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David Engel

Project at I-75 and State Road 52 moves closer to approval

July 26, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a rezoning request to clear the way for a project known as Pasco Town Center, on roughly 1,000 acres at the southeast quadrant of Interstate 75 and State Road 52.

Pasco County will seek to build a project known as Pasco Town Center at the southeast quadrant of Interstate 75 and State Road 52. (MIKE CAMUNAS)

The request now goes to the Pasco County Commission, which has final jurisdiction on land use and zoning matters.

This won’t be the first time the county board considers the project.

It approved an economic incentive deal on June 7, with Columnar Holders, relating to the proposed project, which includes 4 million square feet of industrial space; 725,000 square feet of office space; 3,500 housing units; 400,000 square feet of retail and 300 hotel rooms.

The agreement terms provide a $55.8 million package for Columnar, funded mostly through property tax rebates, as specific milestones are met.

The development company also will install key roads and utility connections beyond the Pasco Town Center Property – providing $70.1 million in public infrastructure, with no direct cost to taxpayers, David Engel, the county’s director of the office of economic growth, said at the June 7 county board meeting.

Pasco Town Center is within the Employment Center area of Connected City.

Joel Tew, attorney for the applicant, described the project to the planning board at its July 21 meeting.

“We’re talking about thousands and thousands of jobs,” he said.

“We must use at least 55% of the land — in this case, we’re talking over 1,000 acres of land, so we’re talking about over 500 acres of land must be allocated and used for corporate business park, targeted business or industrial use,” Tew said.

“We then must use at least 20% for residential uses, but they can’t be single-family detached. So, everything has to be multifamily or townhomes to support the employment center.

“Then, finally, we have to use at least 5% for support commercial uses for the employment center,” he said.

Planning Commissioner Chris Williams, who also is the director of planning for Pasco County Schools, noted that the residential entitlements are double what had been previously proposed.

That raises the issue of the potential need of a school site within the project site, Williams said.

Tew responded: “For the record, we understand that concern.”

He also noted that there’s still a significant amount of land that has not yet been committed to a particular use, so he is confident that a suitable site could be identified.

At the planning board’s meeting, Engel explained the significance of the Pasco Town Center project.

“It’s vitally important for our economic future because it is the heart of our economic development area, on I-75 and (State Road) 52, employment node,” he said.

It will provide infrastructure — the public spine roads and the master utility lines—for the employment center area, as well as to areas to the east, he said.

The Office of Economic Growth wanted to ensure the elements of the economic development agreement were carried through to the master-planned unit development (MPUD) level, so it has worked closely with the county’s planning department to ensure that happened, he said.

County planners recommended approval of the request.

Neighbors seek to protect their tranquility
Carol Roth, who lives on McKendree Road, appeared before the planning board, along with her daughter and granddaughter. All three women raised concerns about the impacts the sizable project will have on their way of life.

“When we came into this area, it was beautiful and serene,” Roth said.

“I feel it is the obligation of Pasco County government to protect me and my environment and my land, as you allow for growth for business and other people. I’ve lived there over 50 years, I built that home and I’ve enjoyed what I have.

“I’ve enjoyed its inherent beauty. I don’t know if people are familiar with rural Pasco, but it’s a distinct beauty,” she said.

She also noted that her property has a variance for an air strip and wanted assurances that wouldn’t be affected, if future plans call for a new school nearby.

Roth said she’s not against development, she’s against the impacts that come with this type of development.

“What happens to the little people who own 20 acres right across the street?” she said.

Her granddaughter noted that the family built their home “with their own sweat and blood.”

She expressed concerns about impacts on wildlife in an area where gators walk across their property, dozens of turkeys hang out there, and there’s sandhill cranes and other creatures.

Safety is an issue, too, she said.

Roth’s daughter noted that all of the development will create light pollution, resulting in a loss of access to the night sky, and the sense of stillness and awe they currently enjoy.

Brad Tippin, the county’s development manager, said the county doesn’t anticipate any conflicts with the landing field from future development. He also noted that plans call for realigning McKendree Road, which would push traffic further away from the family’s home.

Tew said that whenever development occurs, it will be required to meet buffering, setback and landscaping requirements.

Planning Commissioner Jon Moody observed: “We can’t stop Tampa from extending northward. I don’t think there’s anything we can do to stop that kind of growth. The population continues to grow, the people up North keep coming. And, from the looks of things, it looks like it’s going to keep coming.”

Moody said he understands the family’s concerns, noting he won’t pay for streetlights in his neighborhood because he enjoys the night sky, too.

“But I can’t guarantee that the next 100-acre tract over or the one after that is not going to get built on; I don’t own it,” he said.

He also noted this project is “going to bring a lot of jobs, probably desperately needed  jobs.”

Planning Commissioner Jaime Girardi agreed: “Growth is coming. It’s inevitable.”

At least now, both Girardi and Moody said, the county is planning for growth.

Planning Commissioner Williams added: “My family has been here for five generations, here in Pasco County.”

He, too, enjoys the rural nature of where he lives, Williams said.

But he added: “I can’t dictate what my neighbor decides they want to do with their property.”

Planning board chairman Charles Grey added: “We’re aware, keenly aware, of growth and how it affects areas that we once thought were going to be that way forever.”

This project has been thought out and will have considerable benefit, Grey said.

“There’s going to be a downside as far as you’re concerned because of the growth, but the upside is, at some stage, you may want to sell that property, and when you do, it’s going to be worth a lot more money, because of it,” Grey said.

Published July 27, 2022

Another Pasco deal expected to yield 2,400 jobs

June 28, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Commission has approved another economic incentive deal — this one expected to yield 2,400 jobs when completed.

The county board approved a $6.3 million incentive package for the project, to be funded through property tax rebates.

In a separate action, the board approved a substantial modification to a previously approved master-planned unit development for the site, increasing its size as well as its permitted industrial development.

The approximately 225-acre site is near the northeast corner of Interstate 75 and State Road 52.

The planned industrial project is a 1.4 million-square-foot build-to-suit distribution center, according to David Engel, director of the county’s office on economic growth.

Northpoint Development LLC, which will build the project, is the “largest privately held industrial developer in North America,” according to attorney Clarke Hobby, who represents Northpoint.

In briefing the county board on the economic development incentive, Engel said: “Originally, it (the site) was smaller, but the developer has acquired an additional 56 acres to the north to accommodate a larger building footprint.

“The developer estimates the building and land development improvements will total $205 million and the equipment in the building will be approximately $100 million,” Engel said.

“There is discussion of putting in a 500,000-square-foot mezzanine, bringing the build-to-suit building up to approximately 1.9 million square feet in floor area,” he added.

The project will necessitate $9.9 million in road improvements, Engel said. The developer has requested $6.3 million in assistance.

“We’re proposing to pay the developer back in ad valorem taxes over 20 years, which will amount to 33% of the tax flow that goes into the general fund.

“In the event that the project with the build-to-suit does not come to fruition, the developer will default back to the original entitlement of 1,150,000 square feet,” Engel added.

“It’s still a very cost-effective proposition for the county because the incentive comes at a minimum of $5.50 a square foot versus the other spec buildings that we’ve done in the past, which range from $9.60 a square foot to $10.”

“The general fund projected revenue over the 10-year period will be $19.1 million, so when you net out the $6.3 million ad valorem assistance, the general fund will capture at least $12.8 million in revenue,” Engel said. “The annual gross county product contribution is $282 million.

“The current return on investment is $1 gives us $195,” Engel said. “This is a completely performance-based deal,” he added.

Hobby told the board: “This is an exciting project. I can’t talk about the end-user here, but the project is being designed and will be constructed for a major regional distribution center that will include a significant number of jobs.

“If for some reason the end-user went away on this project, no money will be advanced, unless my client goes out and builds this enormous building anyway.

“It’s a huge net benefit to the county even if the end-user didn’t come.

“I’m happy to say that my client is so confident in the deal happening that we’re planning on starting construction in late August, to early September,” Hobby said.

Commissioner Ron Oakley expressed enthusiasm for the project.

“District 1 in East Pasco is starting to grow more and more, with Pasco Town Center (a recently approved economic incentive deal nearby) and then this project, too. A lot of great things happening, a lot of jobs being created for our citizens, in East Pasco,” Oakley said.

Hobby added: “This is a big deal. This building is almost a half-mile wide.”

Engel said the floor area size is comparable to two football fields.

Hobby told the board: “Coming from Dade City, it had such a huge employment base, it really made a wonderful town, a lot of middle-income earning opportunities. So, for me, the jobs are really key to creating a community. That’s why I’m so passionate about it.”

Published June 29, 2022

Pasco is expected to gain 6,000 jobs

June 21, 2022 By B.C. Manion

A new development planned for 965 acres at the southeast corner of Interstate 75 and State Road 52 is expected to generate 6,000 jobs.

The Pasco County Commission approved an incentive deal on June 7 to help pave the way for the development.

The Pasco Town Center, as the proposed development is known, is expected to include 4 million square feet of industrial space; 725,000 square feet of office space; 3,500 housing units, 400,000 square feet of retail and 300 hotel rooms.

The agreement with Columnar Holdings includes a $55.8 million incentive package, funded mostly through property tax rebates, as specific milestones are met.

The development company also will install key roads and utility connections beyond the Pasco Town Center Property – providing $70.1 million in public infrastructure, with no direct cost to taxpayers, according to David Engel, the county’s director of the office of economic growth.

The infrastructure includes sanitary sewer, potable water, reclamation lines and roadways, Engel said.

“The project completion of all of this $70 million worth of infrastructure is in three phases, with a terminating target date of Dec. 31, 2028.

That public infrastructure “will expedite and attract job-creating industrial and employment center development” in the area, according to details in the county board’s agenda backup.

“We’re proposing to provide $46.2 million in ad valorem equivalency grants. That’s (in) the form of a rebate. The developer pays taxes in Year 1 and he gets rebated a portion of the taxes in Year 2, which is 33% for most of the development and 20% for the multifamily,” Engel said.

The agreement also provides $9.6 million in cash reimbursements to the company toward constructing the master utilities within the employment center area of the master-planned unit development. That will be paid for with $2 million in Penny for Pasco proceeds and the rest through county funding.

Laying the groundwork for employment growth
Engel noted the developer has requested assistance because the county wants “to accelerate creating a development-ready environment in the employment center,” Engel said.

“Because of the pressures in the marketplace and our lack of inventory, we do not have suitable space for companies to come in to that area right now, and we have tremendous demand for that.

Engel also noted: “We’ve requested — and the developer has agreed — to increase the industrial entitlement from 1.8 million square feet of industrial to 4 million square feet of industrial.”

Pasco Town Center is within the Employment Center area of Connected City.

After incentive rebates, the new development is expected to generate over $300 million in revenue for the county over the next several decades, Engel told the county board.

The agenda memo notes that “all the described incentive payments will be deferred and accrued in a county escrow account for the benefit of the company until 1 million square feet of industrial and/or office space is built, which may include occupied or ‘spec’ (speculative) building space.”

Based on the development phasing schedule provided by the company, the county estimates the project will yield aggregate ad valorem revenue totaling $386,581,404 during the 40-year ad valorem rebate payment period, the memo says.

It also is expected to create nearly 6,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs, at build-out, the memo adds.

Engel’s office forecasts a 10-year return on investment equaling 35 times.

“The benefits of the project, related to economic growth, are profound because we’re focusing on installing all of the public master roadway and utility infrastructure in the Connected City employment area,” Engel said. “That will be on the developer’s property and off-site, to serve the entire area.

“This is the most productive agreement that I’ve brought forth to date to the board,” Engel said. “The Rooker project, for example, which we provided Pads and Pours funding, was $9.80 a square foot. This is $9.60 a square foot.

Once the project is complete, $1 contribution by the county will give us $100 in return to the local economy,” Engel said.

Michael Wolf appeared on behalf of Columnar Holdings, which plans to develop the site.

He told the board that the company is part of Traylor Construction Group, which helped to build the Howard Frankland Bridge back in the 1990s. Traylor is a third-generation company, run by four brothers today, Wolf noted.

“We buy raw land, entitle it and do these infrastructure improvements. We also have construction arms for doing vertical construction, as well.

“We’ve had a very strong presence in the Orlando market for the past 15 years, developed almost 5,000 lots there in major master-planned communities, largely adjacent to Disney World,” he said.

The company is “very experienced in the space — construction, development.

“We’ve also got horizontal development going on in Austin, as well as in Denver, as well as southwest Florida.

“We’ve got experience in all asset classes, from residential, industrial, multifamily, single family and so on,.” Wolf said.

Developer will pay attention to design
Wolf assured board members that the developer won’t “just lay out large industrial buildings, but ( will) work on place-making, as well.”

It is collaborating with the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences on creating a sustainable design, including fitness components, he said.

It also wants to create dining and entertainment options for employees and residents of neighboring master-planned communities, he added.

The agreement won’t take effect until after the site receives the county board’s approval of a master-planned unit development rezoning request.

That approval appears highly likely, based on enthusiasm expressed by county board members.

“I think it’s a win-win for the county and for our developer,” said Commissioner Ron Oakley, noting the project is located within his district. “I appreciate you being here and building this kind of product for us.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano added: “This is a very exciting project.”

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey told Wolf: “This looks really fantastic. I’m really excited we’re getting this quality of development at (I) 75 and (State Road) 52. I’m sure you’re going to be very successful there.”

In keeping with her persistent advocacy for trails and for making it easy for people to get around, Starkey asked the developer to pay attention to that issue.

Wolf agreed with Starkey: “We just think it’s so important to really, truly get that activation, to have folks be able to run, bike, golf cart, what have you. If we don’t have those components, we won’t be able to activate that space.”

As he reiterated his support for the project, Oakley noted that when he left Pasco to go off to college, he was able to return to work in the citrus industry.

Others that left for college were unable to come back for jobs in their professions. Projects like this increase job opportunities and help to change that picture, Oakley said.

Wolf told board members that the proposed rezoning for the project is working its way through the process.

Wolf told commissioners that the developer hopes to get a shovel on the ground this year.

Published June 22, 2022

Seven of 10 Pasco residents commute to other counties for work

May 10, 2022 By B.C. Manion

When it comes right down to it, the sites that are designated for industrial uses and employment centers in Pasco are simply too small and too scattered for the county to attract the kinds of companies that can make a significant difference in the county’s jobs picture.

That was essentially the message delivered to the Pasco County Commission, at its May3 meeting, by Randy Deshazo, chief of staff for the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council.

Pasco County has had a significant amount of residential growth in recent years — but it needs to attract more high-paying jobs to keep its workforce at home. To make that happen, the county needs large tracts of land available for the development of employment centers and industrial parks, a recent study shows. (B.C. Manion)

In introducing Deshazo to the board, David Engel, director of the Office of Economic Growth, said, “As a result of unprecedented residential demand for land in our region, the Office of Economic Growth and Planning and Development Department engaged the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (TBPRC) to conduct a strategy analysis for the preservation and optimization of light industrial and employment center properties and zoning in the county.

“The study does an economic analysis of the fiscal and economic impact to the community, when we take industrial land and we modify it to allow residential,” Engel said.

Deshazo said the focus of the study was on land that has been designated for employment center and light industrial uses.

“You want to increase the share of target industry jobs in your economy and this is your main land use tool to do that,” he explained.

“Target industry jobs are those higher-paying jobs that span a range from blue collar manufacturing to high-tech kinds of jobs, that help raise the average wage in the county and provide, what we’ll call, an employment multiplier.

“They create more jobs through their own spending, down through their own supply chains and household spending,” Deshazo said.

Deshazo briefed theboard on the county’s current employment conditions.

“One out of 10 jobs in Pasco is what we would call a target industry job,” Deshazo said.

By comparison, in both Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, one of every four jobs is a targeted industry job, he said.

He also noted that Pasco has the longest commute in the Tampa Bay region, as well as one of the longest commutes in the state.

It also has the highest imbalance, when it comes to number of housing units compared to the number of jobs.

“About 70% of your employed residents work somewhere else besides Pasco County,” he said. “That is not just a case that there’s not enough jobs in the county. There’s not enough well-paying jobs,” he said.

The key questions, Deshazo said, are: “How many jobs does the county need?

“How many acres do those jobs need?”

Decision-makers must focus on how they allocate the county’s land, he said.

Converting an acre of industrial land to a non-employment use has the impact of about $2 million in lost personal income, direct and indirect, he said.

That number was calculated by taking the average of what those wages might be in a target industry, stretch it over the forecast period of 2050, and  doing some financial discounting, he said.

The county wants to increase its share of target industry jobs in its economy, and land use designations are the main tool to achieve that, he said.

Large tracts needed to help generate jobs
Pasco has a significant amount of acreage designated for employment centers and light industrial uses, however, those designations are generally on small parcels, he said.

Employment centers and industrial uses need large tracts.

“The average for industrial parks throughout the country is about 550 acres in size,” Deshazo said.

He told board members: “the really big issue here is that you’ve got a very fragmented pattern of industrial land. The overall distribution is that half of your parcels are less than 4 acres; 40% of all those parcels are actually less than 2 acres in size.

“They’re scattered across the county. They’re not easily assembled. So, that is really your land use supply issue. It’s not so much the total acreage, but where those acres are and how they’re divvied up,” Deshazo said.

His report also identifies current concentrations of industrial land. It adds buffer areas around those, as potential places for expansion of industrial land in the future.

It also identifies areas along railway corridors and truck routes for consideration of adding future employment centers and industrial land.

“The point here is not just to add acres, but to look at larger sites that might better fit the needs of future industrial land use,” Deshazo said.

In Jacksonville, there are areas that have been protected for industrial uses. It has coined the term “industrial sanctuary” to identify that concept.

“These are areas that you want to protect from redesignation to residential or other uses, to consolidate industrial land, so that you can get to those scales that industry needs to operate, and to work with each other and to attract labor,” he said.

“To do that you need to identify some basic criteria, such as perhaps establish a new land use in zoning that has a significantly larger minimum lot size than what you currently allow for light industrial or heavy industrial, which is about 30,000 or 40,000 square feet and talk about a minimum lot size of 50 acres or perhaps higher than that.”

Deshazo said the key takeaways in the TBPRC’s report are:

  • Employment centers and industrial land are the key tools for attracting and developing target industries.
  • It is important to set job goals; there doesn’t need to be a perfect 1:1 ratio, but every job closer to that is good for the county.
  • The county needs to think about where future industrial land should go.
  • It’s important to pay attention to the size of potential employment centers and industrial parks, to make sure they’re large enough.
  • The county may want to consider creating districts that allow both heavy industrial and light industrial uses.

Engel said the county’s Planning and Development Department, the Metropolitan Planning Organization and his Office of Economic Growth are working together to identify freight corridors, road systems, to look at the marketplace and at available land, to provide information to help inform future land use decisions.

Pasco County jobs picture

  • One out of 10 jobs in Pasco County is a target industry job; in Hillsborough and Pinellas, one in four jobs are target industry jobs.
  • Pasco County has the longest commute in the Tampa Bay Region and one of the longest in the state.
  • Pasco County has the highest jobs imbalance, that is the number of jobs compared to the number of housing units.
  • About 70% of employed Pasco residents work elsewhere.

Published May 11, 2022

Pasco is on a roll, and is poised to attract more jobs

February 1, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The announcement last week of Amazon’s decision to bring 500 jobs to Pasco County prompted a broader discussion by the Pasco County Commission about what it can do to support continued employment growth.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore raised the topic, after Bill Cronin, president and CEO of the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., shared details of Amazon’s planned project.

The company is planning a 517,220-square-foot Robotic Sortation Center, on 127 acres, at State Road 52 and Bellamy Brothers Boulevard.

Moore said that one of his objectives when he ran for a county board seat in 2014 was to bring jobs to Pasco, so residents wouldn’t have to commute daily to work elsewhere.

So, at the county board’s Jan. 25 meeting, Moore asked Cronin and David Engel, director of Pasco County’s Office of Economic Growth, what commissioners can do to help in those efforts.

Moore put it this way: “So, we look at the growth along the (State Road) 54 and (State Road) 56 corridor — what can we do, what should we do — to preserve some of the job-creating sites along that corridor?

“Eventually, we could run out of space,” he said.

He asked: “Can we have more Spec (office) space? Can we have more Ready Sites?

“What can we do, as a board, to assure our residents 5, 10, 20 years down the road that jobs are going to be here. So, we don’t have to leave this area all of the time?”

Cronin said Pasco enjoys an advantage compared to many other places in the state.

“We’re really one of the only places that has land and people. Other places in Florida have people; they don’t have land. And, if they’ve got land, they don’t have people.

“We’re in a really good situation right now,” he said.

However, preserving sites for job-generating activities is important, not just to create more employment, but also to reduce congestion, Cronin said.

“It is the solution to a lot of our transportation problems, to make sure people are employed here and not somewhere else,” he said.

Cronin highlighted the need to ensure that employment centers that were entitled as part of master-planned unit developments are actually developed as job generators and are not converted to residential uses.

The whole idea of a master-planned unit development is to create a self-contained place where people can live, work and play, he said.

The non-residential portion of the project also is important for the county’s tax base, he added.

So, Cronin told the board: “The main thing is to make sure that the developers are continuing to commit and take care of those of entitlements, regarding those employment centers, and not (allow developers to) trade employment center entitlements out for anything.

“The jobs come first. If you’re going to trade it for housing or things like that, it totally throws the whole purpose of an MPUD out the window. Because, if you don’t have the jobs in the MPUD, then you’re getting in your car and you’re driving somewhere else every day,” Cronin said.

Ideally, Cronin added, the employment centers will be built first, before the housing within the development.

When that happens, he explained, “there’s less chance of residents saying, ‘Oh no, we don’t want that company, here.’”

Moore asked Cronin: “How important is it to have employment centers along State Road 54 and State Road 56 — because of access to Interstate 75, to the Suncoast Parkway, to I-275?”

Cronin responded: “Anytime you’re moving people, you want to be close to the highway.”

The economic development expert cited Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco campus as an example. It’s going to be developed near the Suncoast Parkway, Ridge Road and State Road 52.

“That’s 14,000 (projected) jobs. That is workforce that will be coming from everywhere. So making sure the transportation is there,” Cronin said. “If you’ve got transportation set up to move people, that’s where your jobs should also be.”

Engel told the board that the county’s planning and development party, along with the Office of Economic Growth and the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council are working on a Light Industrial, Employment Center Study.

“We want to do an assessment of the county and our land use, and provide adequate guarantees and recommendations to the board to preserve this space,” he said.

Engel also noted a tremendous amount of development potential in East Pasco, moving up from the Interstate 4 (I-4) corridor.

Cronin said: “You’ve got a lot of people that are coming down I-4, going straight up into Pasco County, rather than coming all of the way to I-75 in Pasco County and heading north.”

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey agrees with the county’s need for more industrial sites. But she also wants more attention paid to redevelopment along the county’s busy corridors, such as U.S. 19 and U.S. 41.

Commissioner Jack Mariano agreed: “Redevelopment is a big issue.”

Mariano asked Cronin to look into how Pinellas County treats redevelopment, as compared to Pasco County.

Published February 02, 2022

A closer look at Pasco County’s economic growth

July 20, 2021 By Kevin Weiss

Not many people understand the inner workings of Pasco County’s economy quite like David Engel, director of the county’s Office of Economic Growth.

Engel shared some of those insights as the featured guest speaker during The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce July business breakfast at Golden Corral in Zephyrhills.

Engel’s office serves as the fiduciary and administrator of Penny for Pasco. It is tasked with executing the goals and strategies outlined in the county’s adopted Economic Development Plan and the Pasco County Commission’s adopted Strategic Plan.

In his role, Engel promotes economic development, job creation, and targeted industry recruitment and expansion for the Jobs and Economic Opportunities Trust Fund (Penny for Pasco) program.

David Engel (Courtesy of Pasco County)

Engel also provides oversight to the county’s Jobs and Economic Opportunities Committee.

He brings wide-ranging experience to the role, including more than 16 years of experience as a municipal planning director and transit-oriented development manager.

He also spent 10 years on Wall Street, as a senior research analyst, specializing in public finance, transportation and energy technology systems.

Workforce demographics
Engel’s 30-minute talk — during the July 1 gathering — was replete with details about Pasco’s evolving labor demographics.

In 1990, about 23% of the Pasco’s workforce commuted outside the county, which at that time was essentially a rural and agricultural county, Engel said.

By 2000, the out-of-county workforce commuter figure ballooned to 42%, and now, it’s roughly 46%.

Engel put those facts into perspective: “What that means is there’s 200,000 people that are working in this county, 46% of them get in the car and drive elsewhere, and that’s why, driving over today at 5:50 this morning, I hit traffic on (State Road) 54, if you can believe it, because the Suncoast Parkway’s the main commuter for the Tampa Bay area.”

Despite frustrating traffic pileups, Engel emphasized that the Pasco County Commission is “committed to a balanced lifestyle” incorporating a place for residents to live, work, play, learn and celebrate culture.

Engel is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and holds a master’s in city and regional planning from Rutgers University.

He said through smarter development initiatives, the county is “providing a more inclusive environment so that people that live here can work here, they can send their kids to good schools, (and) there’s options.”

The county, he said, is refocusing its intention to create development that’s aesthetically pleasing and provide more than houses.

“We’re creating communities, not subdivisions,” Engel said.

His office also focuses on job skills training.

He said that the No. 1 question prospective businesses have is: “Where are my people going to live, and how am I going to get to work?”

Pasco’s unemployment rate is below both the state and region’s jobless rate.

He attributes that to the county’s “very sustainable, good economy.”

Engel also touted the benefits offered through programs such as CareerSource and AmSkills. The programs help people to attain skills, which improves their opportunities to land good jobs. And, it helps companies that have a need for trained workers.

Only 4.6% of the jobs in the county are in the manufacturing sector, Engel said.

But, he said, they are high-paying jobs and give young people good opportunities.

Engel also highlighted the increasing need for private employers to find buildings that are ready to house their operations.

When he joined the county three years ago, Engel said, inquiries would come in from companies looking to relocate to the area that would require 10,000 square feet to 15,000 square feet of workable space, within two months.

Satisfying the surging demand was a problem at the time.

“We had no inventory,” he said. “We really didn’t have the infrastructure to deal with the demand in the county.”

To resolve this matter, the county has what’s called Pasco Accelerated Development Sites (PADS) and Pasco Occupant-Ready Structure programs (PORS), funded through Penny for Pasco.

The programs provide “loans to support office and industrial-type development to provide the inventory here to absorb the demand that is coming in the door,” Engel said.

The county now has several hundred thousands of square feet of Class A office space up along the Suncoast Parkway and Northpointe Parkway (called NorthPointe Village), as well as State Road 54, near Ballantrae (called 54 Crossings). Asturia Corporate Center — a flex-industrial space along Lakepointe Parkway, in Odessa, has gone up, too.

There’s also demand for more light-industrial buildings — think spaces with 30-foot ceilings and loading docks — especially throughout East Pasco, the economic development expert said.

“We have so much demand for that. The east side needs it bad,” Engel said.

‘Trophy projects’ abound
The speaker went on to discuss a trio of what he referred to as “trophy projects,” in the county’s pipeline.

He first outlined Overpass Business Park, set on a 100-acre property at Old Pasco Road, that was formerly a county spray field.

The targeted industrial and office development master plan will support about 860,000 square feet, projected to create at least 1,500 new full-time jobs.

Commissioners approved a proposed incentive package to encourage the Rooker Company, based in Atlanta, to create an industrial park on the land.

It was initially made possible through a state grant in the waning days of former Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s administration, Engel said. The grant was to rip out old infrastructure and create a development-ready site.

Work began in February. A ribbon-cutting for the first industrial building is expected next summer.

This is a rendering of Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, an urbanized mixed-use development off State Road 54, including a mixture of residential, commercial and general office use.

The project is both ahead of schedule and under budget, Engel happily added.

A second notable project is the build out of the Lacoochee Industrial Area, which spans 90 acres near Bower and Coit roads.

The project area eventually will accommodate approximately 700,000 square feet of industrial/light industrial development to generate up to 1,000 new full-time jobs.

Community Development Block Grant and state appropriations are being combined toward rebuilding and repaving Coit Road, Bower Road and Cummer Road, he said.

Plans are in motion, as well, to construct a rail spur in the industrial area.

A targeted industry is already in place — The Reinforced Earth Company, which is a concrete product supplier that’s been hiring.

“Those are probably the first (new) jobs in Lacoochee in probably three or four decades that have been created,” Engel said.

The revitalization seeks to stimulate a community, in northeast Pasco, that’s been struggling since the sawmill company closed in 1959.

“It’s one of the most impoverished areas in the state of Florida. It’s sad, actually,” Engel said.

“When I first came here, I took a tour of the county. I saw a sign at a church that said, ‘No meals today,’ that’s how poor it is. The churches, because of the demand, had to turn people away for nourishment.

“They’re isolated and stranded, don’t have broadband service, the roads are in bad shape, people are living in actual shacks with metal roofs and vegetation (is) growing on them.”

Meanwhile, the picture is quite different in the Avalon Park Wesley Chapel development, which is located along State Road 54.

The urbanized mixed-use development situated on 215 acres will feature multi-story buildings with residential, commercial and general office uses.

The project calls for 2,695 residential units, 165,000 square feet of Class A office space and 190,400 square feet of commercial development. It is expected to generate 1,065 new full-time jobs, situated in a walkable neighborhood.

The owner-operator of the project is integrating public infrastructure, such as parking decks and roads, to meet the needs of the concentrated area.

Avalon Park Wesley Chapel will offer places to shop and work in its downtown hub that will be connected to its residential neighborhoods by tree-lined streets, walkways and bike paths.

Imagine restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, bars and entertainment, hair and nail salons, as well as activities such as dance, gymnastic and karate studios.

The county offered up $32 million in ad valorem tax rebates to see the project through — with an expectation it will generate about $90 million in tax dollars on the backend.

Engel described Avalon Park as “a great project” creating “a downtown urban development for Wesley Chapel.”

Having a downtown area will help create a sense of place, where the community can gather, Engel observed.

He also noted its close proximity to Zephyrhills, making it convenient for the city’s residents to take advantage of Avalon Park’s offerings, if they choose to do so.

Challenges ahead
Elsewhere, Engel touched on multiple big-picture challenges the county faces in present and future.

One major task, he said, is identifying redevelopment opportunities, chiefly along older commercial corridors such as U.S. 19 and U.S. 301.

The corridors have the necessary infrastructure, but have long been synonymous for blight, graffiti and homelessness, issues that otherwise “really detracts from the hard-working community,” he said.

“That is stigmatizing this county,” said Engel. “You go out to other parts of this (Tampa Bay) area, (people) haven’t been up to Pasco in 20 years, and they’re just talking about U.S. 301 and U.S. 19 and how bad it looks, and they don’t have a clue, and we have to reeducate people using smart redevelopment.”

Another challenge for Engel’s office is finding additional ways to support Pasco’s small businesses — noting 80% of county businesses have fewer than 25 employees.

Penny for Pasco, in its current iteration, is only allowed to address target industries.

So, Engel and one of his staffers are using a small business engagement survey to better understand those business needs and desires.

A data-driven report will be presented to the county board, as Penny for Pasco funds are being authorized, Engel said.

Published July 21, 2021

What A Year It Was in Avalon Park Wesley Chapel!

December 29, 2020 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

There certainly were many challenges in 2020, but also many good things to reflect on, that we are proud to share with you. Here are some highlights of the year from the team at Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.

Partnership with the Pasco Fine Arts Council
In 2020, Avalon Park Wesley Chapel continued its partnership with the Pasco Fine Arts Council and its East Pasco Fine Arts Gallery, which is located in the community’s Welcome Center.

Before the pandemic closed the gallery down in March, three shows were held for watercolor artists Joye Moon and Lionel Sanchez, as well as contemporary painter Richard Terrill, who also is a resident of Avalon Park.

Jo Baughman, longtime director of the Pasco Fine Arts Council, recently passed away. She was involved with the arts organization for 22 years.

This arts partnership began in 2019, led by Jo Baughman, longtime director of the Pasco Fine Arts Council (PFAC), who sadly died in September.

It was just a year earlier that Avalon Park’s executive team met with Baughman to offer their Welcome Center as a new gallery on the east side of the county. The developer also committed to building a permanent Arts Center in its downtown in coming years.

For Baughman, who was involved in the Pasco Fine Arts Council for 22 years, the invitation from Avalon Park Wesley Chapel to work together accomplished a long-held dream.

In the year that Baughman headed up activities at the East Pasco Fine Arts Gallery, there were bi-monthly art shows exhibiting the works of local artists, and several workshops for beginning and experienced artists. And, when the pandemic changed how people could meet, Baughman organized virtual art shows and workshops.

The loss of Baughman was especially emotional for Stephanie Lerret, who worked closely with Baughman to set up the location of the East Pasco Fine Arts Council at Avalon Park Wesley Chapel. “Jo had an unrivaled passion for the arts! Her desire to share that passion with others was an inspiration. We are blessed to have known Jo and to absorb her knowledge of the finer things,” said Lerret, senior vice president of the Avalon Park Group.

Pasco County Backs Downtown Avalon Park
In February, the Avalon Park Group received overwhelming support and backing from the Pasco County Commission to create a brand-new town center in its Wesley Chapel community.

Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel is being established as a mixed-use development on 215 acres, and includes four freestanding office buildings that will have a mix of retail and commercial uses. The first phase is already under construction and, when completed, will have 75,000 square feet of commercial space within walking distance to residents living in the community’s single-family homes, townhomes and apartments.

“We are creating a real downtown with businesses offices, shops and restaurants, because we want to greatly reduce the need for our residents to drive outside their community to get to work, take kids to school, shop and dine, and enjoy indoor and outdoor activities,” said Lerret. “And now, with the full support of Pasco County, downtown Wesley Chapel will become a reality within the next few years.”

The Pasco County Commission unanimously voted to approve an incentive package totaling $33.5 million. The agreement outlines that in exchange, the Avalon Park Group will spend about $83.3 million to build roads, multi-story parking decks and transit-related infrastructure.

The project is expected to generate 1,065 full-time jobs and have a total economic output of $84.4 million, according to county documents.

Avalon Park Wesley Chapel will include 2,695 residences, 165,000 square feet of class A office and 190,000 square feet of commercial space. “Fifty percent of the residential trip generation on the site will stay on the site, once the project is complete,” said David Engel, manager of the county’s office of economic growth.

New Townhomes by Avex Homes
In April, Avex Homes introduced the first townhomes in Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, with two-car garages and private alleys in the rear.

“Our townhomes are beautifully designed with upscale custom finishes and offer buyers a tremendous value for the Wesley Chapel area,” said Cheryl Gonzalez, sales representative for Avex Homes. “Plus, every home comes with a two-car garage — something you rarely find in townhomes that begin under $250,000.”

Three floor plans are available, ranging from 1,608 square feet to 1,834 square feet, each with three bedrooms and 2.5 baths. Homes are solidly built with families in mind, and rich in architectural design, with distinctive exteriors and open floor plans. Each home has a front porch, covered lanai or private breezeway that connects to the garage.

“Buyers love our townhomes’ cozy feel and old-fashioned, traditional look,” said Gonzalez. “Our buyers can upgrade their home’s finishes to their individual lifestyle and design preferences, including flooring, cabinetry, countertops and lighting. These are not cookie-cutter homes.”

New Avex Model Home
A beautiful new model home by Avex Homes opened in June. The new Clayton model is one of the builder’s most popular plans because its spacious floor plan is perfect for families of all kinds.

“This is my favorite floor plan because it’s very open, but at the same time, everything is very nicely tucked away, which makes it feel much larger than its 2,000 square feet,” said Carlie Meadows, a sales associate for Avex Homes.

Meadows explains that every home built by Avex Home comes standard with granite countertops, 42-inch kitchen cabinets and ceiling heights of 9 feet, 4 inches on both the first and second floors.

The home opens into its dining room, which shows off the open floor plan that flows into the great room and kitchen. The master bedroom suite is on the first floor — a very popular feature that is attractive to families with children, and empty-nesters. A huge walk-in closet is located through the master bath.

The two additional bedrooms upstairs are quite large, at 14.4 feet by 11.2 feet, and each has a large walk-in closet. A full bath is located between the two bedrooms.

D.R. Horton to Build 1,000 Homes
In July, D.R. Horton announced that it will be building 1,000 homes in Avalon Park Wesley Chapel as the exclusive builder in the third phase of this prestigious master-planned community.

Currently underway is the construction of several townhome and single-family home models, which will open in early 2021 in Avalon Park’s new Westgate Village community. Pre-sales are expected to begin soon.

Single-family homes will be built on 40-foot to 50-foot homesites, with nine floor plans ranging in size from 1,504 square feet to 2,601 square feet. Homes will offer three to five bedrooms, two to three baths, and two-car garages, giving families square-footage options that best meet their needs.

Townhomes will include three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, and a one-car garage with a two-car driveway. Two floor plans will be available at 1,673 square feet and 1,758 square feet.

The Westgate Village community will embrace its own set of amenities for residents, including a resort-style pool, open-air clubhouse with an outdoor kitchen, playground, open sports field, and picnic area with pavilions.

New K-6 Charter School Opens
Few planned communities can boast of a tuition-free charter school at their main entrance. But this bragging right goes to Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, which is proud to welcome Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel.

The school opened its doors on Aug. 10 to over 600 students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Students in all grades are immersed in new technologies, including robotics, and work in fully functioning STEM labs — something most schools do not offer.

“All Pinecrest schools have an emphasis on high-quality instruction. We’ll continuously be monitoring the data so we know what each student needs, and have many different programs available to focus on the needs of the individual student,” said Principal Aimee Mielke.

The school, on State Road 54, has several sections at every grade level, and will be adding seventh and eighth grades in coming years. The school also offers self-contained classrooms for gifted students, where pacing will be faster and performance tests much more in-depth.

Technology is an essential component of the new school, Mielke explained, and everything purchased for classrooms was chosen for student engagement. Laptops are provided for every student in grades two through six, as are iPads for first-graders and kindergartners.

Blue and green colors brilliantly burst along the hallways of the modern building that has 49 large classrooms, oversized art and music rooms, and high-tech science labs. The school is visually notable with unusual windows in the shape of half-moons, circles and squares that give students and faculty stunning lake and conservation views.

“Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel, along with New River Elementary, are essential elements of building a brand-new town,” said Lerret, of the Avalon Park Group. “We are ecstatic to have both schools in our community to give our residents the best options and opportunities for themselves and their children.”

New River Library to Reopen in January
After months of work, Pasco County Libraries in January is reopening its New River branch, which is located at the west entrance of Avalon Park.

Having a library in the center of the community is something residents truly love and value. The New River Library is being completely renovated, including expanding both the size of its building and outdoor areas. The county also is upgrading the library’s technology capabilities, and when the library reopens, will be a showpiece for all of Pasco County.

Visitors will love the library’s modern new look, covered walkway entry, much faster Internet speeds, expanded youth areas, and a makerspace that opens into a shaded classroom for outdoor activities.

Makerspaces are do-it-yourself centers that foster hands-on discovery and stimulate imagination. An expanded garden makerspace will include programs hosted by Pasco County Extension agents and master gardeners.

Also, new at the library will be a unique children’s activity, Story Walk, which will encourage children to follow a winding path where they will stop at stations and read pages from a storybook.

Published December 30, 2020

Santander will bring 875 jobs to Pasco

December 15, 2020 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County scored two big wins last week.

First, it sealed a deal with Santander Consumer USA to set up shop in the county, and to create 875 new job opportunities in Pasco.

Second, it found a way to give new life to a vacant building, at a prominent spot.

“Since about 2016, we’ve had a very difficult time in explaining why we have this (vacant) big box building, right at the entrance of our county, at Suncoast and State Road 54,” Bill Cronin, president and CEO of the Pasco Economic Development Council, Inc., said in remarks to the Pasco County Commission.

Pasco County officials and representatives from Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., and Santander Consumer USA celebrate the agreement expected to attract 875 jobs to Pasco County. (Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)

“Super Target has remained empty for four years, despite our healthy growth.

“I’m happy to say that because of the specialized need of that building and the specialized use, we do have a special company that is taking that building,” Cronin said.

Cronin and David Engel, manager of the county’s office of economic growth, explained the details of the incentive package that’s being extended to Santander to persuade it to choose Pasco County.

Efforts to land the company began several months ago, when Santander Consumer USA came to the county during a national search conducted by Newmark Knight Frank.

“The goal was to locate a modern and efficient site that could accommodate future expansions,” Cronin said.

The search went beyond finding a site, he said.

It “was also a search for sustainable talent pipeline in a community with great livability.

Santander Consumer USA will be investing $22 million in Pasco County, Cronin said.

“The company will be paying over 115% of our current county average wage,” Cronin added.

The agreement details that Pasco’s average annual wage paid to workers in all industries is $38,338, as reported by Enterprise Florida Inc., and compiled by the State of Florida, Agency for Workforce Innovation, Labor Market Statistics.

Santander has agreed to create the 875 jobs within five years, and to pay at least $46,283 in average annual income for those jobs. To qualify for the incentive, a job must be staffed for at least one year.

Santander plans to renovate and occupy 115,425 square feet of the former Target store building, at 16400 State Road 54, in Odessa. The big box store has been vacant since 2016. (File)

Santander also will be offering career opportunities for the county’s bilingual workforce, which is expected to help the county’s Hispanic population — which makes up the county’s largest ethnic population, Cronin said.

“The economic impact to gross county product to Pasco is $129 million over the next five years,” Cronin added.

Their parent company, Banco Santander, is located in Spain, Cronin said, describing it as one of the world’s largest banks.

“If you have an automobile loan in Latin America, it’s probably from Santander,” he said.

In fact, Cronin added, “Banco Santander was named, just last week, Bank of the Year in the Americas, Brazil, Spain and Argentina, by The Banker, which is a global financial intelligence organization in London.”

Engel spelled out the terms of the economic incentive package.

“For the 875 jobs, the Pasco EDC recommends a $1,750,000 to be paid out over a 10-year period, and a 10-year tangible tax reimbursement, totaling up to $342,000,” Engel said.

Years one through five the incentive will be 50% of Santander’s tangible tax and years six through 10 will be 25% of their tangible tax, he added.

“This, in fact, is the most cost-effective job creation incentive that we’ve offered a company. It’s equivalent to $391 a job,” Engel said.

The incentive agreement notes that Santander intends to make interior and exterior renovations of 115,425 square feet of the old Target store, at 16400 State Road 54, in Odessa.

Backup materials for the board’s agenda item note: “The staff recommendation to

approve the tangible tax reimbursement in this case is based on the unique aspects of this project since it involves the redevelopment and occupancy of a former “big box” retail building by a qualified target industry, at significant expense, in one of the county’s most important high visibility economic growth and job creation corridors.”

It adds: “The recommended tax reimbursement incentive in this case should not be considered a precedent for reimbursement for interior improvements that may be made by other companies in the future, even if such companies qualify for a job creation incentive or are a qualified target industry.”

Background materials in the agreement note that Santander qualifies as a targeted industry, in the financial services sector.

A table in the agreement lays out the company’s plans to gradually add the 875 employees, beginning with 400 in 2021, with a total of 875 by 2025.

Ernie Ocasio, a senior vice president of Santander Consumer USA, told county officials that the company is eager to come to Pasco, and praised the county’s rich resources.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey remarked that she had been so upset about news of the Super Target’s closing that she had appealed to company officials to try to keep it open. It turns out that this new use is better for the county than having a big retailer at that location, the commissioner said.

Commissioners unanimously approved Santander’s incentive package.

What: Santander Consumer USA is setting up shop in Pasco County
Where: On State Road 54, near the Suncoast Parkway, in the old Super Target location
Detail: The company plans to hire 875 workers in the next five years.
When: The company plans to begin hiring in 2021.

Published December 16, 2020

Pasco board keeps door open for more AmSkills funding

December 8, 2020 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Commission recently approved the expenditure of $125,000 to support AmSkills Inc., a youth and adult workforce training program.

Plus, commissioners kept the door open for additional funding in future years for the organization — at the urging of County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

Commissioners had been set to consider the $125,000 request during their Nov. 17 meeting on the board’s consent agenda. When items are on that portion of the agenda, they are approved in a single motion — unless a commissioner or member of the public asks for the item to be pulled for discussion.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey is a staunch advocate for jobs training programs, particularly those that help people learn skills to equip them for good-paying jobs. (File)

Starkey requested the AmSkills issue be pulled because she objected to a phrase in the proposed approval that would have precluded the organization from seeking additional future operating funds from the county.

“I think it’s a mistake to put something that we can never ask for operating funds again,” Starkey told her colleagues.

“I just ask that we keep it at the $125,000, and then see what happens next year, but don’t put something that hamstrings anyone in perpetuity, because what we’re doing with workforce training and helping people get great jobs is amazing,” she said.

She also informed board members that AmSkills is moving from its location, which had been provided by Pasco County Schools, to its own building next year.

She said it also plans to expand its training program, and has been contacted by the Tampa Bay Builders Association, Withlacoochee Electric Co., and others to help set up training programs for them.

She noted that the jobs training program is gaining national recognition for its programs, but noted the county’s funding is the only funding that can be used 100% for operating costs.

“When you get grants, most of the time it’s for capital or specific things, but not operating,” Starkey said.

David Engel, manager of Pasco County’s office of economic growth, told commissioners that in general, the county triples to quadruples its return on investment when it spends money on programs that create jobs.

Engel also noted that “the work program that was submitted by AmSkills deals specifically with electronics and machining. They are working now with the Tampa Bay Builders Association on a very important trades program.”

Starkey said the new location will be advantageous for AmSkills and for people who need workforce training.

“They’re expanding their electrical program,” Starkey said.

Plus, AmSkills is making a move toward creating an innovation training center that will help other industries,” she said.

So, she urged the board: “Let’s leave the door open, and then we can judge it next year, if there’s a request.”

Starkey made a motion to that effect, which was seconded by Oakley and approved on a 5-0 vote.

In another action, the board passed a resolution recognizing national apprenticeship week and congratulated Justyn Bowes, who was named AmSkills apprentice of the year last year.

Bowes was so busy in his work he wasn’t able to receive the award last year, so he received it during the board’s meeting, in a presentation that was shared with commissioners via Zoom.

Bowes was one of the first high school students that started with AmSkills in 2015. He went to work as an apprentice in 2018, and at the age of 22, he travels extensively installing multimillion machines at key PharmaWorks locations.

“Justyn is a great example of how apprenticeships work,” said Peter Buczynsky, of PharmaWorks, in Odessa. “This is the model for the future, in growing our talent.”

Starkey noted: “We are now only one of two registered apprenticeship programs in the state of Florida. We were the first.”

Buczynsky added: “The nation is really looking to see what we’re doing here in Pasco County. It’s really impressive.”

“What a great opportunity that we have — a 22-year-old Pasco resident who is now traveling the world. It just chokes me up,” Starkey said.

Published December 09, 2020

Volunteers needed for Penny for Pasco committee

December 8, 2020 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Pasco County is recruiting volunteers for the Jobs and Economic Opportunities Committee.

The nine-member board oversees the Penny for Pasco sales tax program, including the Jobs and Economic Opportunities Trust Fund.

Duties include reviewing proposed Penny for Pasco projects to ensure they will create new jobs and boost economic growth.

The deadline to apply is Dec. 13. Applicants should submit a letter of interest and a resume to Economic Growth Manager David Engel at .

Members are appointed by the Pasco County Board of Commission for one- or two-year terms.

The committee meets, at minimum, on a quarterly basis. Also, an annual report is presented to county commissioners.

Members represent county industries, such as finance/banking, agriculture, real estate, and manufacturing, and other private industries.

Voters approved the penny sales tax in 2004 for city, county and school board improvements. It was renewed in 2012 for another 10 years. The county created the trust fund in 2015 specifically for targeted industry jobs and economic development that boosts the local economy. It generates about $60 million annually.

Projects paid with the penny tax include sheriff’s vehicles and equipment; conservation land purchases; transportation improvements, such as road construction and intersection upgrades; and various district school construction.

In the first round of Penny for Pasco revenues totaled more than $320 million, according to the county’s website. From January 2015 to Dec. 31, 2024, revenues are expected to reach about $700 million.

Published December 09, 2020

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What’s Happening

08/11/2022 – Food distribution

Farm Share, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Sheriff Charities, The Gentlemen’s Course, and the Pasco County NAACP will host a free food distribution on Aug. 11 starting at 9 a.m., at the Big Lots parking lot, 4840 Allen Road in Zephyrhills. Food will be handed out rain or shine, on a first-come, first-served drive-through basis, until the items run out. … [Read More...] about 08/11/2022 – Food distribution

08/11/2022 – Yarn for a Cause

The New River Library, 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, will host Yarn for a Cause on Aug. 11 at 6:15 p.m., in the Meeting Room. This group creates projects such as blankets for nursing homes, and more. Participants can learn new techniques and show their own projects. Register online at PascoLibraries.org. … [Read More...] about 08/11/2022 – Yarn for a Cause

08/12/2022 – Monuments tour

The Dade City Heritage and Cultural Museum will host a “Monuments By Moonlight Tour” at the Dade City Cemetery, 38161 Martin Luther King Blvd., in Dade City, on Aug. 12 from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Participants can learn about founding families, notable citizens, and the stories ‘in the stones.’ This tour is on grassy pathways and uneven surfaces; open-toed shoes are not recommended. Twilight time brings heat, bugs, and sometimes rain, so be prepared. Water will be provided. Guests should meet at the cemetery gate. Parking is available across the street. The tour will be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. All proceeds benefit the Friends of the Dade City Cemetery and the Dade City Heritage Museum. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at EventBrite.com. … [Read More...] about 08/12/2022 – Monuments tour

08/12/2022 – Smart Driver Course

The Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills, will offer the AARP Smart Driver Safety Course on Aug. 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for ages 50 and older. Space is limited. Registration is required. Call Bev Cogdill at 813-907-3908. … [Read More...] about 08/12/2022 – Smart Driver Course

08/13/2022 – Ask a Gardener

The Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills, will host “Ask a Master Gardener” on Aug. 13 at 9 a.m. and at 10 a.m. A master gardener will be on hand to answer questions. For information, call 813-780-0064. … [Read More...] about 08/13/2022 – Ask a Gardener

08/13/2022 – Belly Dance Show

The American Belly Dance Studio will present “We Come to Belly Dance,” a gala belly dance show, on Aug. 13 at 7:30 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. This is a fun, family oriented show featuring a variety of belly dance styles and costumes. Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased online at AmericanBellyDance.com, and at the door if available (limited seating). For information, email , or call 813-416-8333. … [Read More...] about 08/13/2022 – Belly Dance Show

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whartonbaseball Wharton Baseball @whartonbaseball ·
7 Aug

This guy right here! He keeps grinding ⚾️💙💪🏼 @DrewEhrhard @UT_Baseball @WhartonBoosters https://twitter.com/officialccbl/status/1556010951840866307

Cape League @OfficialCCBL

Drew Ehrhard (@UT_Baseball) absolutely crushes the ball to left for a Home Run!

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