The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Arbours at Hester Lake

New residences popping up all over Dade City

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Residential construction is on a roll in the City of Dade City, and officials are predicting that it will yield marked increases to the town’s ad valorem revenue across the next several years.

Information shared during a budget workshop revealed some of the city’s timelines and projections for when new single-family housing and apartment complexes are expected to hit the city’s tax rolls, in the foreseeable future.

Melanie Romagnoli, the city’s community and economic development director provided the latest housing and apartment updates to the Dade City Commission.

The most recent large-scale projects — that are all but complete — include two affordable workforce apartments — Osprey Pointe (110 multi-family units) and Arbours at Hester Lake (80 multi-family units).

Melanie Romagnoli, Dade City’s community and economic development director (File)

Osprey Pointe, at 12870 Courtyard Estates, is already 100% occupied. Arbours at Hester Lake, 13300 Hester Lake Way, has been receiving application requests since it broke ground and is expected to be fully occupied shortly, Romagnoli said.

Both apartment complexes, plus the addition of 13 single-family homes (11 infill development, two Suwanee Lakeside models) are expected to increase the city’s tax rolls by another $205,000 in fiscal year 2021-2022, she said.

That represents about a 10% bump from this upcoming fiscal year’s tax rolls — where ad valorem taxes are tallied at $2,044,490.

Long-term, at least 3,000 new units are expected to come online within the next decade, with a substantial number expected to be built out over the next few years.

With that, the city has a bullish outlook for ensuing years, with further projected increases in ad valorem revenue in fiscal years. In fiscal year 2022-2023, it expects an increase of $91,000. In,  2023-2024, a bump of $199,400; in 2024-2025, an increase of $206,400;, and 2025-2026, an additional $182,000.

In other words, by 2025-2026, ad valorem tax revenues are expected to total more than $2.9 million.

And, that’s a conservative estimate, Romagnoli said. She noted that single-family homes are calculated with an assessed value of $98,000, at a 7.14 millage rate by the Pasco County Property Appraiser.

But, she said, many new properties being built come in with much higher property values.

Romagnoli explained: “A majority of the homes being built start at $220,000 to $240,000 and goes up from there based on customization, so hopefully we’ll see a lot more than that.”

Meantime, the economic development director offered a rundown on several of the more pressing projects.

Suwanee Lakeside is a 302 single-family, three-phased development along Adair Road west of State Road 52.

Earthwork on the 10-year build-out is under way since it experienced various slowdowns due to issues related to seasonal weather and environmental reviews. “They expect to see some homes built this year, we just don’t know how many. We know it’s two (model homes), for sure,” Romagnoli said.

Phase II of the Abbey Glenn development off Prosser Road and State Road 52 likewise has been held up by seasonal weather issues since its design review process was approved by city planners last fall. The 170-single family expansion is expected to have a five-year build-out, with about 35 homes coming online each year.

Earthwork and pad installations have begun at Countryside, a 25-lot subdivision at the intersection of U.S. 301 and State Road 52. “They expect to have one or two homes before the end of the year, and then 25 homes completed at the end of next year,” Romagnoli said.

Underground and roadway work is complete at The Cove, a 10-unit Habitat for Humanity development situated at 15th Street and Main Avenue. The project is still awaiting some funding and other assistance though, Romagnoli said.

Meantime, the 812-unit Summit View project is on hold as its developer is “reassessing their situation right now,” Romagnoli said.  The development is expected to eventually consist of single-family homes and townhomes east of Happy Hill and south of St. Joe Road. “We hope to see something with them coming up the first quarter of next year,” she said

Following the report, Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez expressed her pleasure that dirt is being moved and housing developments getting under way within city limits.

“It’s very exciting, and it’s very good news that we will have these rooftops and we will be moving forward over these years,” Hernandez said.

Planned residential development in Dade City

  • Vista Walk (450 units): Construction expected 2021; eight-year build-out
    • Summit View (812 units): Project on hold; 10-year build-out
  • Abbey Glenn II (170 units): Construction in progress; five-year build-out
  • Suwanee Lakeside (301 units): Construction under way; six-year build-out
  • Osprey Point (110 units): Completed
  • Arbours at Hester Lake (80 units): Completed
  • Countryside (25 units): Construction under way; two-year build-out
  • Hilltop Point (250 units): Construction expected 2021; six-year build-out
  • Highland Trail (600 units): Construction expected 2021; 10-year build-out
  • Perfection Partners (300 units): Development plans to be determined
  • Crossroads (total units unknown): Pending comprehensive plan amendment; 10-year build-out
  • Various infill development: Roughly 10 to 15 units per year for 11 years

Dade City’s expected increases in ad valorem, year by year
Fiscal year 2021-2022: $205,500
Fiscal year 2022-2023: $91,000
Fiscal year 2023-2024: $199,400
Fiscal year 2024-2025: $206,400
Fiscal year 2025-2026: $182,000
Note: Single-family homes calculated with assessed value $98,000 at 7.14 mills

Published September 16, 2020

Dade City is adding population, new attractions

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As a new decade begins, the City of Dade City plans to resolve its longstanding stormwater issues, enliven its downtown with more shops and entertainment, add new attractions and to increase residential development.

The Dade City Commission also is expected to vote on the issue of allowing medical marijuana dispensaries within the city limits during the first quarter of 2020.

Here is a closer look for what’s in store for 2020, and beyond.

Resolving stormwater issues
Dade City’s downtown streets and sidewalks have been known to be swallowed in at least 6 inches to 7 inches of standing water for days at a time after heavy summer rains.

Much of that should be resolved soon.

Construction is in full swing to fix the downtown flooding and drainage issues — via a $2.3 million stormwater capital improvement project, paid for with a combination of state appropriations, and funding from the Florida Department of Transportation and Dade City.

The project takes underground concrete piping through multiple downtown streets into an existing conveyance system into a reconfigured Irwin Pond, just past U.S. 98 and the CSX railway.

Work has been paused to accommodate the Jan. 25 Kumquat Festival in downtown, but the project completion is expected around mid-year.

Meantime, the city is seeking state appropriations and disaster recovery funding for a another multimillion dollar stormwater project in the Dade Oaks community.

A bike hub/splash park is coming
City staffers recently closed on a $800,000 land purchase that will become the location of a splash park/bike hub to the city’s downtown area — on a 2.23-acre parcel on Church Street, which borders the Hardy Trail and is diagonal from The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce. (The contract sale price totals $1.3 million, as the property owners have agreed to donate the difference toward the park project.)

A preliminary concept plan for the project calls for a multi-use water splash pad, bike-share shelter, amphitheater, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible playground, open space, a concession area and other amenities. The next step will be developing and finalizing a master plan for the project, with input from residents and city officials, then moving onto a final design and engineered site plan.

According to Dade City Manager Leslie Porter, the project will likely be completed in phases over the next several years, starting with the bike hub, which could break ground this year, in partnership with Pasco County’s tourism office.

Events venue and retail shops
What was once a vacant car dealership in downtown Dade City will soon be a hub for retail and social entertainment, called The Block.

The development, at 14313 Seventh St., involves converting two existing buildings, totaling 21,000 square feet.

The main plaza will have an area for retail spaces, along with a venue to accommodate events, such as weddings, parties and fundraisers. There also are potential plans for a bridal shop and a brewery there, too.

The second building is being turned into a CrossFit gym.

An outdoor patio and bar will run between the two complexes, complete with seats and tables,  and string lights hanging above.

While inclusive to all, it is geared toward the younger-adult demographic, somewhat inspired by the mixed-use Armature Works facility in Tampa Heights.

Expected to open in phases beginning this year, The Block is the brainchild of local realtor and investor Larry Guilford and Melanie Armstrong, owner of Savory Roots Catering and Events.

Dade City will be home to Florida’s first-ever snow park attraction, called Snowcat Ridge. (Courtesy of Point Summit Inc.)

A snow park in Dade City?
Come November, Dade City will be home to a very unique recreation attraction — the state’s first-ever snow park, called Snowcat Ridge.

The one-of-a-kind snow park will feature a 60-foot-tall and 400-foot-long snow tubing hill, where visitors will be able to ride in single, double, or six-person tubes down the hill; a 10,000-square-foot snow play dome to make snowmen and snow castles; and, an Alpine Village serving food and hot cocoa.

For those wondering, snow will be made with technology that can stay in place for an extended period of time, provided the temperature is under 80 degrees.

The project is being developed by Point Summit Inc., which also manages TreeHoppers Aerial Adventure Park and Scream-a-Geddon Horror Park. It will be located at 27839 Saint Joe Road.

Residential development on the rise
Like neighboring Zephyrhills, Dade City anticipates a surge of new rooftops in the coming decade, as the municipality has roughly 4,000 residential unit entitlements — which means they are actively under construction or review.

This year, the city will see 25 single-family homes come online at Countryside, a development situated behind McDonald’s that sits at U.S. 301, while affordable workforce/affordable housing communities Osprey Pointe (110 multi-family units) and Arbours at Hester Lake (80 multi-family units) are expected to begin leasing in the next few months.

Other residential developments on tap include the following:

  • Highland Trails: 1,110 single-family
  • Wickett: 892 single-family, multi-family, assisted living, townhomes
  • Summitview: 812 single-family, townhomes
  • Philmon: 510 single-family
  • Suwanee Lakeside: 302 single-family
  • Abbey Glenn II: 170 single-family

Vote expected on medical marijuana dispensaries
Dade City has had a series of concurrent moratoriums on medical marijuana treatment centers within its municipal limits dating back to 2016, but that could change in the new year.

City commissioners in September directed city staff to draft an amendment to the city’s land development regulations that would permit medical marijuana dispensaries in the general commercial zoning district. That district generally spans U.S. 301/U.S. 98 south and north of town, but avoids much of the city’s historic downtown main street and central business district.

A drafted ordinance is expected to come before the city’s planning board and the city commission sometime during the first quarter of 2020.

Published January 08, 2020