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Keith Wiley

Pasco County ‘hottest county around,’ commission chairman says

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When Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore moved to the county in 2007, it was a different place.

When he arrived, the State Road 54/56 corridor — with it shopping malls, restaurants, car dealerships, hotels, residential subdivisions, medical offices, state college and industrial development — looked nothing like it does today.

The Shops at Wiregrass wasn’t even there yet, recalled Moore, who had made the move from nearby New Tampa for a larger home in Seven Oaks.

“They just built the JCPenney, without the mall. When I first moved here, we were still going to Hillsborough County and to New Tampa for a lot of things,” he said.

That was then.

“You think about how hot Pasco County is right now. We’re the hottest county around,” said Moore, now serving in his second term, and recently named county commission chairman.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore is bullish on Pasco County. He sees bright prospects for 2020, and said the county’s pro-growth attitude is creating more opportunities for its residents. (File)

“Wesley Chapel has the highest income in the Tampa Bay region.

“New restaurants and businesses are coming every single day.

“I do so many ribbon cuttings my fingers are tired,” Moore said.

New businesses are bringing jobs to the county, and there’s even some Class A office space popping up.

“That’s what’s amazing, you look at the growth and opportunity that we have in this area now, compared to what we had when I first moved here in ’07.”

Now, he said, “I don’t need to leave Pasco County, unless I need to go to the airport.”

Statistics paint a favorable picture of the county.

The number of homeless is down; job growth is up. Tourism hit the million-visitor mark for the first time this year, and numerous companies have set up shop in Pasco, or have announced plans to do so.

Moore said a strong economic development team, a streamlined approval process and a pro-growth board have combined to create more interest in Pasco.

County staff and the private Pasco Economic Development Council, Inc., work together to recruit new businesses, he said.

“There are certain things that (Pasco) EDC can do — being a private entity,” Moore explained.

“A lot of companies don’t want to make it public beforehand. People have employees who might have to relocate. There are investors involved, if they are public companies.”

“The EDC can work behind the scenes.”

The county also has focused on reducing bureaucracy, Moore said.

“One of the things that we have encouraged — as a commission, as a whole — is to make it as easily navigable as possible, to come here and start from the ground up,” Moore said.

“Our economic development group needs to make sure that when they (prospects) come here and they’re ready to do business, that it’s a smooth process,” he added.

The economic development team’s job is to make the area enticing, but it goes beyond that Moore said. They also need to help the companies through the county’s process.

Public support for economic development has played an important role, Moore said, noting that a portion of the Penny for Pasco tax proceeds is earmarked for that purpose.

The county has a number of tools it uses to entice businesses: It waives mobility impact fees and permit fees. It rewards job creation. It supports work force training. It forgives loans. It uses tax and job creation incentives.

The commission’s Dec. 10 meeting — where two companies announced intentions to locate in Pasco — offered a glimpse of how such strategies are paying off.

Encompass Health Corporation, based in Birmingham, Alabama, announced plans to bring 179 jobs to Central Pasco. Rooker Properties, LLC, a company based in Atlanta, Georgia, unveiled plans for an industrial park on a site off Old Pasco Road, expected to generate hundreds of jobs.

Meanwhile, financial services company Raymond James — also receiving a number of incentives — is expected to break ground in 2020 for a campus expected to have hundreds of employees, in the Wiregrass Ranch area of Wesley Chapel.

“That will be significant for our area. We’ve all been waiting for it,” Moore said.

Aside from the economy, the county is making strides in efforts to improve its quality of life, Moore said.

Numerous road construction projects are in various stages of progress.

Most recently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit to extend Ridge Road, initially from Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey to the Suncoast Parkway, but ultimately it will extend to U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes.

The county has pushed for the east-west corridor for 20 years, and securing the permit marks a major milestone. As of last week, it remained unclear if opponents — who object to the project’s path through the Serenova Tract of the Starkey Wilderness Preserve — will wage a legal challenge.

Meanwhile, over in Wesley Chapel, construction continues on the diverging diamond, a project aimed at easing congestion at the Interstate 75/State Road 56 interchange.

And, in another significant development, the extension of State Road 56 between Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills was wrapped up in July, creating a new east-west corridor between the two communities.

The county also has been making strides on civic projects, Moore noted.

Four voter-approved bond issues are supporting the construction of additional fire stations, the renovation of libraries, improvements at county parks and a jail expansion.

The county also recently announced a record-breaking $22 million acquisition of environmental lands, to preserve ecological corridors.

And, within recent months, the county opened its first barrier-free playground.

Moore championed the idea, after noticing there wasn’t a place where children with disabilities could play at Wesley Chapel District Park.

Keith Wiley, who oversees the county’s parks departments, got involved — and the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club, Lennar Foundation and AdventHealth Wesley Chapel stepped up to help pay for the project.

The barrier-free playground was a first for Pasco, but Moore expects that it won’t be the last.

Six things to watch in 2020

The Laker/Lutz News asked Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore to identify the top things to watch in 2020. He provided these six, along with some observations:

  • Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex: The 98,000-square-foot Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex will open, creating a new destination for amateur and youth travel teams. It also will have programs during the week for local youths. The facility is expected to boost county tourism, as teams travel to Pasco from around the country and even internationally. The facility also will add to the local economy, as visitors stay at hotels, shop at stores, eat at restaurants, buy gas and so on.
  • Interstate 75-Overpass Road interchange: Work will begin on a design-build project to create a new interchange at Interstate 75 and Overpass Road, 3.5 miles south of State Road 52. The new diamond interchange will include a flyover ramp for westbound Overpass Road access to south I-75. To accommodate the new interchange, Overpass Road will be widened from two lanes to four lanes between I-75 and Old Pasco Road and to six lanes between I-75 and Boyette Road. Blair Drive will be realigned to connect with Old Pasco Road; and, McKendree Road will be realigned to connect with Boyette Road.
  • U.S. 41 Redevelopment: Redevelopment and revitalization along U.S. 41/Land O Lakes Boulevard is expected to occur, as U.S. 41 is widened, south of State Road 52 to alleviate backups at State Road 52/U.S. 41. There also will be increased efforts to improve the corridor’s appearance, through landscaping projects and redevelopment.
  • Job growth in Pasco County: The county is attracting more companies because of its policies that support growth and that is expected to continue. Quality of life improves when citizens can work closer to home, and new developments, such as Raymond James, which is expected to occur in early 2020, offers one example of increasing job opportunities in Pasco.
  • Improved quality of life through public projects: New looks for Centennial Park Library and New River Library will be unveiled in 2020, with modernized interiors and makerspaces. The county is also engaged in more than 30 projects in its parks, ranging from new roofs and gutters on buildings to updating playground equipment.
  • Ridge Road Extension: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit to Pasco County on Dec. 20, to begin on Ridge Road Extension, initially to connect Ridge Road to the Suncoast Parkway. Plans also call for eventually extending the road to U.S. 41. The project will provide a new east-west corridor, giving motorists another travel option and providing another evacuation route during emergencies.

Editor’s note: These observations were edited for brevity.

Published January 01, 2020

Pasco spends $22 million on environmental lands

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The Pasco County Commission has unanimously approved a $22 million purchase to secure ecological corridor sites and land for a future park in Central Pasco.

The purchase is the largest in the history of the county’s Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program (ELAMP) — which began in 2005, said Keith Wiley, the county’s director of parks, recreation and natural resources.

It took more than 1,000 hours and two years of negotiations to hammer out the agreement, Wiley said.

Commissioners Jack Mariano and Ron Oakley lauded the acquisition.

Commissioner Mike Wells praised the staff for their efforts to secure it. “It’s a great concept. The park is going to be phenomenal,” Wells said.

Before commissioners approved the purchase, Dr. Rene Brown, natural resources manager for the county, provided an overview.

The acquisition includes 843.50 acres at the southeastern corner of the Suncoast Parkway and State Road 52 in Land O’ Lakes, within the Project Arthur Master Planned Unit Development.

It includes land within two ecological corridors: the North Pasco to Crossbar Corridor, and the North Pasco to Connerton Corridor.

The acquisition includes a substantial portion of the remaining acreage not already protected in the North Pasco to Connerton Corridor.

It also includes about 647 acres in the Five Mile Creek Corridor, which is all of the acreage of that corridor that is located in Project Arthur, Brown said. That includes everything in the corridor from Starkey Wilderness Park to the railroad tracks, she added.

There’s also 147 acres for a new park, which will be mostly passive in nature because of its proximity to the two ecological corridors, but there will be some active components, she said.

The land is being purchased from Len-Angeline LLC, and the James and Mabel Family Partnership LLLP, et al, according to agenda backup materials.

It is being acquired under the county’s ecological corridor ordinance, which aims:
• To preserve a continuous network of wildlife habitat between existing public lands

  • To protect and conserve native vegetative communities, endangered and threatened species
  • To protect natural functions of wildlife habitats and invaluable ecosystems

Len-Angeline, and James and Mabel Family Partnership LLLP, et al. (Bexley) — elected compensation instead of density transfer.

This acquisition will protect the floodplain of the Pithlachascotee River, particularly the forested wetlands along the river channel, Brown said.

It also includes measures to sustain the mature forested communities along the Pithlachascotee River and the adjacent flatwoods, she said.

It protects the floodplain of Five Mile Creek, particularly the forested wetlands along the flow-way. And, it includes measures to sustain the native communities along Five Mile Creek and the adjacent flatwoods; and measures to sustain forested upland communities adjacent to this linkage.

This purchase builds on significant conservation efforts over the past 14 years to protect the ecological corridors, according to county staff.

The agreement also calls for Len-Angeline to contribute 40 acres of upland park land along with 40 acres within the Ecological Corridors to satisfy the 80-acre park level of service requirement.

The deal also stipulates that within five years of closing, Len-Angeline will collaborate with the county on park design and will spend $3 million to develop a portion of the park site.

There will be a trail connection to Five Mile Creek Corridor.

The agreement also includes extended possession provisions for both the Bexleys and Len-Angeline to facilitate continued cattle grazing.

No leasing fee will be charged to either entity until after December 2020.

It also allows for possible extended possession through Dec. 31, 2025 with a leasing charge dependent on: 1) whether Len-Angeline or another developer purchases the remaining area of the Bexley property, and 2) the finalization of Sunlake Boulevard and Ridge Road for access to the development.

Two appraisals were completed on the land. The applicants’ appraisal valued the ecological corridors at about $26.9 million, while the county’s appraisal put it at slightly under $17 million.

Published December 04, 2019

Playground aims to remove barriers for having fun

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Olivia Campbell, and her parents, were front and center at the future site of a play space that aims to give all children access to fun.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Sept. 20 at Wesley Chapel’s District Park for its new universally inclusive playground – the first in Pasco County.

The amenity will be designed to accommodate children who have special needs, such as Olivia, who has Down Syndrome.

“Inclusive playgrounds actually make a fundamental statement about how communities value meaningful play experiences for people of all ages and abilities,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, who helped conceptualize the playground.

Pasco County Commissioners Jack Mariano and Kathryn Starkey, Erik Wangsness, Pasco County Commissioners Ron Oakley and Mike Moore, Mark Metheny, Eric Johnson and Keith Wiley officiate the groundbreaking of Wesley Chapel District Park’s new playground, on Sept. 20. (Brian Fernandes)

“We believe in creating play environments where everybody can play, focusing on both the physical and social aspects of inclusion,” Moore said at the gathering, which included Pasco County officials, local residents and representatives from organizations that provided financial support for the project.

Moore has spent a fair amount of time at the district park, while coaching teams there.

During those times at the park, Moore said he noticed that there were no suitable accommodations for children with disabilities.

Moore talked it over with Keith Wiley, director of Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources, and together they began an initiative to create an inclusive playground.

In addition to researching other inclusive playgrounds, they spoke with special needs organizations for suggestions.

The new play space will be next to the park’s existing playground, with the two connected by sidewalks.

This will come in handy for Olivia, who frequents the park about four times a week to watch her sisters play soccer.

Her father, Stuart remarked: “We spend a lot of time at the park, so we’re absolutely ecstatic that they’re doing such a good project. To have a playground for all abilities will be absolutely amazing for her.”

Her mother, Tammy, said Olivia’s biggest challenge is climbing up the bars to reach other equipment on the current playground.

The new playground will have equipment stationed at a low level for easier access.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore gave opening remarks at the groundbreaking of Wesley Chapel District Park’s new playground, on Sept. 20. The new amenity will be Pasco County’s first handicap-accessible playground.

The 7,000-square-foot facility will include rubber flooring – for safety and a smoother ride for those in wheelchairs.

It also features canopy-shaded benches, and will be near a butterfly garden.

Donors that helped make the project possible are the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and the Lennar Foundation.

Representatives from each organization were present at the groundbreaking ceremony.

Their contributions, along with the county’s park impact fees, amounted to  $340,000 toward the project.

“[At] AdventHealth Wesley Chapel hospital, we take care of sick people every day,” said Erik Wangsness, the hospital’s CEO. “But, another part of our mission is to nurture the health of the community.”

Chris Casella, president of the local Rotary club, added that he and his members instantly knew the project would be worth taking on.

Pasco County Commissioners Kathryn Starkey, Jack Mariano, Ron Oakley and Mike Moore stepped onto the site’s barren ground with organization representatives.

With hard hats and shovels in hand, they posed for the customary groundbreaking snapshot.

Even Olivia got the opportunity to stand among the group.

“The good thing – I think – about this playground, is she’s actually going to meet children like her,” Olivia’s mother said.

The project is expected to be completed in November.

Published September 25, 2019

Local donors help propel playground development

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A new playground designed to be welcoming for children with disabilities is planned for Wesley Chapel District Park, and the project got a big boost from some local donors.

The Wesley Chapel Rotary Club, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and the Lennar Foundation are contributing a combined total of $125,000 to help Pasco County pay for the project.

Members of the Pasco County Commission and the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club display a check representing the Rotary Club’s contribution to help pay for a playground designed for children with special needs. The playground will be built at Wesley Chapel District Park. AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and the Lennar Foundation also contributed, bringing the total contributions to $125,000. (Brian Fernandes)

The Pasco County Commission recognized the groups and their contributions at their meeting on Aug. 6.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore has been involved in the initiative since the beginning.

He noted that he has spent quite a bit of time at the park, coaching teams.

“I realized there was a void of playground equipment for children with special needs,” Moore said.

So, he approached Keith Wiley, director of Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources, to discuss the issue.

Wiley shared the same concern.

So, the two men set out to find accessible playgrounds around the country, to serve as a model for an “inclusive” playground in Wesley Chapel.

Moore also reached out to the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and the Lennar Foundation to ask for their help to make the playground happen.

Wiley and members of those local organizations expressed their thoughts about being part of the project.

With a video and an unofficial schematic, Wiley explained some potential features of the playground.

The new amenity will be built next to the district park’s current playground and be connected with several sidewalk paths as easy access points.

The play space will have rubber flooring for safety. The surface also will offer a smooth transition for those moving about in wheelchairs.

Equipment will be spaced apart to provide enough room for mobility, and built at low levels to provide an easier reach.

This is an unofficial concept of elements Pasco County would like to implement for the new playground at Wesley Chapel District Park. The play space is intended to welcome children with special needs. It will be adjacent to the park’s other playground, with access between them. (Courtesy of Keith Wiley, director of Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources)

Some children may not be able to get out of their wheelchair, Moore said, so there are things they’ll be able to reach from a seated position — for them to play with.

Benches will be shaded by canopies and a butterfly garden is expected to be planted nearby.

“When we look at our brand promise, our brand promise is to feel whole,” said Tyson Davis, interim CEO of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel. “I can’t think of a better way to apply that brand promise in our community, than being a part of this project.”

Chris Casella, president of the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club, added: “It’s about helping them (special needs children) get together in the community with other children [and] have fun just like everyone else.”

Part of the contribution came from a grant from Rotary District 6950, which oversees the Wesley Chapel branch.

During the same meeting, commissioners approved a request from the Parks, Recreation and  Natural Resources Department to transfer $215,000 from the Connerton District Park budget to the Wesley Chapel District Park budget, to help pay for the cost of the universally inclusive playground.

With funds in place, the county expects to break ground on the project by early October.

Published August 14, 2019

Connerton, county and school board agree to land swap

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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

Pasco ‘super park’ land near Dade City

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Pasco County recently purchased 155 acres for a proposed “super park” at The Villages of Pasadena, off Prospect Road and Highland Boulevard, near Dade City.

The acreage is conservation land that is the second purchase of a three-phase acquisition process. When complete, the county will have nearly 320 acres for the super park.

Because the 155 acres will remain natural and be used for passive recreation, the $4.6 million purchase price will come from the Penny for Pasco funds set aside for the county’s Environmental Land Acquisition and Management Program (ELAMP).

However, the sale will be treated as a loan, with repayment in the form of park impact fees. Those fees will be collected from new residential and commercial development at The Villages master-planned community.

Also, new development within the Connected City corridor, including the master-planned community of Epperson, will contribute their share of park impact fees for the super park. A road is expected to link Connected City to the super park in The Villages.

“The county is still in the acquisition phase,” said Keith Wiley, the county’s parks, recreation and natural resources director.

Capital funds to design and build the park aren’t available as yet. The final land purchase of about 95 acres also must be negotiated, and approved by the Pasco County commissioners.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” Wiley said.

The inclusion of Connected City as a contributor of impact fees for the park should help in getting the needed funds, he added.

Pasco County commissioners approved the newest purchase in December. The sale closed in January.

When the park is built, it will essentially result in two parks that are the size of district parks, next to each other.

One will be kept in its natural state for passive recreation, such as walking trails and kayaking. It will provide access to Buddy Lake.

The other will be an “active” park with ball fields, playgrounds, trails and other amenities.

There also are plans to co-locate the active park area with a planned elementary school. Co-location is a trend, as the county seeks to make the most efficient use of funds.

The recently opened Starkey Ranch District Park, at Starkey Ranch, is an example of co-location. It was built in partnership with Pasco County Schools, which plans to build an elementary and middle school at the site.

Published March 14, 2018

Ft. King ranch land too costly for conservation program

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A volunteer advisory committee had recommended that 17 parcels of the former Ft. King Ranch be added to a list of conservation lands worthy of purchase by Pasco County.

But, the Pasco County Commission balked at the potentially pricey cost of buying nearly 3,600 acres, and voted against the committee’s wishes.

The property, owned by the limited liability partnership of Secret Promise, is situated off State Road 52, near the Ehren Cutoff. It stretches from the northern boundary of Cypress Creek to the Crossbar Wellfield, near Bellamy Brothers Boulevard.

Florida Estates Winery is located on land offered to Pasco County for its conservation lands’ program. (Kathy Steele)

“That’s a very, very large purchase,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore. “It could crush future projects. It’s almost to the point if we add this, we can’t add anything else.”

Currently, the county’s ELAMP, or Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program, has nine properties under review for purchase. The program’s budget has a balance of about $27 million from the Penny for Pasco program.

The total value of land and buildings for the 17 parcels adds up to about $14.3 million, according to the Pasco County Property Appraiser’s valuations.

The county has more pressing needs than buying land of which only 20 percent is environmentally sensitive, said Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley.

“I would rather see that money go to properties in other parts of our county that actually helps flooded areas, and helps a lot of citizens,” he said.

The late Dr. Crayton Pruitt, a noted heart surgeon from St. Petersburg bought the property in 1997 for about $3.1 million.

Peter Wallace, registered agent for Secret Promise, made an offer to sell the land to the county.

The 11-member advisory committee took up the matter last summer and requested an evaluation of the property.

Committee members in November voted to recommend its placement on the ELAMP list, and for a negotiated deal to buy part or all of the property.

The county would be able to buy the land outright or buy only the development rights.

The site meets the definition of agricultural reserve land, and includes pastures, wetlands, pine flatwoods, freshwater marshes, and wildlife habitats.

On a graded scale, it earned 52 out of 80 points, according to the evaluation report.

Moore pressed for an opinion from Keith Wiley, the county’s interim director for parks, recreation and natural resources department.

“I always maintain my neutrality,” Wiley said. But, he added, “At the least, it’s one of our lower priorities.”

Years ago, the land was re-zoned for future development of single-family homes and retail, with about 2,000 acres left as open space.

Currently, there are three small houses on site, as well as a working cattle barn and two workshops.

Florida Estates Winery also is located on site.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey wondered if the winery owners would want to remain. She also had concerns about the county’s future plans to build a road through the property.

“I want to be real cognizant of the road system,” she said.

If the property were put on the county’s waiting list, Starkey said that didn’t mean the county had to purchase it.

“The devil is in the details of the deal,” she said.

After the vote to keep Secret Promise off the list, Oakley left the door open for reconsideration.

He asked Wiley to come back with new information, if it puts the land higher on the ranking scale.

Published January 31, 2018

Residents discuss potential funding options

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Pasco County commissioners want to know if residents enjoy their parks and libraries enough to pay higher taxes for “quality of life” services.

Three community forums, in Hudson, Dade City and Land O’ Lakes, were held to get public input on the matter. Residents also have an opportunity to complete a 45-question survey on how to pay for parks and libraries.

A series of survey questions, for instance, ask if residents would be willing to pay monthly increases in property taxes of $6, $8 or $10 to pay for those amenities.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore spoke at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Land O’ Lakes Branch Library. The library celebrated the restoration of Monday hours. County commissioners will consider a property tax increase to help boost budgets for parks and libraries. (File)

About a dozen residents attended the forum at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center on Nov. 29.

There were mixed reactions.

Joel Jackson moved from Hillsborough County to Pasco about six years ago. “I was a little bit shocked at how little in services there were,” he said. “By all means, if we need to spend more money, absolutely.”

But, a couple from Gulf Harbors, Mitch and Diane Kobernick, weren’t convinced. “It seems we’re being nickeled and dimed to death on our taxes,” said Diane Kobernick.

At a workshop in October, Pasco County commissioners discussed one option to direct more tax dollars to parks and libraries. They could create a special tax district, known as a municipal services taxing unit.

Based on a set millage rate, the county would collect property taxes to fund those departments. Estimates range from a low of about $71 a year to a high of about $97 a year per household.

Or calculated in another way, the cost to a family living in a house valued at $100,000 would range from about $5.92 a month to about $8.12 a month.

No decision on the taxing district was made.

Most county commissioners leaned toward putting the matter on a referendum in 2018. The results wouldn’t be binding, but would give commissioners guidance in reaching a decision.

They have authority to create a taxing district now, if they choose. Instead, they asked county staff members to report back after reaching out to the public for comments.

At each forum, residents get information on the financial plight of parks and libraries, and scenarios on how to increase funding to each department.

Those scenarios include the taxing district but also other options, including increases in funding from general revenue sources.

“The goal is to get as much input as possible,” said Keith Wiley, acting director of the parks, recreation and natural resources department.

In past years, parks and libraries had significant budget cuts as a result of the 2008 economic downturn. Neither has fully recovered, though some additional funding has been approved.

Parks, for instance, received about $1.5 million to aid in deferred maintenance costs for 2018.

Pasco County commissioners “have been very supportive with a limited pot of money,” said Cathy Pearson, assistant county administrator for public services.

The financial picture for parks and libraries isn’t rosy.

The total in deferred maintenance is about $14 million. The parks’ annual budget is about $9 million.

“At the current rate of funding, we’re never going to catch up,” Wiley said.

The library spends about $13 per person annually for its services while the state average per person is about $26.

Based on state library standards, Pasco needs about 170,000 square feet of additional library space, and another 40 employees. The next library slated for construction, at Starkey Ranch, would be in 2021.

There are more budget stresses on the horizon.

The county’s overall budget could take a significant dip, if voters approve a $25,000 increase in homestead exemption in a November 2018 referendum. County officials estimate losing about $8 million in property tax revenues.

Still, some residents, including the Kobernicks, aren’t prepared to take on a tax increase. The Gulf Harbor couple, and others in their community, already face an assessment based on the county’s $1.2 million purchase of the former Gulf Harbor golf course. The property went into the county’s Environmental Land Acquisitions and Management Program.

The cost would be split between the county and about 1,700 Gulf Harbor residents. However, Diane Kobernick and Susan Levine have filed a lawsuit challenging the sale.

Others, though, are open to a property tax that would give parks and libraries a dedicated funding source.

Every year, those departments compete with other departments, including public safety, for general revenue funds, said Joan Clarke, president of the Land O’ Lakes Friends of the Library.

And, they struggle each year to provide residents with services they need, she said.

Even with all the growth in Pasco, she said, “They still have no library in Wesley Chapel.”

To take the survey, visit PascoCountyFl.net or https://goo.gl/J96J3K.

Published December 13, 2017

County exploring adding a new tax

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Pasco County commissioners often talk about making Pasco a premier county.

But, even with a rebounding economy, they are facing a financial hurdle in funding the necessities for parks, libraries and emergency management.

Looming ahead is a third $25,000 homestead exemption, which is expected to pass in a 2018 voter referendum.

If it does pass, Pasco County could lose $8 million in general fund revenues, and $2 million in fire fund revenues.

One solution commissioners are exploring is municipal taxing units that would collect revenues based on property tax valuations.

Commissioners discussed the idea at an Oct. 17 workshop in Dade City.

No decision was reached, but county staff members will provide more details in the future.

And, it’s possible that voters could weigh in, if the matter goes to a referendum.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey wants to move forward, without a referendum. Other commissioners want a referendum before considering any increase of taxes.

Representatives of each of the three departments presented a list of backlogged equipment and repairs, or enhanced services that are needed, if Pasco is to become a premier county.

Parks has about $14 million in deferred maintenance at its 35 parks, recreation centers, trails and swimming pools. Its current annual budget is about $9 million.

A taxing unit would collect about $28 million annually.

However, not all of those funds would be spent at once. The annual parks’ budget would increase to between $10 million and $13 million.

And, funds would be spent on maintenance of existing facilities and long-term replacement, said Keith Wiley, the county’s natural resources manager.

“It’s not about having more facilities and prettier facilities,” he said.

Libraries and emergency management also face shrinking resources.

Based on state library standards, Pasco spends about $13 per person, or about half the state average of about $26 per person. The same standards show Pasco needs about 170,000 square feet of additional space. Yet, the next library, probably in Starkey Ranch, isn’t slated for construction until 2022.

Library staffing also is well below state average standards.

“We need to update our facilities to the 21st century,” said Sean McGarvey, a library administrator.

Emergency management and fire rescue face challenges in response times and providing protection for area residents.

Fire rescue needs eight additional fire stations to cover the entire county, and the growing population, said Michael Cassano, the county’s deputy fire chief of operations.

Additional personnel and equipment also are needed, he said.

Taxing units for emergency management and for fire rescue would collect about $10 million each.

The county’s 911 communications center won’t have sufficient room to operate in two to three years, a situation that Kevin Guthrie, assistant county administrator for public safety, called “catastrophic.”

The county also needs generators for the schools that provide emergency shelters during hurricanes.

Currently, the county can provide only three schools with generators, Guthrie said.

Starkey pushed to move forward and create taxing units with a future vote by county commissioners.

Prior public outreach has shown that residents are willing to support more funding, said Starkey.

She had raised the issue for parks during budget discussions for 2018, but the county could not have met a deadline to establish such a taxing district.

“We can’t have slides that are falling apart, swings falling apart,” she said. “We’ve just let our citizens down by letting all these parks fall apart. I think it’s 10 years past due to fund our parks and our libraries.”

The authority to create the taxing units belongs to the county commissioners. So, the referendum, unless voters were asked to approve a bond issue, would be a straw poll.

“I personally think we’re jumping the gun by even having any discussion,” said Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore.

He cited an earlier directive from the county commission to first have outreach to the public on parks before considering a taxing unit.

County officials said the hurricane had delayed those efforts for outreach on the parks, but they would come back in December with results from meetings and polling efforts. Libraries and emergency management will be included.

Moore also did some quick figuring, determining that homeowners could face a 34 percent increase in taxes, if all of the taxing units were fully funded.

That would add about $140 to the average property tax bill of $407, based on the county’s average home value of $107,000.

“Never, ever, in my life will you see this person raise our citizens’ taxes by 34 percent,” Moore said. “That’s insane.”

Published October 25, 2017

Wildlife corridors map a pathway through Pasco

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A network of conservation corridors to provide safer pathways for wildlife in Pasco County finally is more than just lines on a map.

Still, it took a few tweaks at a June 21 public hearing before Pasco County commissioners could approve an ordinance stuck in planning limbo for years.

In the end, the corridors made some happy, others less so.

“This ordinance is scientific, viably provable and defensible,” said Mac Davis of the Gulf Coast Conservancy. He addressed the commissioners during public comment at the hearing.

B.C. Manion/Staff Photo Keith Wiley is Pasco County’s natural resources manager. He guided efforts to craft an ordinance to create wildlife corridors. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
B.C. Manion/Staff Photo
Keith Wiley is Pasco County’s natural resources manager. He guided efforts to craft an ordinance to create wildlife corridors.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“It is imminently fair to everyone,” he said. “It is so long overdue. If it needs some tweaking later, we can address that…but, let’s get this show on the road.”

Attorney David Smolker generally praised the hard work of county staff in rewriting portions of the ordinance to meet objections of landowners. But, he said concerns remained about property rights and the cost to landowners.

“You’re going to run into problems on a case-by-case basis,” Smolker told commissioners.

About 2,500 acres of approximately 7,000 acres needed for the corridors runs through private land.

In Central Pasco, corridors will link current and proposed development projects at Starkey Ranch, Crossbar, Connerton and Cypress Creek.

A letter submitted by the Bexley family declared the ordinance an unconstitutional burden on property rights for those with corridors crossing their land. The Bexleys own a large spread at the southeast corner of Suncoast Parkway and State Road 52, which will become part of a master-planned community.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said landowners who contacted him worried about public access onto and across properties. Owners with small parcels are especially worried about loss of privacy, he said.

“People would prefer not to have people walking through their backyards, whether they are observing birds or taking a walk, or whatever it is,” Moore said.

Pasco County commissioners approved the creation of seven wildlife corridors meant to give animals such as bears, turtles, otters, ospreys, frogs and fox squirrels safe pathways within the county. (Courtesy of Pasco County)
Pasco County commissioners approved the creation of seven wildlife corridors meant to give animals such as bears, turtles, otters, ospreys, frogs and fox squirrels safe pathways within the county.
(Courtesy of Pasco County)

Staff added a graph outlining a process for the property owner to participate in decisions about access and what passive types of recreation could be allowed.

“Not every piece would be appropriate for any passive amenity,” said Keith Wiley, the county’s natural resources manager. “Every situation would be different. But, (the ordinance) would at least give citizens that are concerned an opportunity to provide input to the process.”

There are seven corridors countywide mapped out as natural pathways for diverse wildlife including spotted turtles, gopher frogs, ospreys, fox squirrels, bears and river otters. County officials also say the corridors help preserve water resources and wetlands.

Nearly 16 years ago, a court settlement mandated that Pasco create the corridors, also known as “critical linkages.” Previous commissions tried and failed in that mission.

Janice Howie of the Nature Coast Florida Native Plant Society told commissioners time was running out as new development gobbles up open land. As an example, she said 20 or so bears in the northwestern corner of the county are hemmed in by houses and U.S. 19, unable to migrate to more natural habitats.

“We will probably not be in a position to form corridors if we wait another 16 years, because there won’t be enough land,” she said.

County staff initiated new discussions on the corridors in April 2015. Meetings were held throughout the county to gather input, and portions of the ordinance rewritten.

Among adjustments were a process to negotiate the corridor’s width; a chance to reroute the corridor without filing an expensive rezoning application; and splitting maintenance costs for corridors and easements between the county and landowner.

The ordinance would apply only if a landowner sought to rezone property for land uses of greater density or intensity, and had some portion of the corridor within the property’s boundaries. There are exemptions for existing development approvals.

The county can buy corridor property outright or acquire use of the land, but not ownership. Landowners would be compensated. When disagreements arise over issues such as sales price, location or boundaries of the corridors, landowners can appeal to the commissioners.

“We made the process very fair, very clear,” said Matt Armstrong, the county’s executive planner for the Long Range Planning Group. “Every little nut and bolt must function properly.”

Published June 29, 2016