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Richard Gehring

Mettler Toledo breaks ground for new plant

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Swiss manufacturer, Mettler Toledo, broke ground on a 250,000-square-foot manufacturing plant that will bring about 185 new jobs to Pasco County.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey was among dignitaries who attended the groundbreaking for Mettler Toledo’s 250,000-square-foot plant in North Pointe Village, off State Road 54 at Suncoast Parkway.
(Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)

More than 300 people attended the ceremony on Jan. 14. Among those present were Viggo Nielsen, general manager of Mettler Toledo Safeline; Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey; Pasco County Planning and Development Administrator Richard Gehring; and, Bill Cronin, president of Pasco Economic Development Council.

Mettler Toledo is relocating its current facility from Town ‘N Country, in Hillsborough County, to Northpointe Village, off State Road 54 at the Suncoast Parkway.

The company is a global supplier of precision scales and services used in research, and the packaging and production of food and pharmaceuticals.

The new facility will be part of the product inspection division for Mettler Toledo Safeline.

Gehring said a substantial amount of work from Mettler Toledo and county staff members preceded the groundbreaking.

He updated the Pasco County Commission on the project at the commissioners’ Jan. 24 meeting in Dade City.

“It was a great performance to see the result and to see $25 million in (investment) is going into the ground,” he said.  “It’s a major, major, major effort. When you walk out there, and see smiling faces and kids of families who will work there, it’s a very positive reinforcement to that effort.”

In addition to the new jobs, the company anticipates about 320 current employees will transfer to the new site. Besides closing the Town ‘N Country location, Metter Toledo also will close a plant in Ithaca, New York.

Annual average salaries for all jobs created at Mettler Toledo are pegged at more than $51,000.

Dignitaries use golden shovels at the groundbreaking for Mettler Toledo’s new plant at North Pointe Village.

Gehring said Pasco officials rolled out a welcome mat recently for some of Mettler Toledo’s employees who plan to relocate.

Pasco EDC staff members organized guided tours, with introductions to community leaders at area chambers of commerce and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, as well as school district employees.

The county previously rolled out its own financial welcome mat to the company itself.

Pasco County commissioners approved a $7.6 million incentive package in September that includes a payout of about $1.9 million for creating nearly 500 jobs.

Mettler Toledo also will get a property tax break of about $1.7 million for 10 years, if 80 percent of its jobs are retained annually.

Pasco County will contribute about $3.5 million to build an extension of Northpointe Village Drive, through its Penny for Pasco program.

A reimbursement of about $1.2 million will be sought from state road funds. If that’s approved, the county’s incentive package then would be reduced to about $6.4 million.

Published February 1, 2017

Pasco County to add tourism director

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Tourism in Pasco County is on a launching pad, as county officials prepare for what they hope to be an explosion of visitors — sampling the county’s shops, malls, restaurants, hotels and future sports complexes.

County commissioners are reviewing proposals for a sports complex at Wiregrass Ranch, with about an $8.5 million investment.

Florida Hospital Center Ice is expected to open in early 2017, and to become a draw for local, state and national sports competitions.

Bed tax revenues are estimated to push past the $1 million mark in 2016. And, under a tourism master plan, county officials anticipate the 2 percent bed tax rate to increase to 5 percent by 2019, with revenues reaching nearly $3 million.

To tackle upcoming challenges from this record growth, Pasco is looking to reorganize the tourism office, and hire a tourism director.

“It’s growing to a pretty big operation,” said Richard Gehring, the county’s strategic policy administrator. “We’re going to be on another plateau as we compete in the Tampa Bay region. This is the next step up.”

Two to three candidates were identified and interviewed. County officials now are making an offer, and negotiating salary and benefits.

The issue came up at the County Commission’s Oct. 11 meeting.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells expressed surprise at the creation of a new position of tourism director.

Ed Caum currently serves as the tourism manager.

Under the new plan, Caum’s title would become program manager and he would report to the tourism director.

Gehring said the change is a lateral move for Caum, and not a demotion. Caum agreed, saying he concurred with the decision for the new hire.

“I don’t feel it’s a demotion,” he said, adding that he will continue to perform his current duties.

Caum didn’t apply for the tourism director position.

He said his next move may be retirement, in two to three years.

Wells praised Caum’s efforts in developing and expanding the scope of the tourism council over the years.

Wells isn’t convinced about the county’s need for a tourism director at this time.

“I think we’re putting the cart before the horse,” Wells said.

“I’d like to see us hold off on this until we have a new county administrator. It doesn’t make sense to me,” Wells said.

Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker is scheduled to vacate her post in July 2017.

Gehring said it makes sense to get someone on board now.

“Let’s go ahead and reach out for another horse-power level person,” he said.

 

Connected city concept draws mixed reviews

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Pasco County is the epicenter for a 10-year state-approved pilot program to create a “connected city” corridor of master-planned communities — built from the ground up with technology innovations.

State lawmakers carved out about 7,800 acres in central and eastern Pasco as a special development district that will foster residential and commercial projects.

The district’s development plans will be locally controlled, with a minimum of state or regional oversight.

Richard Ghering
Richard Ghering

The anticipation is that the district during the 10-year pilot program, and another 40 years of build-out, will be a national model for how to spark job creation, reduce urban sprawl, enhance environmental protection, provide alternative transportation, and interconnect neighborhoods through cutting edge technology.

At build-out, the district could have 96,000 employees, and about 37,000 homes and apartments.

But, some residents within the district are pushing back.

They prefer “rural enclaves” to the more urban development of a connected city.

“At best it’s the same sprawl most of us moved out here to escape,” said Tim Dolan, who lives within the district. “What’s gone is gone for good.”

Dolan spoke at a Sept. 15 public hearing in Dade City where the Development Review Committee considered approval of a land use amendment establishing an overlay district for the connected city.

The borders are Interstate 75, State Road 52, Overpass Road and Curley Road.

Committee members postponed a vote on the amendment until Oct. 13.

In addition to the land use amendment, approval is also needed for transportation, financial and utilities plans.

The Pasco County Commission has the final word.

At the hearing, committee members listened to presentations from county staff members, and participated in a tele-conference with Ken Hays, president of the Enterprise Center of Chattanooga.

Hays discussed that city’s experience as the first gigabit city in the nation, and technology’s role in reviving its downtown.

Pasco County officials are looking to the connected city corridor as a major economic driver for the county, and potentially for the 4.5 million residents of the Tampa Bay area.

It could be a northern gateway for Tampa Bay, and a second alternative to the shops, restaurants and jobs being generated in Wiregrass Ranch and Wesley Chapel, said Richard Gehring, Pasco County’s strategic policy administrator.

To push projects along, the county would boost mobility fee credits to developers willing to create about 272 acres of “service-ready” land, within 660 feet of a constructed road. The goal is job creation and economic development that is innovative and technology driven.

An estimated 7.2 million square-feet could be generated for job creation, Gehring said.

That is about half the size of Westshore, which has about 13 million square feet of office space and about 93,000 employees.

“This could be a second Westshore,” he said.

Dirt within the connected city corridor already is flying.

Metro Development Group is partnering with Heidt Design and the county to shepherd initial development projects from vision to building permits.

Among Metro’s initial projects are a mixed-use community at Epperson Ranch with about 2,000 homes, and another at Cannon Ranch, known as Mirada, that will have about 4,000 homes.

Metro’s newest communities, including Union Park, Waterleaf and Sereno, feature UltraFi, a broadband system capable of delivering gigabit-fast Internet connections.

But, a conceptual map by Heidt Design that sketched what might happen in the connected city corridor within the next 40 to 50 years raised concerns among some residents at a neighborhood meeting.

“My property was going to be a parking lot in 50 years,” said Jennifer McCarthy.

Tonya Riddlesworth doesn’t want to be crowded out by urban development.

“We want to keep our neighborhood as quiet and rural as possible,” she said.

Representatives of Metro Development Group emphasized the map was visionary and long-range, not a true representation of any building plans.

Others at the meeting understood that and expressed support for connected city, said Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations with Metro Development Group.

One concern about the Epperson Ranch project, raised by an attorney representing residents of Palm Cove of Wesley Chapel, appears resolved.

Construction is underway on the Crystal Lagoon, a 7-acre man-made lake with about 16 million gallons of crystal blue water. The lagoon will be the first in North America.

But, the lagoon’s initial need for massive amounts of water has some Palm Cove residents worried about sinkholes on their properties.

It is unlikely that would happen, said Goyani. But, Metro has agreed not to pump well water for the lagoon even though permits were approved by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Instead, water will be purchased from the county’s existing resources.

“It costs us more to do that, but we think it’s the responsible thing to do,” Goyani said.

Published October 5, 2016

Twin goals: Safe roads and increased tourism

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San Antonio is a destination for many bicycle enthusiasts who want scenic vistas and the rolling hills they can find in rural northeast Pasco County.

On weekends, bicyclists en masse pedal their way across the landscape. For four years in a row, San Antonio has hosted Gran Fondo Florida, one of eight events nationwide in the Gran Fondo National Championship series.

County officials are taking notice of cycling’s growing popularity, and the potential for San Antonio as a tourist hub surrounded by a trail system and destinations that promote the arts, entertainment, food and nature’s beauty.

The scenic landscape in and around San Antonio is popular with bicyclists. The area served as a backdrop in March for Gran Fondo Florida. (File Photo)
The scenic landscape in and around San Antonio is popular with bicyclists. The area served as a backdrop in March for Gran Fondo Florida.
(File Photo)

But, if the foundation is there, a lot of work is still to be done to build a unified vision for everyone who shares the roads – bicyclists, residents and motorists.

The obstacle that most often pops up is where to find the money to make things happen.

Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey hopes she has started the dialogue. She told 30 or so people who attended an Aug. 11 public meeting in Dade City that money shouldn’t be the focus – at least, for now.

“We’ll never get there if we don’t plan,” she said. “What I’m hoping is we start having a vision and a plan. Then, we’ll get the money. This is just a first step.”

Topics at the meeting ranged from the practical – who to notify about potholes – to the visionary – how to craft a grand plan to promote tourism and safe roads for everyone.

Pasco County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization has a consulting firm – AECOM – that soon will conduct a fact-gathering study to identify potential projects.

Input from the meeting on popular routes and trails, as well as safety concerns, will aid the county in defining the “scope of work” needed from AECOM. Consultants also will scout out funding sources, and recommend how to start the process, said James Edwards, transportation planning manager for Pasco MPO.

While some recommendations would focus on long-range plans, Edwards said, “We want to look at the low-hanging fruit. What can we do in the short term?”

The narrowness of many of the rural two-lane roads is a major safety issue. They barely allow two vehicles to pass, and bicyclists have no sidewalks or shoulders to get out of the way of motorists.

Janet Geiger isn’t a bicyclist. But, she said, “I drive (agricultural) trailers where the wheels are outside the lanes. The right of way is there, but the pavement isn’t.”

Josh Thornton, a former professional cyclist, leads community bicycle rides on Saturdays. Of more than 60 miles of roads within the area, he said, “Less than five miles have any shoulders.”

Currently, the county has no plans to widen any roads in the area. But Starkey said, “At the end of the day, we’ve got to figure out how to put shoulders on these roads.”

Tampa resident Steve Brown, who also organizes Saturday rides in San Antonio, said road conditions in some areas have been poor for years. “We know where those spots are,” he said. “We need to know who to call.”

County officials said potholes or other road issues should be reported with the county’s mobile phone application, MyPasco.

Finding ways to improve the roads and accommodate the growing cycling crowd that seeks out northeast Pasco is driving the county’s future tourism plans.

Surrounding counties also are looking for “green dollars” from trails and tourism.

“It’s one of the most asked for things at tourism centers,” said Steve Diez, a transportation planner for Hernando County and chairman of the Good Neighbor Trail Committee. “When they get done with Disney, they want to ride their bikes. They want to see the countryside on two wheels.”

Florida is working on a Coast to Coast trail that will link the state’s east and west coasts. A portion of the trail will go through Pasco and county officials are lobbying for a special loop trail that would come south to Dade City and San Antonio.

Another future trail could follow the former Orange Line railroad tracks, near Land O’ Lakes.

Pasco’s Tourism Manager Ed Caum said the county plans to spend about $1.2 million promoting and marketing the county’s trails and trail-related activities. Another $250,000 will pay for cycling-friendly visitor centers, which will bring together the public and private sectors.

There is potential to transform the former Dade City police station into a bicycle tune-up site that also could offer cyclists craft beers, sandwiches and an opportunity to explore the restaurants and shops in downtown Dade City.

Pasco can look to Pinellas County and the Pinellas Friendship Trail as an example of the economic benefits of trails, said Richard Gehring, Pasco’s strategic policy administrator.

It is a major component in marketing campaigns for homebuilders and area businesses, he said. “People like to advertise how close they are to the trail,” Gehring said. “Everyone is building them into their amenities packages…and seeing that as a really marketable element.”

Not everyone is ready to embrace an influx of more bicyclists, however.

Tensions bubbled up at the meeting revealing a divide that often exists between cyclists and motorists who don’t always agree on who has the right of way.

One area resident said bicycle groups sometimes behave more like road hogs, and don’t get out of the way. Bicyclists at the meeting said most riders are respectful in following the rules of the road, and see aggressive driving as the problem.

Dade City resident Sonya New said she understands the motorist’s frustrations. But, she said, “There’s a lot of hatred for the cyclists out there.”

Florida and the Tampa Bay area annually rank at or near the top in annual bicycle and pedestrian fatalities. Based on federal statistics, Florida, per capita, has the most bicyclist fatalities of any state, with an annual average of 5.7 deaths per million people.

The national average, per capita, is 2.3 deaths per million people.

The consensus at the meeting was for more education on road rules, and safety for cyclists and motorists.

“We can have both. It happens in rural America all over the place,” Starkey said.

Published August 24, 2016

Budget talks start in Pasco

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The economy is picking up steam with new housing construction leading the way, and property tax revenues on the rise.

But, that won’t mean Pasco County commissioners will have an easy time figuring out how to spend tax dollars and hold the line on tax increases.

Commissioners face large budget requests including an increase of $6.5 million from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and smaller requests, including a circulator bus route in Land O’ Lakes. The bus route would cost about $365,000 in the first year and about $308,000 a year after that.

The county’s staff is not recommending a change in the millage rate, but homeowners could see an increase in taxes based on rising property values, officials said.

Commissioners met in a June 13 workshop to gather information about the upcoming 2017 budget. They heard multiple presentations from county department heads.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco
Chris Nocco
(File Photo)

The largest dollar amount increase request is from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, which is seeking a 6.1 percent increase, which amounts to about $6.4 million in new funding. If approved, the sheriff’s budget would be $110 million in 2017.

This is the second consecutive year that Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco has sought a budget increase of more than $6 million.

Last year, commissioners approved $2.7 million to cover pay raises and benefits, as well as ongoing expenses for body cameras and helicopter maintenance.

Nocco is seeking another round of pay raises to make deputies’ salaries more competitive with other law enforcement agencies in Hillsborough, Pinellas and the City of Tampa.

Data from the sheriff’s office shows the area’s average starting salary is almost $46,000, while Pasco’s is about $41,000. Pasco’s starting salary is the lowest in the region compared to Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee and Pinellas counties and also lags behind St. Petersburg, Sarasota and Tampa.

The sheriff’s budget also includes money for 10 new positions for the sheriff’s office and 15 for other agencies.

There also is a request for about $700,000 for laptop computers, an item previously funded from the Penny for Pasco program.

Last year’s budget discussions surrounding the sheriff’s budget often grew contentious.

But after his presentation, Nocco told The Laker/Lutz News: “Everybody has been positive. Everyone is working together.”

Other department heads also made their case for new revenues to increase staff and add services.

Libraries administrator Nancy Fredericks asked for staff needed to restore operating hours for libraries to pre-recession years.

Currently libraries are open five days a week and one night a week per location. Fredericks hopes for nearly $500,000 more to operate libraries six days a week, and on two to four nights a week.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore asked Fredericks to give commissioners options on operating hours. “Maybe we can work our way toward this in two to three years,” he said.

Commissioners approved a master plan for the county’s parks and recreation facilities in 2015. It would take an estimated $222 million to implement the plan.

As a start, Kelley Boree, parks, recreation and natural resources director, proposed hiring a consultant to craft a pilot campaign to help launch the plan. That would cost $75,000, but Boree said many counties hire consultants for this reason.

There is no one on the county’s staff that has the skill set to perform this work, Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker said.

“To me this is critically important because our parks are so underfunded,” said Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey. “I’m talking about all types of recreation…We’ve been lax in this forever.”

The county also is proposing to hire a lobbyist to promote Pasco’s interests in Washington D.C., at a cost of $60,000 a year.

Richard Gehring, the county’s strategic policy administrator, said Pasco would see benefits from a “closer relationship” with federal agencies, especially those dealing with transportation and environmental matters.

Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader said he wasn’t opposed to the proposal, but said the county should avoid duplicating efforts already done by the Florida Department of Transportation.

“You’ve got to be specific on lobbying efforts on the federal level,” he said.

The building department wants about $403,000 to hire four new inspectors and a records clerk to implement a code enforcement ordinance approved amid controversy among Land O’ Lakes business owners.

The ordinance is meant to focus on cleanup efforts along major corridors including U.S. 41, U.S. 301 and U.S. 19. But, building officials now say they don’t have enough staff to enforce it.

In subsequent years, enforcement costs would be about $290,000.

Commissioners will meet individually with county staff in the next weeks to make their budget preferences known.

The budget will be presented on July 12, with final approval in September.

Published June 22, 2016

Tampa Bay Express gaining favor in Pasco

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A project to build express toll lanes on interstate highways, known as the Tampa Bay Express, has picked up an endorsement from the Pasco County Commission.

Commissioners voted 4-1 on May 10 to send a letter to the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization urging a favorable vote on the project.

The planning organization is scheduled for a June 22 vote on a project that has gained wide support in Pasco as a solution to commuter gridlock.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano voted no. He cited concerns about the increasing reliance on toll roads to generate revenues. He did approve of the potential for rapid bus service included in TBX.

“All the toll roads in the world don’t necessarily help your traffic,” he said.

The Hillsborough MPO’s decision will determine if the project goes forward as a transportation priority.

State highway officials peg the initial construction costs at about $3.3 billion. Some state estimates put the costs at as much as $6 billion.

“This is very, very important for the residents of Pasco County,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore. “We think about quality of life, especially for residents who commute back and forth to Hillsborough County and Pinellas County on a daily basis.”

For some, commuting times can be more than two hours a day, Moore said. “If we save 30 to 45 minutes for them, just think about the increased quality of life, the time they will spend with family and friends, not on the road.”

In recent weeks, the Pasco Economic Development Council and The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce also have come out in favor of the TBX.

The Pasco MPO added its voice to the chorus on May 12 by approving a resolution in favor of TBX.

Outside of Pasco, the TBX has been a divisive issue for months.

Some Tampa city leaders, including Mayor Bob Buckhorn, are strongly in favor. But, community activists in Tampa’s historic neighborhoods of V.M. Ybor, Ybor City, Tampa Heights and Seminole Heights strenuously object.

They say the added express lanes will slice through their streets, wiping out more than 100 businesses and residences.

Opponents have held protest marches and packed public meetings. Yard signs opposing TBX are a common sight.

The Sunshine Citizens is pushing against the project.

Most recently, the civil rights office of the Federal Highway Administration agreed to a preliminary investigation of TBX, based on a complaint that the toll system benefits wealthy commuters and motorists, while harming minorities who live in the affected neighborhoods.

If approved, nearly 50 miles of new toll lanes would be built adjacent to existing non-toll lanes along Interstate 275, Interstate 75 and Interstate 4. The toll lanes would stretch from St. Petersburg to Wesley Chapel, but also along Interstate 4 to Plant City and southward along Interstate 75 toward Manatee County.

Toll fees would vary depending on traffic volume, with most expensive costs likely at rush hours.

A new span of the Howard Frankland Bridge, between Tampa and St. Petersburg, also is part of the overall highway project.

And, the express lanes would open up to rapid bus service.

“I can’t emphasize how important this project is as a cornerstone of the master plan for the seven county region,” said Ramond Chiaramonte, chief executive officer of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority (TBARTA). “I think we’re at a critical juncture. This is something that can transform this region within a decade from where we are now to a functioning transit system where we have express transit buses beginning to connect our suburban areas.”

The project could add about 90,000 temporary jobs during construction, said Richard Gehring, Pasco’s strategic policy administrator. While Tampa Bay is one of the largest job generators in the state, he said, “One of the biggest constraints on Tampa Bay is the transportation system.”

Work is underway to the north on about $400 million in highway projects, such as the State Road 52 interchange redesign at I-75, and TBX is a critical complement in efforts to reduce regional traffic congestion, Gehring said.

About 52 percent of Pasco residents commute outside the county daily, with about 66 percent of those motorists heading to jobs in Hillsborough, said James Edwards, director of Pasco County’s MPO.

“This is the first step to say we’re going to give Pasco commuters a choice,” he said.

Plus, Edwards said, “We look forward to reverse trips from Tampa.”

Published May 18, 2016

Town hall covers myriad topics

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A local church was packed with more than 100 residents during a town hall meeting held by Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, and county staff.

Those attending had a chance to get a primer on how Pasco County departments function, and to get snapshots of what’s happening across the county and in their neighborhood.

They also got a chance to speak face-to-face with county staff members on issues, including the proposed Ridge Road extension, flood prevention efforts, and the future of the State Road 54 and U.S 41 intersection.

The meeting, which lasted around three hours, was held at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, in Lutz.

County staff members gave presentations about planning and growth, stormwater, code enforcement, parks and recreation, crime prevention, capital projects and transportation.

More than 100 residents came to a town hall meeting at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, in Lutz. The meeting was hosted by Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey and Pasco County staff members. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
More than 100 residents came to a town hall meeting at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, in Lutz. The meeting was hosted by Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey and Pasco County staff members.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Residents had a chance to ask a few questions at the end of each presentation, and could meet privately with staff members, too.

“We tried to think of things that are of concern to you,” Starkey said, in her opening remarks.

Richard Gehring, the county’s strategic policy administrator, gave residents a picture of the county’s population growth.

The census pegged the county’s population at about 467,000 in 2010. Even during the recession, the county grew by about 20,000 residents a year, Gehring said.

And by 2040, the population could increase to about 905,000 countywide.

“This will be the predominant growth area,” Gehring said of central Pasco especially along the State Road 54 corridor.

Residents from Sierra Pines, in Lutz, raised concerns about flooding. Their neighborhood suffered during the summer rainfalls and they worry that enough isn’t being done to address stormwater problems.

The county has identified about $300 million in stormwater projects, but has no funding source as yet.

“That will be an issue with the county commission this year,” said Starkey. “We’re trying to figure out how to do that.”

One resident asked about completion of the Ridge Road extension.

The 8-mile long project is a high priority for the county as a link connecting east and west Pasco, and as an evacuation route in hurricanes and other emergencies.

It has been delayed for more than 15 years, as the county awaits a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Starkey said the application is the longest standing permit request in the country.

Pasco hired a consultant several months ago to help with the process.

“We’re going to try to get louder and louder, and get this squeaky wheel done,” Starkey said.

Finding a solution to the increasing traffic congestion, especially at State Road 54 and U.S. 41, is another issue that has stirred controversy.

Two volunteer task forces created by Pasco County are currently reviewing a set of road projects to improve traffic flow. The Florida Department of Transportation also is reviewing options that could include a flyover that would elevate State Road 54 over U.S. 41 and potentially set aside toll lanes.

But, a range of transportation options will be needed to deal with traffic, as growth and development proceed, said James Edwards, director of Pasco County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Transit and even passenger rail along the CSX rail line that crosses U.S. 41 at State Road 54 are possibilities, he said. The rail line is a back door to the Tampa International Airport, the University of South Florida, and into Pinellas County and Clearwater, he said.

“It is a line that absolutely connects us,” he said. “It’s an underutilized asset that may come into play in the future.”

Published February 24, 2016

New 4-lane to connect communities

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Pasco County is set to receive a nearly $23 million state loan after state and local officials stitched together a deal for a four-lane extension of State Road 56 from Wiregrass Ranch to Zephyrhills.

The project previously had been intended to build two lanes from Meadow Pointe Boulevard in Wiregrass Ranch to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.

Converting it to a four-lane project will boost the estimated $35 million price tag to about $65 million, including the loan plus interest.

‘We will facilitate a lot of regional benefits. This will definitely benefit all of our (traffic) circulations.’ — Richard Gehring, Pasco strategic policy administrator.
‘We will facilitate a lot of regional benefits. This will definitely benefit all of our (traffic) circulations.’ — Richard Gehring, Pasco strategic policy administrator.

Loan proceeds from the State Infrastructure Bank could be available as soon as April. Construction is expected to start by fall of this year. Completion is expected in 2019, and repayments of the loan would start shortly thereafter.

The project is expected to improve access to Interstate 75 and southeast Pasco, and spur new development in and around Zephyrhills, and its airport. Residents and officials in Zephyrhills have long lobbied for four lanes, arguing that a two-lane road was a major roadblock to redevelopment.

“It’s a major, major public/private partnership,” said Steve Spina, Zephyrhills’ city manager. “It will be an economic boost for the area.”

Pasco County commissioners, on Jan. 12, approved a series of agreements with the Florida Department of Transportation, four developer/landowners, the Cone & Graham construction company and the city of Zephyrhills.

The agreements detail a repayment schedule that allows the county to collect funds from developers and landowners along the corridor through mobility surcharge fees, or special assessments if needed.

“We will facilitate a lot of regional benefits,” said Richard Gehring, the county’s strategic policy administrator. “This will definitely benefit all of our (traffic) circulations.”

Prior to the commissioners’ meeting in Dade City, negotiations had hit a few snags, largely around how to structure the loan’s repayment and who would be liable for cost overruns.

State transportation officials agreed to extend the department’s contract with Cone & Graham, the contractor hired for the initial two lanes. The contractor would cover cost overruns but, in the event of a default, the county and developers would be liable.

Most of the road construction runs through Two Rivers Ranch, and its developers will pay almost $15 million in mobility surcharge fees. River Landing and Wyndfields will yield fees of about $6.8 million and $4.2 million, respectively.

Developers of a fourth community – Wesley Chapel Lakes – had an existing agreement in place, not taking into account additional construction, and will contribute about $2.7 million.

The county would pay most of a potential shortfall of about $1.5 million, with Zephyrhills contributing about $150,000 of that total.

In addition, plans to build a district park in Wesley Chapel Lakes will be abandoned. Because of wetlands, the site was too small, said David Goldstein, Pasco County’s chief assistant county attorney.

Instead, the developer of River Landing will provide parkland co-located with River Landing High School.

“This is going to be a win-win for the school district and the road project,” Goldstein said.

Published January 20, 2016

Wiregrass Sports Park on new path?

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The future of the Wiregrass Sports Park is in play, again.

A new call for proposals will be issued within the next month seeking developers who want to partner with Pasco County in building and operating a field house for indoor sports such as basketball, wrestling and volleyball.

The project also envisions the potential for four or five outdoor ball fields. And, eventually there could be tourist attractions such as an indoor zipline, indoor skydiving, and a driving range.

But, even as the county puts the project out for bid, negotiations are under way on a new proposal from the Porter family, who have played a considerable role in influencing the development of the area.

The family previously owned the land now occupied by The Shops at Wiregrass, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, as well as residential subdivisions and public schools.

The Porters donated more than 200 acres to Pasco County in 2012 with a stipulation that if a sports complex didn’t happen, then a park would be developed.

Since then, the county has sifted through one proposal after another, but none has panned out.

The family is eager to see work starting at the site.

It came down to one question for them.

“What can we do as a family to get this off the ground and make it a reality?” J.D. Porter asked.

Within the past two weeks, they presented county officials with a new vision for a town center-style community at Wiregrass with homes, hotels and retail. The proposal incorporates the field house, but also draws a grander vision for a wetlands area with trails, a convention center and/or performing arts center at PHSC’s Porter Campus, a public park and green space for Wiregrass residents.

It would all be pedestrian-friendly, interconnected space linking to Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, the college and a public park. The future Raymond James commercial site, with 1 million square feet of office space within six buildings, also is plugged into the plan.

The Porter’s proposal could lead to a land swap agreement returning a portion of the donated land to the family to accommodate their town-center project and also allow for a public park. The land could be split re-divided along several geographic patterns.

It was a lot to digest as county commissioners met on Oct. 27 in a public workshop with the Tourist Development Council.

Pasco County Strategic Policy Administrator Richard Gehring clicked through a slide show of changing scenarios on how development could proceed, and meet everyone’s expectations.

Discussion with the Porters is ongoing.

“There are moving parts,” said Gehring. “The geography is not fixed at this time. We’re trying to make it a win-win for as many people as possible.”

Gehring said it would take about three weeks to write a proposal for the field house. Bidders would have 60 days to submit their plans.

The recommendation to build a field house emerged from a study by Chicago-based Johnson Consulting Co.

The facility would be between 85,000 and 100,000 square feet, built on five to seven acres. There would be up to eight basketball courts, four to six multi-purpose rooms and lockers. It would operate under a private/public partnership agreement.

By the fifth year of operation, about 100,000 people a year would use the facility, said Charlie Johnson, the company’s president.

In future, outdoor ball fields could be added, he said.

“You can start with indoor, and grow from there,” Johnson said.

The field house and the Porter’s future development project is a sound one, said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

“To me, we’re getting everything the (Johnson Consulting) report stated but above and beyond,” he said. “I’m excited…looking at it.”

Porter said the proposal allows the family to “control our destiny,” while also providing park space to county residents.

He anticipates consulting with Pasco parks and recreation officials to determine how to develop the park.

“We’ll ask them what they are lacking there,” Porter said.

If the land swap is done, he added, “We’d start immediately laying it out as amenities, not just for Wiregrass but everybody.”

Published November 4, 2015

Pasco takes first step toward loan for State Road 56

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Pasco County commissioners agreed to at least inquire about a $27 million state loan to pay for an additional two lanes for the extension of State Road 56. But there are concerns that the payback could jeopardize other county road projects.

On May 19, commissioners unanimously voted to submit a letter of interest to the State Infrastructure Bank for a 30-year, low-interest loan. The goal is for developers to shoulder the responsibility for repayment through county-collected mobility surcharge fees. As a back up, revenues from gasoline taxes and special assessments might be applied.

The Pasco County Commission approved a letter of interest for a possible low-interest loan from the state to create a four-lane extension of State Road 56, linking Wesley Chapel with Zephyrhills. (File Photo)
The Pasco County Commission approved a letter of interest for a possible low-interest loan from the state to create a four-lane extension of State Road 56, linking Wesley Chapel with Zephyrhills.
(File Photo)

The Zephyrhills City Council also has agreed to pay up to 10 percent of annual loan payments – estimated at about $1.3 million annually — to cover costs not paid by developers.

Developers have not signed on to any loan agreement, but negotiations will continue as more details are learned about the project’s costs, said Richard Gehring, the county’s planning and development administrator.

The letter had to be sent by May 29 in order for banking officials to consider a loan in the 2016 cycle. The infrastructure bank provides loans and other assistance to public or private entities for projects that qualify for aid under federal and state law.

“We don’t have to accept the loan until we are all comfortable,” Gehring told commissioners.

Preliminary estimates on costs were provided by Cone & Graham, which is under contract to build the two-lane extension planned by the Florida Department of Transportation. But the final amount could be lower than $27 million, Gehring said.

Current plans are to extend State Road 56 from Meadow Pointe Boulevard in Wiregrass Ranch to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills, as a two-lane road.

City officials and residents of Zephyrhills have lobbied intensely for a four-lane road into the community, but state highway officials say there are no funds for the extra work.

The low-interest state loan was proposed as a method of payment following a February town hall meeting in Zephyrhills to discuss transportation issues. Gehring and Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein made a presentation to the Zephyrhills’ City Council on May 11 regarding the city’s role in repaying the loan.

“They are certainly committed to wanting to see this built,” Gehring said.

Commissioners Mike Moore and Mike Wells saw little risk in moving forward on the loan. Moore noted that the loan repayment could be deferred for five years.

Wells said the loan was “an opportunity to be proactive not reactive here. It sounds like there is really a low risk.”

But there also was skepticism.

“Do we know what impact it could have on other projects?” said Chairman Ted Schrader. He cited roadwork on U.S. 41 and State Road 54 as essential to keep up with Pasco’s growth as more subdivisions are built. A proposed overpass on the north side of Zephyrhills also is critical, he added.

“I don’t want to see that project jeopardized for this one,” Schrader said.

As the conduit for the loan, Goldstein said the county could wind up repaying the loan temporarily while waiting to collect fees from developers. County staff members are still crunching budget data for fiscal year 2016, including estimates on some road projects including State Road 54 and U.S. 41.

Schrader restated his objections, saying $1.3 million would be a significant amount of money to lose from the county’s capital improvement budget.

“I don’t think it would have a devastating impact, but we’re still working on the issues,” Goldstein said.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey expressed support for road improvements in Zephyrhills but, like Schrader, held up State Road 54 and U.S. 41 as priorities, along with the overpass.

“I very much want to see us work with Zephyrhills,” she said. “I think we have great potential for growth on that side of the county…that will add to our tax base. (But) I’m going to keep harping (State Road) 54 and (U.S.) 41. That intersection is going to get worse and worse with no solution in sight. Developments are popping up along that route. It really concerns me.”

Published May 27, 2015