Bexley South

Approval sets stage for 325 more homes in Bexley area

March 30, 2021 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Commission has approved a change to the county’s land use plan to set the stage for additional residential development on the south side of Tower Road, south of Bexley Village Drive.

Board members voted on March 9 to change the land use designation on 77.21 acres from a maximum of three dwelling units per acre to a maximum of six dwelling units per acre.

The change clears the way for a potential rezoning to allow up to 325 units on the property, at 17370 Bud Bexley Parkway, in Land O’ Lakes.

A rezoning, which has been requested, also must be secured before the additional density can be achieved.

The Pasco County Planning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning request during the planning board’s March 25 meeting.

The property is surrounded by Bexley South on the north; Suncoast Meadows on the south; Ballantrae on the east; and Sapphire Village on the west.

Besides getting a recommendation for approval from the planning board, planners also support the request.

County planners have described the site, which is currently vacant, as an appropriate location for the proposed development of single-family homes, at a maximum density of 4.21 units per acre.

The site has access from Tower Road.

The proposed development is expected to yield 59 students for Bexley Elementary School, 31 students for Charles Rushe Middle School and 40 students for Sunlake High School, according to background materials.

Published March 31, 2021

Planning commissioners recommend land use changes

December 1, 2020 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended a change to the county’s long-range land use map that would permit a greater intensification of development on a tract in a central area of Pasco County.

It also is recommending changes to policies affecting future development in the Villages of Pasadena Hills, in eastern Pasco County.

The recommendations will be considered by the Pasco County Commission, which has final authority over county land use and zoning matters.

The proposed change in Central Pasco involves increasing the maximum density from three dwellings per acre up to six dwellings per acre, on 77.21 acres on the south side of Tower Road, south of Bexley Village Drive.

The new land use designation would allow a maximum of 325 dwelling units, in a combination of single-family detached homes and townhouses.

The acreage is surrounded by a planned development called Bexley South, to the north; the Suncoast Meadows, to the south; Ballantrae, to the east; and Sapphire Village, to the west.

County planners recommended approval of the request, determining that the proposed plan amendment “is an appropriate location for the change in land use.”

Barbara Wilhite, an attorney representing the applicant, said plans call for 325 single-family dwellings.

No multifamily is proposed, she said, noting the specific plan will come back in a separate request for a rezoning to create a master-planned unit development.

On the issue involving the eastern Pasco development, planning commissioners agreed with a recommendation from the Villages of Pasadena Hills Property Owners Group to reduce the required wetlands buffer from 100 feet to 25 feet.

In supporting that recommendation, planning commissioners rejected a recommendation by the VOPH policy committee that would have changed the requirement to match the requirement in the rest of the county.

The Planning Commission also rejected a recommendation by the parks, recreation and natural resources department that would have required a more extensive buffer. The county’s planning staff supported the parks and recreation department’s recommendation, but planning commissioners supported the property owners’ recommendation.

Pat Gassaway, representing Heidt Design, told planning commissioners the goal is to take a look at the rules and update them to today’s market.

The current rules, he said, “require preservation of upland habitat without bound,” Gassaway said.

The update also includes myriad of other changes in the VOPH plan, with the goal of the changes to create a more level playing field between regulations required in this planning area and others, and to make the Villages of Pasadena Hills “more market friendly and more competitive,” Gassaway said.

The county has undergone significant changes since the Villages of Pasadena Hills was adopted in 2008, Gassaway said.

Published December 02, 2020

Project prompts school board to hire land use attorney

January 23, 2019 By B.C. Manion

Project Arthur, a major development that’s been submitted to Pasco County for its review, has prompted Pasco County Schools to approve the use of a land use attorney on an as-needed basis.

In seeking the approval, district documents describe Project Arthur as “a new and unique development, which is proposing to use charter schools as a way to mitigate for future student impacts.”

Having that expert resource available, the document notes “will be beneficial to the Planning Service department” and will “help to protect the interests of the school district.”

The Pasco County School Board voted unanimously to hire Alan Zimmet, a land use attorney with the law firm of Bryant Miller Olive, to assist the district in reviewing the Comprehensive Plan, Development Order, and other documents.

“The law firm’s services will be used on an “as-needed” basis over the course of this fiscal year,” according to the school board’s action.

Project Arthur is a proposed development on nearly 6,951 acres of land known as Bexley South and Bexley North.

The proposal calls for a 24 million-square-foot corporate business park, plus 11,495 residences and other supportive uses in an area east of the Suncoast Parkway, west of the CSX rail line and south of State Road 52.

The attorney will represent the district in negotiations and discussions with the owners of Project Arthur, which at this time include Lennar Homes and Metro Development — regarding the placement, construction, purchase and ownership of school facilities within the development.

In other action, the school board:

Approved a two-year extension, for the 2019 and 2020 calendar years, for these members of the Penny for Pasco Oversight Committee who wish to serve an additional term: Gary Evans, Hugh Townsend, Niko Tzoumas, George Iwan, Tom Massey and Paul McClintock
Approved a memorandum of understanding with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and the National Cyber Partnership regarding the district’s collaboration in the establishment and development of the Florida’s Forensic Institute for Research, Security, and Tactics (F1RST) program, which aims to develop leading edge research. The agreement has no binding impact on the district, but would be helpful in applications seeking grants, according to the board’s agenda materials.

Published January 23, 2019

Residential building momentum in Pasco

July 27, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Motorists cruising on major corridors see bulldozers stirring up dirt on open pasture land or crews in hard hats pounding nails into houses, frame by frame.

Billboards are inescapable. They fill the rights of way in clusters along State Road 54, State Road 56 and U.S. 41.

They call out to passersby — inviting prospective homebuyers to seek out the newest in luxury living.

The Moore family moved from Michigan to a new Wiregrass Ranch subdivision to enjoy Florida sunshine and the small-town feel of their new neighborhood. From left: Noah, 2, father Marlo, Kynnedy, 5, and mother Traci. (Courtesy of the Moore Family) — The Moore family moved from Michigan to a new Wiregrass Ranch subdivision to enjoy Florida sunshine and the small-town feel of their new neighborhood. From left: Noah, 2, father Marlo, Kynnedy, 5, and mother Traci.
(Courtesy of the Moore Family)

Long Lake Ranch, Bexley South, Asturia, Connerton and Estancia at Wiregrass are just a few on the expanding list of upscale communities with new homes for sale.

The unmistakable message?

New home construction is taking off in Pasco County.

Homebuyers are touring the market from near and far, in person and online.

Moving day for Traci and Marlo Moore, and their children, Kynnedy 5, and Noah, 2, came on the weekend of the Fourth of July.

They moved into a single-family home in an enclave of Wiregrass Ranch that is so new that construction dirt is still flying.

The Michigan transplants spent more than two years searching for a dream home in Florida, Texas and North Carolina.

They found it in Wesley Chapel, off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, one of the busiest development areas in the county for homes and retail.

Building continues on some houses, but others are ready for residents in a new subdivision at Wiregrass Ranch. (Fred Bellet/Photos) — Building continues on some houses, but others are ready for residents in a new subdivision at Wiregrass Ranch.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

The Moores are among a multitude of people in the hunt for new and modern homes, with easy access to jobs, shops, schools and restaurants.

“There is a lot of pent-up demand,” said Steve Seeger, director of sales and marketing for Lennar, one of the home builders at Wiregrass Ranch.

In 2016, Lennar plans to build 116 homes in the Wiregrass subdivision where the Moores now live. The homebuilder is constructing or selling homes in nine communities in Pasco and 46 in the Tampa Bay area.

Other builders including CalAtlantic, M/I Homes, Beazer Homes, Homes by WestBay, David Weekley Homes and the Ryland Group are among the companies signing up for the residential boom in Pasco.

Housing on the rise in Pasco
Business is brisk in Pasco County’s building department.

Contractors pulled more than 1,900 building permits by mid-July. That’s nearly the number that was pulled for the entire year in 2015.

Work crews are building new homes in the Waterford enclave of Concord Station.

Construction of single-family homes has been on an upward trend in Pasco County every year since 2012.

The climb back from the Great Recession continues, though there’s still a huge gap between the number of homes being built this year compared to the number that were built in 2005, when the county issued 7,252 permits for single-family homes.

At the same time, the number of permits issued in both 2015 and in 2016, reflect a significant improvement compared to the 884 permits issued in 2011.

People who study housing trends see Pasco’s residential construction continuing to trend upward.

Pasco had four of the top 10 communities, based on new housing starts in the first quarter of 2016, according to Metro Study.

Long Lake topped the list with 264 housing starts in that period. Wiregrass was next, with 229. FishHawk in Hillsborough County took third spot with 225 housing starts. Most on the list are in Hillsborough.

A large sign advertising future construction of the planned master-community of Bexley South seeks to catch the attention of passing motorists on State Road 54.

But Union Park, with 188 housing starts, and Concord Station, with 175 housing starts, were also in the top 10.

“A year ago, no Pasco community was on the list,” said Tony Polito, regional director for Metro Study.

And, these numbers are not just data collecting in some government computer.

The information for the Metro Study is gleaned by local field teams who drive through the county collecting information on housing trends.

New construction in many communities was just beginning last year, and now Polito said, “Pasco has the biggest supply of lots.”

The one missing product from Pasco’s flurry of home building is starter homes, Polito said.

“Apartment buildings are taking over for people who would be traditional first-time buyers,” he added.

Builders can build on a ‘grand scale’
Others also find good news in Pasco’s housing trends.

The economy in general is looking brighter all across Tampa Bay.

But in the housing arena, Pasco is in what real estate broker Bill Eshenbaugh described as an interesting position. Eshenbaugh publishes the Eshenbaugh Report, which looks at local trends and property listings.

“It’s a pretty clean palette,” he said.

These mailboxes are ready for some future residents in the Waterford enclave at Concord Station.

Large tracts of open land, especially along State Road 54 and State Road 56, are worthy investments for developers who want to build on a grand scale.

More new development is possible in Pasco in contrast to redevelopment and infill in more urban, built-out counties like Hillsborough and Pinellas, Eshenbaugh said.

“Pasco has a really nice place in the market,” he said. “It’s a desirable area.”

Long Lake is enjoying great success, as is Wiregrass, where a couple of $1 million sales have happened in Estancia, Eshenbaugh said.

Some residential is going up in Lutz around the Veteran’s Expressway and North Dale Mabry Highway. One new subdivision under construction is CalAtlantic’s The Promenade at Lake Park, off North Dale Mabry, near Idlewild Baptist Church.

Some homebuyers in Pasco are purchasing second, or third, homes, Eshenbaugh said.

“They are moving to upscale,” he said.

Those age 55 and older also are interested in Pasco.

Concord Station is on a top-10 list for new housing starts for the first quarter of 2016, according to Metro Study. The master-planned community is off State Road 54.

And, Eshenbaugh said some people are skipping South Tampa, where they might have to tear down an existing house to build the new home of their dreams.

“Here, they can buy a lot of house that is nice and modern,” he said.

That is what eventually sold the Moores on their new home, even after checking out Orlando, as well.

They wanted a neighborhood with a small-town feel, but one that was part of new growth.

“We thought it would be nice to get into that process earlier,” said Traci Moore. “We’re doing this as a family.”

Wesley Chapel fit the mold.

“It’s an extremely diverse area, multicultural and with age diversity. That appeals to me especially,” Traci Moore said. “The Wiregrass area seems to be a good mix of things – business and residential.”

Pasco is a good place to start a new chapter in their lives, she said.

Not far behind will be her parents.

They, too, are in the market for a Pasco County home.

Top ten communities for housing starts first quarter, 2016
Long Lake Ranch – 264
Wiregrass Ranch – 229
FishHawk Ranch – 225
Waterset – 216
Hawks Point – 195
Union Park – 188
Ayesworth Glen – 186
Valencia Lakes – 179
Concord Station – 175
South Fork – 165

Published July 27, 2016

Bexley Ranch divided in two

May 6, 2015 By Kathy Steele

The Land O’ Lakes property will be developed as Bexley North and Bexley South

The Pasco Commission has made it official.

The sprawling Bexley Ranch property, off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes, has been split into rezoned tracts known as Bexley North and Bexley South.

Interior roads are being constructed for the development of Bexley South, a Land O’ Lakes community being developed by Newland Communities. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Interior roads are being constructed for the development of Bexley South, a Land O’ Lakes community being developed by Newland Communities.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Commissioners voted April 21 to allow the developer to do away with the original 2006 development agreement in favor of the two redrawn subdivisions.

Bexley South is under ownership and control of Newland Communities that is developing a master-planned community, similar in scale to the company’s Fishhawk Ranch and Westchase communities in Hillsborough County.

The Newland property is about 1,733 acres and includes the acquired properties of Ashley Glen and Suncoast Commercial on the north side of State Road 54, east of the Suncoast Parkway, and on north and south sides of Tower Road.

The Bexley family will retain ownership of Bexley North, which contains about 5,400 acres. The property is on the north and south of Tower Road, extending east to Suncoast and the CSX rail corridor. The planned subdivision is allowed about 11,000 single-family homes, 1,000 apartments and townhomes, about 295,000 square feet of commercial and retail, and about 537,000 square feet of offices.

Meanwhile, development preparation work continues in Bexley South.

“Newland (Communities) which has begun developing the southern portion is very excited to be in Pasco County,” said attorney Andrea Zelman, who represented both Newland and the Bexley family at the April 21 public hearing.

Site preparation and construction on the main entrance into the mixed use, residential and commercial community of Bexley South began last summer.

No buildings have yet been constructed. The community will be built in phases over 20 years.

The project includes construction of elementary, middle and high schools, an 80-acre district park and the option of an 18-hole golf course.

Bexley South’s master plan sharply reduces office space from a one-time high of about 2 million square feet to about 562,000 square feet. However, the county would allow up to 1.8 million square feet of offices, if needed.

In addition Bexley South is approved for 1,200 single-family homes, 520 apartments and townhomes, and more than 94,000 square feet of commercial and retail.

The vision also includes triggers for design and construction of roadway improvements based on housing volume and traffic analyses for both Bexley North and South. Among the developer’s obligations would be phased extensions of Tower Road and Sunlake Boulevard, linkage of Bexley Village Drive from State Road 54 to Mentmore Boulevard, a roundabout at Mentmore and Bexley Village, and construction of the intersection at Tower and Ballantrae Road.

The master plan anticipates neighborhood centers and pedestrian-friendly amenities including common areas, green spaces and trails.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey made a plea that developers design trails that “meander” and don’t merely follow a roadway, such as Tower Road, in a straight line.

Put it far enough from the curb that it is safe for families, she said.

“When a trail meanders,” Starkey said, “it’s a much better experience.”

Published May 6, 2015