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Specialty grocers sprouting up in Pasco

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A national trend for smaller, specialty grocery stores is taking hold in Pasco County.

Within the next year, Earth Fare, Sprouts Farmers Market, and possibly Lucky’s Market will open grocery stores that specialize in natural, organic and fresh foods.

Aldi is planning to open its no-frills, discount grocery stores in Zephyrhills and New Port Richey in 2019. Also, a new store is coming to the southeast corner of State Road 54 and Wesley Chapel Boulevard, on a parcel owned by developers of the Cypress Creek Town Center.

South Branch Ranch developers submitted plans to the county that include a “prototype” grocery store within a mix of commercial, office and retail. The approximately 25,000-square-foot store, on State Road 54 at Suncoast Parkway, would fit within the size range for boutique-style grocery shopping.

These new foodie arrivals on the retail scene follows an explosion of growth all over Pasco of more shops, restaurants and residential development.

Activity centers include Cypress Creek Town Center, the Village at Mitchell Ranch, Starkey Ranch and Wiregrass Ranch.

Rooftops and retail are two major parts of getting development started, and making them profitable, said Bill Cronin, executive director of the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.

“Some of the developments now are coming to fruition with their plans,” Cronin said.

Grocery stores are one part of that development pattern.

As 2019 unfolds, Pasco residents can anticipate a buffet line of new grocery options in addition to the traditional brand names, such as Publix and Winn Dixie.

According to the U.S. Grocery Store Trends 2018, consumers continue to prize high-quality fruits and vegetables, low prices, and great product selection and variety.

Currently, the new trend in groceries is for smaller stores that offer organic, natural and local foods. In addition, consumers are looking for something extra – a food “experience.”

“Everybody is looking for that food experience, whether its ethnic sourcing or that new product,” said David Fikes, vice president of communications and community/consumer affairs director for the Food Marketing Institute. “It’s not (about) giving people 11 varieties of ketchup in the store.

The digital age is ushering in coupons and social connectivity via mobile applications. Online grocery shopping is gaining in popularity, especially with millennials, according to the survey.

Baby boomers, though, are showing keen interest, as well.

Experiences are shared on Facebook, or other social media, as if saying “I discovered this, and you’re the foodie among your group,” Fikes said.

Prior generations would shop to stock the pantry in order to have enough food on hand, Fikes said. That evolved later to a desire for nutritional, healthy food, he added.

Now, a third factor is a desire for discovery, engagement and connection, according to the FMI survey.

“We are moving away from stocking up our pantry to what’s the next meal,” Fikes said.

The specialty grocery stores coming to Pasco include:

Earth Fare is an organic-based grocery store that boasts that its shoppers don’t need to read labels to know its products are healthy. (Courtesy of earthfare.com)

Earth Fare
The store will open at Cypress Creek Town Center, at 25535 Sierra Center Blvd. The organic-based grocery store boasts that shoppers don’t need to read labels to know its products are healthy.

Its food is free of added hormones, artificial anything, and, according to Earth Fare’s website, the store sells “100 percent clean food for your family.”

Earth Fare began in Asheville, North Carolina, as a health food store before it enlarged and, in 1994, became a full-service grocery store. Its stores are built to be energy efficient, with skylights and LED light bulbs. Biodegradable to-go containers are used, and recycling is encouraged in the store.

Among its features is the Heirloom Juice Bar.

Aldi
Aldi is in the permitting phase for a store at 2215 Sun Vista Drive, which is near the Tampa Premium Outlets, off State Road 56. The store is expected to open in fall 2019, according to email responses from Matt Thon, Haines City Division vice president for Aldi.

Aldi is planning new stores in Pasco County, one near Tampa Premium Outlets and the other in Zephyrhills. (Courtesy of Aldi)

Thon also confirmed in the email that an Aldi will open in Zephyrhills, but no other details are available.

The location under discussion is off Pretty Pond Road, at U.S. 301. One issue nearing resolution at the site is the relocation of a traffic signal to that intersection.

The traffic signal “is under design review and engineering,” said Todd Vande Berg, Zephyrhills’s planning director.

Plans are to remove the existing signal at the main entrance to the shopping plaza, but to have traffic signals at the north and south ends of the plaza.

No construction date is set, but Vande Berg anticipates Aldi will open in 2019.

Lucky’s Market
Lucky’s is eyeing an approximately $1.5 million renovation to the former Winn Dixie grocery store at Collier Parkway and State Road 54, according to county records.

A pre-application meeting with county planners was held in November.

The Lucky’s option isn’t a done deal, but is the latest grocery to show interest in the site. Previously, representatives for Sprouts Farmers Market made inquiries and submitted a plan for a grocery store, as well as retail and a restaurant.

Nothing came of the proposal.

Now, Lucky’s is exploring options, though a spokeswoman for Lucky’s said no contract is signed.

The pre-application included demographics suggesting why the site has potential.

Average daily vehicle trips within 3 miles of the site, on State Road 54, total nearly 40,000; within 7 miles, more than 173,000 vehicle trips are charted.

About 14,770 households are within 3 miles of the proposed Lucky’s, and about 66,000 within 7 miles. Average household income ranges from about $87,000 to $94,000.

Lucky’s began in 2003 with inspiration from two chefs.

The store highlights local, organic and natural foods. Customers can sip glasses of wine or beer at an in-store café, or as they stroll along the aisles and fill their carts.

Lucky’s also has a juice bar, hot-ramen bar, a bulk foods section, and specialty foods, including house-made sausage and in-house smoked bacon.

Sprouts Farmer’s Market
Pasco’s first Sprouts Farmers Market will be one of three anchor stores at the 165,000-square-foot shopping center, The Village at Mitchell Ranch, according to a Dec. 13 press release from The Shopping Center Group.

Other anchors will be HomeGoods and Michaels. The shopping center is in Trinity, at Little Road and State Road 54.

The Arizona-based chain opened its first store in 2002. Its roots, however, date to 1943 and a fruit stand operated by Henry Boney in San Diego.

Sprouts features natural foods at affordable prices. Its motto is “eating clean and living healthy.” Today, the chain has about 300 stores and 28,000 employees.

By Kathy Steele

Published December 19, 2018

Library hours restored for patrons

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Pasco County Libraries has restored Monday hours at the Hugh Embry and Hudson branches, as of Oct. 15. Patrons will now have four libraries to choose from to visit on Mondays.

The restoration of hours at more locations was a priority of the Pasco Board of County Commissioners for the fiscal year 2018-2019 budget.

In October 2017, the Regency Park and Land O’ Lakes branches were the first to restore hours, with the addition of Monday hours and some evening hours.

The Pasco County library locations that are now open on Mondays are:

  • Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway
  • Hugh Embry Branch Library, 14215 Fourth St., Dade City
  • Regency Park Branch Library, 9701 Little Road in New Port Richey
  • Hudson Regional Library, 8012 Library Road

All libraries will remain closed on Sundays.

According to Bob Harrison, libraries public communications specialist, the restored hours give patrons on both the east and west sides of the county more access to everything they love about the libraries.

For information on hours of operation for all seven branches in the Pasco County Library System, visit PascoLibraries.org.

Information on the library catalog, e-content, programs, events and links to all the branches also can be found on the website.

Published October 24, 2018

Wesley Chapel to get a new fire rescue station

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A new fire station in Wesley Chapel will replace an aging facility that has become inadequate to handle the needs of a growing population.

Pasco County’s Fire Rescue Station No. 13, off Old Pasco Road, is expected to open in January 2019. A groundbreaking was held in mid-March on the same day the Pasco County commissioners approved the construction contract of about $2.6 million.

Funding is partially from the Penny for Pasco program.

Construction is underway on a replacement fire station for Pasco County’s Fire Rescue Station No. 13, in Wesley Chapel. The station is expected to open in January. (Courtesy of Pasco County Fire Rescue)

In addition, Pasco purchased an adjacent property for about $467,000, according to county records.

The additional land was needed to accommodate a new fire station that, at about 9,400 square feet, will more than double the size of the old station at 27329 Dayflower Blvd.

The new station also will have space for a Pasco County Sheriff’s substation, where deputies will be able to write up reports, and conduct interviews.

The new station will have three drive-through bays and will be able to hold six fire vehicles. Currently, five firefighters and a battalion chief work each shift. But, the additional space means that eventually up to nine firefighters and one battalion chief could be accommodated.

Instead of dormitory-style sleeping quarters, individual bunkrooms will be provided.

There will be a larger kitchen, with individual pantries for each shift.

Firefighters will have an on-site fitness area, and a specialized washing system for their gear. Also, there will be customized gear lockers in a climate-controlled room.

For emergency calls at night, a “stumble light” system will automatically turn on lights at the fire station, as firefighters don their gear and board fire vehicles.

The station is modeled after Fire Rescue Station No. 30 at Little Road and Massachusetts Avenue, in western Pasco. In 2015, the station won Firehouse Magazine’s “Notable Architectural Design Award.”

Pasco County Fire Chief Scott Cassin said, “It’s essentially the same footprint and design.”

While the new station is under construction, the old station – built in the 1970s – remains operational, Cassin said. It will be torn down once its replacement is opened, he added.

“It’s really in a good location in the central part of the county,” said Cassin.

The area is also a high growth area for the county, with new residents arriving monthly.

Estimates show Pasco adds about 300 homes each month, Cassin said.

Pasco’s growth in all areas of the county is bringing challenges to county departments that deliver services to residents.

Fire rescue especially is called upon to respond to increasing numbers of emergency calls.

At budget workshops to prepare the 2019 draft budget, fire rescue officials noted that in 2017 firefighters responded to more than 71,000 such calls. Over the next eight years, those calls are expected to increase to 100,000 a year.

Much of that is due to overall population increases, but Cassin said other factors also add to the call volume, including Pasco’s aging population.

Lack of health insurance for some is also a factor, he said.

“A lot of people have dropped their health insurance and don’t get the medical care that they should,” Cassin said. They can wind up seeking medical attention when it becomes an emergency, he added.

“We’re seeing some of that,” he said.

As the county’s growth continues, Cassin said fire rescue is planning to expand its capabilities.

However, that comes at a cost to build new stations, increase personnel and add equipment.

In the general election on Nov. 6, voters will be asked to consider approval of four 30-year general bond referendums for the sheriff’s department, parks, libraries and fire rescue.

Over the life of the bond, if approved, fire rescue estimates collecting more than $70.2 million in revenues. About $2.2 million would cover costs of financing the bond, and leave fire rescue about $68 million for construction projects.

Funds would be used to build nine fire stations, including new ones and expanded or refurbished ones.

Four new stations would be located at Suncoast Parkway and State Road 52; State Road 52 and Majestic Parkway; Meadow Pointe, by State Road 56; and Bexley, off State Road 54.

In addition, five stations would be expanded and upgraded.

They would be at U.S. 41 and Central Boulevard; Seven Springs Boulevard; U.S. 19 and Cross Bayou Boulevard; Shady Hills; and, Crystal Springs.

Published August 8, 2018

Digital billboard lights up Land O’ Lakes

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The digital age of outdoor advertising is coming to central Pasco.

Motorists may be familiar with a two-sided “Tri-Vision” billboard on U.S. 41, north of State Road 54. The Champion Outdoor billboard flips through a trio of advertisements on each side, as slats rotate and marketing messages change.

But, the area’s first digital billboard is being installed on the west side of the apex where Dale Mabry Highway and U.S. 41 meet, in front of the WalMart Super Store, according to county permitting records.

Workers are installing a digital billboard for Clear Channel Outdoor at 1714 Dale Mabry Highway, in front of a Walmart Super Store.
(Kathy Steele)

Thousands of motorists pass through the juncture at North Dale Mabry Highway and U. S. 41 daily, making it a prime site for outdoor advertisers.

The location is one of four digital locations in Pasco County planned by Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. as the company moves ahead on the digital campaign it began about nine months ago in the county.

Another location in central Pasco is slated for digital at 6027 Wesley Grove Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Activity in west Pasco also is changing the billboard landscape.

Permits for demolition of several static billboards and installation of two digital billboards happened in 2017 at 2310 U.S. 19 in Holiday, and on State Road 54, east of Little Road, in New Port Richey, according to county records.

A representative of Clear Channel couldn’t be reached for comment.

The Pasco County Commission approved an ordinance in early 2017 to allow permitting of new billboards as part of a strategy to reduce visual blight on the county’s major corridors. Until then, a ban on new billboards had been in effect for about 17 years.

Outdoor advertising representatives lobbied for the ordinance, which allowed new billboards and established rules for converting static to digital billboards. Provisions also were included for Tri-Vision billboards.

It took nearly two years of negotiations to strike that bargain.

County representatives wanted to eliminate a glut of static billboards dotting the roadways, including those in disrepair. Outdoor advertising representatives wanted to get their digital messages in front of passing motorists.

Clear Channel, OUTFRONT Media and The Champion Family of Companies participated in crafting the ordinance.

So far, Clear Channel in its agreement with Pasco has removed about 8,220 square feet of static billboard advertising. During the next months, another approximately 8,220 square feet will be taken down by Clear Channel, according to data provided by Pasco County.

The ordinance targeted billboards on major roadways including segments of State Road 54, U.S. 41, U.S 19, State Road 52 and Interstate 75.

A cap permits a maximum of 37 digital billboards in the county, with more digital allowed in some areas than others.

County officials estimated about 190 static billboards would be eliminated through the new regulations.

Some sites are off limits to digital including The Heart of Land O’ Lakes Vision Plan, Connerton New Town, the Villages of Pasadena Hills Stewardship District, and the State Road 52 gateway into Dade City.

Published July 11, 2018

Review board recommends family homeless shelter

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a program to temporarily house homeless families in a former Boys & Girls Club building.

Planning commissioners reached that recommendation during a public hearing on June 6.

The Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County wants to operate the temporary shelter on Youth Lane in Port Richey. The coalition also wants to open administrative offices in a second building, designated as the Housing Services Center. Individuals and families would be able to receive a range of social services at the center, with a primary focus on housing for the homeless population.

About 50 people attended a public hearing to oppose a program from the Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County to operate a temporary shelter for families, and provide additional services at a Housing Services Center. (Kathy Steele)

The county owns the land, and has partnered with the coalition to get the program up and running.

About $700,000 in grants, and other funding sources, has been allocated for building renovations.

The Pasco County Commission is expected to make the final decision at a June 19 meeting in New Port Richey. Commissioners also will vote on an amendment to the county’s comprehensive land use plan to change the land use from open space/recreational to a public/semi-public use.

About 50 people attended the planning commission’s public hearing to show their opposition to the project. Most of the concerns, however, focused on the services available at the services center, not the temporary family shelter.

Area residents worried about increasing crime, a loss in property values, and overall public safety.

“The only good thing about this program is the good intentions,” said Suzanne Greene Taldone, who lives in the Crane’s Roost subdivision, off Little Road.

She thinks the coalition’s site will become a magnet for transients and will create “a cesspool of crime.”

Greene added: “Encampments flourish near these centers because they want to be first in line for services.”

The program was initially proposed in 2017 as a temporary shelter for adult men and women, with a focus on providing a one-stop center for social services and with a goal of placing people in permanent housing.

Amid strong opposition from residents, the coalition changed its purpose to instead help families only at the shelter. Coalition representatives also voluntarily limited the services that would be available at the Housing Services Center.

Under the proposal, the center would not have an emergency food pantry, clothes closet, showers, or scheduled visits for a mobile medical unit.

The coalition also agreed to other conditions.

Four to eight families would be housed temporarily, but no more than 36 people would stay at the shelter at any one time. The coalition estimates helping a minimum of 50 families annually.

Background checks would be done. There would be security cameras, and a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Also, coalition staff members would be on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Families could stay no longer than 180 days.

The goal, coalition officials said, would be for families to stay 30 days to 60 days, with most being placed in housing within 45 days.

“This is something that is very realistic,” said Don Anderson, chief executive officer of the homeless coalition.

Area residents remain skeptical.

Judith Bowes lives in the nearby subdivision of The Orchards of Radcliffe. She said more than 70 widows live there.

“They were scared. They had a lot of sleepless nights,” Bowes said. “The shelter that will house six to eight families is not the problem. The problem is (the Housing Services Center) will bring a lot of transients into the neighborhood. My neighbors are still having sleepless nights.”

But, Amina Ahmed said it made her sad to hear people making assumptions about people who are homeless.

“Not all of them are criminals,” Ahmed said. “People think if you’re homeless, you have to have a problem, which is not true. Let’s help people become valuable members of society.”

Attorney Robert Lincoln, who represents the owners of an adjacent shopping plaza, also spoke in favor of the coalition’s efforts.

The owners had found fault with the original plan but support the new direction, Lincoln said.

He said that eliminating such services as showers, medical care and clothes makes a difference.

“You take away those kinds of things, you take away the kinds of services that get people wandering in off the street,” Lincoln said.

Plus, he noted: “It’s much better to be working with (the coalition) and becoming engaged.”

Published June 13, 2018

Proposed homeless shelter for families stirs passions

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Efforts to aid Pasco County’s homeless population are shifting from a homeless shelter for single adults to a shelter for families only.

The goal is to place homeless families in permanent housing as soon as possible. That is a significant change from the initial focus one year ago on a “navigation center” with wraparound services for single men and women.

The effort now has a new name, too. It’s no longer being called a navigation center. Instead, it will be called the Housing Services Center.

Whatever it is called, some area residents still don’t want any shelter in their neighborhood. Others are unhappy with the change in focus.

Don Anderson, chief executive officer of The Homeless Coalition of Pasco County (File)

And, some are ready to welcome the shelter as a first step in the right direction.

About 100 people attended a public meeting on May 16 in New Port Richey to learn more about the new concept, and to offer comments.

Cathy Pearson, Pasco’s assistant county administrator for public services, and Don Anderson, chief executive officer of The Homeless Coalition of Pasco County, led the discussion.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey also attended.

She said she came to listen and learn. “This is not a subject I know a lot about,” she said.

Anderson defended the decision to operate a families-only shelter.

“We believe families are highly motivated to get into housing because of the number of children,” said Anderson.

The shift also would save the expense of hiring 24/7 security guards, he said.

The goal would be to place families in permanent housing within 30 to 60 days, with an average stay at the shelter around 45 days.

An additional six to 12 months of services would be provided after families leave the shelter.

Families are defined as one or two adults, with at least one child under age 18.

A year ago, another public meeting was held to discuss the initial proposal for a homeless shelter for adults.

“We felt it was time to update our citizens,” Pearson said.

The shelter, if approved, would be housed in one of two buildings at 8239 Youth Lane, off Little Road in Port Richey. The second building would become the offices of the homeless coalition, which currently operates in a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood on Pine Street.

The Youth Lane address formerly was home to the Boys & Girls Club, which vacated the site in 2016.

The updated presentation included a video and a power point slide show. As many as 70 social service agencies and organizations are partners with the homeless coalition, and support the Youth Lane shelter.

Passions ran high
More than 40 people spoke during public comment.

Opponents who live near the shelter site said they worry about increases in crime and a loss of property values.

Ann Archer Corona found it troubling that the shelter plan seems to change “minute-to-minute. We all feel threatened. I find it to be a big threat.”

She said housing values would drop significantly, if the shelter was to open.

Some who supported the initial plan to aid single men and women objected to the new focus on families.

“We are losing out on all those opportunities for the chronically homeless who are at risk of dying on the street,” said Kassie Hutchinson. “We’re ignoring a huge part of our population. Once again, we’re reneging on something we promised.”

Anderson said the coalition and its partners planned to increase outreach efforts for homeless adults. While no single adults could stay at the shelter, he said efforts would be made to find housing resources for them. But, he added, “There are limits to what we can do.”

A two-building campus on Youth Lane in Port Richey is the proposed site for a homeless shelter for families.

Pearson said it is still a goal in the future to fund a homeless shelter for single adults. “They won’t be forgotten,” she said.

Other members of the audience supported the new concept as a step in the right direction.

“Housing is the only known cure for homelessness,” said Daniel McDonald.

Every homeless person is someone’s son or daughter, sister or brother, he said. Leaving people homeless, he added, costs taxpayers money for providing public services.

“This (the shelter) is a bargain for taxpayers,” McDonald said. “It’s money well spent.”

The homeless coalition’s new proposal also found support from a once skeptical source – owners of an adjacent retail plaza, anchored by Hobby Lobby.

Sarasota attorney Robert Lincoln, who represents the shopping center’s owners, said, “We’ve been concerned about the project since it started moving forward last year.”

The budget for the initial plan didn’t seem adequate, and the space at the site too small to handle up to 75 adult men and women, Lincoln said.

Housing families seems to address most issues, including public safety, he said. “We’re continuing to work with the leadership (at the homeless coalition) to make sure we know who the families are,” Lincoln said. “They have been very responsive. We will continue to work with them.”

Starkey said the county should be compassionate but also tough on some issues, such as panhandling.

“I have to bring a hammer and I have to bring a heart,” she said.

Anderson said the cost to remodel the two buildings on campus would be about $700,000. The coalition has about $680,000 from a federal neighborhood grant, with an additional $100,000 from Pasco County’s United Way.

Annually operating costs are estimated at about $350,000. All but $145,000 is already funded, Anderson said.

Additional grants and private donations will be sought, he added.

The Pasco County Housing Authority has pledged 50 housing vouchers, which can be used anywhere in the county as part of the Section 8 housing program.

Pasco has about 2,600 homeless people, based on the most recent count. More than 700 are individuals, with more than 1,800 in family relationships.

Shandi Vargas was among a handful of people who put a face to the plight of Pasco’s homeless population. She escaped an abusive marriage, but ended up homeless. She currently lives in a rented room and has found an internship.

She is working toward living again with her three children.

“I’m a single mom trying to fight for her children,” Vargas said.

A homeless shelter for families probably would have kept her family intact, she said.

Even as she struggles with her own situation, Vargas said she volunteers to help other homeless people, and people at risk.

“Let us come together and figure out a solution, and stop thinking all homeless are criminals,” she said.

The Pasco County Planning Commission, which makes recommendations on land use issues, will review the proposal on June 6 in New Port Richey.

The final decision is up to the county commissioners, who will hold a public hearing on the matter June 19, also in New Port Richey.

Published May 23, 2018

Cost rules out U.S. 41 underpass

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Even dropping the cost from more than half a billion to $250 million, an underpass at U.S. 41 and State Road 54 would be too pricey.

Members of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization have opted not to add the underpass – also called a tunnel – to a list of recommended road designs to ease traffic congestion at U.S. 41 and State Road 54.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said “it’s worth looking at everything.”

But, the tunnel option is “cost prohibitive.”

Pasco County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization decided against building an underpass at U.S. 41 and State Road 54. (File)

Finding a solution is important because the intersection is one of Pasco’s busiest with about 100,000 vehicles passing through daily.

Members of Pasco County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization in April got sticker shock from a study that estimated the underpass would cost $550 million.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano then persuaded the MPO board to delay its decision for more research.

He questioned the initial costs, suggesting that MPO staff search for existing, and shorter, underpasses in other municipalities.

“I don’t think they found what I was looking for,” Mariano said.

But, he added: “I feel better with these numbers as far as being realistic.”

The initial study considered an underpass of 6,000 linear feet.

The new data looked at costs for an underpass of 2,500 linear feet.

Building the tunnel would have used a technique known as “cut and cover.” This involves building a deep trench, with walls, and then covering over that.

Less expensive options for dealing with traffic at U.S. 41 and State Road 54 called for elevated lanes at the intersection. The most expensive of two alternatives presented to the MPO board cost about $159 million, including about $50 million for right of way purchases.

With the underpass eliminated, MPO board members approved four alternatives, including a no build solution, recommended by a volunteer task force.

The recommended alternatives include a flyover, express and toll lanes, an at-grade level system of parallel roads, and dedicated bus lanes.

Those recommendations came from the task force, after about two years of sifting through data and road designs.

The work of the task force is part of a three-phase study of the State Road 54 and State Road 56 corridor, from Bruce B. Downs Boulevard on the east to U.S. 19 on the west.

Most recently, the task force was asked to focus on two intersections: Little Road and State Road 54 in New Port Richey, and U.S. 41 and State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes.

For U.S. 41 and State Road 54, task force members whittled 18 alternatives, and no build, down to the four options approved by the MPO.

The next step is for the Florida Department of Transportation to dig deeper into the details, and costs of the recommended projects. That could take a year, according to MPO staff members.

Public comment also will be sought, but a time schedule hasn’t been determined yet.

Published May 16, 2018

Homeless shelter to help families find housing

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A “one-stop navigation center” for the homeless population in Pasco County will provide temporary shelter for families, instead of the initial plan to help single adult men and women.

If opened, the center would be Pasco’s first homeless shelter.

An estimated $100,000 annual cost for around-the-clock security at the facility and neighborhood opposition to the original plan prompted the shift in the shelter’s purpose.

A public meeting in 2017 to discuss a proposed homeless shelter drew a large, impassioned crowd. (File)

“We realized the need was great for families, and we will have more funding (opportunities) for families,” said Don Anderson, chief executive officer for the Homeless Coalition of Pasco County.

A public meeting to discuss the new concept will be held May 16 at 6 p.m., at the Pasco County Commission board room in New Port Richey. Additional outreach to residents in nearby neighborhoods also is planned.

Commissioners voted on April 24 to continue the public hearing for a conditional use permit for the facility until June 19.

That will allow time to amend the coalition’s application, and to hear from area residents.

Commissioners have been supportive of the project, and previously approved funding to remodel the center.

Commissioner Jack Mariano, however, has been critical of the county’s choice of location.

Residents from Crane’s Roost, a neighborhood of about 90 homes, off Little Road, said the homeless population needs help, but they think the proposed location is wrong.

They worry about increased solicitations, crime and lowered property values.

Business owners at Ridge Plaza, adjacent to the Youth Lane site, have objected, too.

The commission’s boardroom was packed during the public hearing in 2017, with people equally passionate on both sides of the issue.

A former Boys & Girls Club in New Port Richey is being proposed as a temporary shelter for homeless families.

Advocates for the center point to its location near bus stops, government offices and service agencies as a good fit to help people in need. They also say Pasco County has been unresponsive in the past in meeting the needs of its homeless population, which at times has been counted as high as 3,000 people.

The center would operate at the two-building campus formerly leased by the county to the Boys & Girls Club, at the end of Youth Lane, off Little Road.

Under the initial concept, the goal was to house 50 to 75 homeless adult men and women for an average of 90 days at the navigation center. They would receive help in locating housing, jobs, job training and health care.

A survey by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office found about 100 homeless camps throughout the county. The initiative would focus on one camp at a time.

Under the new plan, the coalition’s “housing first” program would provide temporary shelter to families for 30 days to 60 days.

Anderson said an average stay could be 45 days or less. He anticipates housing about four families to six families at a time.

The coalition’s administrative offices would operate from Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. People would receive help with job training, showers, health care, behavioral health care, case management, resume building and financial literacy.

The only food services provided would be to families staying at the center.

The people who are served at the coalition’s location on Pine Street are polite and respectful, Anderson said.

“They are really looking for services that can help them get out of their situation,” he said.

Anderson said he was hopeful that the new direction for the navigation center will be well-received.

“We really want to take advantage of their (the county’s) willingness to do something in the community for the homeless,” Anderson said.

Published May 2, 2018

An underpass for U.S. 41/State Road 54?

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Talk of solving traffic jams at U.S. 41 and State Road 54 often centers on building elevated lanes to ease massive numbers of vehicles through the intersection.

But now, Pasco County’s Metro Planning Organization wants to toss in a new solution – an underpass that would tunnel under the intersection.

Pasco County will consider an underpass as a solution to traffic gridlock at U.S. 41 and State Road 54. (File)

Consultants with Tindale-Oliver will complete a $15,000 study to determine if the underpass would work, and what the potential costs would be. The study, which will also consider an underpass at Little Road and State Road 54, is expected to take 60 days to 90 days.

“We should be able to see every possible option that is available,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey agreed.

“I think we should see if it’s an option or not,” she said.

The study’s answers will determine whether to add the underpass to a list of recommendations already produced by a volunteer task force. The task force for “Vision 54/56” has spent about two years on the matter.

They whittled 18 recommendations to four recommendations. Their choices included a system of parallel frontage roads at-grade level and elevated express lanes at major intersections. No build also is an option, but underpasses weren’t in the mix.

Task force member Sandy Graves said digging underground raises concerns about sinkholes. “How would that work?” she asked.

The MPO board, which reviews transportation matters, is composed of Pasco County commissioners, and elected officials of the county’s cities. David Gwynn, secretary of District 7 for the Florida Department of Transportation, is a nonvoting advisor.

The board unanimously approved funds for the study at the Jan. 11 meeting in Dade City. Board members tabled a review and vote on the recommendations from the task force.

If the underpass is deemed feasible, the county could ask the task force to reconvene. The cost of the study initially was $35,000, which included the consultants facilitating a task force meeting with documentation and additional analysis.

MPO board members balked at the additional $20,000 of cost, choosing instead to explore holding a future task force meeting with county staff members.

Trinity resident and commercial real estate agent Charles Puccini spoke during public comment and urged the board to carefully consider their final recommendations. He said the roadwork on U.S. 19 has made area businesses less visible and accessible.

“Make sure the solutions do not effectively block and damage the economy of Pasco County,” he said.

Regarding the task force, Puccini said: “It’s a great idea what you’re doing here.”

Published January 24, 2018

Frontage roads in Pasco?

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A citizen’s task force looking for traffic remedies for congested intersections of State Road 54 and State Road 56 has put together a mix of options, including a bypass consisting of parallel frontage roads.

The recommendations are focused primarily on two intersections on State Road 54 at Little Road, and at U.S. 41.

A bypass with a network of parallel frontage roads is one option selected by a task force to improve traffic flow at State Road 54 and U.S. 41. (File)

However, the 17-member volunteer task force also looked more broadly at major intersections along the entire corridor from U.S. 19 on the west to Bruce B. Downs Boulevard on the east.

The parallel frontage roads are part of a proposal put forth by Jacksonville engineer Greg Parsons. It was a privately presented option at a task force meeting, and not part of the task force’s initial list of 11 highway and transit alternatives and a no-build option.

Task force members whittled down the list at a meeting on Nov. 30 in Land O’ Lakes. During the year, the task force had three public meetings, and a workshop.

The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization will meet Jan. 11 to consider the recommendations.

“The MPO will have to look at these and give the final say,” said Ali Atefi, transportation engineer with the MPO.

Once the MPO’s board determines a course of action, additional study on a road design will move forward in 2018. The focus will be only on the U.S. 41 and State Road 54 intersection.

The Florida Department of Transportation has money for additional study on that intersection, but no funding is available for the Little Road intersection, Atefi said.

Other task force recommendations included:

  • Elevated express lanes at major intersections, with express lanes at-grade elsewhere, and bus service in the express lanes.
  • No-build

At the U.S. 41 intersection, the task force also recommended an elevated lane combined with dedicated lanes for bus or rail and a continuous flow intersection.

The continuous flow intersection relies on turn lanes to keep traffic flowing.

Also, for major intersections along the entire corridor, the task force recommended elevated express lanes, with at-grade express lanes elsewhere, as well as dedicated bus or rail lanes and continuous flow.

These recommendations are intended to provide a permanent fix for traffic jams. But, in the interim, the state transportation department is preparing a temporary fix for U.S. 41 and State Road 54.

The intersection is one of the busiest in Pasco County, with about 100,000 vehicles passing through daily.

More than $752,000 is budgeted in 2018 for design work on a project to lengthen some turn lanes at the intersection for a better traffic flow. Construction is expected in 2019.

The state transportation department also has budgeted about $32 million to purchase right-of-way for whichever alternative project is selected for the major re-do of the intersection.

The task force could be asked to meet again in 2018 for additional discussions.

Published December 27, 2017