The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
Proud to be independently owned.

Connerton

Connerton ‘downtown’ moving closer to reality

By

A plan for a downtown in Connerton — that’s been decades in the making — is moving closer to coming to fruition.

The Pasco County Planning Commission, and the county’s planners, are recommending approval of a change that would set the stage to convert land currently zoned for agricultural into a master-planned development.

The proposal, by applicant Lennar Homes LLC, calls for Connerton Villages III and IV, which would be a master-planned development that would allow a maximum of 2,160 dwelling units, 150,000 square feet of retail, 150,000 square feet of office, a charter school with up to 765 students, an 80-acre district park and the allocation of 7 acres for a library/fire/emergency medical services facility within the villages.

Clarke Hobby, an attorney representing Lennar, said “when Connerton was approved originally over 20 years ago, it included a 300-acre downtown area — in this area — that included a very large community college and over 1 million square feet of regional commercial. So, basically it was going to have a mall.”

The new vision is substantially different.

It has a connectivity plan — including trail systems — that will greatly reduce the dependence on vehicles to get around the community, according to background materials in the agenda packet.

The commercial plan is different, too.

“It’s going to be a bunch of local-serving retail that will benefit the Connerton community, but will not be of regional nature,” Hobby said.

“We’re really excited. We’ve worked with staff for 2½ years to get to this point — and the community plan, and connectivity plan that we’ve created — I believe is going to be one that we’ll all be proud of for generations,” he said.

The only public comment came from Rob Park, who lives in Bahia Acres, which is on the other side of Ehren Cutoff from the proposed development area. Park sent an email to be read into the record.

“Over the years, there has been one variance after another and none of the proposed downtown areas were built,” Park wrote.

“The variation requests address that and reads like a fairytale, and sounds like a dreamland,” he added.

“Issues of congestion, light and noise are not mentioned,” Park continued.

“The proposal does not say one thing about blending in with Bahia Acres across the street, which has generations of residents. I have been there 40 years, and I am the relatively new guy on the block,” Park’s email says.

Hobby responded to Park’s email by noting: “For the planning commission’s benefit, Mr. Park has objected at several hearings about his concerns about Ehren Cutoff, which is a county collector and it is morphing into a larger-scale road.”

Hobby also noted that: “Most of the uses that Mr. Park is concerned about are about a half-mile from Ehren Cutoff and really won’t have an effect on those people on the east side of Ehren Cutoff, and moreover, the uses are really only community-serving retail-sized.”

Planning commissioners voted unanimously to recommend approval of the request, to the Pasco County Commission, which has final jurisdiction on land use and zoning issues.

Published March 31, 2021

New businesses beginning to pop up, along U.S. 41

By

The signs sprouting along U.S. 41 — which is also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard — are an indication that new development is beginning to take root, on the main artery through Land O’ Lakes and Lutz.

New restaurants, a car wash and gas stations are coming. A new coffeehouse and meat shop have opened. A medical center and other developments, are planned, too.

None of this is on the same grand scale of the Tampa Premium Outlets or the Cypress Creek Town Center along State Road 56, but something is happening along Land O’ Lakes Boulevard that hasn’t happened in years.

A new restaurant is in planning stages on a site at 4422 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. It briefly was occupied by a restaurant called Mosquito Bar & Grill, and before that, Rapscallions. (Kathy Steele)

New businesses are taking a chance on a long overlooked, heavily traveled highway.

“This is great,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, whose district includes Land O’ Lakes. “As they have begun filling up along State Road 54/56, you’re seeing more happening along U.S. 41.”

Much of the new activity on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard extends from Bell Lake Road north toward State Road 52 and a nearly $50 million highway project that passes through Gowers Corner at U.S. 41.

For sale signs are plentiful, sites have been cleared and construction is underway — conveying a sense that new commercial projects are on the way, or could be coming soon.

A new Circle K gas station and convenience store is in the works at 7767 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., according to county records.

The project is being built by Frontier Building, according to a news release from that company, and the Circle K is expected to open in July.

Redstone Commercial is marketing more open land next to the Circle K.

Zaxby’s and Vortex carwash are planned for a location at U.S. 41 and Wilderness Lake Boulevard, according to posted signs and county records.

A 7-Eleven is anticipated at Bell Lake Road, along with another 7-Eleven at 9077 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., near the Tierra Del Sol subdivision, county records show.

Ps & Qs will be fluffing and styling pets from a new doggie day and boarding facility planned for 7495 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., near the community of Connerton.

Heights Meat Market, a longtime presence in the Tampa neighborhood of Seminole Heights, is operating at a small plaza at 5132 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. It opened in early 2020.

Aroma Joe’s coffeehouse is serving java, breakfast and sandwiches in a shop by the Preserve at Lake Wilderness.

Aroma Joe’s is a new coffeehouse open in a small plaza by the Preserve at Lake Wilderness, off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

A new restaurant is expected to open at 4422 Land O’ Lakes Blvd, the site previously occupied briefly by Mosquito Bar & Grill and before that by Rapscallions, a popular meeting place.

No details are yet available regarding what the new restaurant will look like, or the type of cuisine it will serve.

The old restaurant structure has fallen into disrepair, after its closure in 2013.

Longtime Land O’ Lakes resident Sandy Graves remembers how popular Rapscallions was, especially among nearby Bell Lake residents.

Graves is pleased to see some new development and redevelopment along Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

“It’s nice to see any kind of progress,” Graves said. “I’d love to see more. It’s nice to see a new restaurant.”

There’s definitely room for improvement, she added, noting there’s still a lot of Land O’ Lakes that looks “stuck in the ’60s.”

Graves looks forward to bicycle trails being built in the future that follow along the old railroad tracks. And the completion of the Ridge Road extension, which will emerge at U.S. 41 across from Connerton, also could help, she said.

“It will be a lot easier going east and west in the county. I think things are looking up for Land O’ Lakes, which extends to the outlet mall.”

Graves sees positive changes along the northern corridor at the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

Frontier Building announced the construction of a Circle K gas station and convenience store, at 7767 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

County officials and officials from Pasco County Economic Development Council Inc., previously have touted potential economic investment in the area that is likely to result from the development of the K9 Tactical Center/Florida’s Forensic Institute for Research, Security, and Tactics, or F.I.R.S.T., and the Adam Kennedy Memorial Forensics Fields, also known as the body farm.

These facilities are expected to attract forensics-related businesses and organizations, as well as national and international visitors to forensics conferences.

Road improvements on a northern segment of U.S. 41, plus substantial improvements along State Road 52, also are expected to support new development efforts.

And, the development of the Angeline community — along with a planned Pasco County campus of Moffitt Research Center — are expected to have a significant economic impact in Land O’ Lakes.

County records show developers are getting ready for what comes once the roadwork is finished.

Five years ago, the Tibbetts family rezoned its property at the southwest corner of Gowers Corner for residential and commercial development. No projects are announced as yet.

On property adjacent to the Tibbetts’ parcels, county records show Sandridge Commercial LLC applied for a “mass grading” permit to level and prep a large swath of land for an unidentified project.

Gowers Corner and U.S. 41 are on the development radar.

Meanwhile, the signs of new development on U.S. 41 are much less obvious south of Bell Lake.

O’Reilly Auto Parts has opened a store at 3600 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., and the Walmart Supercenter, at 1575 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., is opening a fueling station.

Businesses along the southern end of Land O’ Lakes struggle to redevelop properties after a road widening years ago that chopped off frontage, Graves said.

The county may need to consider overlay districts at locations along U.S. 41, to foster redevelopment efforts, she said.

By Kathy Steele

Published March 10, 2021

Construction, legal action on Ridge Road

By

Work on the Ridge Road extension is pushing ahead even as legal action from the Sierra Club to halt construction remains active.

Attorneys for the Sierra Club recently filed a motion to add U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a defendant in a lawsuit that was filed in February against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The approximately 9-mile corridor would link Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey with the Suncoast Parkway, and eventually will reach U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes.

An aerial view shows a portion of the Ridge Road extension route beginning with Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey and linking to U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

The extension cuts through the Serenova Tract of the Starkey Wildlife Preserve, which has been a point of contention.

Environmentalists say the road will destroy sensitive conservation wetlands and wildlife habitats. They believe the motive for the road extension is to support more growth and development.

The lawsuit alleges that Fish and Wildlife in its “biological opinion” violated the Endangered Species Act and failed to properly assess harmful impacts, specifically to the Eastern indigo snake. The lawsuit also claims the Army Corps failed to complete a legally required comprehensive analysis on impacts to the Florida scrub blue jay and the red-cockaded woodpecker.

“They are causing damage to the best preserve in Pasco County,” said Tim Martin, chair of the Sierra Club Florida’s conservation committee.

County officials say the road extension will add a vital east/west evacuation route during hurricanes and other emergencies. The route and construction seek to do minimal damage to the preserve, they say.

The Serenova Tract is part of a 1990s settlement agreement reached during litigation over construction of the Suncoast Parkway. About 200 acres were set aside to mitigate wetlands damage. Ownership transferred from the Florida Department of Transportation to the Southwest Water Management District, but preserved the right to extend Ridge Road.

Battle lines over the proposed route put county officials and environmental activists on opposing sides for more than 20 years. But, in late 2019, the Army Corps granted a construction permit.

In March, a federal judge denied a Sierra Club motion for an emergency injunction to temporarily block road construction until the lawsuit’s conclusion. The decision cited “monetary harm” to the county if work were halted.

Roadwork moved ahead.

And, in November, Pasco County commissioners approved approximately $2.7 million to purchase wetland mitigation credits due to “unavoidable wetlands impact.”

Last summer work crews completed a road segment linking Ridge Road and Town Center Boulevard, an access point for River Ridge Middle and High Schools.

Next up is building a two-lane segment between Town Center and the Suncoast Parkway, with an expected completion in summer 2021. The two-lane roadway later will be widened to four lanes by summer of 2022.

Construction is expected to begin in 2021 on the Ridge Road extension between Suncoast Parkway to the future Suncoast Boulevard. The final step would be extending Ridge Road from the boulevard to U.S. 41 at the intersection with Connerton Boulevard, the main entrance into the master-planned community of Connerton.

Construction on this segment would begin in 2022.

County officials hope to open the entire Ridge Road extension by the end of 2025.

In addition to the roadway, as many as 16 bridges will provide overpasses along the length of Ridge Road. There also will be pathways, upland wildlife crossings and fences to provide habitat connectivity, and prevent roadkill of the numerous species living in the preserve.

Work crews cleared a swath of land to prepare for construction of the Ridge Road extension.

The initial phase of the project is estimated at $93.2 million, including incentives to finish early. About $11.3 million will pay for ramps and toll equipment at the Suncoast Parkway interchange. The final phase of construction is about $36.1 million. However, county officials said the design and cost estimate of that phase will be updated by the end of 2020.

Martin said the county is moving aggressively to complete construction. If the Sierra Club prevails in its efforts to permanently stop the road extension, Martin said, “We want them to restore it to its natural state.”

Sierra Club attorney Sarah Hayter said the goal is to have the permit revoked. Though the county is spending millions, Hayter said the courts could require Pasco to restore what it has done.

A federal judge must determine if Fish and Wildlife can be added to the lawsuit, said Hayter. Representatives for Fish and Wildlife, and the Army Corps, agreed to the amended lawsuit, she said.

However, Hayter said she understood that Pasco officials planned to file an objection.

Pasco isn’t a defendant in the lawsuit, but the courts granted a request for the county to intervene on behalf of the Army Corps.

County officials declined to comment on pending litigation.

By Kathy Steele

Published December 30, 2020

Celebrating some of life’s big moments

By

If ever there was a time when joy was needed, 2020 was the year.

Here’s a look, in condensed form, at some of the stories revealing big moments and happy times in The Laker/Lutz News region, during the year that was.

(File)

Soaring into the wild blue yonder
Olivia Jenkins flew her first solo flight from Tampa North Flight Center in Lutz, aboard a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, on Sept. 23. In doing so, she achieved a personal goal to fly solo before even getting a license to drive a car. She intends to get her private pilot’s license when she turns 17, on Feb. 10. She has big plans after that, too. She will seek a congressional nomination to a military service academy, and one day hopes to fly for the U.S. Air Force or perhaps to fly helicopters for the Army.

Superheroes give boy an epic parade
David Castle — an 8-year who loves superheroes, WWE, Fortnight, motorcycles, fast cars and

fishing — had a very special Halloween when hundreds of people joined in to put on an epic parade for him. Superheroes dropped by and bikers threw up smoke, giving David a day to get his mind off cancer and just enjoy being a kid. He’s had a hard battle — but on this particular day, he was surrounded by people who wanted to make him happy, and they did.

Making birthdays happy, despite COVID-19
When Kynlee Kuberski wasn’t able to celebrate her 11th birthday at Universal Studios, her mom, Jessi, took to social media inviting people to drive by to wish her a happy, socially distanced birthday. People responded, making the day a treat for Kynlee, who lives in Connerton. Kynlee, center, reacts as a Pasco County Fire Rescue truck drives by — adding to the fun. Her mother, Jessi, stands to her left, and her older sister, Kalyn, is on her right.

 

When original plans for Evelyn “Ev” Furman’s 99th birthday were canceled, her daughter came up with Plan B.
The plans were all set. Furman’s family planned to travel to Land O’ Lakes and to take her to the Rusty Pelican to celebrate her 99th birthday.
A birthday lunch with friends was planned, too.
Neither happened, thanks to COVID-19.
Instead, her daughter, Debbie Storts organized a party — inviting people to drive, walk or bicycle by the house to help Ev celebrate.
Storts used a 6-foot tray to hand out cupcakes. Those bringing gifts left them at the edge of the driveway, where they were collected and sanitized, before being delivered to the Birthday Girl.
Although the original plans fell through, Ev didn’t mind.
“It was the best party I ever had,” she said.

 

The Rev. Harold Thomas, and his wife, Bermice, enjoy lunch, during the “Birthday King’s” surprise birthday party.
Members of St. John Missionary Baptist Church, in Dade City, wanted to do something special for the Rev. Harold Thomas, who was turning 85.
So, they threw him a surprise celebration, complete with a drive-by parade with police sirens, and a luncheon with social distancing.
The finishing touches were a red robe and crown, for the “Birthday King.”
The pastor has led the church for 37 years.

 

Faithful woman has a national role
Michele Bowman, who lives in Zephyrhills, has achieved something attained by only three other Floridians in 117 years. She’s been elected as one of nine national directors for the Catholic Daughters of America.
The organization promotes spiritual growth, charitable giving, community service and sisterhood.
She wants to expand the membership and to attract younger members.
“It’s a problem when your membership starts to age out” she said, in a Laker/Lutz News interview. “We may have to change the way we approach things, and I’d like to have a voice in this because I believe it’s a big issue. We should be proactive.”

 

Gesture honors a Marine’s service
Otis Felder, a retired U.S. Marine, was already having a pretty good Veterans Day — even before he made his daily trek to the dog park at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, off Collier Parkway. But when he arrived, it got even better. That’s when he was surprised by a new bench at the park, which his friends had dedicated to him. ‘Holy mackerel,’ the 84-year-old said, when he saw the bench. ‘I never expected anything like that.’

 

 

Military veteran Francis Xavier O’Connell salutes the flag during a ceremony in his honor.

Venue changes, but dignity preserved
A date had been set to honor Francis Xavier O’Connell — a decorated military veteran and a former prisoner of war — during the legislative session in Tallahassee, but that couldn’t occur because of COVID-19.
So, new plans were made to provide a socially distanced ceremony at Angels Senior Living at the Lodges of Idlewild, in Lutz, where O’Connell lives.
Because of the COVID-19 lockdown, he had to watch the ceremony through glass doors, as it was performed outside.
O’Connell’s niece, Carolyn Matthews, who was involved in arranging the tribute, said members of two veterans groups stepped forward to help create a meaningful and dignified event.

 

 

First Day, learning in-person
Beyond requirements for masks, social distancing and frequent hand-washing, the first day of school in the 2020-2021 school year will stand out for Principal Tim Light for another reason, too. It was his first ‘First Day’ leading Cypress Creek Middle School in its newly opened home on Old Pasco Road. He’d been planning for the day for months, and he was ready. ‘I’m very excited,’ Light said. ‘Honestly, I never thought this day was going to get here.’

First Day, learning remotely
Five-year-old Brooklyn Holtzman, of Land O’ Lakes, had her first day of kindergarten at home — learning remotely through Pasco County Schools’ MySchool Online. She’s enrolled at Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School. She even had a special hat for the day.

 

Celebrating the Lightning’s Stanley Cup
The Tampa Bay Lightning injected joy and excitement in the midst of a global pandemic by defeating the Dallas Stars, to bring home the Stanley Cup.
Amelie Arena was open for a limited number of spectators and outdoor watch parties were socially distanced. Spectators wore masks. (They’re not masked up in the photo, but once the picture was taken they put their masks back on.)
When the Lightning won the cup, euphoria erupted.
Mary, David and Kimberly Eberhard are loyal Lightning fans.
When she’s not cheering on the Lightning, Mary’s financial acumen helps keep The Laker/Lutz News running smoothly.

Connerton to get a downtown?

By

The Pasco County Commission has taken the first step in the process needed to clear the way for a proposed Downtown Connerton in Land O’ Lakes.

Commissioners approved changes to the long-range plan that would set the stage for a new mixed-use community within Connerton, that would be on the west side of Ehren Cutoff, about 2 miles south of State Road 52.

There are 16 parcels within Connerton Villages III/IV, according to county planning documents.

No one objected to the proposed change to the county’s long-range plan, which commissioners approved unanimously.

Now that the long-range plan has been amended, the next step will be consideration of a request to create a master-planned unit development (MPUD).

The land currently is zoned for agricultural use, but would be used for a mixed-use development.

The rezoning calls for activating a mixed-use area of at least 40 acres to create a Downtown Connerton.

Specifics in the proposal call for approximately 2,160 dwelling units, 55,000 square feet of retail, and 150,000 square feet of office, and a 765-student charter school, the planning documents say.

The idea is to bring employment, retail, a school and higher-density residential together to make it easy for people to walk, bicycle or use forms of transportation other than vehicles.

The area also will have pedestrian-oriented open spaces, community gathering spaces and will be within walking distance to an 80-acre district park, planning documents say.

Planners also report that the county has been working with the applicant to draft a connectivity plan that “will ultimately provide a system of trails, multi-use paths and associated amenities.”

A request to rezone the land — to enable the development of the proposed Downtown Connerton — will be brought to the board for consideration, at a later date.

Published July 29, 2020

Ridge Road construction moves forward

By

By summer, motorists could take their first spins along the initial segment of the Ridge Road extension from Moon Lake Road/DeCubellis Road to Town Center Boulevard.

“We’re hoping we open that leg by the start of August, for the start of the school year,” said Sam Beneck, Pasco County’s property manager. “They are pulling out all the stops to get it done. It’s going to be a real challenge.”

The roadwork is expected to ease traffic for River Ridge high school and middle school along Town Center.

This aerial view shows the area where Ridge Road construction will begin at Moon Lake in west Pasco County. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

This short jog forward is the beginning of a two-phased road project, with a final completion date in 2025. By then, the approximately 8.6-mile extension of Ridge Road, from west to east, is expected to cross over Suncoast Parkway and come out at U.S. 41, opposite an entrance into the master-planned community of Connerton in Land O’ Lakes.

Pasco County officials celebrated the kick-off to Ridge Road’s extension in January. It was the culmination of more than two decades of pushing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue a permit that would allow the new road to cut through sensitive environmental land in the Serenova Tract of the Starkey Wilderness Preserve.

For years, county officials identified the east/west route as an essential evacuation route during hurricanes and other emergencies. They expect it to take pressure off existing east/west routes of State Road 52 and State Road 54, and cut evacuation times down by hours. In addition, traffic capacity is expected to increase by 10%.

“It’s really to improve traffic capacity and east/west access to improve hurricane evacuations,” said Beneck. “We really, really see it as a significant evacuation improvement with multi-hour benefits in reaching our evacuation goal and traffic capacity. There was never another alternative that provided these benefits.”

Environmentalists suggest that the north/south route of U.S. 19 makes more sense for evacuations, and would avoid harm to the Serenova.

“We need to maintain our natural systems and forests to mitigate against climate change,” said Tim Martin, conversation chairman for the Sierra Club Florida. “We just need to leave our natural systems and keep our preserves preserved.”

Sierra Club Florida Conservation filed a lawsuit against the Army Corps in February in the U.S. Middle District of Florida. However, a judge denied an emergency injunction to stop the roadway. Pasco County, which is not a defendant in the lawsuit, was granted permission to intervene in the case.

The Sierra Club alleges that the Army Corps violated the National Environmental Policy Act and failed to adequately evaluate the harm to threatened and endangered species within the Serenova, and to their habitats and wetlands.

Martin said county taxpayers need to understand they could be the losers if the lawsuit is successful and Pasco is ordered to restore wetlands that the roadway is destroying.

Beneck said the county is sensitive to the impacts to the Serenova. County staff and the Fish and Wildlife Commission have provided guidance on mitigation efforts, including relocating gopher tortoises found on site.

The court date is pending.

When completed, the roadway through the Serenova will have 16 bridges that cross over wetlands, and wildlife crossings at 15 of those bridges.

Landscaping and multi-use paths will be installed with nature overlooks that allow for relaxation and observation.

The total estimated cost of the project is more than $149 million, with the largest share – about $93.2 million – paying for phase one from Moon Lake to the Suncoast. Suncoast to Sunlake is estimated to cost about $12.7 million. Funding sources for the $44 million final segment from Sunlake to U.S. 41 are identified and will be budgeted in the fiscal year 2023, based on revenue estimates and projections, according to county officials.

The Florida Turnpike Authority will fund the new interchange at Ridge Road and the parkway.

The interchange and surrounding land are attracting new development.

Lee Moffitt Cancer and Research Institute recently purchased about 775 acres for a future research hub near the interchange.

Lennar, which sold land to Moffitt, is proposing a master-planned community of Angeline, formerly Project Arthur, that would transform a former cattle ranch and pine plantation into a residential and commercial community. The property is located south of State Road 52 and east of Suncoast. Both Ridge Road and Sunlake Boulevard cut through the property.

Environmentalists say these types of projects are the true reason for extending Ridge Road.

“Now, it’s pretty obvious all along they had bigger plans for opening central Pasco,” said Martin. “A lot of this is bad growth and sprawl.”

One design change in Ridge Road could add as many as seven signalized intersections to the phase two, at-grade construction of roadway from Suncoast to Land O’ Lakes boulevard.

While this segment initially had limited access, county officials later designated it an arterial roadway in acknowledgement that private property owners might develop land adjacent to Ridge Road.

However, Beneck said Pasco planned for Ridge Road based on the county’s long-range comprehensive plan, not any specific development projects. “We really hadn’t heard of any development plans.”

It would be up to private developers to seek any necessary permits, he said.

“Private developers would be responsible for doing all of their own mitigation,” Beneck said.

Published July 1, 2020

This run combats cancer, with love

By

When Peggy Sherry established Faces of Courage Inc., the idea was to help cancer patients.

Faces of Courage, an organization that has been helping cancer patients for 15 years, is hosting Run for Love on Feb. 1. The Land O’ Lakes event will help the organization raise money to support its services. (Courtesy of Tiffany Dodge, secretary at Faces of Courage Inc.)

As a cancer survivor herself, she could empathize.

So, she formed a non-profit organization.

That was in 2004.

The organization, based in Tampa, is geared toward helping cancer patients, and those suffering from blood disorders, as well.

The upcoming Run For Love event, set for Feb. 1, gives the public an opportunity to provide support, too. The 5K run and a 1-mile walk will be held in the Connerton community of  Land O’ Lakes.

Faces of Courage provides patients with overnight campouts within the Tampa Bay region.

But patients come from far beyond the Tampa Bay region to experience the camps. They come from across the nation, and across the globe.

Siblings of cancer patients are also welcome to join in.

The camps are intended to give those who are going through an illness an opportunity to focus their attention elsewhere, and enjoy a stress-free environment.

Besides providing an array of activities, the camps also allow campers to share their stories.

There are camps for kids,  and for kids on the autism spectrum, too.

The organization is currently serving 10,500 families affected by cancer — and that’s possible to accomplish because of its army of more than 1,600 volunteers.

Providing the campouts is possible through the help of sponsors, individual donors, grants, fundraisers and other contributions.

Run for Love, with its Valentine’s Day theme, is one such fundraiser. It is scheduled for held Feb. 1 at the Connerton Community Center, at 21100 Fountain Garden Road in Land O’ Lakes.

The 5K run will cost $30 a person and the 1-mile walk will cost $25 a person, when registering online.

When registering the day of, the 5K run will be $35 a person and the 1-mile will be $30 a person.

Check-in begins at 7 a.m., with the run and walk both starting at 8 a.m.

In addition to the run and walk, there will be live entertainment, bounce houses, rock painting and other fun activities. Admission is free.

Event-goers also will have a chance to pose for a photo with the Tampa Bay Rays’ mascot.

For more information or to register, call (813) 948-7478 or visit www.FacesOfCourage.org/RunForLove.

Published January 22, 2020

Under Construction

By

Firestone Complete Auto Service
Motorists will have a new option for car maintenance with the opening of a new Firestone Complete Auto Service, at 25170 Maren Way in Land O’ Lakes. The shop, which is off State Road 54, will be equipped with seven service bays, as well as an indoor waiting area, along with an HD-TV and Wi-Fi service. The 6,116-square-foot building is set to open in late September and will provide 10 to 15 jobs.

Flying Squirrel Sports
Flying Squirrel Sports will bring new recreational activities for both adults and kids. The 40,000-square-foot structure will include indoor trampolines, dodge ball games, an arcade, pool tables, and a restaurant, among other amenities. The coming attraction will be housed in the Willow Bend Towne Centre, 22920 State Road 54 in Lutz. Construction is set to be completed in August, with an official opening date planned in September.

East Pasco Fleet-Transit Facility
Efforts are underway to build a facility to house county vehicles and buses at 9928 McKendree Road in San Antonio. The 31,427-square-foot station will include an area to wash buses, a refueling station and multiple bays for vehicle maintenance. Construction is expected to end by late 2019.

Heartland Dental Clinic
A Heartland Dental clinic is under construction in the Land O’ Lakes Connerton community at 20301 Pleasant Plains Parkway. The one-story office is 4,320 square feet and will hold 13 rooms. End of construction and grand opening are both set for September.

Curious about something new that’s popping up in your community? Please send us the location — along with the address, if possible — and we’ll see what we can find out. Send your email to .

New forensics research center expected to boost local economy

By

Officials are expected to gather together this week to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the K9 Tactical Center/Forensic Institute for Research, Security and Tactics in Land O’ Lakes.

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco is predicting that beyond its other benefits, the new forensics center also will be an economic driver — having wide-ranging impacts on the county as whole, and Land O’ Lakes, in particular.

“This is one of those things that is going to put us on the map. This is one of those things that will define us,” Nocco said, during a recent Pasco County Commission meeting.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco

“That cadaver field is actually the thing that’s drawing everybody in,” Nocco said, but as it attracts widespread interest — it also is creating many new opportunities for public safety, economic development and academics.

The project has been a true collaboration between the county, the Sheriff’s Office, the Pasco Economic Development Council, academic groups, local chambers of commerce and others, Nocco said.

The sheriff said Bill Cronin, president/CEO of the Pasco Economic Development Corporation, has played an instrumental role.

“He has been unbelievable, getting us connected with businesses and people who are interested in coming to Pasco,” Nocco said.

Businesses with an interest in the cadaver field, include medical, companies, data companies, forensics companies, private military companies and others, he said.

“People are recognizing that they want to be a part of this,” he said.

Connerton’s proximity to the project is a plus because it has both housing and commercial components, Nocco noted.

“Everything right there is going to get bigger,” he said.

“There are students coming from other universities, graduates and post-grad students that are coming and want to live here as they do their work,” Nocco said.

The forensics research center is expected to offer a wide range of training sessions for local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

“The FBI evidence response team is already talking about coming down to train with us. The border patrol, the coast guard, NCIS,” Nocco said. “They recognize that this is something unique.”

The training opportunities will boost Pasco’s economy, with travelers staying at local hotels, the sheriff said.

His department has been reaching out to partners in academia, to explore possibilities.

“The unique part about this is that we’re the only subtropical environment and tropical environment that this training goes on in,” he said. He believes that people from Central America, South America and the Caribbean would be among those interested in training at this facility.

There’s also potential for training in the use of robotics, drones and data processing in the arena of public safety and workforce training.

“Information is the gold of the future. These are the things we want to train our students for now, so in the future they’ll be trained for better jobs and bringing in jobs to our community,” Nocco said.

Pasco Sheriff’s Capt. Justin Ross said the center’s training will be taking a forward-focused view.

Its mission statement is “Creating safer communities by transforming public safety through research, education and innovation.”

“It’s one thing to come up with a nice, new, nifty shiny idea,” Ross said.

“Everybody understands that in public safety, we’re dealing with matters of life and death. If we’re going to come up and innovate and lead the way, we need to make sure that those things are going to be effective, that they will work,” he added.

The center will be a collaboration between academia and practitioners, he said.

County Commissioners expressed enthusiasm for the venture.

Commissioners Mike Moore, Ron Oakley and Jack Mariano said they believe the project will create new economic opportunities in Pasco.

Commission Chairman Mike Wells put it like this: “This is a perfect example of everybody coming together for the betterment of our region and the county.

“It’s going to save lives. It’s going to create jobs,” Wells said.

The economic development council’s Cronin put it this way: “It (the research center) further activates that corridor on 41, where we’ve got shallow lots and a road that continues to widen. “These businesses just need to be next to them.

“It helps us in that area where traditionally it was difficult for us to get businesses up in that area.”

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey expects this project to be a catalyst for change in Land O’ Lakes.

“I think (U.S.) 41, in 10 years, is going to look so different,” Starkey said.

Published September 19, 2018

Connerton, county and school board agree to land swap

By

Pasco County, the school district of Pasco County and Pasco Investment Land LLC have agreed to a land swap in connection with a county district park in Connerton.

Pasco County owns approximately 119.7 gross acres that have been deeded for a district park in Connerton, a master-planned community in Land O’ Lakes.

The school board owns approximately 22.3 acres that is slated for a future school site, and Pasco Investment Land LLC, also referred to in the agreement as Connerton, owns the adjacent land.

Under the exchange, Pasco County has agreed to convey about 6.6 acres of upland acreage to the school board.

The county also agreed to convey about 46.8 upland acres to Connerton.

The school board has agreed to convey about 6.6 acres of upland acres to Connerton.

And, Connerton has agreed to convey approximately 53.6 upland acres to Pasco County.

The agreement also calls for Pasco County to establish a parks and recreation impact fee credit for all parkland to be retained and exchanged within 30 days of the closing.

The county also agreed to provide for a north-south drive aisle, to the east and parallel to Flourish Drive that allows for vehicular access from the future Connerton Boulevard to the northern boundary of the park site.

The land swap aims to facilitate the development of an elementary school, a middle school and a district park.

There are no immediate plans for the schools or the park, according to school district and county parks officials.

However, the school district and county do plan to share use of the park facilities once they are built.

The development of the district park “is all tied to funding,” said Keith Wiley, director of Pasco County’s Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources department.

Published July 25, 2018