The Laker/Lutz News

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

Tom Ryan

Zephyrhills economic summit highlights industrial hub

By

It may now be famous for its crystal clear water and skydiving but, someday, the City of Zephyrhills also wants to be known for its industrial offerings and high-wage jobs.

The third annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit, held earlier this month, focused on the need to maximize both the use of the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport and the development potential of adjacent industrial property.

The event, at Zephyrhills City Hall, was presented by the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition (ZEDC) in partnership with the City of Zephyrhills and Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

The third annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit focused on the importance of developing an industrial corridor and cultivating high-wage jobs. Shown here speaking is Zephyrhills planning director Todd Vande Berg. (Kevin Weiss)

City officials are developing a 20-year master plan known as the Zephyrhills Industrial Corridor Plan.

The proposed industrial development hub encompasses approximately 9.76 square miles (6,248 acres) of land in the southeast portion of the city, around the Chancey Road corridor and municipal airport.

Roughly a third of the property is within city limits and the remainder in unincorporated Pasco County — representing the largest aggregation of industrial lands in the county.

Within that area is 442 divisible acres of what’s known as the Zephyrhills Airport Industrial Park, a build-ready site equipped with water, sewer and electric utilities, and accessible to natural gas.

While the corridor is still in preliminary stages, it ultimately will set the city up for long-term growth and economic sustainability, said Zephyrhills planning director Todd Vande Berg.

Possible targeted industries could include aerospace, aviation and defense; advanced manufacturing; light manufacturing; electronics and technology; logistics and distribution; life sciences and medical technology; telecom/data hosting centers; research and development; showroom; refrigeration/cold storage and other uses.

Vande Berg explained a built-out industrial corridor will yield more revenues for the city and create a better jobs-to-housing balance. He also noted industrial manufacturing uses less services — police, fire, water, sewer— compared to, say, residential or commercial land use.

All that, he said, will ultimately “raise the bar in quality of life” for Zephyrhills residents, allowing funds to be steered toward downtown redevelopment, recreational amenities and other community uses.

“We want to be economically diverse. We don’t just want to have family residential, we want to have a mix of uses,” Vande Berg said.

“If we bring in industrial, we’re going to be more fiscally solvent, and that ties in with being resilient. If we have the industrial there, we feel like we’re in a better position with the city.”

The city planner expressed confidence the corridor’s utility offerings and centralized proximity to Orlando, Lakeland and Tampa makes it an attractive spot for companies looking to relocate or set up shop.

“We’ve got a great location we feel like,” he said. “We have such an asset out there in the southeast quadrant of the city.”

The entire planning area is generally bound by Melrose Avenue to the north, the CSX Transportation railroad and U.S. 301 to the west, Pattie Road to the south, and Barry Road and the Upper Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area to the east.

Two CSX mainline railroads traverse the area and it is accessible to Port Tampa Bay and the CSX Central Florida Intermodal Logistics Center.

The local airport also is undergoing a $5.9 million runway extension and roadway improvements to accommodate larger commercial aircraft, and encourage aviation and industrial development.

Moving forward, Vande Berg said ongoing collaboration is vital between the city, county and state officials to have a coordinated plan on zoning and land use, and “to continue to improve transportation accessibility to this industrial corridor.”

He mentioned a more near-term priority is working with the Florida Department of Transportation to extend State Road 56 east of U.S. 301 to connect to Chancey Road. “Transportation’s huge, like anywhere,” he said.

Aside from transportation and infrastructure boosts to draw companies in, other speakers said the city needs more workforce development programs to develop skilled labor employees and then keep them in the area.

It’s already something holding back existing industrial businesses in the city, said Dr. Randy Stovall, president of the Zephyrhills chamber.

“They can’t find those people they want to hire,” Stovall said. “They want to hire them, but there’s not enough of them, so that is a challenge. We’ve had that (issue) for some time.”

Tom Ryan, economic development manager for Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.,  said having training programs and a baseline of skilled labor in place is “a huge component” for luring large companies to a particular area.

“We’ve got to have (workforce) inventory,” Ryan said. “We’ve got to have a plan to tell those companies, ‘Look, we want your jobs here, and we have a plan to help you bring those jobs here.’”

Pasco County Commission Chairman Ron Oakley pointed out that Zephyrhills and the East Pasco area are working to position the area to do just that.

Pasco County Schools plans to build a technical high school by 2022 near the intersection of Curley Road and Kiefer Road in Wesley Chapel that will hold nearly 900 students.

Meanwhile, Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative (WREC) plans to construct a 4,000-square-foot facility for AmSkills to teach manufacturing jobs.

Also, local business owner Kevin Bahr of Bahr’s Propane Gas & A/C is starting a teaching school to train propane service and HVAC technicians.

“The county is working very hard for jobs,” Oakley said. “Our county’s growing. We need jobs, and we need to teach them (the necessary skills).”

Elsewhere during the summit, State Rep. Randy Maggard commended Zephyrhills “for thinking ahead of schedule” in regards to its future and planned industrial hub.

Maggard, a Republican representing District 38, specifically applauded city leaders for this year putting a $2 million septic to sewer project at the top of their state appropriations request list.

The project includes decommissioning existing septic tanks to a residential subdivision and homes along Sixth Avenue and Armstrong Street, with potential for sewer expansion to additional properties in the future.

The project aims to prevent springs from dying because of nitrates from septic tanks.

“At the end of the day, if we don’t have water, none of this matters,” Maggard said. “We can talk about infrastructure, we can talk about a lot of things, but if we can’t provide water, it doesn’t matter at all.”

The elected official also gave this piece of advice for the city going forward: “You need to tell us where you want to go, and we need to help you get there in the long-term planning, funding, whatever it takes for us to be able to do that.”

Other summit speakers included Mohsen Mohammadi, chief operations officer for American Infrastructure Development; David Gwynn, District 7 secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT); and Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy.

Published October 23, 2019

Economic summit to focus on industrial hub

By

Local business and government leaders in Zephyrhills will join together for an event that will spotlight the city’s industrial corridor and ongoing efforts to cultivate high-wage manufacturing jobs.

The third annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit is scheduled for Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Zephyrhills City Hall, 5335 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills.

The summit primarily will focus on the city’s forthcoming industrial corridor master plan and Zephyrhills Municipal Airport runway extension, according to a press release from the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce executive director Melonie Monson is organizing the third annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit.

Other topics will broach infrastructure and the East Pasco roadway network, plus updates on various state and county intergovernmental collaboration projects in the region.

The event is presented by the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition (ZEDC) in partnership with the City of Zephyrhills and the Zephyrhills chamber.

Registration is $10 and will include lunch and continental breakfast.

The summit will feature interactive discussions and presentations from the following speakers:

  • Billy Poe, Zephyrhills city manager Billy Poe
  • Dr. Randy Stovall, Zephyrhills chamber president
  • Todd Vande Berg, city planning director
  • Mohsen Mohammadi, chief operations officer for American Infrastructure Development
  • David Gwynn, District 7 secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
  • Randy Maggard, State Rep. District 38
  • Ron Oakley, chairman of the Pasco County Commission
  • Tom Ryan, economic development manager for Pasco Economic Development Council, Inc.
  • Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy

Zephyrhills’ proposed industrial development hub focuses on a large grouping of industrial properties and adjacent areas within the Chancey Road corridor and municipal airport.

The planning area is generally bound by Melrose Avenue to the north, the CSX Transportation railroad and U.S. 301 to the west, Pattie Road to the south, and Barry Road and the Upper Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area to the east. That encompasses approximately 9.76 square miles (6,248 acres), including 33% within Zephyrhills and the remainder in unincorporated Pasco County — representing the largest aggregation of industrial lands in Pasco.

Zephyrhills chamber executive director Melonie Monson, who’s organizing the summit, underscored the need to build out the industrial corridor, to recruit employment-generating manufacturing companies and to develop a middle-class workforce in Zephyrhills.

The city is pining for a “medium-sized industrial manufacturer,” Monson said, to give local high school graduates a place to work, so they can remain in the community.

The chamber director believes that Zephyrhills could attract such a company soon. She cited the city’s recent efforts to partner with Pasco County to spend millions of dollars to extend water and sewer to the industrial site.

“It’s just ready for industry, it just is,” she said.

Monson put it this way: “We’re excited the city’s being proactive instead of reactive, so when that big person hits and says, ‘I want to come here,’ we’ll be ready for that and say, ‘Here’s your spot, this is what we have, these are the incentives, this is your workforce.’

“That’s what we’re working toward, to put all those pieces together to make sure that we get what we want here,” Monson said.

She said the industrial corridor also could pave the way for other companies in distribution, light manufacturing, aviation and so on.

“I believe it’s going to have a lot of different textures to it,” the chamber executive said.

She is encouraged by the city’s direction in recent years of attracting younger families and groups to live, work and play.

She mentioned the downtown area alone has added a brewery, a billiards hall and axe-throwing venue, and other things to do.

Zephyrhills also is in the midst of getting a state-of-the-art tennis center and thousands of new homes and apartments.

The city recently landed its first Starbucks and Wawa. A Chick-Fil-A in the works.

Other notable businesses set to come online include Aldi Supermarket, PetSmart, Marriott Fairfield Hotel and Dollar General.

“We’re getting there. In the last three or four years you’ve just seen this huge spur of development,” Monson said.

Previous Zephyrhills economic summits focused on the medical community and education. Monson said next year’s will likely be geared around workforce development.

The summits encourage stakeholders to collaborate to help move Zephyrhills forward as a viable community.

“We’re the only community in Pasco County that’s doing something like this — where we have a coalition that really focuses on pro-business, pro-education, trying to make our community stand out in the midst of all of the other communities.

“We just every year want to make sure that we let people know what we really have here and what we’re doing and why you might want to come and be a part of the Zephyrhills community,” Monson said.

For information and to register for the summit, contact Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce director Melonie Monson at (813) 782-1913 or

Published October 2, 2019

 

 

Housing demand on rise in Florida, Pasco

By

Construction sites along Pasco County’s major corridors are part of everyday landscape.

Bulldozers clear land and work crews move in with hammer and nails.

Pasco is awash in new single-family homes under construction, and to a lesser degree, apartment complexes.

Brad O’ Connor, chief economist for Florida Realtors (Courtesy of Brad O’ Connor)

But, market trends show that the supply of new homes is lagging behind demand. That’s a change from the housing bubble that burst in 2008 and sent the economy into a tailspin.

“This time, instead of building too much, we’re building too little,” said Brad O’ Connor, chief economist for Florida REALTORS.

But, there are solid reasons why demand is high.

“Right now, demand is being driven by population growth and economic growth,” O’ Connor said.

O’ Connor was keynote speaker at the Feb. 1 forum, Reshaping the Face of Pasco 2018 Economic Summit. Central Pasco Association of Realtors hosted the event at Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus at Wiregrass.

Other participants were David Gwynn, District 7 secretary at the Florida Department of Transportation; Tom Ryan, economic development manager for the Pasco Economic Development Council; Camille Hernandez, mayor of Dade City; Kathryn Starkey, Pasco County commissioner; Mary Yeargan, director of district management at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection; and Bob Thompson, program moderator of Thompson Event Partners.

Monthly supplies of single-family homes, as well as condominiums and townhouses, were down statewide in 2017, according to data from Florida Realtors.

Florida had slightly less than four months of inventory for single-family homes, down about 6.2 percent from the previous year. There was a six-month inventory of condos and townhouses, down about 1.5 percent.

Hillsborough County had a 2.6-month inventory of single-family homes, down 10 percent; and a two-month inventory of condos and townhouses, down almost 10 percent.

Pasco County also had a 2.6-month inventory in single-family homes, down 4.2 percent; and the same amount in condos and townhouses, down 19 percent.

In 2017, the biggest inventory of single-family homes in Pasco fell within the $200,000 to $250,000 range, followed by homes from $100,000 to $150,000, and $150,000 to $200,000. Those were increases from 2016.

But, there was a significant decline from 2016 to 2017 in homes selling from $50,000 to $100,000. “There is a scarcity in the low sales rage,” O’ Connor said.

Research found declines also in the monthly averages for the 2017 inventory of active listings of single-family homes, condominiums and townhouses.

Florida’s average monthly listings of single-family homes were nearly 89,000, down 4.6 percent. There were about 54,000 monthly listings on average for condos and townhouses, down about 1.2 percent.

Pasco had about 2,200 listings for single-family homes monthly, down about 2.2 percent. Condos and townhouses had about 420 listings a month, down about 16 percent.

With demand higher than supply, O’ Connor said housing prices are inflated.

However, data shows Pasco is still a bargain for homeowners, even as prices rise, compared to other Tampa Bay counties.

Statewide the median price for a single-family home in 2017 was $237,500, an 8 percent increase. In Hillsborough, the median price was $235,000, an increase of 6.8 percent.

Pasco’s median price was $200,000, an increase of 13 percent.

O’ Connor also noted one other housing trend.

In 2008, homeowners stayed in their homes on average seven years. Now they stay about 11 years.

It’s not clear why, though O’ Connor said people could still be feeling the effects of the economic recession.

For information, visit FloridaRealtors.org.

Published February 14, 2018

Commuters could get a faster ride

By

Pasco County commuters understand the frustration of gridlock, as they head to and from work every day.

Florida Department of Transportation officials believe the proposed construction of a project known as the Tampa Bay Express could make life easier for motorists traveling from St. Petersburg in Pinellas County to Wesley Chapel in Pasco County.

Nearly 50 miles of new toll lanes would be built adjacent to existing non-toll lanes along Interstate 275 and Interstate 4, in a project that state highway officials have pegged at initial costs of $3 billion, but said it could get as high as $6 billion.

If the project is approved, construction would be five or more years away.

The toll fees would vary depending on traffic volume —  with more expensive tolls applying at rush hour. SunPass would be the only accepted method of payment. The system will not allow billing by license plate.

The potential is there, too, for a rapid bus transit service that would operate within the toll lane system, but not pay tolls. A 44-foot “multimodal envelope” is included in the design. Park and ride stations would be built. including one in Wesley Chapel.

The project is stirring an intense struggle between those who support the TBX as a regional approach to easing traffic congestion and those who characterize the TBX as a boondoggle that will destroy historic Tampa neighborhoods, and do little for mass transit.

TBX-FDOT_system_map
The proposed Tampa Bay Express would add toll lanes to existing non-toll lanes along Interstate 275 and Interstate 4, creating a managed toll system linking Wesley Chapel in Pasco County to St. Petersburg in Pinellas County. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation)

A coalition, including the Tampa Bay Partnership, now has The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce as a partner. The chamber’s board of directors approved a resolution on April 21 in support of TBX “as an essential foundation to pursue a variety of forward-thinking transit options” in the Tampa Bay area.

The day before the chamber’s vote, state transportation officials made a presentation to about 20 people who attended a public meeting on the TBX, sponsored by the chamber.

Kirk Bogen, the transportation department’s environmental manager engineer, said the Wesley Chapel presentation was the first one in the “outskirts” of the TBX project area.

“We’re putting out feelers, accepting invitations,” he said.

Hope Allen, president of the Wesley Chapel chamber, said the coalition’s goal is to inform people of what’s going on and “to make sure it’s the right fit for our commuters.”

The TBX and gridlock relief are key to the area’s future development, she said. Without the project, she added, “Wesley Chapel doesn’t look quite as appealing. We’re here to help you get this moving along.”

The toll express lanes also have strong support from Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

But, the project faces resistance within Tampa’s historic neighborhoods, including Tampa Heights, Ybor City and Seminole Heights. Community activists and a newly formed Sunshine Citizens coalition are working hard to block the TBX.

They have held a series of protest marches through neighborhoods that could lose about 100 businesses and homes to the road project. Among area businesses that could be torn down are Café Hey, the Oceanic Market and La Segunda Central Bakery, which has operated in Ybor City for more than 100 years. A public housing complex, Mobley Park apartments, also could be torn down.

Many in the neighborhoods remember past urban renewal projects that divided and devastated communities.

A crucial vote on the matter will take place on June 22 at 6 p.m., at the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization in the Hillsborough County Commission Chamber, at 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., in Tampa.

Members of that board approved the project in 2015 as part of their Transportation Improvement Plan, but opponents are hoping to sway some members to vote against it now.

There is critical need for the project and for toll revenues that can “help maintain the roads into the future,” Bogen said. Otherwise, he said, “Your system basically will continue to fail.”

On any day during rush hour, Pasco residents chug south on I-275 at speeds well under highway limits.

“I spend so much time stuck on freeways or Bearss Avenue or downtown, I don’t know where the time goes,” said Tom Ryan.

Ryan is economic development manager for the Pasco Economic Development Council, but said he was speaking as a private citizen.

Greg Vinas, B2B sales manager in Wesley Chapel, said he also would like to see light rail as an option, but the TBX is needed to reduce congestion and create connections.

“It will make the community that much smaller,” he said.

With improved transportation, one trend he hopes to see is reverse commuting with Tampa area residents coming to Pasco for jobs, as the area attracts new businesses.

“I know people now (from Tampa) who won’t come up here,” Vinas said.

To find out more about the proposed TBX project, visit TampaBayExpress.com. To learn more about the opposition, visit StopTBX.com.

Published April 27, 2016

Ideas clash for solving traffic woes

By

A proposal for a flyover at State Road 54 and U.S. 41 got a big thumb’s down at a recent transportation task force meeting aimed at finding solutions for reducing congestion on one of Pasco County’s busiest east/west corridors.

In fact, the idea of a flyover anywhere along State Road 54 and State Road 56 between U.S. 19 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard met stiff resistance.

About 50 people, including members of two separate task forces, residents and Pasco County officials, met Feb. 2 at Rasmussen College to discuss options.

A heavy volume of cars and trucks makes State Road 54 and U.S. 41 one of the busiest intersections in Pasco County. (File Photo)
A heavy volume of cars and trucks makes State Road 54 and U.S. 41 one of the busiest intersections in Pasco County.
(File Photo)

Task force members pressed county officials to consider using frontage roads to ease congested intersections and to preserve access to local businesses and shops.

The task force also approved a motion to ask county planners to determine the feasibility of the frontage road option.

“Our solution is at grade, which is what the public wants,” said Tom Ryan, a task force member and economic development manager at the Pasco Economic Development Council. “It (flyover) infringes on their quality of life. There is no way around it. It will affect quality of life.”

Ryan was joined by task force member Robb Sercu who also tossed out ideas for at-grade alternatives rather than flyovers.

The meeting was the first joint session of East and West task forces, which began meeting separately in September. Each was appointed as an advisory board to the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization. Their task is to recommend up to five alternatives that the MPO can consider for future transportation projects over the next 20 years. One option is not to build anything.

The West Task Force is studying State Road 54 from west of U.S. 41, and the East Task Force, from east of U.S. 41.

However, discussion at the joint meeting quickly focused on the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41 as a priority that likely will be the first road project to need funding.

“That is the most congested location at this time,” said Ali Atefi, a transportation engineer with MPO.

The Florida Department of Transportation held a public hearing in January to get input on two alternatives for elevated lanes over U.S. 41. Many who attended said they came away believing they would pay tolls.

“That’s what got a lot of people upset in our area,” said task force member Fred Knauer. “If I go to Lowe’s, I have to pay a toll?”

Atefi said tolls could be a source to pay for the roads, but that hasn’t been decided yet.

County officials also noted that even with elevated lanes, there would be at-grade through lanes at the intersection.

Some of those attending the meeting want tolls to be an option, to help reduce congestion.

“Toll roads do have a place,” said task force member Marilyn DeChant. “They take drivers off grade and put them up (on express lanes). They do have a place to be considered.”

But, task force member Susie Hoeller said toll roads could hurt elderly residents on fixed incomes and local businesses that do deliveries.

“People in government, they don’t look at the real impact on people’s lives,” she said. “I think it’s a bad idea.”

Whatever option that gains approval should be one that is feasible and reasonable, said Ryan.

And, any option that involves construction will cause disruptions including the purchase of right-of-way, he said.

“We shouldn’t hide away from discussing eminent domain. These are going to come up,” he said. “There’s a business or two that might have to move.”

Keystone Community Church, at 21010 State Road 54, also could be in the path of future road construction.

“We’re in a growth mode now,” said Wayne Hawes, chairman of the church’s board of directors. “Are we going to waste our money if we expand our facilities?”

Even if funds were available now, Atefi said construction could be between seven and eight years away.

Funding more likely won’t be available until after 2020.

Some people at the meeting expressed frustrations and skepticism about the planning process.

Dave Miller said the county’s long-range land use plan is too focused on increasing density.

“This is social engineering,” said Miller who lives in west Pasco, off Little Road and State Road 54.

“They are trying to force people into high rises on transit lanes. You need to throw this back at them (Pasco County and the state). This is not workable,” Miller said.

Others seemed skeptical that their efforts on the task force would be taken seriously.

“Ultimately it’s going to be what they want it to be,” said task force member Christie Zimmer. “I’m praying it’s not that, and we won’t get something stuffed down our throats.”

Her remarks drew some applause.

Task force members will complete surveys in the next weeks to identify up to five construction alternatives, plus a no-build option.

The West Task Force will vote on alternatives at its final meeting on March 28. The East Task Force will do the same at its meeting on March 31. Both of those meetings will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Rasmussen College.

The planning organization will do additional study on the top selections.

What: Town Hall meeting with Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, and county staff members
When: Feb. 18 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 20735 Leonard Road, Lutz

Published February 10, 2016