The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Chick-fil-A

Having a grand time, at the ‘prom’

By

The dancers came in all ages, sporting various styles.

Some did solo numbers, while others danced in pairs. Some formed a conga line and danced around the floor at the recreation center at Wesley Chapel District Park.

Participants at the Dance your Dream party seemed to be having a great time, as they snaked around the Wesley Chapel District Park gymnasium. (Fred Bellet)

All in all, about 100 people were there to move to the music, have some refreshments and simply enjoy themselves at  “Dance your Dream,” a free event on June 11. The gathering was sponsored by HOPE Services, a vocational service organization.

The two-hour event brought people living with disabilities together for a chance to look great and groove to the music. They came from as close as Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes, Lutz and Tampa to as far away as Seffner and Brandon.

Those attending were encouraged to wear their “prom attire” and to get on the dance floor to show off their moves.

Besides dancing, there were refreshments provided by Chick-fil-A and a chance to meet the Chick-fil-A mascot.

In addition to providing the opportunity for a good time, the event doubled as a fundraiser for HOPE Services’ new Life Skills Center, which is expected to open this year.

Event-goers could bid on silent auction items and try their luck in some raffles.

The new Life Skills Center will assist people living with disabilities with everyday life skills and employable skills in food services, construction, hospitality, retail, and computer skills.

Published June 22, 2022

Cerebral palsy did not stop 36-year-old Jason Wenner, of Wesley Chapel, from rocking out in his wheelchair, as he delights to the music at the Dance your Dream party. Jason’s mother, Linda Wenner, left, said Jason was born premature and weighed just 12 ounces at birth. She described him as the family’s ‘miracle baby.’
If anyone was having a great time at the Dance your Dream party, it was clearly 39-year-old Josh Goldsmith, as he gets in on a group photo with 32-year-old Kim Gordon and 44-year-old Steven Moran, all of Tampa. About 100 people who live with disabilities attended a free prom attire dance party at the Wesley Chapel District Park gymnasium and activity rooms.
Early-arriver Brandon Wheeler, a 21-year-old from Seffner, got everything started at the party — showing off his dance moves on the floor, and concluding with a spectacular finish.
Thirty-six-year-old Keishawn Tolberg, left, is led on to the dance floor by her mother, Felicia McCardy, right, of Seffner. Keishawn’s smile lit up the dance floor at the Dance your Dream prom attire dance party.
Thirty-two-year-old Kim Gordon and 44-year-old Steven Moran dance the night away.
Twenty-two-year-old Joshua Tapia, of Wesley Chapel, shows off some fancy footwork, as he dances with his friend, Race Herron, of Lutz.
Dancing solo, Kimberly Watkins, 45, of Brandon, shows her dance technique, as she and others dance to the sounds of music from the DJs of Sandwich F.M.

Commercial growth popping up in Pasco

By

Brick-and-mortar projects are rising rapidly, expanding Pasco County’s booming growth.

Construction crews are building shops, restaurants, Class A offices, gas and convenience stores, and car washes — on sites with “Coming Soon” signs.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill is under construction at the Cypress Creek Town Center, off Sierra Center Boulevard, next to Bonefish Grill. (Kathy Steele)

The county’s major commercial corridors – State Road 54 and State Road 56 – remain the epicenters of a construction juggernaut.

But Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, also known as U.S. 41, is an emerging source of expanded commercial and retail development.

Workers in hard hats and construction equipment engaged in projects are common sights on primary corridors in Pasco County.

Beginning on State Road 56, east of Interstate 75, options at The Shops at Wiregrass are expanding, or have expanded, to include Body Details; Crazy Sushi; Leonidas; and The Living Room.

New arrivals nearby include the Fairfield Inn & Suites, and Morningstar Storage.

On the west side of I-75, on State Road 56, new businesses are opening at Tampa Premium Outlets and Cypress Creek Town Center.

Zaxby’s opened in September on an outparcel on the south side of State Road 56, as part of the Cypress Creek Town Center. A Chicken Salad Chick restaurant is expected to open in a shell building under construction next door.

Tampa Premium Outlets, on the south side of the state highway, is adding Zumiez, according to the outlet’s website. The store features “cutting-edge” clothing, shoes, accessories and brand names for skateboarding, snowboarding and surfing.

Zaxby’s fast-food chicken restaurant opened in September on an outparcel of the Cypress Creek Town Center expansion, also on the south side of State Road 56, between Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Sun Vista Drive. Chicken Salad Chick is expected to occupy space in a new building under construction next to Zaxby’s, according to county permits.

On the north side of State Road 56, a Carrabba’s Italian Grill is under construction, next to Bonefish Grill in the Cypress Creek Town Center.

El Dorado is a 70,000-square-foot furniture store that will showcase as many as 20 storefronts offering furniture choices from contemporary to traditional. It is being built in front of Brighthouse Crossings apartments, near the Cypress Creek Town Center and Tampa Premium Outlets. A June opening is anticipated.

Also, a January 2023 opening is expected for the 300-unit, four-story Silversaw apartment homes, on Garden Village Way, off the town center’s Sierra Center Boulevard. Work also continues for the 260-unit Garrett Apartments at Cypress Creek Town Center..

Heading toward Land O’ Lakes, the Avila Living apartment complex is rising at State Road 54 and Oak Grove Boulevard. Brick-and-mortar also is visible now at EOS Fitness.

U.S. 41, heading west from State Road 54, has had activity in recent months, too.

Circle K and 7-Eleven opened new gas stations and convenience stores on the federal highway, which locally is known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

The Circle K replaced a demolished older strip mall at the intersection of U.S. 41 and Hale Road. The 7-Eleven and a Radiant car wash filled out a vacant corner at the Bell Lake Road intersection.

Land O’ Lake residents are eagerly awaiting the opening of Stonewater Grill, which fronts Bell Lake.

Stonewater Grill is a waterfront restaurant that is expected to open on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard in early May. The restaurant will offer a range of menu options, craft beers and cocktails, a wine room, and an outdoor bar with patio dining.

In its previous renditions, the restaurant operated as Rapscallions, was rumored to be a future Hooter’s location that never came to fruition, and then served customers as Mosquito Grill and Bar, before closing and falling into disrepair.

Years ago, county officials moved to demolish the vacant and dilapidated structure.

But co-owners Dominic Difante and Scott Harris saw potential and now plan to open Stonewater Grill in early May.

They tore down most of the old structure and replaced it with a modern, stone-infused restaurant that will offer what Difante describes as an “elevated casual” dining experience.

The menu will include burgers, wings, tuna, steaks, chicken, and other options to please all tastes, Difante said.

There also will be patio dining with a bar, a wine room, a large event room with a bar, and an outdoor lounge area. He hopes to see customers dining, watching sports on large screen television, and returning two to three times a week, he added.

He hopes in the future to build a 75-foot dock, also suitable for outdoor dining.

“It’s a good area, a visible area,” Difante said. “I’m glad to be here.”

Projects galore on State Road 54
On State Road 54, moving west of the U.S. 41 intersection, an array of shops, restaurants, Class A offices and new apartments are transforming former pastureland.

The Shops at Ballantrae and the Cypress Ranch residential and commercial development especially are busy.

The Hub at Bexley is a new shopping and activity center at Bexley by Newland master-planned community, off State Road 54. Several shops and restaurants are scheduled to open by the end of 2022.

At Ballantrae, on Aprile Drive, the 54 Crossings Professional Center is under construction. The Class A office project includes two 60,000-square-foot office buildings. It will offer luxury flexible office space, lush landscaping, bicycle racks, a pavilion and walking trails, according to its website.

A shell building is under construction, also on Aprile, that will include a Five Guys restaurant and Trulieve, a medical marijuana store, according to county permits.

Opposite Ballantrae, Cypress Ranch is adding apartments and retail. Aldi’s grocery store, on Skybrooke Road, and Panda Express, on Harpers Run, are under construction. County permits also show work underway for EOS Fitness, Pacific Dental Services, The Learning Experience, and Chick-fil-A.

Next to a new Circle K gas and convenience store, Burger King is serving burgers and Woodie’s Car Wash is cleaning cars.

4 & Co. is a luxury business center and co-working space under construction on Bexley Village Drive in Bexley by Newland master-planned community.

Further west toward the Suncoast Parkway, The Hub at Bexley, off Bexley Village Drive, plans to open by the end of 2022. Its website lists future tenants for what is promised as a community gathering center, where residents can “come, stay and play.”

Among future tenants are Amazing Lashes; Bubbakoo’s Burritos; Checkmate Escape Rooms; Downright Deli & Donuts; Dr. Bawany dental office; Duckweed Liquors; Headlines Barbers; Haute Nails and Spa; P-Fit Fitness; Revolution Ice Cream; and The Poke Company.

Off Bexley Village Drive and Early Riser Drive, 4 & Co. Is planned for a summer 2022 opening. The company will offer about 35,000 square feet of Class A offices and co-workspaces. Amenities include a gym, yoga studio, sauna, a treatment room for acupuncture, and conference rooms.

The Springhill Suites by Marriott, also on Bexley Village Drive, is checking in guests.

In Odessa, commercial development at Starkey Ranch is expanding.

A new retail center – Shoppes at Starkey Crossings – is scheduled for an early 2023 opening on the north side of State Road 54 and Gunn Highway, opposite the Starkey Ranch Town Square, anchored by Publix. Details on tenants are not announced, but the shopping center will have 20,000 square feet of leasable space, including a drive-thru window at one end.

Stay tuned. There’s more to come in Pasco, soon.

By Kathy Steele

Published April 20, 2022

More residential and commercial growth coming to East Pasco

By

Zephyrhills is hitting its stride as growth and development gain momentum along the traffic corridors of what is now Pasco County’s largest city.

The signs of new growth are everywhere along Zephyrhills’ major corridors including U.S. 301/Gall Boulevard, and State Road 56.

Construction is changing the city’s landscape.

Heavy equipment prepares land for the construction of a new Radiant Gas Station and other retail on the west side of Gall Boulevard, in Zephyrhills. (Fred Bellet)

New developments include The District at Abbott Square, a master-planned community behind the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center, and Abbott Park, a residential community off Dean Dairy Road.

The Zephyrhills Municipal Airport is expanding and there’s new retail at Zephyr Commons shopping complex.

These signal the city’s increasing population.

It grew from more than 13,000 residents in 2010 to more than 17,000 residents in 2020, according to data from the 2020 U.S. Census.

In addition to Abbott Square and Abbott Park, Hidden River and the Links at Calusa Springs also are adding rooftops to Zephyrhills.

“The fact is that the need for housing is just exploding statewide. Tampa is running out of space,” said Todd Vande Berg, Zephyrhills’ planning director. “We were the next logical location.”

The view from the exit of Tropical Acres on Blue Lagoon Drive will soon change as ongoing construction site preparation will transform the east side of U.S. 301.

The widening of State Road 56 to four lanes opened Zephyrhills to more development, Vande Berg said.

He also noted that city officials have worked to ensure that residential projects were not “cookie-cutter.”

Abbott Square, as an example, will offer one-story villas, two-story townhouses, and will feature three different lot sizes.

“I think people appreciate that. Not all residential is on 40-foot-wide lots like every other development,” he said.

Preserving trees, installing sidewalks and adding trails are highlights of new residential development.

Zephyrhills is building on Pasco’s countywide efforts to attract tourism through an emphasis on sports facilities such as the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Center.

In coming months, Vande Berg said the tennis center will add dormitories to accommodate increasing interest in tournaments and training opportunities.

The facility also is attracting new residential including the Abbott Square project. The Lennar Homes development, on Simons Road behind the tennis center, will build about 700 residential units of single-family houses, townhouses, and apartments.

West of Dade City on State Road 52, a new residential development, Abbey Glen, is under construction.

Abbott Park, off Kossik Road near Zephyr Commons, is a new residential community by Metro Places.

Summerstone is a new single-family and townhome development, off State Road 56, west of Morris Bridge Road. It is located in Wesley Chapel, just a short distance west of Zephyrhills.

Chipotle’s restaurant recently opened at Zephyr Commons. Planet Fitness had a recent ribbon-cutting. Chick-Fil-A opened, too, on an outparcel of the shopping center on the northeast corner with Pretty Pond Road.

More retail is anticipated. And plans for the site include about 400 residential units.

The Pretty Pond intersection is becoming a hub for Zephyrhills shoppers, who are adding Zephyr Commons to their destinations along with established plazas along Gall Boulevard (U.S. 301), including Merchants Square, Towne View Square Shopping Center, and North Town Center.

On the west side of Gall Boulevard, at Pretty Pond, the former site of Rainbow Court and Brightside Manor mobile home park, is being prepped for new commercial development. A sign planted at the site advertises a coming Radiant gas station and convenience store. A car wash also is anticipated at the site.

Zephyrhills’ downtown, on Fifth Avenue, is enjoying its own commercial revival.

The opening of Zephyrhills Brewing Company in 2016 set the stage for renewed interest in downtown, said Melonie Monson, president, and chief executive officer of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

“It has been an economic driver,” she said. “It’s brought traffic in on weekends.”

New shops opening within the past year include Vintage Chix, a boutique clothing store; A.O.K., a sports bar featuring axe throwing; and Your Turn, a board game café that serves coffee, sandwiches, pastries, and a choice of hundreds of board games to play.

A site preparation worker makes his way through a parcel of land on Gall Boulevard, just south of North Town Center on Gall Boulevard in Zephyrhills.

Tina & Joe’s Café opened recently in the historic Jeffries House, built in 1910 for Zephyrhills’s founder Captain A. B. Jeffries. The café serves salads, sandwiches, lobster rolls and desserts.

Also, Planet Jupiter, a hookah lounge, is “coming soon” to a storefront on Fifth Avenue.

“Our downtown is really growing,” said Monson.

On Gall Boulevard, near downtown, Jerry’s Crystal Bar reopened after being ravaged by fire in 2020.

Checkers on Gall and Culver’s on Eiland Boulevard are new additions to the quick service food options.

The chamber recently hosted a ribbon-cutting for Hoops Heaven, on Chancey Road along the city’s industrial corridor. The indoor training facility offers basketball training for youth in the Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel area.

Hoops Heaven adds to both Zephyrhills’ and Pasco County’s goal of advocating for sports and ecotourism to build economic growth and bring jobs, Vande Berg said.

“Someone came from out of town and saw a need for youth basketball,” the planning director said.

By Kathy Steele

Published January 05, 2022

Pasco’s growth fuels economy

By

Apartment construction is dominating residential development along the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor — a magnet for development in the midst of Pasco County’s surging growth.

As rooftops on luxury apartment homes pop up, retail is following, as evidenced by roadside signs and county permits.

Signs like these, east of Odessa, off State Road 54, are popping up on former pastureland up and down the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor. (Fred Bellet)

Former pastures along the heavily traveled road are occupied now with shops, restaurants, apartments, auto dealerships and Class A offices.

The Shops at Wiregrass, near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, in Wesley Chapel, has added Athleta; go! Calendars & games; and, siKicks (a footwear and collectibles shop); Charming Charlies; and, Hickory Farms. Coming soon are Body Details; JABZ Boxing; and The Living Room.

Besides expanding its retail, Cypress Creek Town Center, a massive development west of the Interstate 75/State Road 56 interchange, is jumpstarting its residential plans.

County building permits indicate that Garrett Apartments are coming to Grand Cypress Drive, and Silversaw at Wesley Chapel is rising along Garden Village Way and Citron Boulevard.

Valentino’s Fine Jewelers and The Good Feet Store have opened on Sierra Center Boulevard, the town center’s prime east-west road, and Carrabba’s Italian Grill is coming.

Construction on Miller’s Ale House, meanwhile, is ongoing at the Wesley Chapel Boulevard entry into Tampa Premium Outlets, on the south side of the highway.

Zaxby’s restaurant has opened on Sun Vista Drive near Costco. New offerings at Tampa Premium Outlets will include a Frosty Cart by Wendy’s and new jewelry selections with Banter at Piercing Pagoda.

BMW of Wesley Chapel is building a six-story building on State Road 56. (Fred Bellet)

Just west of Wesley Chapel Boulevard, on the north side of State Road 54, owners of El Dorado furniture store are laying groundwork for a 70,000-square-foot store.

When it opens, expected around June, shoppers will be able to stroll along a streetscape, enjoying more than 20 storefronts showcasing furniture styles from contemporary to traditional.

The Capo family, who is developing El Dorado, opened their first store in the late 1960s in Miami.

The family opened a store in St. Petersburg in late 2019, before the COVID shutdown and, despite the timing, it has fared well, according to Pedro Capo, chief operating officer at El Dorado.

Now, Capo said he expects to hire and train about 50 employees for the Pasco store, likely beginning in March or April.

Capo is optimistic about the Pasco store’s prospects, noting that the county’s residential growth bodes well for building a strong customer base.

El Dorado will join WaWa, Firestone and Burger King along State Road 54 frontage at the Brighthouse Crossings apartments.

Just west of Brighthouse, a Woodie’s Wash Shack has opened at the Shoppes at Cypress Creek. Fazoli’s Italian restaurant is another potential tenant for the new plaza.

More housing and dining options

In Land O’ Lakes, the Avidity Living apartment complex is being built off State Road 54 and Oak Grove Boulevard. The 252-unit development is scheduled to open in 2022.

Also, coming to this location, is EOS Fitness.

Willow Bend Town Centre, at State Road 54 and Collier Parkway, recently added Ayoki Japan restaurant. Esporta Fitness is a rebranding of the former LA Fitness. And a sign near the center’s entrance off the state road suggests Pasco will get another car wash – Vortex Express Car Wash.

A new apartment community, Avidity Living, is being built at State Road 54 and Oak Grove Boulevard, in Land O’ Lakes. EOS Fitness will be built at the intersection. (Fred Bellet)

West of U.S. 41, vacant land at Ballantrae and Cypress Ranch is sprouting “coming soon” signs as construction begins on apartment units, new retail, and a proposed Class A office complex, known as 54 Crossings.

On the south side opposite Ballantrae, the Cypress Ranch development includes Azora, a new apartment complex, with a spring 2022 opening. Signs in front of the complex show a cornucopia of proposed shops including ALDI grocery store, Chick-Fil-A, another EOS Fitness, Honest-1 Auto Care, and The Learning Experience.

“We are happy to confirm that we will open our newest Lutz, Florida location next year, with construction scheduled to begin soon,” according to Matt Thon in a statement provided by email. Thon is the Haines City division vice president for ALDI.

No further details were provided regarding the construction schedule or opening date.

A Circle K is under construction at this location, and a Woodie’s Wash Shack, is coming.

On the north side, 54 Crossings is a proposed 60,000-square-foot Class A office building, at Aprile Drive, adjacent to Ballantrae’s row of fast-food restaurants that includes Taco Bell and Dairy Queen Grill & Chill.

East of the Suncoast Parkway, the master-planned community of Bexley at Newland is moving dirt for a major retail and business center, off State Road 54 and Bexley Village Drive. Known as the Hub at Bexley, the commercial complex is scheduled for a summer 2022 opening.

Bexley’s website describes the Hub as a “retail and business destination,” with a summer 2022 opening. Bexley residents can walk or bike along connecting trails to enjoy dining, shopping, live concerts and family events. But it also is envisioned as an attraction for Tampa Bay residents with easy interstate access.

Construction continues at The Towns of Oakstead, on the north side of State Road 54, in Land O’ Lakes. (Fred Bellet)

The Hub also includes a large outparcel on Bexley Village Drive, adjacent to the Springhill Suites hotel and opposite the delivery entrance into the Amazon warehouse. The site will become home to 4 & Co., with about 35,000 square feet of Class A offices and co-work spaces. Memberships and limited passes will be offered. Amenities will include a gym, yoga studio, sauna, a treatment room for acupuncture and massages, and conference rooms.

West of Suncoast Parkway, the Shoppes at Crossings Boulevard initially welcomed HotWorx and Jimmy John’s restaurant. New signs in the development indicate additional tenants will be there, including Beyond 2020 Vision Specialists, PTI Solutions, Touch Nail Spa, and Shauby Dental Institute.

Another apartment complex, Avilla Suncoast, is under construction at Redstone Way and Crossings Boulevard, immediately behind the new Hooters restaurant.

Next along the route, The Preserve Marketplace, off South Branch Road, is increasing its retail and business options with Caring Paws Animal Hospital, 100% Chiropractic, PostNet, Lin China restaurant, Papa Johns restaurant, Burger Fi, Chipotle, Panera Bread, and the USF Federal Credit Union. The shopping center is anchored by the Greenwise Publix grocery store.

Starkey Ranch Town Center, at Gunn Highway and State Road 54, is expanding, too. A shell building is under construction, but the new tenants are not yet identified.

Starkey Ranch Business Park on Heart Pine Avenue recently added Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop. Tropical Smoothie Café has a ‘coming soon’ sign. Butcher’s Mark Fresh Meats and Marinades is another shop on its way.

Clearly, there’s a lot going on, along State Road 54/State Road 56 — and there’s no indication that the pace of activity will slow anytime soon.

Published Nov. 24, 2021

By Kathy Steele

Pace of growth quickens in Zephyrhills

By

Burgeoning residential and commercial growth has been a prime theme of late, within the City of Zephyrhills.

Thousands of new homes are on the books, and there’s an influx of new businesses, too.

The city now claims a Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, Starbucks, and Wawa, too.

The surging growth is keeping the city’s building department busy.

Longtime building official Bill Burgess shared just how busy they’ve been — during an Aug. 9 Zephyrhills City Council meeting,

The department issued 1,765 permits, from Oct. 1 through July 30, according to Burgess’ report.

The Zephyrhills Building Department issued 1,765 permits from Oct. 1 through July 30. The department also handled 6,226 site inspections during that time frame. (File)

General residential building accounted for the bulk of the work — with 788 permits issued for miscellaneous home upgrades like screen rooms, roofs, sheds, air conditioning changeouts and solar panel installations. That represents 44% of total permits issued.

“We’re getting solar permits left and right,” Burgess said.

There’s also been significant demand for new residential building construction — with 407 permits issued for single-family dwellings and multi-family units. That represents 23% of the total permits issued.

Residential additions and alterations accounted for 162 permits, representing 9.2% of the total;  electric service replacement, 159 permits, for 9% of the total; general commercial building, 104 permits, for 5.9% of the total; and, new fire systems, 77 permits, representing 4.4% of the total.

The department also issued 20 new commercial building permits. However, he was quick to point out that those permits don’t necessarily mean that many brand-new buildings are coming aboard.

Some of those permits, he explained, are for signage and other ancillary items.

The building department handled 6,227 site inspections during the October to July timeline, which equates to roughly 35 inspections each business day, Burgess said.

Given the level of activity, the department’s seven staffers — who handle permitting, inspections, code enforcement and other duties — have had their hands full, Burgess said.

“We’ve been busy,” Burgess told council members, noting it has been good for the city and the city’s finances.

“It has been a good year,” he said. “I think it’ll help the budget.”

Times certainly have changed, noted Burgess, who has worked for the city since 1990.

He recalled, with a chuckle, how he used to know just about every person who came into the building department for a permit, inspections and other matters.

“That’s not the case anymore,” he said.

Still, the department tries to maintain its “hometown” feel, he said.

“As we get bigger, it gets a little harder,” Burgess said.

In the discussion with council members, Burgess acknowledged the need for succession planning and boosting departmental staffing in the near future — perhaps in fiscal year 2022-23.

“If things continue the way they are, I will be coming to you all to talk about staff,” Burgess told the council.

“We were comfortable this year, I think this coming fiscal year we’ll be OK…so I think we’re in good shape and we can handle it for another one,” Burgess said.

Councilman Lance Smith, however, noted the cyclical nature of the real estate market and cautioned that the city’s growth may slow in coming years.

Burgess agreed that outcome is possible, but he posited the East Pasco community’s nearby distance to Tampa likely will equate to measured growth for a while.

“I think we’re going to be in a good place for several years, just my feeling, just because of our proximity to Tampa and everybody pushing out,” he said.

Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson queried Burgess about the department’s ongoing code enforcement efforts and legal resolutions.

The building official said the coronavirus pandemic “put a damper” on the time frames of trials and arraignments to settle outstanding issues. This included about a six-month lull in such court system meetings, he said.

Though activity picked up in recent months with the courts, Burgess said, questions remain if measures again will begin to slow down amid the surge of COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant.

“Who knows with this new variant if they’ll make a change again,” Burgess said.

After Burgess’ presentation, Councilmen Alan Knight and Charles Proctor commended the building department’s overall level of professionalism and proactiveness in dealing with the public at large.

City Manager Billy Poe echoed those sentiments, sharing a positive testimonial from the owner-operator of the new Chick-fil-A on Gall Boulevard, which celebrated its grand opening late last month.

Poe relayed how the Chick-fil-A manager “had nothing but praise for the building department and how well the building department worked with them.”

Poe also mentioned Chick-fil-A officials being satisfied with the efficiency of the city’s site plan review and permitting process, compared to locations in other municipalities: “They said, that if they were building anywhere else, (the grand opening) would’ve been two weeks to a month later, because the hassles, I guess, they get from other municipalities, so I thought that was good to hear and needed to be passed along.”

Published September 01, 2021

Chick-fil-A opens in Zephyrhills

By

Chick-fil-A Zephyrhills officially opened for business on July 29. The restaurant offers dine-in, drive-thru and carry-out options.

Instead of the tradition First 100 Grand Opening celebration, this location, at 7490 Gall Blvd., has identified 100 local heroes who are making an impact in the Zephyrhills community and surprised them with free Chick-fil-A for a year.

Chick-fil-A also has partnered with Feeding America to make a $25,000 donation to a local food bank.

The restaurant is located near the intersection of Pretty Pond Road and Gall Boulevard.

It is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Other recent grand openings in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area include:

  • The Lakes Social, a family owned small business at 7902 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in the Connerton area of Land O’ Lakes. It’s a place to enjoy gourmet meal replacement shakes, and energy teas. It had its grand opening on Aug. 8.
  • Lyons Den Sports Performance, at 27217 State Road 56, in Wesley Chapel, had its grand opening on Aug. 7.

Zephyrhills council to weigh in on city manager

By

Zephyrhills City Council soon will be sharing their evaluation of how well City Manager Billy Poe has been performing his job during the past year.

Council members will be completing an annual performance evaluation of Poe, with the aim to “provide important feedback to the city manager identifying areas of strengths and accomplishments, as well as areas in which improvement may be needed,” according to a city memo dated June 14.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe

The evaluation covers a period from June 2020 to June 2021.

Council members are expected to complete the evaluation form and submit to Mayor Gene Whitfield by June 25.

Whitfield will summarize a report during the next regular council meeting scheduled for July 12 at 6 p.m., at Zephyrhills City Hall Council Chambers, 5335 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills.

The 12-page evaluation form consists of 10 key performance measures — personal, professional skills and status, relations with elected members, policy execution, reporting, citizen relations, staffing, supervision, community, and fiscal management.

Performance levels are factored based on a rating scale numbered from 1 (needs improvement) to 5 (exceeds above expectations).

The evaluation also contains a section with an opportunity for council members to enter responses to specific questions and list any comments pertinent to the rating period, such as the city manager’s strengths and performance areas that need improvement, with additional room for constructive suggestions.

The evaluation period coincides with several noteworthy changes for the municipality, including consolidation of the city’s longstanding fire department into Pasco County; opening of the multi-million dollar Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center; progress on the U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road signalized intersection project to pave way for commercial development such as a soon-to-be Chick-fil-A and Chipotle franchises along Gall Boulevard; the launch of the city’s first social media accounts and the hiring of its first public information officer, among other happenings.

Poe has deep ties to the East Pasco community.

Born and raised in Zephyrhills, he began his career as an intern with Zephyrhills city administration, then spent several years working as an assistant city planner.

Poe landed the role of city manager role in Dade City in 2008, a position he held for over a decade.

He left Dade City to become the assistant city manager in Zephyrhills, in November 2018, then stepped up to replace retiring city manager Steve Spina in July 2019.

Poe became Zephyrhills’ city manager during a period of massive residential growth in the city — with over 2,400 homes under construction, not including the numerous developments currently in the negotiation stage. As a result of the growth, an estimated 6,000 people could move into the city within the next two to five years.

Published June 23, 2021

Federal help sought for sewer project

By

The City of Zephyrhills is pursuing federal dollars to help pay for a new master lift station located in the vicinity of Otis Allen Road and 23rd Street.

The project — yet to be designed — calls for a new duplex master lift station with provisions to be upgraded to a triplex station when needed; an emergency generator; and, 17,000 linear feet of 8-inch and 10-inch HPDE (High Density Polyethylene) force main piping.

Zephyrhills is requesting $1.5 million in federal funding, which equates to 37.5% of the overall cost of the estimated $4 million project.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe (File)

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe said the opportunity to secure federal dollars comes about as federal lawmakers recently reinstated the process of earmarking for local governments and nonprofits, otherwise referred to as community project funding.

With that, an approved congressional request package has been sent to the office of U.S. Rep Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, who’s told city leaders he will offer his support for the project through the legislative budgeting process.

The action approving the latest drafted package for the congressman’s office came during an April 26 regular meeting of the Zephyrhills City Council.

Zephyrhills has not been given a time frame regarding when they will know whether their grant request has been approved.

However, the plans to move ahead on the project are not contingent on receiving the federal money, Poe said. It will need to evaluate other funding options, if the federal request is denied, he said.

Based on prepared documents, the municipality looks to have the project’s design and bidding process complete by January, which includes determining the location of the station and the best route for the piping.

If on track from there, construction is expected to begin sometime in February and run through December, with the project being fully online and operational by January 2023.

Poe explained the need for the project, in a memo to council members.

The city’s existing wastewater infrastructure is at capacity and cannot accommodate additional flow from the north side of the city to the advanced wastewater treatment facility on the south side of the city, Poe explained in the memo.

The initiative is intended to assist with wastewater systems improvements to allow the city to balance wastewater flow, to provide water quality protection, and to support water supply needs in the Hillsborough River Basin.

The proposed improvements include a force main and associated lift stations that will allow the city to take approximately 200 residents off either septic systems or aging package plant facilities and instead send this wastewater flow to the city’s AWT (Advanced Wastewater Treatment) plant.

Poe and other city officials also said the project will ensure that future development will connect to centralized wastewater disposal facilities, therefore preventing installation of future septic systems and package plants near sensitive ecosystems.

In simpler terms, Poe said, “This will help to accommodate growth and take some pressure off the existing system.”

The City of Zephyrhills is seeking a $1.5 million federal grant for a new master lift station in the vicinity of Otis Allen Road and 23rd Street.

Councilman Ken Burgess supports the improvement, saying, “I think this is a much-needed project.”

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce and the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition also sent letters to Bilirakis, supporting the project.

In part, Melonie Monson, chamber director, wrote: “East Pasco County, including the Zephyrhills community, is experiencing accelerated growth in recent years, and is poised to become the number one place to live. The addition of this new lift station would grant future development the ability to connect to the city wastewater with confidence and ease.

“We know you recognize the need to move away from old septic systems, which could hold potential risk, and into a streamlined and safe wastewater disposal system. It is important for our city to offer adequate infrastructure to its residents and this wastewater system improvement and would be a step in that direction. We applaud our state and city leaders who are working to better our community.

“We ask for your support in this effort to improve the amazing community in which we live, work and play,” Monson concluded.

Other updates shared during the council meeting, included:

  • Work on the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport runway extension 1-19 project officially began in mid-April, with completion expected sometime around November or December.
  • New mast arm traffic signals are now set to be erected as part of the U.S. 301, Pretty Pond and Townview shopping center intersection project.
  • Walls are up on a standalone Chick-fil-A franchise, with an anticipated opening in late July or early August, at 7490 Gall Blvd.
  • Construction is moving forward on a standalone Chipotle franchise, though there is not a known time frame for opening, at 7642 Gall Blvd.

Published May 05, 2021

Zephyrhills adapts to growth, economic shifts

By

If 2020 demonstrated anything, it was the necessity for area communities to have economic resiliency — that is, the ability to prevent, withstand and quickly recover from shocks to its economic base, whether that’s in response to a pandemic, natural disaster or stock market volatility.

In Zephyrhills, it’s something city planning director Todd Vande Berg and other city officials are actively balancing and preparing for, as the East Pasco municipality experiences a wave of growth and development, as well as transportation and infrastructure improvements.

Zephyrhills Planning Director Todd Vande Berg outlined how the city is setting itself up for future economic windfall during the annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit. (Courtesy of Todd Vande Berg)

Vande Berg provided an in-depth look at the city’s ongoing efforts during the annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit that was held this fall.

One key moving forward, he said, is reevaluating, updating and incorporating some “best practices” into the city’s comprehensive plan and land development code.

This includes taking a harder look at density bonuses and floor area ratios, as well as stream-lining permitting processes and broadening permitted uses, he said.

Prioritizing municipal investments in transportation (multi-modal, pedestrian-oriented, public transit) and infrastructure (water, sewer, communication networks), and recreation is important, too, he said.

Ripe for industrial manufacturing
The city is banking on diversifying its local economy and bringing high-wage jobs to town via a regional industrial/manufacturing buildout.

Local leaders believe this can be achieved through leveraging approximately 9.76 square miles (6,248 acres) of land in the southeast portion of the city around the State Road 39/Chancey Road corridor and Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. There is 3,000 acres to 4,000 acres available for potential industrial development.

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

Within the 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.

As industrial space along the Interstate 4 corridor begins to fill up along Tampa, Lakeland and Orlando, Zephyrhills “might be a next logical location for industrial manufacturing to come to,” Vande Berg said.

He reasoned the city’s vast land offerings is ripe to someday be home to a mix of light and heavy industrial and commercial uses — such as building spaces large enough to house semi-trailer truck bays.

The City of Zephyrhills and other local partners are working to bring industrial manufacturing to several thousands of acres of aggregate vacant land in the southeast portion of the city situated around the Chancey Road/State Road 39 corridor and Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. (Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)

The planning director explained it makes sense now more than ever to prepare for a long-range industrial plan, as Central Florida is following national trends of heavier investment in warehousing than retail construction.

The COVID-19 pandemic expedited this trend as more people and business are working and providing services remotely, in addition to the rise of Amazon and other e-commerce companies, Vande Berg said.

The city also enjoys north-south and east-west state and county road connections that support the long-term vision for industrial development, the planning director said. The city’s municipal airport, CSX main line rail access and close proximity to Port Tampa Bay and Central Florida markets are among its selling points.

“We’re pretty unique in that we have a pretty good roadway network being developed. That’s going to benefit the industrial corridor, to again make us very resilient, but we’ve got to continue to work on that,” he said.

The planning director acknowledged one challenge involves finding a way to widen the U.S. 301 corridor to four lanes from Fowler Avenue in Hillsborough County up through Zephyrhills. The roadway presently stretches four lanes from Port Tampa Bay to Fowler, but transitions to two lanes north through Pasco.

Vande Berg acknowledged that the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) hasn’t been on board with widening the road further north.

To resolve the impasse, the Pasco MPO needs to gather and collaborate with Hillsborough, Vande Berg said, “and really emphasize the importance of getting that segment of road, four lanes.”

He continued: “That four-lane corridor, I think, will pay off huge dividends for manufacturing and just overall betterment of our transportation network.”

Aside from stated transportation improvements to supplement an industrial corridor, Vande Berg also emphasized the importance of having a mechanism that provides workforce training opportunities, as people look to transition to manufacturing jobs.

“I feel like we need to look at identifying, and supporting and incentivizing all those things to provide for more of a diverse workforce,” he said.

Some next steps in the measured industrial corridor planning process include meeting with large industrial property owners; coordinating additional stakeholder meetings; having more discussions with industrial brokers; making airport and railroad improvements; and, continuing with various citywide master plan updates, Vande Berg said.

Growth already ramping up in Zephyrhills
While efforts continue to shape a future industrial hub, plenty is already happening in Zephyrhills in the way of new development, particularly residential construction.

A slew of new housing communities set to come online — such as Abbott Square, 700-plus units surrounding the new Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center off Simons Road; and Abbott Park, 500-plus units tucked behind the Zephyr Commons Publix Shopping Center, off Gall Boulevard.

Other notable homesites include the Link at Calusa Springs, north of Silverado Golf & Country Club; the Oaks at Pasco, southeast of Silverado Golf & Country Club; and Skybird Properties, off Alston Road near the municipal airport.

Various roadway improvements are paving way for new commercial development, too.

Most notable is the $2.3 million state-funded U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road intersection project, now under construction.

The project calls for new traffic signals on U.S. 301 at Pretty Pond and at Medical Arts Court/ Townview Avenue, along with other median and roadway improvements.

The 442-acre Zephyrhills Airport Industrial Park is a build-ready site equipped with water, sewer and electric utilities, and is accessible to natural gas. It’s adjacent to the city’s municipal airport and CSX railroad. (Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)

The addition of signalized intersections at these locations is designed to make it easier to move about the area, and to be an economic driver for the northeast and northwest corners of Pretty Pond.

Once construction is complete, the area is poised to land Chick-fil-A and Chipotle chain restaurants, and other businesses.

Vande Berg joked he frequently gets asked about when Chick-fil-A is coming aboard — and said the popular franchise was waiting until the intersection project received the OK to move forward.

“I’m happy to share that they’re still on board,” the city official said.

He also mentioned enhancements coming to a 1.31-mile stretch on County Road 54, east of U.S. 301, east to 23rd Street.

The city is splitting the cost of the $6.5 million project with Pasco County, which will include the addition of intersection turn lanes; a traffic signal at 23rd Street; and multi-use paths and trails on the north and south sides of the road, among other improvements.

The project is addressing one of the city’s “bigger areas of need” to improve traffic capacity along a busy and sometimes dangerous roadway, Vande Berg said.

Elsewhere, the planning director highlighted a slew of other forthcoming projects and goals, further giving a look inside the booming activity in the city:

  • Mixed-use properties along the Zephyr Commons gateway
  • New Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic off Eiland Boulevard
  • Upgrades to Hercules Park, at U.S. 301 and County Road 54, adjacent to Zephyrhills High and Woodlands Elementary schools.
  • Implementation of form-based building codes from North Avenue to C Avenue, between Sixth Street and Seventh Street
  • Efforts to have more designated complete streets throughout the city, designed to enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities. (This may include adding sidewalks, bike lanes ,or wide paved shoulders; special bus lanes; comfortable and accessible public transportation stops, frequent and safe crossing opportunities; median islands, accessible pedestrian signals; curb extensions; narrower travel lanes; roundabouts and so on.)

Published December 09, 2020

Zephyrhills to update stormwater master plan

By

The City of Zephyrhills is updating its stormwater master plan for the first time in more than 20 years — an undertaking that will pinpoint the city’s most prone flooding areas and provide recommendations for addressing drainage issues.

The Zephyrhills City Council on Nov. 9 unanimously approved a project work order with planning/engineering firm Kimley-Horn Associates, for the master plan.

This is a graphic from the city’s last stormwater master plan in 2000, which shows reported flooding and initial inundation assessment. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

The contract calls for the work to be done in 11 months, and provides a lump sum fee of $249,820. The project is being paid for with city revenues and with Penny for Pasco dollars.

The finished master plan will create a tool to determine flood risk, evaluate the level of service, and develop best management practices to reduce flooding and improve water quality.

The update also will include a GIS-based schema that will facilitate a plug and play approach for future updates.

More specifically, the plan includes these components:

  • Conducting an inventory of the primary drainage infrastructure throughout the watershed with detailed analysis of infrastructure in the vicinity of identified flood-prone areas
  • Developing a detailed hydrologic and hydraulic model to characterize runoff responses throughout the watershed and flood conditions in the vicinity of identified flood-prone areas
  • Developing updated floodplain maps
  • Conducting a surface water quality assessment
  • Identifying and evaluating alternatives for improving flooding and water quality in the watershed

Kimley-Horn representatives discussed the scope of work during the council’s session.

Of note, they mentioned the industry standard is to complete a stormwater master plan update every five years, particularly for municipalities like Zephyrhills, which has undergone numerable land annexations over time.

The master plan won’t do much in the way of full-blown construction plans or permitting through SWFWMD (Southwest Florida Water Management District). But, it will identify which particular basins are in greatest need of being fixed, how to do so, and an educated estimated cost for remedies.

From there, city staffers can go to the drawing board and begin to set aside design and construction funding for those particular fixes in future budgets.

The City of Zephyrhills is updating its stormwater master plan for the first time in over 20 years. The $249,820 project is being facilitated by planning/engineering firm Kimley-Horn Associates.
The plan seeks to identify the city’s most prone flooding areas and recommendations to best remedy those issues. (File)

“It’ll give us a map of how to move forward,” Zephyrhills Public Works Director Shane LeBlanc said. “Right now we’re just kind of spinning our wheels, because we don’t have the funding and we don’t have a plan.”

LeBlanc said the updated stormwater is “long overdue.”

Technology has improved significantly since the last update was done between 1999-2000, he said.

“A lot of the technology in modeling that we have now — GIS (geographic information system), LiDAR, all that type of technology — wasn’t around in 1999 when we did out last stormwater study,” LeBlanc said.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe said the plan update could prove useful should the city ever impose a stormwater assessment fee in the future because it will give the city a clearer understanding of what it would cost to resolve potential flooding problem areas.

However, Poe noted, a stormwater assessment is not on the city’s radar yet.

The city manager also said an updated stormwater plan is useful when pursuing grant dollars or state or federal appropriations for various infrastructure projects.

Having an up-to-date, detailed, organized plan with clear objectives gives the city “extra points” in the eyes of those funding sources, Poe explained.

“You can show them the plan, ‘This is what we’re trying to do,’ so that helps being a step closer to grant dollars,” he said.

Although council members initially questioned what they perceived as a hefty price tag for the master plan, they ultimately came around to moving forward with the project.

Councilman Lance Smith, for one, called the plan’s cost “a difficult bite to swallow,” but said he understands the need for updated recommendations for each basin within the city limits.

“It’s a lot of money, but we need to know where to start,” added Council President Charles Proctor. “I do like the fact that it’s going to possibly help us, when we go to Tallahassee (Florida Legislature) to possibly bring back some funding for the city.”

Meanwhile, Councilman Ken Burgess went on to label the plan “a real useful tool” to help the city prioritize its most pressing stormwater projects “instead of just throwing darts at it and getting kind of willy nilly.”

Time to start thinking about legislative requests
In other business, the city manager advised council members to begin considering some state appropriation project requests, in advance of the 2021 legislative session.

A deadline hasn’t been set yet for submittals, but it’s not too early to start identifying priorities, Poe said.

Discussions at the staff level, Poe said, have centered around securing state funding for the following municipal projects:

  • Funding for a 30,000-square-foot multipurpose indoor sports complex at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center (that would be large enough for four tennis courts, among other sports and recreation activities, such as lacrosse and soccer)
  • Additional funding for runway extension 1-19 at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport
  • Seventh Street improvements to make it a “complete street”

In other news, Poe reported that dirt is moving on the U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road intersection — signaling construction has begun on the much-anticipated project.

“Barricades are there. Signs are there. Station markers are there. The message board is up,” the city manager said.

The $2.3 million project, being completed by BRW Contracting Inc., of Land O’ Lakes, calls for the relocation of an existing signalized intersection from the shopping plaza entrance to Pretty Pond Road, a signalized intersection at Medical Arts Court, and all other required roadway improvements.

The addition of signalized intersections at these locations is designed to improve the mobility, and serve as an economic driver for the northeast and northwest corners of Pretty Pond, officials say. The area is expected to be home to a Chick-fil-A, Aldi, and a national hotel chain, among other businesses.

Published December 02, 2020