The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

U.S. 41

Pasco allocates funds for new central office design

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The Pasco County Commission has approved a task order with CPH Inc., for the design of a new central office and warehouse for its facilities management department.

The agreement, which calls for an amount not to exceed $339,920, is being made under a continuing professional services agreement with CPH, according to backup materials in the board’s Jan. 12 agenda packet.

The county’s facilities management department currently shares space inside Fire Station No. 22, on U.S. 41.

That fire station is scheduled to be replaced by a new facility on the Asbel Road extension, which is expected to be completed in August 2022.

The existing fire station will be demolished to allow future development of a Public Service Center for the Pasco Sheriff’s Office.

The new facilities management office and warehouse will be built on the existing central Public Safety Campus to house facilities management personnel that provide services in the central zone of the county.

In Wesley Chapel, meanwhile, construction has begun on the Overpass Road interchange.

“That interchange will be open to traffic in the Summer of ’22. So that’s just around the corner,” County Administrator Dan Biles told commissioners during their Jan. 12 meeting.

“It actually may be open to traffic before the Diverging Diamond,” Biles said.

By closing Overpass Road during construction, the project will be accelerated by six months to nine months, Biles said.

In connection with the Overpass Road project, commissioners also adopted a resolution authorizing the rerouting of Blair Drive. The Overpass Road/I-75 Interchange Project requires Overpass Road at Blair Drive to be limited access for the safety of the public traveling on Blair Drive and on Overpass Road through the new interchange. To accommodate this requirement, an extension of Blair Drive is being constructed to connect to Old Pasco Road.

Blair Drive at Overpass Road will be closed and reconstructed as a cul-de-sac.

In another action, commissioners approved a state-funded grant agreement between the Florida Department of Transportation and Pasco County, relating to Lacoochee Industrial Area right of way improvements.

The project is aimed at supporting the creation of new jobs in Lacoochee using $5,469,395 approved by the Florida Legislature last year.

The funds will be distributed on a reimbursable basis.

The scope of work for this project consists of:

  • Reconditioning Bower Road from Cummer Road to State Road 575 (approximately 3,200 feet) through the use of full depth reclamation
  • Milling and resurfacing of Cummer Road from U.S. 301 to Bower Road (approximately 4,700 feet)
  • Adding a new right-turn lane on Cummer Road at U.S. 301
  • Providing driveway aprons, as needed and new signing and pavement markings
  • A new right-turn lane on SR 575 at Bower Road, new signing and pavement markings, and preparation of maintained right of way maps, in coordination with FDOT, along Bower Road and SR 575.

To avoid construction delays, the design and permitting phase of the project was

expedited with local funds.

Funding, in the amount of $300,000, was approved through the Office of Economic Growth in the Spring of 2020, to start the design and permitting phase of the project.

The project scope was split into two segments for the purpose of design and permitting. Segment 1 affects county roads, while Segment 2 affects the state highway system.

The design of both segments is currently underway with design and permitting of

Segment 1 to be completed by January 2021, while Segment 2 will be completed by June 2021.

The agreement also notes that the design and permitting phase will not be reimbursed by FDOT because that work preceded the agreement, but the grant support services associated with the design — a separate task order — will be.

Published January 20, 2021

State road projects will ease congestion

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Orange traffic cones and road signs signaling “a new traffic pattern” are a common sight for motorists, especially those traveling Pasco County’s state highway grid.

Amid COVID-19 lockdowns and now hopefulness that a vaccine could mean a return to normalcy, roadwork in Pasco County never stopped. Construction crews cleared rights of way, smoothed out dirt, buried pipes, paved new traffic lanes, landscaped medians, added pedestrian and bicycle lanes, and realigned existing roadways to ease traffic congestion in one of Tampa Bay’s fastest-growing counties.

Several major road projects from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will be completed within the next four years. They include work on a new diverging diamond interchange at State Road 56 and Interstate 75, as well as projects on State Road 54 and State Road 52.

The construction schedules haven’t always met expectations.

Pasco County commissioners recently expressed displeasure with the slower than anticipated pace of project completions, especially on the diverging diamond. Pasco officials pushed to get the project started early, hoping for a spring 2021 completion. Instead, the schedule promises a summer 2022 end date, according to FDOT officials.

The new interchange is an entry and exit off I-75 onto State Road 56 where commercial and residential development is bringing new retail, hotels and residents to the area. Among the destinations are Cypress Creek Town Center, Tampa Premium Outlets and AdventHealth Center Ice.

The first completed road project is expected in late 2021 when work ends on the widening of State Road 54 east of Curley Road to east of Morris Bridge Road. The last project through the pipeline will be the widening and realignment of State Road 52 in summer 2024.

Here is a list of some major state road projects currently under construction in Pasco County:

Workers from Sodmore LLC, of O’ Brien, lay sod for the diverging diamond interchange at Interstate 75 and State Road 56, just west of Willow Oak Drive. The new interchange, scheduled to be completed in summer 2022, is expected to relieve traffic snarls at the interchange. (Fred Bellet)

Interstate 75 at State Road 56 diverging diamond interchange
Construction began in January 2019, with a completion scheduled in summer 2022. The estimated cost is about $33 million.

The diverging diamond is a popular design innovation with a unique pattern that relies on multiple lanes of traffic in a crisscross pattern and a limited number of traffic signals.

This project is the first diverging diamond in District 7 of the FDOT. Others are planned in Hillsborough County at State Road 54 and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, at I-75; and at Gibsonton Drive, at I-75.

FDOT’S website praises the diverging diamond for its ability to handle heavy traffic volumes, increased pedestrian safety, more efficient signal timings and fewer opportunities for vehicles to crash.

Interstate 75 at Overpass Road
Construction on a new diamond interchange, including changes to local road patterns, began in October 2020. Completion of the approximately $64 million project is scheduled for summer 2023.

The new interchange is located about 3.5 miles south of State Road 52. There will be a flyover for westbound Overpass Road access onto southbound I-75.

Overpass will be widened from two to four lanes between I-75 and Old Pasco Road, and to six lanes between I-75 and Boyette Road. Blair Drive will be realigned to connect with Old Pasco Road, and McKendree Road will be realigned to connect to Boyette.

Initially, crews will work in the southwest area of the project where a new neighborhood access road will be built at Old Pasco Road. It will replace the current Blair Drive link to Overpass.

Motorists westbound on State Road 54 make their way into Wesley Chapel as eastbound motorists head into Zephyrhills. The state road is being widened from two lanes to four lanes, with a median, to ease traffic congestion.

State Road 54 widening in the Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills areas
About 4.5 miles of State Road 54 will be widened from two lanes to four lanes from east of Curley Road to east of Morris Bridge Road.

Construction began in November 2017 and is scheduled for completion in late 2021. The estimated cost is $42.5 million.

In early November, eastbound traffic shifted onto newly paved lanes from west of Wesley Chapel Loop to New River Road. Simultaneously, Pasco is remodeling the New River Branch Public Library on State Road 54.

A sidewalk will be built on the north side of the roadway with a 10-foot-wide multi-use path on the south side.

State Road 52 widening and realignment near Dade City and San Antonio
The project will widen and realign State Road 52 between Uradco Place and Fort King Road.

Construction began in November 2019, with completion scheduled in summer 2024. The estimated cost is $81.4 million.

A short portion of McCabe Road between Curley Road and Wirt Road is closed until spring 2021. Williams Cemetery Road is closed east of Wichers Road and McCabe, also until spring 2021.

In addition, some daily lane closures, with flagmen signaling to motorists, can be expected on Curley, McCabe, Prospect Road and Clinton Avenue. A detour route is available using Curley, Prospect and Wirt.

State Road 52 widening in Land O’ Lakes
About 3.8 miles of State Road 52 will be widened into a six-lane divided road from Suncoast Parkway to east of U.S. 41.

Construction began in September 2019, with completion scheduled in late 2023. The estimated cost is $49.8 million.

A 12-foot-wide multi-use path will be built on the north side of State Road 52. In addition, about one mile of U.S. 41 will be widened as it approaches the intersection with the state road.

By Kathy Steele

Published January 13, 2021

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

Bell Lake Road project begins in January

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Pasco County’s Bell Lake Road Improvement Project in Land O’ Lakes is scheduled to begin on Jan. 4, and run through spring 2022.

The year-plus project will consist of extensive infrastructure and safety improvements — including road reconstruction, stormwater modifications, curb and sidewalk — along Bell Lake Road, east of U.S. 41 to Banjo Lake Road, according to a Pasco County news release.

Eastbound and westbound lanes on Bell Lake will remain open as much as possible during the project; however, lane closures and full road closures could be necessary, periodically.

Drivers should be aware of traffic pattern changes, including lane shifts, slower speeds and full detours.

A full road closure and detour is tentatively scheduled to begin mid-March, for approximately eight days. Reminders and planned detour routes will be published prior to the closure.

Project details include:

  • Construction hours from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Nighttime work during the eight-day detour period
  • Residents always will have access to their homes
  • Construction team will coordinate with emergency response and public transportation agencies to ensure uninterrupted service
  • Project completion in early spring 2022

The contractor for this Pasco County Engineering Services project is Kamminga & Roodvoets Inc.

For information and questions, contact Matt Kodsi at 727-834-3604 or ">.

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

Rezoning request calls for convenience store in Lutz

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A hearing on a proposed rezoning that would allow a gas station and carwash on the east side of U.S. 41, about 900 feet north of Sunset Lane, has been postponed until next month.

The hearing had been set for Dec. 14, but has been rescheduled to Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. It will be held at Robert W. Saunders Sr. Public Library, 1505 N. Nebraska Ave., in Tampa.

Applicant RKM Development Corp., is seeking to rezone the 2.6-acre parcel at 18601 U.S. 41, to allow a 4,650-square-foot convenience store and 16 gas pumps, as well as a car wash.

This property could become the home of a convenience store and car wash, under a proposed rezoning in Lutz. (B.C. Manion)

The land, owned by Lutz Realty and Investment LLC, currently is zoned for agricultural and single-family conventional use. The request calls for rezoning the site to become a planned development zoning.

The request has attracted opposition.

“A number of Lutz residents do not like this proposal,” Jay Muffly, a longtime Lutz resident, wrote in an email to The Laker/Lutz News.

Thomas Pinta, of 405 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road, has voiced his opposition in a document included in Hillsborough County’s file on the request.

“As a longtime, 30-plus years’ resident of Lutz, I have seen unnecessary development over and over,” Pinta wrote.

He recommended that the hearing be held in a more convenient location, to give Lutz residents an opportunity to voice their thoughts on the request. He suggested the Lutz Branch Library, at 101 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road, in the heart of Lutz, as a better place to hold the meeting than a library located near Ybor City in Tampa.

Planners for the Planning Commission have reviewed the request.

In the rezoning file, Jiwuan Haley, senior planner, notes: “The site is not a qualifying intersection and does not meet commercial locational criteria.”

The zoning file indicates that the site of the proposed rezoning is outside of the Hillsborough County urban services area, but is next to a 12-inch county water line. There is no Hillsborough County wastewater line of adequate capacity currently available.

The property is subject to the Lutz Rural Development Standards, according to information included in the file.

Another detail reported in the file is that the applicant is proposing a reduction of the eastern perimeter buffer from the required 20 feet, down to 5 feet.

The reduction is needed, according to the file, to allow the maneuverability necessary for trucks to reach the proposed solid waste dumpster.

The transportation report, prepared by Palm Traffic of Tampa, shows the estimated daily trip ends at 3,697, including a substantial number of stops by motorists that already would be passing by the area.

The report estimates there would be 225 trip ends during the a.m. peak hours, including 83 new inbound trips and 84 new outbound trips.

During the p.m. peak hours, there would be 64 new inbound and 62 new outbound trips.

The report also notes that Hillsborough County’s capital improvement program calls for adding westbound and southbound dual left-turn lanes on Sunset Lane, and for a signal rebuild at the intersection. Construction of that project is expected to start in early 2021, the traffic analysis says.

The public hearing on the request will be conducted in a hybrid format, meaning those wishing to participate can do so virtually, through the use of technology, or in person.

Published December 09, 2020

Dr. Craven Says Goodbye After 42 years Of Chiropractic Care

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After 42 years of providing chiropractic care to families in Land O’ Lakes, Lutz and the surrounding areas, Dr. Michael Craven has sold his practice and will soon be leaving town. He and his wife, Linda, are planning a months-long, bucket-list journey next summer with their two dogs, traveling out West in their Fifth Wheel RV.

“As much as we hate saying goodbye to our patients and community, Linda and I are ready,” said Dr. Craven, who turned 67 in September. “We are looking forward to spending more time with our grandchildren and visiting extended family out of state. Plus, we’re planning on buying and living in that mountain cabin in the woods we’ve always dreamed about.”

Dr. Michael Craven, left, recently sold his Land O’ Lakes chiropractic practice to Dr. Michael McClure.

For the past few weeks Dr. Craven has been introducing patients to the new owner of his practice —  Dr. Michael McClure, who acquired the business in late September.

“When I met Dr. McClure, I knew almost immediately that he was a perfect fit,” said Dr. Craven. “His medical experience and philosophy, and how he sincerely cares for patients like they are members of his family, were exactly what I was looking for in a doctor to take over my practice.”

Buying a practice like Craven Chiropractic was a longtime dream for Dr. McClure and his wife, Julie. The couple had been wanting to move from Pittsburgh to Florida for several years, to be closer to Dr. McClure’s parents who live in Spring Hill and to get away from the cold.

“We almost made the move three years ago, and actually explored Land O’ Lakes back then and loved the community, but we could not find a practice that fit with our goals,” explained Dr. McClure. “It was actually my mother who saw the listing for Craven Chiropractic. When she called me about the opportunity, I said to my wife, ‘Oh My God, Julie, there is a practice in Land O’ Lakes that seems perfect for us.’”

After talking to Dr. Craven, Dr. McClure quickly surmised the strengths of Craven Chiropractic. “And, the more I got to know Dr. Craven, the more I was amazed at how much we had in common – he was almost a mirror image of myself,” he said.

Saying Goodbye
“When you sell your business, it’s not like you’re selling your house. It’s more like hiring a babysitter, because you are entrusting the person to care for the people very important to you,” said Dr. Craven.

“I could not think of a better chiropractor to take my place than Dr. McClure. He not only delivers a great adjustment, but his style and personality are very similar to mine. He is someone who I know will treat you as a friend, and not just a patient,” Dr. Craven wrote his patients when announcing his retirement.

Reminiscing about his professional life, Dr. Craven shares that after graduating from Palmer College of Chiropractic Medicine in 1977, he worked in a group practice in Tampa for five years before opening his solo practice in Land O’ Lakes in 1983.

His prior office was in the Village Lakes Shopping Plaza, where he built his practice serving families in Lutz, Land O’Lakes and Wesley Chapel. In 2008, the Cravens built a new office designed specifically for the needs of a modern chiropractic center, just north of the Land O’ Lakes Post Office.

“It’s been so much fun and rewarding to see kids and grandchildren of previous patients, who became my patients. We even have a few fourth generations,” said Dr. Craven.

Asked what is the biggest change he has seen since he started practicing, he quickly responds the Internet.

“Because of Google searches, patients are much more informed today and come prepared with many questions,” Dr. Craven said. “There has also been lots of changes in documentation that consumes so much of a doctor’s time. I am glad to be done with all the regulations, documentation and paperwork.”

Biggest technical improvement?

“By far, laser therapy. In the last seven years, we’ve seen incredible results with laser therapy in pain reduction, stimulating healing and reducing inflammation at the cellular level. It’s the most dramatic improvement I’ve seen in 42 years of practice,” he said.

The couple plans to settle not far from their daughter, Kristin, and three grandsons who live in Dahlonega, Georgia. Two of the boys are in middle school and play football — games their grandparents have only seen once.

The Cravens have two other children — son Michael, a mechanical engineer in Oviedo, and daughter Lacey in Tampa, a mother of three and foster parent. The Cravens have six grandchildren who have always been the focus of their lives, outside of their practice.

It is apparent that Dr. Craven loves being a chiropractor as much today as he did when he first started out, and that retiring was not an easy decision.

“It has been tremendously rewarding to enjoy what you do and put down such deep roots in a community,” said Dr. Craven. “To see people we know at the grocery store and about town ‑ knowing our practice has helped them and made a difference in their lives ‑ has been very fulfilling. It will be difficult to leave a community that has given so much to me and my family.”

About Dr. McClure
Dr. McClure wanted a single-chiropractor office that he could expand into new areas, including weight loss and sports injuries. He has a CCSP Certification in sport injuries, and in 2009-2010 was a staff chiropractor for the PGA Tour in New York State. With his varied background, Dr. McClure is changing the name of the practice to Lakes Chiropractic and Wellness.

“Mike is upbeat, high energy, and deeply listens and cares for his patients, in the same ways I’ve strived to do,” said Dr. Craven. “It was just a great fit, and I feel completely confident turning my patients over to him.”

Remaining at the practice as office manager is Lori Rivera, who Dr. Craven describes as the best office manager he has ever worked with. “Lori is a huge help to patients with their insurance claims, appointment scheduling and making them feel welcome,” he said.

Dr. McClure comes from a large practice in Pittsburgh with two offices and five chiropractors, where he was a majority partner for the past 17 years. “While I loved my practice and patients in Pittsburgh, I wanted to be out on my own.”

He made the decision to focus on finding a Florida practice to buy this past spring during a snowstorm. “I’ll never forget the day because it was Cinque de Mayo — May 5, and I was so tired of the snow and cold,” said Dr. McClure.

Once he connected with Dr. Craven, things moved quickly, and the McClure family relocated to Land O’ Lakes this summer, buying a home in Lakeshore Ranch, a subdivision less than 10 minutes from his new office on U.S. 41 in Black Lake Professional Office Park.

The McClures quickly got their children involved in local sports —7-year-old Camden is a goalie  for the Tampa Bay Crunch youth hockey team in Wesley Chapel, and 9-year-old Daniella competes at Florida Elite Swimming Club in Land O’ Lakes.

While the McClures are getting settled, the past few months have been a very emotional time for the Cravens, as they prepare to leave Land O’ Lakes, their home for over 40 years.

Published October 21, 2020

New recycling facility proposed for State Road 52

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a rezoning to allow the construction of an industrial material sorting facility and commercial uses on a 65.71-acre site, in Central Pasco County.

Specifically, the rezoning would allow recycling operations in a 500,000-square-foot industrial sorting facility and 150,000 square feet of commercial uses on the site.

The new facility would be located on the north side of State Road 52, about 2,400 feet west of U.S. 41, according to Pasco County documents.

The current zoning on the land is agriculture, general commercial and light industrial. The new zoning would be for a master-planned unit development.

The request received a recommendation for approval by county planners and was on the Planning Commission’s consent agenda.

No one spoke against the request during the Aug. 27 public hearing, and planning commissioners unanimously recommended approval of the request to the Pasco County Commission.

RBR Properties West Florida LLC is the applicant for the rezoning to allow the project known as Paw Materials, according to county documents.

Most of the property is currently unimproved, with the exception of some existing structures and a pole barns, from a closed saw mill, abutting State Road 52.

The Planning Commission’s recommendation for approval is contingent upon 53 conditions, which include specific hours of operation; regulate noise, spell out types of recycling activities and other uses that are allowed; and specify buffering, fencing and other requirements.

The applicant also must meet requirements of environmental agencies, and must abide by conditions related to traffic circulation, turn-lanes and other improvements.

In the office development portion of the rezoning, the maximum building height shall be 75 feet, and the maximum lot coverage will be 75%, according to the conditions.

The request next will be considered by the Pasco County Commission, which makes final zoning and land use decisions.

Published September 09, 2020

Pasco Sheriff’s Office appreciates community’s support

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Amid nationwide protests and movements for widespread police reform, Pasco County is fortunate to receive considerable community support, said Pasco Sheriff District 2 Cpt. Joseph Irizarry during a breakfast meeting with the East Pasco Networking Group.

Protesters have been persistent, and sometimes violent, in calls for reform in the wake of multiple officer-involved shootings across U.S. cities, but Pasco deputies have felt appreciated by the “support that’s been pouring out of the community,” said Irizarry said, whose patrol division runs east of U. S. Highway 41 north to the Hernando County line, south to the Hillsborough County line, and east to Polk and Sumter counties.

Pasco Sheriff’s Office District 2 Cpt. Joseph Irizarry, right, pictured with East Pasco Networking Group chairman Nils Lenz. Irizarry was the featured guest speaker at the group’s Aug. 25 breakfast meeting at IHOP in Dade City. (Kevin Weiss)

“You know, you can’t go anywhere in Pasco County pretty much without getting ‘thank yous’ and someone offering to pay for my meal or to buy me a cup of coffee — so it’s greatly appreciated,” he told the group, gathered for the Aug. 25 breakfast meeting at the IHOP in Dade City. “Unfortunately, many other law enforcement agencies aren’t experiencing the same support that we experience here in Pasco County.”

The district 2 captain said the reelection of Sheriff Chris Nocco has helped the department stay focused on county issues. No one stepped forward to challenge the sheriff, in his bid for reelection.

Touching on the county’s more pressing issues, Irizarry said the agency has placed a significant emphasis on the issues of homelessness and mental health.

He applauded Nocco’s progressive approach in addressing community issues. For instance, the sheriff used grant money to form the Behavioral Health Intervention Team (BHIT) last year.

The unit, made up of 12 detectives, partners with local hospitals and mental health facilities to conduct frequent visitations and welfare checks. It also helps expedite referrals for behavioral health resources and criminal justice diversion programs for the county’s Baker Act repeats.

For example, an individual struggling with addiction may be referred to outpatient substance abuse treatment. Or, someone struggling financially might be referred to Pasco County’s Human Services department and the county’s homeless coalition.

Before the proactive program began, Irizarry said, the sheriff’s office would be called to a scene and make initial contact with someone who was in the midst of a mental health crisis — and that individual might be arrested or submitted for an involuntary mental health evaluation (Baker Act).

From there, it was left to others to address the problems.

But, the law enforcement agency discovered that many struggling people end up going back to square one — spiraling into their various issues, without knowing how or where to turn for help, he said.

“The sheriff kind of took the reins, ‘Hey, we’re going to create a unit, we’re going to be that ‘somebody else,’ and we’re going to follow up,” said Irizarry, who’s held various roles in his 20 years with the law enforcement agency, including patrol deputy, K-9 deputy, and vice and narcotics detective.

Meanwhile, the high-level officer noted that less than 20% of service calls are related to criminal complaints, so the majority of calls are related to non-criminal matters such as mental health and substance abuse problems, among others.

“A lot of our time is spent doing things other than arresting people and taking people to jail,” Irizarry said. “It’s trying to get people help, and use resources in the community or in the area.”

That seems more important than ever, as many individuals and families have been struggling through layoffs and furloughs due to COVID-19.

Recently, the sheriff’s office has been partnering with Feeding Tampa Bay to deliver hundreds of meals to families at the Pasco County Fairgrounds.

It’s about making the county “a better place for everybody to live,” the captain said.

“In this day and age with the pandemic, a lot of people are laid off, so they don’t have the money to pay the bills or pay the rent or pay for food…so there’s a lot of things that the sheriff’s office does to help the community.”

Published September 02, 2020

Produce stand must stop events or face fines

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A produce stand in Lutz that has been a gathering place for events and food truck rallies has been ordered by the Hillsborough County Code Enforcement Board to come into compliance with county codes, or face stiff fines.

Ron Anderson, the official agent for the owner of the property, CA Properties Inc., and Michelle Gilbert, an attorney for the tenant, County Line Produce, both came before the Hillsborough County Code Enforcement Board on Aug. 28 to respond to allegations of code violations.

Hillsborough County Code Enforcement Officer Rick Garcia explained the nature of the alleged violations to the code enforcement board.

“The property (at 206 Newberger Road) is zoned ASC-1, and they’re operating as essentially a retail business/grocery store, as opposed to what’s allowed for a produce stand. They’re also holding food truck rallies, special events on different weekends of the month,” Garcia said.

“They continue to operate in this capacity and continue to hold events. They originally purchased the property and were in the belief that these activities were permitted because the building had been there previously and used for a similar purpose,” Garcia said.

“I’ve been in constant contact with the proprietor, with the property owner/agent and with the attorney representing the produce stand,” Garcia said.

Gilbert, appearing on behalf of County Line Produce, told board members: “the tenant leased this with the representation that the property could be used for the use they’re doing right now.

“They are requesting additional time to work with the owner, who is represented today, to bring the property into compliance,” she said. “Again, the tenant is at the mercy of the owner, to bring the property into compliance.”

But, Anderson said he “was under the impression that the tenant was hiring the attorney to see about getting a zoning variance so they can operate — evidently outside of the lease, that I have with them.

“They leased the property to grow produce. I have a copy of the current lease, and it says, ‘Use of the premise is to grow produce — vegetables and fruit, and sell them. It doesn’t say anything about all of the other things they’re trying to sell, in relation to a grocery store.

“If they want to do that, they need to get a variance on the zoning. I told them that I would be very cooperative, to help them, with any type of — whatever they had to do to satisfy the zoning regulations, so that they could operate and even operate outside the guidelines of the lease.

“I’m trying to work with them, and help them,” Anderson said.

But, he continued: “The lease clearly states that they can’t cause me to have zoning violations and not be responsible. They’re responsible. I just want them to fix the problem. Do whatever we got to do to solve the problem.”

Gilbert said she plans to submit an application for a conditional use within a couple of weeks.

“Our position is that now, being aware of this problem, where it was misrepresented at the time of leasing, we certainly want to comply and apply appropriately for conditional use and you know, do what we need to do to work with that owner,” she said.

“But again, being very clear, that at the beginning of the lease, it was leased understanding how my client wanted to use the premises, and the reassurances were made that that would be fine,” Gilbert added.

The board found that the property is in violation of Hillsborough County codes, citing both the owner and tenant, and ordered them to come into compliance within 60 days, or face a $250 a day fine.

The board also heard a second case involving a citation against CA Properties Inc., for a property it owns at 19323 N. U.S. 41 in Lutz.

Garcia said the property is south of the produce stand and has been used, in violation of county code, for overflow parking from events at the produce stand. He said as many as 100 cars have been seen on the lot.

Garcia said the property is zoned  ASC-1, and is supposed to be used for pastureland.

He explained that only CA Properties was cited in this case because the produce stand doesn’t have any legal attachment to the lot.

Anderson told the code enforcement board: “The tenant is the responsible party that has caused the violation, and in the lease they’re ultimately responsible.

“I wrote them a letter and told them you have to get permits. I sent Mr. Garcia a copy of the letter. I’m trying to be completely in compliance,” Anderson said.

The board found that CA Properties violated the county’s codes — because of the parking on the lot — and gave the company seven days to come into compliance, or face a fine of $350 per day.

Published September 02, 2020