s different from many of his friends.

“We’re trying to lessen that blow,” she said.

The family also has a second-grader they need to think about, too, she said.

They are planning to learn more about what Cypress Creek High has to offer.

Williams said there are other boundary changes proposed that would affect an area near State Road 52 and the Suncoast Parkway that is currently undeveloped, but has been approved for a massive development.

The proposal calls for assigning the entire area to Mary Giella Elementary, Crews Lake Middle School and Hudson High, Williams said.

Under the current boundaries, some of that future growth would have been assigned to Land O’ Lakes High, Pine View Middle and Connerton Elementary.

Anyone who wishes to comment on the district’s proposed boundaries can fill out a comment form by going to the district’s website, at Pasco.k12.fl.us.

The Pasco County School Board will have a public hearing on the proposed boundaries on Nov. 5 at 6 p.m., at 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. The final public hearing is set for the same location on Nov. 19 at 6 p.m.

Published October 16, 2019

Pasco to open K-8 school in fall 2021

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The groundbreaking last week for Starkey Ranch K-8 School was celebrated in grand fashion —  at a gathering that included a high school jazz band and color guard, preschoolers, a private developer partner, elected leaders and government officials.

The school is the second phase of a partnership between Pasco County Schools, Pasco County government and Wheelock Communities, the private developers of Starkey Ranch, a community off State Road 54 in Trinity.

Members of the Pasco County School Board join top district staff in a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Starkey Ranch K-8 School. (B.C. Manion)

One part of the project is the Starkey District Park, which opened its first phase in November 2017. Two additional phases are planned for the park.

Starkey Ranch K-8 School, located near the district park, is the public school district’s first school specifically designed for elementary and middle school students.

It is expected to open in August 2021, with about 1,000 elementary school students and 600 middle school students.

The school campus includes a gymnasium, athletic fields, a running track and sports courts that will be available during non-school hours to residents, through a shared-use agreement.

Additionally, there’s a third part of the partnership that involves construction of what’s been dubbed TLC, which stands for theater, library and cultural center.

Matt Call, project director for Starkey Ranch, talked about the collaborative attitude the partners have shared.

“It began as an idea to work together to create something great,” Call said.

The approach that’s been used, he said, “is something that we sometimes feel is missing in society today — just the idea of putting aside our own differences and our own desires, and really coming together and working to do something.”

His enthusiasm for the partnership was shared by Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning.

“We have looked forward to this day for a very, very long time,” Browning told the crowd.

The joint efforts will yield a community asset, he said.

“These amenities add, not only to Starkey Ranch, but also to Pasco County as a whole,” Browning said.

This is what the Starkey Ranch K-8 School campus will look like. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

And, because the facilities will be shared — instead of being duplicated, Browning said, “the taxpayers are winners on this project.”

The superintendent added: “We want it to be a community place. We want it to be a place where people come and gather, and socialize and learn.”

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells noted that “from the county standpoint, the last time we built a library, my father was a county commissioner. That was in 1982.

“This is a very, very exciting day. The TLC is the first of its kind in Pasco County.”

The center will accommodate public library patrons and students. It also will have a 250-seat theater and three maker spaces.

Like the other speakers, Wells praised the cooperative arrangement to pursue these facilities.

“It’s not very often that we all come together to do things,” Wells said, noting that government agencies have a tendency to operate in silos.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, a former school board member, said she hopes that Starkey Ranch K-8 School is so successful that the school district will build more in the future.

“I’m so excited for the residents that live here and for all of those lucky kids who are going to be able to experience this kind of school,” Starkey said.

She also talked about the TLC.

“We have worked really hard to make this facility different than the normal facility. We’re going to have outdoor space, where you can have cocktail parties,” she said.

She expressed gratitude that both the school board and the Pasco County Commission put in some extra money to make the TLC “exactly what we wanted.”

School board chairwoman Alison Crumbley said the project is exciting because of what the school will offer for students. She’s also pleased by the presence of the theater and cultural center because she’s a proponent of the arts.

Browning said the K-8 model will provide “opportunities for middle-schoolers to mentor elementary school kids, which is a great, great thing for us.”

No decision has been made yet on the boundaries for the new school, said Chris Williams, director of planning for the school district.

Beyond assigning students from Starkey Ranch to the school, various options are being discussed, including the possibility of a magnet school to fill the remaining spots, he said.

The school construction budget is $44.4 million.

Published September 11, 2019

Growth puts squeeze on schools

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As Pasco County Schools heads into another school year, crowded conditions are expected on several campuses within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

District officials are projecting that Wesley Chapel’s Wiregrass Ranch High School will operate at 141 percent of its capacity, with an estimated 2,310 students in a school designed for 1,633.

New construction continues to create the need for new schools or campus expansions in Pasco County. (Christine Holtzman)

Connerton Elementary School, in Land O’ Lakes, meanwhile, is projected to be at 120 percent of its capacity — with an anticipated 918 students at a school built for 762.

Other schools expecting big crowds are:

  • John Long Middle, projected at 123 percent of its capacity, with an expected 1,635 students at school designed for 1,327
  • Thomas Weightman Middle, projected at 116 percent of its capacity, with an expected 1,130 students at a school designed for 975
  • Cypress Creek Middle High, projected at 114 percent of its capacity, with an expected 953 students, in a space designed for 834

Chris Williams, the school district’s director of planning, outlined the district’s projected average daily memberships for 2019-2020 during a workshop with the Pasco County School Board last week.

Williams said a new Cypress Creek Middle School, expected to open in fall 2020, will provide relief for the area’s middle schools and Wiregrass Ranch High School.

That’s because the current Cypress Creek Middle High School is serving students in grades six through 12, in separate schools on the same campus.

Once the new middle school opens, it will have space for more students and high school space also will be freed to accommodate more students.

Williams said he also expects charter schools in the Wesley Chapel area to help absorb growth occurring there.

Sunlake High School, now operating over capacity, will get a 20-classroom wing, which is expected to be built this year. (File)

Even with boundary shifts, Wiregrass Ranch High’s enrollment will remain high, Superintendent Kurt Browning said.

“Keep in mind, there are more students moving in, right behind them,” Williams said.

“One thing we’re trying to avoid is a 10-period day,” Browning said.

Projects that are on the drawing board, or under construction, are expected to help the district address continued growth, Williams said.

Starkey K-8 is expected to open in two years, and is expected to provide relief to Odessa Elementary, which is expected to operate at 130 percent of its capacity this year.

Bexley Elementary and Sunlake Elementary are both adding classroom wings in the coming year, which will increase capacity at those growing schools.

Bexley, which opened in 2017, is projected to have 912 students at a school built for 906. The new classroom wing will accommodate 200 students.

Sunlake High School is projected at an enrollment of 1,994, at a school with a capacity for 1,698.

Although Connerton is expected to operate over capacity, Williams does not expect additional growth this year. Even so, he noted, “that is certainly something that we’re keeping an eye on because there’s obviously a lot of growth coming around that area.

The district’s high schools in Central Pasco and East Pasco all are expected to operate near or above capacity.

For instance, Zephyrhills High is expected to operate at 105 percent of capacity; Pasco High, at 117 percent of capacity; Cypress Creek Middle High, at 118 percent of capacity; Sunlake at 117 percent of capacity; and Land O’ Lakes High, at 95 percent of capacity.

Deputy superintendent Ray Gadd said the district expects a new magnet school, which will be built on the east side of the county, primarily will attract students from Wiregrass Ranch, Wesley Chapel, Pasco and Zephyrhills high schools.

The school will offer technical training programs and academic rigor. It is set open in 2022.

Major projects 2019-2020
Here is a look at major school construction projects planned in the 2019-2020, within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

  • Zephyrhills High School: Continuing campus-wide renovation
  • Land O’ Lakes High School: Wrapping up campus-wide remodel
  • Cypress Creek Middle School: Construction underway
  • Starkey K: Breaking ground within next couple of months
  • East side technical high school: Property acquired and design phase underway
  • Sunlake High: Adding a wing to increase capacity
  • Bexley Elementary: Adding a wing to increase capacity

Source: Pasco County Schools

Published July 31, 2019

Project needs outpace funding in Pasco County Schools

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As Pasco County Schools heads into a new school year, the district faces a perennial issue: There’s not enough money to cover district construction and maintenance needs.

“Our current debt is about $525 million,” Chris Williams, director of planning told Pasco County School Board members during a workshop last week.

Pasco’s rapid growth continues to create demand for new or expanded schools, and the district’s list of maintenance needs is lengthy.

There are buildings “that aren’t even on the list, that we can’t even get to,” said Alison Crumbley, school board chairwoman.

“There are lots of projects that need to be done that are not being done,” Williams agreed.

The state reduced its Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) fund for Pasco County Schools to zero for next year, Williams said.

“We received $1.2 million in ’18-’19, but are projected to receive zero this year,” he said.

“Of course, as you can tell with the current debt, our capital needs continue to outpace our revenue.”

School Board member Allen Altman said for people who are unfamiliar with the district’s size and scope, it’s hard to fathom its needs.

“We have, as a district, somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,400 individual buildings.

“You think about that and you look at the dollars that are here for maintenance and repair.

“We are below the estimated needed cost for the maintenance for our facilities. There is no golden pot of money,” Altman said.

So, as district staff deliberates on priorities, there is generally give-and-take between departments, Altman said.

He described how the conversations can go: One employee will say, “‘We can patch up this roof for one more year so you can get this safety thing you need done, over here.”

And, a food and nutrition employee will say: “OK, we’ll give up this serving line, so you all can fix that HVAC over there.”

“I want people to understand these are big dollar numbers we’re looking at, but when you spread over the number of campuses, the number of facilities and the amount of people coming in and out of them every day, just to maintain them — there is no pot of money sitting there,” Altman said.

The district must build new schools, renovate existing schools, fix roofs, paint buildings, provide buses, improve safety, upgrade technology, replace furniture and make myriad repairs, district officials say. The dollars simply don’t stretch far enough, they say.

There is some bright news, Williams said.

“In the tax roll, we’re projecting an 8.67 increase,” he said. This is the second year the county has exceeded the tax roll that was achieved back in 2007-2008.

The Penny for Pasco revenues also are projected to be up.

“Our Penny for Pasco collections continue to be at the highest level of collection since the inception of the Penny (tax).

In 2019-2020, the Penny revenue is projected to be $31.1 million, which Williams characterized as “very good news.”

The planning director also noted that impact fees are expected to come in at $26 million, which is higher than initially anticipated.

Even so, Altman said: “New residential growth never pays for itself. In spite of that impact fee number coming in higher than expected, it still does not cover our cost.”

Published July 31, 2019

Request raises questions about sites for schools, parks

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a change that would make it easier for landowners along State Road 52, near Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, to pursue development.

However, planning commissioners also are recommending that any development done in the area be accompanied by a map that identifies where future sites would be located for schools and parks. The requirement for that map would be triggered before any residential development is allowed.

Planning commissioners also recommend that no heavy industrial be allowed, except for that which falls under the definition of a targeted industry. Targeted industries are the types of businesses the county is trying to attract to provide more high-wage jobs in Pasco.

The planning commissioners’ recommendations came during a discussion of the current land use policies involving the Central Pasco Employment Village Area Plan.

The village plan, which was adopted in 2007, recognized a coordinated effort among landowners to create a vision for 2,400 acres of land, with goals of providing jobs and housing, among other things. A financial plan for the area was among the original conditions.

Since then, however, there have been some changes in land ownership and at least one of the landowners has asked the Pasco County Commission to change the policies so they can seek approval for an individual plan for their land.

That’s why the county’s planning staff is seeking changes, explained Nectarios Pittos, director of planning and development for Pasco County.

“This particular text amendment is a county-initiated text amendment. It was found to be difficult to come together to develop the entire planning area at once,” Pittos said.

Planning Commissioner Michael Cox, however, isn’t wild about changing the approach.

“Overall, I have a problem with this whole request,” Cox said.

He said the property owners involved in the original plan agreed to it, and the new buyers knew what they were buying into.

“It’s concerning to me that now, we’re seeing a property owner wanting to pull out of that and go back to the way we used to do it,” Cox said.

Planning Commissioner Chris Williams, who also is planning director for Pasco County Schools, sought assurances that if changes are made, that there will be a provision for park and school sites.

The problem is that those needs could be overlooked, if individual developers are allowed to peel off, Williams said.

“If they come in, and they’re planning this whole area, then they have to take care of schools and parks,” Williams said.

But, if there isn’t a master plan, a number of residential developments could come in that are too small to trigger the requirement for a school site but, when taken together, create the demand for a school site, Williams said. By then, however, all of the land has been taken up by development and the school system can’t find nearby sites.

There are 4,500 residential units approved in the plan, according to David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney.

He asked Williams if a provision is added requiring school and parks sites to be identified — before residential is approved — would address his concern.

Williams said that it would.

But, others in the audience also raised concerns.

“I’m the landowner who initially suggested that we go with individual MPUDs (master-planned unit developments), so that we can develop the industrial piece at the corner of State Road 52 and Bellamy Brothers Road (Boulevard),” said George Southworth, one of the property owners.

“We need to do something with the property. It’s a perfect place to create jobs for the county,” Southworth added.

He also noted that what he wants to do there would not generate a need for schools.

He acknowledged he has other residential properties within the village plan that likely would contribute to the need for school facilities, but this particular piece would not.

Southworth also emphasized: “There is a plan. We’re sticking with the plan and the appropriate land uses that were identified and approved by the county in that plan. We’re just saying, now we can move forward one landowner at a time, or two or three, whoever wants to work together. Otherwise, we’re just stopped dead in our tracks,” Southworth said.

Other landowners, however, expressed concerns.

“I am one of the owners within this MPUD. When I bought the property, I knew what was in here. I was comfortable with it, or I wouldn’t have bought it. It gave certain protections,” said property owner Andy Scaglione.

“When the board mandated — for the fast track on this, they did not know there was serious concerns among other property owners. All they were hearing from was Mr. Southworth.

“I own 133 acres.

“I think we need to slow this down. This is 2,400 acres on Highway (State Road) 52. This is very, very valuable property. This is moving way too quick. There’s too many questions. Let’s look at also some of these heavy industrial uses because that should not be allowed here.

“(State Road) 52 is going to be (State Road) 54, in not too long. Let’s move slow on this. Let’s get it right,” Scaglione said.

Other speakers also encouraged the county to slow the process down, to make sure that nothing’s allowed that could harm other landowners’ property values.

“Our biggest concern is the industrial. Everybody agrees it needs to get done right the first time,” said Terry Schrader, who lives on West Pasco Road.

Ultimately, planning commissioners amended the proposed change to allow light industrial or heavy industrial when it is affiliated with targeted industries.

The next step will be for a public hearing by the County Commission, which has final jurisdiction on land use and zoning matters.

Published July 24, 2019