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Sierra Club

Construction, legal action on Ridge Road

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Roadwork moved ahead.

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

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

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

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

Construction on this segment would begin in 2022.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

County officials declined to comment on pending litigation.

By Kathy Steele

Published December 30, 2020

Wetlands’ impact costs $2.7 million

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Pasco County will pay about $2.7 million to buy wetland mitigation credits related to construction of the Ridge Road extension.

The Pasco County Commission approved a resolution for the payment to EIP (Ecosystem Investment Partners LLC) and the Old Florida Wetland Mitigation Bank during the county board’s Nov. 17 meeting.

The resolution described the payment as due to “unavoidable wetland impacts.”

Ridge Road is under construction but remains embroiled in a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club against the United States Army Corp of Engineers. The federal agency approved the road’s permit after a controversy spanning more than two decades about its construction.

The Sierra Club alleges that the Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service relied on a faulty, outdated environmental report that omitted impacts to some endangered and threatened species.

County officials describe the road as a necessary addition to the county’s emergency evacuation routes.

Environmentalists have said the county wants the road to accommodate additional  development along the road’s pathway.

The road extension is intended to provide an east-west pathway from Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey, to U.S. 41, also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, in Land O’ Lakes.

Published December 16, 2020

Ridge Road extension gets green light

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has granted Pasco County’s permit request to allow the extension of Ridge Road.

The approval marked a major milestone in a process that’s been two decades in the making.

As it stands now, motorists use State Road 52 or State Road 54, if they want to head east or west in Pasco County. The extension of Ridge Road will give them a third option.

“It’s a really, really substantial capacity benefit to the area,” said Sam Beneck, the extension’s project manager.

This rendering gives an idea of what the newly built trail along the Ridge Road Extension will look like. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

The county also sees this corridor as a another pathway for people to travel in the event of an emergency.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore estimates that the extended Ridge Road will carry as much as 25% of hurricane evacuation traffic, if a disaster threatens the area.

The Ridge Road Extension project is broken into two phases.

The first phase will build a new stretch of Ridge Road, which will extend from Moon Lake Road east to the Suncoast Parkway.

The second phase will continue the extension eastward, linking the Suncoast Parkway to U.S. 41.

Funding has been set in place for phase one, which is slightly over 4 miles long. That phase carries an estimated $90 million price tag.

Initially, the segment from Moon Lake Road to the Suncoast Parkway, will be built as a two-lane road. Plans call for widening it to four lanes by 2022.

The second phase, which spans over 3 miles, is not yet funded. But officials expect to begin building that phase in late 2022.

Ridge Road will be extending beyond its intersection with Moon Lake Road heading east to the Suncoast Parkway, then further to U.S. 41. The extension will be an alternative to reduce congestion on State Road 52 and State Road 54, which also offer east-west access. (File)

While the county pursues its long-awaited east-west corridor, opponents remain committed in their quest to save the Serenova Tract of the Starkey Wilderness Preserve.

Tim Martin, Sierra Club Florida Conservation Chair, said “The Serenova Starkey Preserve is one of the best remaining natural areas that we have left in rapidly, developing central Pasco (County) and it doesn’t have to be destroyed.”

Environmentalists are concerned not only about potential harm to wetlands, but also to the habitat of animals, Martin said.

Project manager Beneck noted that the Pasco County Commission approved a change order on Aug. 6 to provide additional services to the project, including the analysis of gopher tortoises in the construction.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sets guidelines for an approved relocation site for the tortoises, Beneck added.

But Martin said that step doesn’t go far enough because there also are other animals living within the tract.

Beneck said the design of the project calls for a partial elevation of Ridge Road — with the addition of 16 bridges, curbs, guardrails and fencing.

These additions aim to diminish harm to wildlife, Beneck noted.

The measures will reduce impacts to the wetlands by nearly 83% in the Serenova Tract of Starkey Wilderness Preserve, Beneck estimated.

But Martin countered: “When you build all that fencing and guardrails and such, it now adds to the cumulative impacts.”

The Sierra Club Florida Conservation has not yet announced what its response will be now that the permit is in place.

Construction for phase one is scheduled to begin in early January, said Beneck, adding that overall construction may be completed in the 2025 – 2026 timeframe.

Commission Chairman Moore said he believes a “very large majority of the (Pasco County) citizenry” wants and needs the road.

Published January 01, 2020

Showing some appreciation for those who do good

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This is a festival that takes time out to celebrate the good that people do in their communities.

The name of the event is Appreciate Pasco: A Community Volunteer Appreciation Festival, and it will feature entertainment, food, prizes, awards and recognitions.

It also will highlight Good Deeds Day, an international event held in 93 countries, to recognize good works that often go unnoticed, but that help make the world a better place.

The appreciation festival will be held on April 15 from noon to 6 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

“We anticipate it will kick off in flying colors and it will be an annual event,” said Appreciate Pasco organizer Elise Mysels.

Appreciate Pasco kicks off several other annual celebrations, including annual National Volunteer Week, Health Care Volunteer Week, National Park Service Volunteer Week, and Worldwide Volunteer Recognition Day on April 20. It also coincides with National Representation Day, which focuses on ending corruption in government.

Over the past three months, Mysels and a core group of about five volunteers, known as the Pasco County Volunteer Activists, have worked to pull Appreciate Pasco together.

It’s the first festival of its kind in the Tampa Bay area for Good Deeds Day and Representation Day, said Mysels.

“There are a lot of people in our community that do stuff behind the scenes that nobody knows about,” said Mysels. “They deserve to be recognized. We’re trying to make this an initiative that supports smaller types of groups and organizations, and bring to the forefront their needs and causes.”

Entertainment kicks off at noon at the park’s new bandstand, with WMNF radio station’s Florida Folk Show. WMNF is a co-sponsor of the festival through Represent.us.

Performers will be Ronny Elliott, a singer/songwriter and WMNF co-host; The Florida Boys, a Pinellas County-based trio; Tom Scudiero, a Dade City singer/songwriter; Treble Hook, whose real name is Scotty Lee Rexroat, a Dunedin-based singer/songwriter; Jim Mason, a Spring Hill native, with more than 40 years in the recording industry with performers, such as, Peter, Paul and Mary, John Lennon and Buffalo Springfield; and, Dottie South.

More than 70 businesses, vendors, civic organizations, and nonprofits from Tampa Bay are expected to participate. They include Courteous Canine; Arts in Motion Pasco; Davis Family Hearing; Harley-Davidson of Tampa; Ferman Buick-GMC; Moore-Mickens Education Center; Gulfside Hospice; Sierra Club; Represent.us Pasco County; Catholic Charities; Oasis Pregnancy Centers; Sunrise Pasco; Women’s March; and Organize Florida.

The nonprofit, OneBlood, will drive up its Big Red Bus for blood donations, and free wellness checkups.

Attendees can vote for their favorite nonprofit, with monetary awards going to the top three vote-getters.

Food vendors are Whaley’s BBQ, Vallarta’s Mexican Restaurant and the Sno Shack.

International Good Deeds Day began in 2007 as an initiative organized by Ruach Tova of the Ted Arison Family Foundation. The event’s partner is the nonprofit Points of Light, which was founded by President George H.W. Bush.

Good Deeds Day and Points of Light promote innovative programs that engage volunteers in providing public service. The event day focuses on 17 sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations, including eliminating poverty; gender equality; affordable, clean energy; decent work and economic growth; good health; and climate action.

Good deeds, large and small, can change the world, Mysels said.

“Good deeds can be something as small as a smile or holding a door open for someone,” she said.

What: Appreciate Pasco: A Community Volunteer Appreciation Festival
When: April 15, noon to 6 p.m.
Where: Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
Cost: Free
Details: The festival celebrates volunteers in Tampa Bay, with arts and crafts, entertainment, food, prizes, and volunteer awards and recognition.
Info: ActionNetwork.org/events/appreciate-pasco-festival

Published April 11, 2018

Rallying to protect the environment

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Opponents of the Ridge Road extension are digging in for a battle with Pasco, and if need be, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, over a road that would cut through a portion of the Serenova Preserve.

About 75 people showed up in hiking clothes on Feb. 16, to walk trails at the Serenova Tract, at Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park.

Richard Stauffer, of Aripeka, studied the trail map of the Serenova Tract. He is a regular visitor to the park and a member of the Florida Native Plant Society. He joined a large group of people on Feb. 16 for a walking tour at the Serenova Tract and a rally against the proposed extension of Ridge Road. (Fred Bellet)

It was a Facebook-promoted rally to bring attention to natural habitats that they fear will be lost if Ridge Road is built.

“Our concern is fragmentation of habitat and how much the county will pay for the road. It’s a Pandora’s box,” said Josh McCart, a member of the Sierra Club. He also helped organize the rally, sponsored by Save the Serenova Coalition. More than 30 area groups belong to the coalition, including the Sierra Club.

Coalition member Dan Callaghan was heartened by the turnout. He hopes it will be an inspiration to others to get involved.

As he watches development gobble up large tracts of land in Pasco, Callaghan worries that conservation lands, and wildlife habitats, will be lost.

“That’s the direction we’re heading in, if we don’t stop this. Serenova is a test,” he said. “If we don’t stop it here, Pasco is gone.”

The fight over this road began nearly 20 years ago.

Pasco County officials hope for a resolution, and a work permit from the Army Corps, by the end of this year.

Josh McCart, front right, of New Port Richey, helped organize a walking tour at the Serenova Tract. McCart, a member of the Save the Serenova Coalition, said he posted information on Facebook and was overwhelmed by the large turnout.

The proposed project is for an 8-mile extension of Ridge Road, which now dead-ends at Moon Lake Road. The new road would link Moon Lake in west Pasco to U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes, across from an entrance into the master-planned community of Connerton.

The road is a county priority that would serve as a new east-west evacuation route during hurricanes.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Wells Jr. said, via email, that the new route would significantly reduce evacuation times for about 180,000 people who live within that evacuation zone.

“The road would also provide relief to people currently using (State Road) 52 and (State Road) 54,” Wells noted.

The county has set aside about $40 million toward an estimated $68 million for construction of the first segment from Moon Lake to the east side of the Suncoast Parkway exchange. An additional $2.5 million is allocated for right-of-way purchases.

No funds are available, as yet, for the second phase of construction, which would take the road to U.S. 41. That phase isn’t expected to be built until development occurs on land along that portion of the route.

The funding of Ridge Road is a sticking point for opponents, who say the county isn’t being transparent on the costs. They peg total costs as high as $150 million.

They also object to the monthly fee of about $28,500 paid to Washington D.C. consultants, with Dawson & Associates, to lobby for the road’s work permit.

Dan Rametta is an opponent of the Ridge Road extension through the Serenova Preserve. He has worked against the project for 20 years.

The project gained new momentum in 2017, as the Trump administration issued an executive order meant to speed up permits for infrastructure projects. Gov. Rick Scott and U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis also sent letters of support.

No decision has been made, but Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles said, “We still expect it later this year.”

Attorneys for the Sierra Club recently submitted an 80-page document contesting the project.

“They sell it as a done deal,” said McCart. “It’s not a done deal. There are a lot of costs associated to this road. The (Pasco County) commissioners are not telling us the true costs.”

The money is what bothers New Port Richey resident Barbara Sullo, who was at the rally. The county needs to fix its flooding problems, which are especially chronic in west Pasco, she said.

“They say they don’t have money to fix the roads, and yet, they spend millions on the Ridge Road extension,” Sullo said. “I don’t think people realize it’s our money.”

County data, per Wells’ email, shows that the per capita costs for the 180,000 residents within the evacuation zone, and within 2 miles of Ridge Road, would be about $400 per person.

“That doesn’t seem like too much to ensure the safety of our residents facing hurricane evacuations,” Wells said, in his email.

In April, the Corps chose one of 17 proposed routes through the Serenova Preserve as “the least environmentally damaging practicable alternative.” Additional review is being done.

The focus is on land that was set aside in a court settlement to mitigate about 200 acres of wetlands lost during construction of the Suncoast Parkway.

The Army Corps has regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act.

Save the Serenova coalition member Dan Rametta said the settlement is being circumvented.

“How does a four-lane road keep it in its natural state?” he said. He points to the Ridge Road connection that will link with Connerton, and also will cut through a portion of the Bexley Ranch property.

“It’s basically a developer’s road,” Rametta said.

County officials said wetlands lost due to the road project will be mitigated through preservation of other lands. About 2.3 acres of wetlands will be impacted, but about 82 percent of wetland impacts have been reduced, they said.

And, bridges already built, and parts of the proposed road, are elevated above the conservation land.

“You can’t say we haven’t worked through the process to reduce the impact,” Biles said.

Save the Serenova coalition members said there will inevitably be environmental losses.

“Every time you divide a large parcel up, you diminish the land, the plants, birds, everything,” said Aripeka resident Richard Stauffer.

He is a member of the Florida Native Plant Society, which belongs to the coalition. There are concerns among its members about a federally protected plant – the pond spice.

Some plants were found in Serenova, though so far not within the proposed construction area, Stauffer said, adding that more research should be done.

Sharon Holding, also is a member of the native plant society. She handed out fliers and helped with the walking tour.

“Certainly, it will impact people out here,” she said. “We need these places as reprieve from the busyness of our lives.”

Pasco also needs conservation land for ecotourism. “I’d like to see us promote that” Holding said. “We can’t stop people from moving to Pasco. We can plan our developments a lot smarter.”

Rametta said the movement to block Ridge Road is getting stronger.

“Commissioners need to pay attention,” he said. “There are voters here. There are consequences.”

Published February 28, 2018

Bakas Equestrian Center is set to move

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Bakas Equestrian Center, which has offered horse-riding therapy for disabled children and adults for nearly 30 years, is expected to have a new home by the end of this year.

In fact, the center will be replaced by two facilities under a plan unanimously approved by the Hillsborough County Commission on Jan. 11.

Tom Pepin, a beer distributor and philanthropist, approached the county with a proposal to replace the existing facility in western Hillsborough with two similar facilities on county-owned lands.

The Hillsborough County Commission approved a proposal by beer distributor Tom Pepin to relocate the Bakas Equestrian Center, 11510 Whisper Lake Trail in Tampa, to two similar facilities on county-owned lands. Bakas will move 2 miles from its current location to a 17-acre site at Northwest Equestrian Park in Odessa. A second riding center, of 10 acres to 12 acres, also will be built at Sydney Dover Trails in Dover. (File)

Under the approved plan, the 23-acre equestrian center property, at 11510 Whisper Laker Trail in Tampa, will move 2 miles from its current location to a 17-acre site at Northwest Equestrian Park in Odessa. Located on South Mobley Road, the park spans 600 acres and has 6 miles of horse trails.

A second riding center, of 10 acres to 12 acres, also will be built at Sydney Dover Trails in Dover, where there are about 250 acres available for good riding. That center is expected to serve residents in the eastern and central part of the county.

The commissioners’ approval now allows county staffers to begin negotiating terms of a final sale, with the project’s timeline for completion slated for the end of this year.

Board members agreed in September to put the county-owned park and its facilities up to bid, but only if Pepin pledged to build two new equestrian centers where the Bakas center could relocate at no cost to the county. The county, however, will be responsible for ongoing operating costs, such as staffing and maintenance.

Pepin’s approved proposal featured two bids—valued at $1.45 million and $1.97 million, respectively.

The first bid—the price Pepin originally was willing to spend on the project—calls for building the two facilities to match the same specs “like for like” as the Bakas site, plus a $200,000 endowment for capital costs and other operating expenses.

The second, more costly bid, includes various site upgrades and amenities at both sites desired by the county and Bakas’ Horses for Handicapped board members. Among them are competition-size arenas that measure more than 100 feet-by-200 feet, to accommodate more users and enhance fundraising opportunities. The current ring at Bakas measures 60 feet-by-120 feet.

The proposal received the general endorsement of Bakas’ Horses for Handicapped program, which noted on its website that “this would allow us to expand our program to both sides of the county.”

Therapy riding programs, such as the one at Bakas, are credited with helping people with disabilities develop balance and coordination, and to gain confidence.

However, the proposed changes drew mixed reviews during the commission’s public comment period, during which several speakers disapproved of the conversion of county-owned parklands to private property.

Kent Bailey, who chairs Tampa Bay’s Sierra Club chapter, claimed the proposed deal is undervalued as it “returns less than $2 million to the county’s taxpayers for a property that was purchased in 2001 for $3 million.”

“(Pepin) is a fine man,” Bailey said, “but what does that have to do with your faithful discharge of the fiduciary responsibilities as good stewards of the taxpayers of this community.

“No one is entitled to preferential treatment here, regardless of their standing in the community,” he added.

Tampa resident Christopher Gleason expressed similar sentiments to commissioners, saying the land deal gives “unfair advantage to somebody based on their standing in the community and political connections.”

Tampa resident Karen Michalski also directly questioned commissioners, by saying “Why is the public county park with a working value added successful equestrian therapy center being sold to an individual? Just because (Pepin) has the opportunity?”

Others, meanwhile, voiced concerns about site naming rights, and questioned whether the county is willing to adequately staff and handle ongoing operating expenses at two separate sites.

Jolie Smith, a Land O’ Lakes resident whose two daughters benefit from Bakas, explained she didn’t want to see the equestrian center sold, but is hopeful the deal will result in a “win-win” for the county and Bakas riders.

Smith noted: “the premise of the swap is to allow the Bakas program to grow, expand, and service more individuals with special needs.

“We’ve seen people walk, breathe and restore function. It’s an amazing program, and part of that therapy is the pristine setting where we are at,” she said.

Pepin said he plans to use the purchased Bakas tract, which abuts 67 acres he already owns, for personal use.

During a town hall meeting in November, he said he might build a few residences, but doesn’t intend to create a subdivision or commercial property.

He also said he’s willing to work with the community on certain amenities, such as larger riding arenas at both locations, in lieu of less desired features.

“My mission is the same as Bakas—it’s to help handicapped children,” Pepin said during the town hall.

Published January 31, 2018

Solar co-ops offer savings on solar panel installations

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Florida lags behind other states in producing clean, renewable energy from the sun. It doesn’t crack the top 10 in state rankings, even while being promoted nationwide as the Sunshine State.

But, Florida, along with other states across the country, is embracing solar power, and other clean energy sources, in ways that don’t always get noticed.

Workers install solar panels on a rooftop.
(Public Domain)

Solar panels, wind farms and electric-powered vehicles are among the technologies driving the alternative energy industry.

It’s often described as the quiet revolution, said David Sillman, coordinator for North Pinellas FL Sun, or Solar United Neighbors of Florida.

Sillman was the featured speaker on Jan. 22 at the Dade City Garden Club meeting. His topic was “Electrifying Future: Solar and Alternative Energy.”

The Solar Energy Industries Association has ranked Florida 13th nationally for solar capability, but also reported that the state has the third-highest potential for solar capacity.

Sillman said other rankings have put Florida as low as 18th.

“The good news is, we’re catching up,” Sillman said.

The Washington D.C.-based Solar United Neighbors and its chapters around the country are joining with other like-minded organizations and nonprofits, including the League of Women Voters and the Sierra Club, to promote solar power.

North Pinellas FL Sun and the local League of Women Voters, for instance, partnered in 2016 to launch the St. Pete Solar Co-op.

There also is the Hillsborough County Solar Co-op.

Currently, Sillman said he knows of no cooperatives in Pasco County.

But, solar cooperatives are simple to pull together. “All that is needed is volunteers,” he said.

It can be neighbors who want to install solar panels on their homes, or who simply want to learn more about the renewable energy industry. Joining a cooperative doesn’t require that a member install solar panels.

However, as a group, members can get bids from local solar companies that offer discounted rates on installation, Sillman said.

Costs over the past years have fallen, he added.

His costs in 2011 were about $25,000 for a three-bedroom, two-bath home. It might cost about $10,000 today, Sillman said.

According to Clean Energy Guide, costs for solar panels have dropped 99 percent, from $50 per watt in 1979 to 50 cents per watt in 2015.

Also, federal tax credits are available.

Typically, solar systems pay for themselves within 8 ½ years, and they come with 25-year warranties, Sillman said.

The life of a system can be from 30 years to 40 years, he added.

For information on solar energy and cooperatives, visit SolarUnitedNeighbors.org.

Published January 31, 2018

Cedar Key offers healing balm, restful calm

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Some say the watery views make Cedar Key a comforting place to visit. Others credit the shorebirds – great blue herons, snowy egrets, white pelicans and roseate spoonbills – for creating a calm now rare in so much of Florida.

Some claim the trees – giant, moss-draped live oaks, gnarly cedars, cabbage palms and junipers – promote peacefulness.

Many of Cedar Key’s most popular restaurants line the town’s waterfront, providing wonderful views of water, boats and sometimes dolphins. (Karen Haymon Long)

Others attribute the serenity to the fact that the town has just 709 residents, no traffic jams, no traffic lights, no chain stores, no chain restaurants, no dress codes.

It may be all these things and more.

“We love it here because it’s ‘Old Florida,’” a visitor told us after we met her at the historical museum, then again across the street at Bonish Studio, which bills itself as a gallery of “photography, oddities and libations.” She grew up in DeLand, but now lives in Birmingham, Alabama, and was visiting Cedar Key with her husband for the second time.

They came back because they love the feel – the slower pace, the open waters, she said, while lamenting the fact that so much of Florida is paved over by runaway development and has too many people.

Another visitor came even farther to soak up the calm. As we ate lunch on my friend’s front porch, a man on a motorcycle asked if we would take his picture so he could prove to his wife he was in Cedar Key. He had flown to Orlando from his home in Ottawa, Canada, and rented the motorcycle with plans to head to Key West.

Many fishermen in Cedar Key now use airboats, so they can get into the shallow fishing spots around the town to catch redfish, trout and even snook.

That changed when a man he met told him, “You don’t want to go to Key West. You want to go to Cedar Key. It’s so much nicer.”

So, he rode the 140 miles across the state to Cedar Key and had a wide grin when we snapped his photo with his motorcycle parked amid palmettos.

“You must really like it here,” he said climbing back on his bike, “since it’s so hard to get here.”

We assured him we did.

Everywhere you look, you see people fishing, or heading toward the water to fish for reds, trout, flounder and even sharks. You see walkers and bikers, and whole families tooling around in golf carts, which are rented out on the island. Locals and visitors alike are friendly. They greet you when they pass on the sidewalk.

They ask: Where are you from?

Then, they say: Enjoy your stay.

The town’s charm offers healing if you need it, or a feeling of peace if you don’t.

This loggerhead turtle skull is just one of the many things on display at the Cedar Key Historical Museum. The museum also sells a good selection of books about Florida.

Naturalist and conservationist John Muir was healed here. Just after arriving in Cedar Key in 1867 after his 1,000-mile walk from Louisville, Kentucky, he developed malaria and typhoid, probably from mosquito bites. Sarah Hodgston, the wife of a man who co-owned a sawmill where Muir found work when he arrived, nursed him back to health.

During those fateful three months he recuperated in Cedar Key, he liked to lie under an oak on Hodgston Hill and look out over the water toward Lime Key, which he sketched in his journal. He spent hours watching birds feeding along the shores and soaring overhead, and wrote of that, too.

Cedar Key, he explained, “is surrounded by scores of other keys, many of them looking like a clump of palms, arranged like a tasteful bouquet, and placed in the sea to be kept fresh.”

He grew stronger by the healing powers of nature.

Today, a display about Muir is in the Cedar Key Historical Museum downtown and a plaque stands in the courtyard of the Cedar Key Museum State Park, at 12231 S.W. 166th Court.

If not for Cedar Key’s healing powers, we would have no Sierra Club, which he founded. We would have no Yosemite National Park, whose land he championed to save.

Today, Cedar Key, on the Gulf Coast in Levy County, about two hours from Pasco County and 60 miles southwest of Gainesville, still draws nature lovers, many who come to fish or kayak, birdwatch or stroll the tree-lined streets.

Cedar Key’s main street – Second Street –  downtown is small, but offers a historical museum, good restaurants, galleries, gift shops, and a shop selling antiques, photos, gifts and libations. The welcome center and a public library are also on that street.

It has become a huge clamming center, so some come to eat fresh clams, and the clam chowder at Tony’s Seafood Restaurant downtown, a three-time winner of the world clam chowder championship.

“Have you tried Tony’s clam chowder?” a woman asked me in front of the history museum, just across from Tony’s. “It’s the best I ever had – so creamy. So many clams.”
I told her yes, and that it was so popular they now sell it at Publix in black and red cans.

“They do?” she asked, all excited. “I’m going to look for it at my Publix when I get home.”

Cedar Key has long been known for its seafood restaurants, many that line the waterfront in sea shanty buildings all in a row.

The restaurants have come and gone through the years. Today, locals highly recommend 83 West, for its fresh seafood. They also say to go to Steamers Clam Bar & Grill, and to Carlin’s Steak House and Paddock Pub, famous for key lime cake.

The clam chowder at Tony’s Seafood Restaurant in downtown Cedar Key has won the world clam chowder championship three times. It’s so popular that Publix now sells it.

We also like Tony’s, of course, and Annie’s Cafe, a family owned indoor-outdoor spot at Sixth Street and State Road 24 that serves up good breakfasts and lunches.

One of the best places to start a visit is at the Cedar Key Historical Museum, at the corner of Second Street and State Road 24 downtown. There, you can see all sorts of artifacts on the history of the area – from native American pottery and arrowheads, to displays on the fishing industry in Cedar Key and the lives of its citizens through the years.

The museum also sells an array of Florida history books, including those focusing on Cedar Key and on Muir.

Nearby are art galleries, gift shops, places to eat and drink, and spend the night. The Island Hotel offers all three, with rooms, a cozy bar and a highly regarded restaurant. Be sure to try the island’s signature salad there, made with heart of palm, sugared dates, seasonal fruit and peanut butter ice cream dressing.

Just before sunset, follow locals and visitors west to watch the sun slip into the water. Breathe the briny air, and you’ll wish you, too, could be a local.

Tips for the trip
How to get there: We find the easiest way is to take the Suncoast Parkway north to U.S. 98. Turn left there, then go right on U.S. 19 until you get to State Road 24 in Levy County. Take a left there, and it’s 24 miles straight into Cedar Key.

Where to stay: Cedar Key offers everything from home and condo rentals to stays in motels, inns and campgrounds. For a list, see the Chamber of Commerce’s CedarKey.org.

Festivals: Cedar Key has long been known for its annual Old Florida Festival of the Arts. The 54th annual festival is scheduled for March 24 and March 25. Visit CedarKeyArtFestival.com for more details.

The town also has an annual seafood festival in October, a Christmas boat parade and food tasting, and other festivals. For details, also see CedarKey.org.

Fun Fact:
Cedar Key used to have a fiber and brush factory that used fiber from cabbage palms to make whisk brooms, hat brushes and other items. Today, you can see examples in the Cedar Key Historical Museum and can even buy replicas made by Dr. John Andrews, the son of the man who founded and owned the factory. Andrews’ home, with the brush factory’s office downstairs, is part of the museum and is open for tours.

By Karen Haymon Long

Published January 17, 2018

Quest continues for Ridge Road permit

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Pasco County officials are hoping a letter of support from Gov. Rick Scott, and an executive order from President Donald Trump, could finally lead to a permit to build the Ridge Road extension.

For 19 years, the county has pursued the permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for an approximately 8-mile road extension that would cut through a portion of the Serenova Preserve. The road extension is a high priority for the county to give residents an additional evacuation route during hurricanes.

But, critics of the project vow to fight an extension of the road.

Clay Colson, chairman of the nonprofit Citizens for Sanity Inc., said development, not a hurricane route, is behind the county’s efforts to extend Ridge Road through the preserve.

“The county had this idea of entitlement,” he said. “They think they are entitled to the permit.”

A county delegation, including Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker and Pasco County commissioners Kathryn Starkey and Jack Mariano, went to Washington D.C., in early March, to lobby for the project.

During an unexpected meetup with the governor, Baker asked him to write a letter supporting the project.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis also wrote a letter of support and sent it to President Trump.

According to the president’s executive order, the White House Council on Environmental Quality would have 30 days to respond to the governor’s request for priority status for Ridge Road.

Scott’s office has not responded to The Laker/Lutz News to inquiries about the letter.

The president’s executive order directs federal agencies to give priority to longstanding infrastructure projects with pending environmental reviews.

“The wheels are definitely moving to try and get it finalized,” Baker said, during the March 7 county commission meeting in Dade City.

Besides running into Scott, the group also met Ted Boling, the acting director of the White House’s council on environmental quality.

While the county may be making progress toward obtaining the permit, opponents of the road say construction of the road should not be about political pressure from letters and executive orders.

“They (federal agencies) are supposed to do their job,” Colson said.

His group and others will file a lawsuit, if the permit is granted, Colson said.

The county initially submitted its application for Ridge Road in 1998. The road dead-ends at Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey. The extension would provide a link to U.S. 41, with a connection to Suncoast Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reviews permit applications to determine if projects meet regulations within the Clean Water Act. If approved, projects should do a minimum of damage to the environment.

About 58 acres of the 6,000-acre Serenova Preserve are under review. The land was set aside years ago to mitigate about 200 acres of wetlands lost due to construction of the Suncoast parkway.

An elevated road design to limit environmental damage is among potential alternatives for how the road extension would be built.

Over the years, environmental groups, such as the Sierra Club and Audubon Society, have opposed the Ridge Road project, saying it would destroy wildlife habitat and degrade water quality.

Pasco commissioners hired Washington D.C. consultants with Dawson & Associates in 2016 to lobby for the permit. The county is paying the firm about $28,000 a month.

The costs expended on the project so far, including land acquisitions and consultants, is about $19 million.

Published March 15, 2017

Outlet mall property will be built in seven phases

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Five months after working out its differences with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Simon Property Group and its development partners have submitted preliminary plans for the long-awaited Cypress Creek Town Center Premium Outlets Mall to Pasco County officials.

The developers — JG Cypress Creek LLC and Tampa Premium Outlets LLC — are planning to build the property in seven phases, the first one engulfing the largest chunk of the 57 acres off Wesley Chapel Boulevard and State Road 56. It’s on the western-most portion of the property, just off Interstate 75.

The outlet mall itself will be comprised of nine buildings with 482,000 square feet of retail, and nearly 2,400 parking spaces.

The total project is expected to offer 1.1 million square feet of retail.

The project got back on track after years of delay last November, located just north of the Hillsborough County line.

“We are very excited to be moving forward on this project, and are commencing meetings with the county to determine approvals and a schedule,” Danielle DeVita, senior vice president for development and acquisition at Simon, said in a statement five months ago.

The east indigo snake almost killed the deal, with the Sierra Club claiming the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers improperly examined the project’s impacts to wetlands and waterways.

After an agreement was reached with the government agency, Simon officials said the mall could open as early as the end of this year. However, County Administrator Michele Baker later put that timeframe somewhere around the summer of 2015.