The Laker/Lutz News

Mike Moore

Pasco County is seeking a new top executive

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Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles is stepping away from his leadership role in county government so he and his wife, Mandy, can pursue church development work overseas.

His last day official day will be Sept. 30, but his last working day will be July 31, because of accrued personal time off.

Biles asked the county board to accept his resignation during its May 17 meeting and to begin the process for naming his replacement.

The board will be addressing that process soon, including the possibility of hiring the same search company as it used to find Biles, or considering the option of hiring a local candidate for the county government’s top job.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles is leaving the top job in the county, after five years of serving at the helm. He and his wife, Mandy, are moving overseas to be involved in church development work. (File)

Biles is leaving at a time when Pasco has been experiencing rampant growth.

In his resignation letter, Biles noted, “While change is inevitable, I don’t think many of us expected what we would go through when I was hired by the county five years ago.

“On the positive side, we have seen some incredible growth with projects such as the much-anticipated Ridge Road extension and the subsequent Moffitt Campus initiative. On the negative side, we could never have anticipated the impacts that a worldwide pandemic and natural disasters would bring to our county. And yet, probably the work I am most grateful for is the radical cultural changes that have occurred within our organization that have resulted in not only significant performance gains across the enterprise but also the granting of three different Best Places to Work awards.”

He credits his accomplishments to the board’s willingness to give him “the flexibility and authority to focus first and foremost on building and maintaining our people-focused culture.”

Biles’ exit comes at a time when the county is preparing to expand its jail and to take over jail operations.

He’s also leaving at a time when the county is seeking to extend its Penny for Pasco surtax, a 1-cent sales tax that helps to pay for county projects.

His departure also comes when the county is in its early stages of updating its comprehensive plan, known as Pasco 2050.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey told Biles: “Well, we’re sorry to see you go, but I understand when these callings come, you need to answer them.

“You’ve taken us to new heights, in a challenging time. And, I think we had the right person, for the right time,” she added.

Commissioner Mike Moore noted that the board needs to choose an interim to serve until Biles’ replacement is named. The interim is expected to be named at the board’s next meeting in June.

Moore also observed: “You don’t always have to do a national search. Maybe we want to talk about people that are here.”

The job must be posted, but whether the board uses its own human resources department or a national search firm is the board’s decision, Biles said.

Commissioner Jack Mariano told Biles: “Dan, you’ve done a phenomenal job here.”

The commissioner said Biles’ background as an engineer was crucial in working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding the extension of Ridge Road.

The Ridge Road extension is “such a critical piece for us,” Mariano said, adding that it played a role in attracting Moffitt Cancer Center to locate a campus in Pasco, which is leading to greater things for the future of Pasco.

Mariano said the county should consider both internal candidates and candidates from elsewhere.

Mariano raised concerns about the timing of the jail takeover, which had been discussed in previous board meetings, as being scheduled for Oct. 1.

Biles said he has always viewed Oct. 1 as an aggressive schedule for the takeover.

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder told the board: “We had concerns about Oct. 1, so we didn’t want to bind you to Oct. 1. But that’s still going to have to be a negotiation between you and the sheriff.”

Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein told the board there will be a resolution at its next meeting relating to the takeover.

The resolution doesn’t refer to Oct. 1, but rather refers to the 2023 fiscal year, Goldstein said.

Published May 25, 2022

Apartment moratorium area is not oversaturated, study finds

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Pasco County halted new applications for multifamily development for a year in a portion of Central Pasco, to allow research to be conducted to find out if that part of the market was  oversaturated with apartments.

The study was completed by Lambert Advisory and its subconsultant Calvin, Giordano & Associates, working in conjunction with county planning staff.

Pasco Commissioner Mike Moore championed a moratorium on new applications for multifamily developments in South Central Pasco, to allow research to determine if there is an oversaturation of that type of development in the study area. The study found that there is not an oversaturation. Moore questioned the accuracy of the figures within the report. He also reiterated the need for the county to preserve land intended for employment-generating uses. (File)

Based on the results, “there does not appear to be an oversaturation of entitlements for multifamily units,” according to a report delivered to the Pasco County Commission, at an April board meeting.

That assessment is particularly true, as viewed from a five-year to seven-year planning horizon, the report says.

The multifamily market within the moratorium area boundary (MAB) is reporting more than 97% occupancy, with monthly rental rates increasing by more than 17% within the past 12 months, the report says.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore championed the moratorium on multifamily — raising concerns about the prospect of a glut of apartment developments eventually leading to problems of buildings in disrepair and the potential for increased crime.

He also has argued against the conversion of land designated for employment-generating uses into residential development.

The moratorium area was confined to Moore’s district. Initially, it generally included an area between State Road 52 and State Road 54 and approximately Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. Later, after the commission district boundary lines were changed due to redistricting, the MAB was expanded to include areas south of State Road 54, from U.S. 41 to east of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

Calvin, Giordano & Associates (CGA) conducted the supply side of the study’s analysis, working in conjunction with the county’s planning staff.

Eric Liff, of Lambert Advisory, provided the analysis for the demand side of the equation.

The primary question, Liff said, was to determine if the moratorium area was oversaturated with multifamily.

The study also took a broader look to give the county “enough information and data for future housing policy and planning initiatives,” he said.

In the moratorium area, Liff concluded: “There’s tremendous demand that’s occurring within this market. And, you can see it, because obviously, a lot of it is pent-up.

“The occupancy doesn’t even take a corresponding hit, with all of this new development,” he said.

Historically, growth in this part of the county has outpaced Pasco’s  overall growth, Liff said.

Going forward, the assumption is that the study area will capture at least “its fair share of the county’s population growth,” the consultant added.

“If the MAB captures just its fair share, it’s growing at 100 to 150 units per year of multifamily, which is directly in line with historical trends.

“Then, if you shift to the upper, then you’ve got demand of 130 to 200 multifamily units per year, which, as you recall, is well below even what’s under construction today.

The demand for multifamily development in the moratorium study has leveled off to some degree, but remains robust, according Eric Liff, of Lambert Advisory. He was involved in a study to determine if the multifamily market had reached oversaturation in South Central Pasco. (Mike Camunas)

“The supply is outpacing demand right now,” Liff said.

“The bottom line is that there are about 3,400, 3,450 total entitlements remaining in the MAB,” Liff said, citing the findings of CGA, working in concert with county staff.

It is unknown, however, whether those units will be built as single-family residents or multifamily.

Moore questioned the accuracy of figures in the report.

He also pointed to a new application that came in, which was too late to be considered for the study, but which calls for 370 units.

The bottom line is that the area has enough multifamily units coming on line to meet the demand for 10 years, Moore said.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey noted that the number of entitlements doesn’t necessarily reflect what will actually be built.

She said it’s common for developers to build fewer units than their entitlements would allow.

County Administrator Dan Biles agreed. He said this particular market study was a “paper exercise” based on data, not an examination of actual conditions on the ground.

Sometimes an area that has entitlements is not able to get the yield allowed because of environmentally sensitive lands or other constraints.

Moore reiterated concerns he has repeatedly expressed about allowing too much land to be converted from employment-generating uses, such as office, retail or industrial to multifamily.

He said that concern was underscored during a presentation made by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Commission, which was commissioned by the county to take a look at the county’s allocation for industrial sites and employment centers.

In essence, that report found that, in general, the county’s sites are too small for those purposes, and too scattered.

Research from both studies is expected to be useful, as the county updates its comprehensive plan, known as Pasco 2050.

Multifamily market study
Pasco County hired consultants to research multifamily market conditions in a moratorium area that includes parts of Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel and Lutz. Pasco paused new applications on multifamily development in that area for a year.

Key findings from that study include:

  • There does not appear to be an oversaturation of entitlements for multifamily units; that’s particularly true, as viewed from a five-year to seven-year planning horizon.
  • The multifamily market within the moratorium area boundary (MAB) currently is reporting more than 97% occupancy. Monthly rental rates have increased more than 17 % during the past 12 months.
  • Based upon historical and projected population/household and multifamily development trends, and solely from a market-driven perspective, multifamily demand within the moratorium area is forecast to total in the range of a minimum 1,300 to 1,700 units over the next 10 years.
  • There is an estimated 3,459 total residential units entitled/not built (including both single-family and multifamily housing). It is not possible to determine whether those units would be single family or multifamily. However, it is estimated that there are roughly 1,200 to 1,500 multifamily units entitled/not built, within the moratorium area.
  • The estimated development potential represents a six-year to 10-year absorption rate, however county staff has indicated that it may not be possible to reach the full development based on actual conditions on the ground. Therefore, the absorption timeline might be shorter.

Source: Executive summary of Pasco County Housing Entitlement & Housing Study, conducted by Lambert Advisory and its subconsultant Calvin, Giordano & Associates.

Published May 18, 2022

Work continues at State Road 56/I-75

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A new Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) traffic pattern has been established at the State Road 56/Interstate 75 interchange, but work continues to provide the kind of relief from congestion during peak traffic periods.

State Road 56 was closed down entirely for a portion of a weekend and when it reopened on May 1, there were new ways to travel through the State Road 56/I-75 interchange.

Traffic blurs by scurrying workers early on May 1, as crews from Superior Construction Co. prepare to open the roadways of the Diverging Diamond Interchange, at State Road 56 and Interstate 75. (Fred Bellet)

But motorists continue to face wait times, now that State 56 has reopened.

In an update released from the District Seven Office of the Florida Department of Transportation, officials acknowledged: “During peak driving hours, significant traffic congestion has occurred for some traffic movements.

“After any major traffic change, adjustments are typically needed during the first few weeks of operation. We have been making traffic signal adjustments each day this week to improve the traffic flow, particularly during peak afternoon/evening hours on the northbound Interstate 275/Interstate 75 exit ramp to State Road 56.

“Other changes will also be made to improve the operation of the new DDI area; including adding another thru-lane in each direction as we progress towards the final configuration of the area.”

Work on the new traffic configuration at the interchange is expected to be completed by this summer.

The DDI was chosen because of its ability to handle heavy left-turn volumes, such as the westbound to southbound movement from State Road 56 to I-75.

The expected benefits for the interchange are an increase in capacity and pedestrian safety, while reducing vehicle delays and crashes. These benefits will be achieved by an increased number of lanes, improved pedestrian facilities, more efficient signal timings and reduced vehicle conflict points, according to FDOT.

Before State Road 56 could be reopened, workers clear unnecessary signs and traffic barrels along the eastbound lane of the road.

During the Pasco County Commission’s May 3 meeting, Commissioner Mike Moore mentioned the reopening and thanked former Speakers of the House Will Weatherford and Richard Corcoran for their work in securing funding for that improvement years before it was initially slated for funding.

Without them, Moore said, it could have been 2028 before improvement was completed. Now, completion is just months away.

The project initially was expected to be completed before the holidays, but that didn’t happen because the original contractor was found to be in default by FDOT and a replacement contractor was brought in to finish the work.

That work is ongoing, and while the work is being done, there will be land closures to accommodate the construction.

As of May 1, all lanes and ramps are open at the State Road 56/I-75 Diverging Diamond Interchange that will open in this phase of construction, according to FDOT.

Two thru-lanes are open in each direction of State Road 56 over I-75, plus there are dedicated lanes to enter northbound and southbound I-75. All ramp movements are open and available to enter and exit I-75.

Here’s a list of scheduled lane closures.

  • I-275 (Exit 59) /I-75 (Exit 275) northbound exit ramps to westbound State Road 56: All traffic to be directed onto eastbound State Road 56, then will U-turn at Cypress Ridge Boulevard onto westbound State Road 56: Through May 13, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
  • I-75 southbound exit ramp to State Road 56: Lane shifts, through May 13, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • State Road 56, from Grand Cypress Drive to Cypress Ridge Boulevard: Lane closures: through May 14, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
  • Eastbound State Road 56 left turn onto entrance ramp to northbound I-75, U-turn at Cypress Ridge Boulevard and use westbound State Road 56 access to ramp: through May 14, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • State Road 56 westbound turn lanes to southbound I-75 ramp: Lane closures, through May 14, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Motorists are reminded that this is a construction work zone, so to use care when traveling through the area and to keep an eye out for construction crews.

To stay abreast of the latest information about this project, visit tinyurl.com/2s5pa7w6.

Published May 11, 2022

More industrial welcome on State Road 52, commissioners say

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A rezoning has been approved that will allow more than 1,400 residential units, and nearly 117,000 square feet of commercial and office uses on a site on State Road 52.

Specifically, the rezoning allows 953 single-family detached units, 119 single-family attached units, 336 multifamily units and 116,882 square feet of commercial/office uses on 493 acres.

The site is within the Central Pasco Employment Village (CPEV), an area designated by the Pasco County Commission years ago to create a coordinated vision among a group of landowners.

As adopted, the plan envisions a mixed-use employment village on more than 2,400 acres, located along the south side of State Road 52, roughly between the Collier Parkway Extension and Bellamy Brothers Boulevard. The employment village is expected to contain commercial, residential and industrial uses.

A system had been developed to allow landowners to swap entitlements among themselves, but during the Pasco County Commission’s May 2 meeting, it became clear that at least some board members don’t think that landowners within the CPEV should have to jump through hoops, if they want their sites to be used for industrial development.

“In the future, if somebody has industrial land desires in this CPEV, I don’t want them to have to go through a public hearing to have to do a swap. I want them to be able to get it real easy, to get themselves industrial land to get more jobs,” said County Commissioner Jack Mariano.

Commissioner Mike Moore agreed: “We want industrial. This was (CPEV) was done a long time ago. For them to have to go through this swap thing — the time and energy it takes to do it, when we want more industrial. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. It’s a lot of work for people.

“If they want to be able to put up industrial, they should be able to do that. They can do it tomorrow, if they want to,” Moore said.

Published May 11, 2022

Pasco signals increase to residential waste collection rates

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The Pasco County Commission has approved a June 7 public hearing on a proposal to lift the ceiling on charges for residential solid waste collection and disposal.

Under the change, the proposed residential rates would be allowed to be increased based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for garbage and trash collection.

According to material in the board’s agenda packet: “The last adjustment to this rate ceiling was in June of 2019. Since that time, market forces have significantly impacted waste collection costs.

“Both the global pandemic and recent geopolitical events have resulted in increased labor rates, delays in supply chain, and higher fuel costs.

“To ensure the financial viability of residential waste collection in Pasco County there is a need to revise the county’s residential collection rate structure.

“Feedback from waste haulers has indicated that the ability to adjust rates annually will result in higher market confidence and increased competition. The majority of Florida counties do not employ a fixed price ceiling for residential waste collection and instead the price of residential collection is either bid as a component of the franchise process, or the haulers operate as an open market.”

Pasco’s staff recommended allowing a two-year lookback, which would result in a maximum increase of 8.6%.

After that, increases would be annually based on no more than the CPI for garbage and trash collection.

Board member Jack Mariano thought the 8.6% was too steep and asked if the lookback could be for just one year.

But that idea did not find support on the board.

Commissioners Mike Moore and Ron Oakley said the cost of doing business has gone up.

The item will come back to the board on June 7 for a public hearing.

Current multi-year agreements between haulers and HOAs/CDDs will remain in effect and will not be affected, unless the existing agreements have provisions for cost escalation.

When those agreements expire, the CPI for garbage and trash collection will be used as the maximum percentage the rates could increase on annual basis.

Published May 11, 2022

Elected leaders are trying to figure out how to get kids to school safely

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When Pasco County Schools announced it would be dropping courtesy busing for middle and high school students next school year, local residents began seeking other answers from local elected leaders.

The decision affects about 3,000 students, who live closer than 2 miles from school. It doesn’t affect elementary school students.

The district’s rationale for ending the courtesy bus rides is that it will take some of the strain off the bus driver shortage, and should help with getting students to school on time and reducing wait times for students needing to be transported home after school.

Courtesy bus rides are expected to end this fall for sixth- through 12th-graders living within 2 miles of Pasco County Schools. The school district’s decision has prompted discussion among elected leaders of various government boards. (File)

Plus, the state doesn’t pay for those courtesy bus rides.

Since the district’s announcement, the issue has been sparking conversations among other elected government leaders.

During the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting a couple of weeks after the announcement, Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore told his MPO board colleagues: “I don’t know if you are, but I’ve gotten several emails from constituents with concerns.

“How is that going to work with our prioritization of sidewalks?” Moore asked other elected members on the board, which is responsible for transportation planning throughout Pasco County.

There are many areas within 2 miles of schools that lack sidewalks, Moore noted. “Students will have to walk in yards or in streets,” he said.

Moore than asked whether there were ways for the county board and the school board to work together to attract funding for additional sidewalks.

Tina Russo, a planner for the MPO, responded: “We feel the urgency. This has been a big discussion with all of our folks in the county, with figuring out the best way to move forward.

“There is a school safety group that meets monthly that discusses several different things, whether it be crossing guards, traffic officers, sidewalks, all of those things.

“Right now, we’re working on a county process of how we’re going to fund sidewalks and rank them, and then go after different pots of funding,” she said.

Russo added: “There’s nothing easy about it.”

Moore said if there any grants available, action is needed now.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Kathryn Starkey agreed solutions must be found.

However, she added: “There has to be a process, where they identify the most critical ones. That’s a lengthy process.”

Right of way must be secured, and in some cases the property owners are unwilling to sell, Moore said. That requires eminent domain — a process the county likes to avoid, he added.

“The most concerning thing is time,” said Camille Hernandez, who was attending her final MPO meeting before leaving her role as mayor of Dade City.

“It takes so long,” she said, to secure funding, acquire right of way and get sidewalks built.

“There really needs to be creative thinking here. We can’t wait,” Hernandez said.

“It’s really going to be an activist kind of movement, in the interim, whether it’s walking groups or biking groups — it’s going to have to be alternative methods,” she said.

Starkey said one potential solution is called a Walking School Bus. Essentially, it’s a group of students walking together to school, chaperoned by volunteer adults.

In addition to concerns raised by the MPO, the issue came up again at the Pasco County Planning Commission meeting, during discussion of a rezoning request.

Chris Williams, director of planning for the school district, was asking whether a proposed project had sidewalks.

That’s a critical issue, Williams said, because of the shortage of bus drivers and the lack of state funding for bus rides within 2 miles of school. The state does allow some bus rides within 2 miles, but the walking conditions must be deemed dangerous by very specific state standards.

Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein told the planning board: “The MPO board expressed a great deal of concern about us having inadequate sidewalks to the schools.

“I think it is a high priority for our board (Pasco County Commission) to get that issue dealt with. There is a program called Safe Routes to Schools, but it is a fairly slow process to get sidewalks built.

Goldstein noted that at least one commissioner “said maybe the county should be looking at spending some Penny for Pasco money, as part of the renewal, to prioritize all of these sidewalks and get them built quickly.”

To make that happen, the county would need cooperation from the school district to identify areas where there’s an immediate needs for sidewalks, Goldstein said.

“I would think the voters would support getting these sidewalks built for safe transportation to schools. We just need to know where the proper locations are to do that,” Goldstein said.

Planning board chairman Charles Grey agreed the issue is important.

“It is a valid concern and I think it is something that we, as a county, need to address,” Grey said.

Discussions on the topic are likely to continue within the coming months, before the courtesy bus rides are slated to end in the fall.

Published May 04, 2022

Pasco firefighters keep pressing for more personnel, equipment

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Pasco County’s professional firefighters are continuing to call attention to the need for more personnel and equipment to keep the county safe, and to meet its burgeoning emergency needs.

Jesus J.J. Martinez, vice president of Local 4420, appeared before the Pasco County Commission on April 19, to continue the quest to secure more resources. His remarks followed the appearances of two others representing firefighters who spoke at the April 5 meeting.

Martinez began by thanking the county and county board for what has been done so far.

“Pasco County is growing at an alarming rate,” he said. “We are being told that Rescue 230 will be in service by the first week of May, and Station 9 by the end of the summer.”

But, Martinez added: “Rescue 230 and the four new stations on the G.O. (General Obligation) Bond that the citizens voted on, were needed four years ago, when they were voted on.

“With that said, I’m asking you for help,” he said.

Additional fire stations and rescue vehicles are needed, as well as more personnel, he said.

“Our 37 new hires is now down to 32, as many of them have left for other departments, with better pay and better benefits.

“We lost seven experienced firefighters because they are simply burned out from the large call volume, and relief is nowhere in sight.

“The county will continue to grow and the amount of emergency calls is increasing faster than we have all expected,” Martinez said.

“We worked with our administration to do what we can to help with these issues,” he said.

He continued: “Pasco firefighters are a proud breed.

“We love our job. We love this county and we love the citizens in it.

“But we are human.

“Humans break.

“I got a call from a friend of mine, in the Wesley Chapel area. He was responding to a call. “They’d just pulled in the station. They came from a call, rescue was transporting.

“They got another call. They were in and out of the station in 30 seconds.

“The GPS said they were 18 minutes away. Within 17 minutes, the patient stopped breathing. It took 18 minutes to get there. Their ambulance, took 23 (minutes), from their station.

“All this firefighter could think of: ‘What if I got there sooner? What if I could make a difference?

“We have the tools. We have the knowledge. We just need to get there sooner.

“This is just one example of what is going on in our county.

“We are here today because this story haunts us.

“It’s time to do better, and our residents deserve better.

“We’re willing to work with you for our citizens,” Martinez said.

Board approves Fire Rescue items
Later in the meeting, Commissioner Mike Moore pulled three items from the board’s consent agenda to call attention to them.

“I think I’ll probably pull every item relating to Fire Rescue going forward because we have lots of questions,” Moore said.

“There’s questions from the team members that are out there. J.J. spoke today. So, I think for the best interest for the people who work for Fire Rescue, as well as our citizens, it’s important to talk about these things that are on the agenda.

“Normally, these are on consent because they are items we feel are not going to be deliberated. They get through with no problem and they’re not controversial. They’re for the good of all,” Moore said.

Because of questions raised recently, though, Moore said: “I think we need to pull these, discuss them, and discuss how they are going to assist them with their jobs and better call times.”

Moore asked Jeremy Sidlauskas, deputy chief of administration for Pasco County Fire Rescue, to provide some details on the agenda items.

One item relates to adding eight fire inspectors, who will conduct inspections of existing commercial uses.

The county plans to hire 11, the deputy chief said. “Once that (the first eight) becomes cost neutral based on fees and other things, we’ll hire the remaining three.”

Another item calls for using Penny for Pasco funds for a decontamination unit, to provide a  “premiere state-of-the-art, on-scene decontamination program, unlike anything that happens in the whole world,” Sidlauskas said.

Currently, a lot of gear must be sent out for cleaning, he said.

The Decon unit provides Pasco County firefighters with clean gear after every fire, Hazardous Materials incident and significant EMS incident, before returning to the station.

Another item related to replacing three ambulances and adding one new one.

Some vehicles that normally would be considered surplus are being kept for parts because of supply chain issues.

Part of the delay in putting an additional rescue has been related to staffing.

“This class that is just finishing their orientation should be done right around the end of the month,” Sidlauskas said. That’s why Rescue 230 is expected to go into service on May 1, he added.

The board approved all three agenda items.

Moore also asked the deputy chief to verify some numbers: “From fiscal year 2017 to fiscal year  2022, there was a 31% increase in engine count; a 39% increase in rescue count. Is that correct?”

Sidlauskas responded: “Yes, sir, some of that includes spare vehicles that we have to keep for maintenance.”

After the deputy chief’s remarks, Commission Vice Chairman Jack Mariano addressed the county’s firefighters, paramedics and first responders.

“We greatly appreciate your service. We share the same passion you do, to serve the citizens out here, every step of the way.

“What you do in the field, with the resources you have, currently, is fantastic.

“We’re working to help you get it better, every step of the way, as fast as we can, we’re going to keep on working.”

“From all my years, the communication that we’ve had back and forth, has led to more and more improvement,” he said.

The county board wants to continue to work with the emergency responders.

“If that means we need to do a workshop, we want to do that as well,” Mariano said.

“But I encourage you, stay in communication with us. Let us work with you. Let us try to help you, so you can be in a situation where you’re proud of being where you’re at, and a sense of knowing all the resources that are going that way.

“We don’t want to see a situation where you show up a minute after, when needed,” he said.

“We want to make sure you have that job satisfaction. Keep working with us; we’ll keep working with you,” Mariano said.

Published April 27, 2022

State studying widening project on U.S. 301

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The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is studying a widening project, which would add capacity to U.S. 301, from Fowler Avenue in Hillsborough County to State Road 56 in Pasco County.

Amber Russo, a project manager for FDOT, provided an update to members of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization, at its April 14 meeting.

The project’s purpose it to improve safety for motorists, and to improve mobility for pedestrians and bicycles, Russo said.

“Safety is a key element for this project,” Russo said.

“During the five-year period that we studied, from 2015 to 2019, there were 464 crashes, which involved 16 fatalities, 338 injuries, 24 head-on collisions, and five crashes involving a pedestrian.

“A portion of this project, the southern end, the crash rate is almost double the state average,” she said.

She also noted that based on the 2040 projection — which puts the volumes at 29,000 to 48,000 — the road would be operating at a Level of Service F in both directions, during peak hours.

Justin Hall, also from FDOT, noted the current volumes on the road are 12,000 to 14,000.

Presently, this stretch of U.S. 301 is a two-lane, undivided roadway, with a posted speed varying from 50 mph to 60 mph, through the corridor, Russo said. The existing right of way varies from 100 feet to 200 feet wide.

“U.S. 301 is an important north-south corridor,” Russo said. It connects regionally significant corridors, such as I-75, I-4 and state road 56, 54 and 52.

“It also connects regional centers in Zephyrhills and Temple Terrace to the Tampa Bay area,” Russo said.

The proposed project, which would cost an estimated $200 million, has not yet been funded.

Proposed improvements are divided into two segments.

The southern portion would be from Fowler Avenue to Stacy Road.

“This is a suburban, typical section: with widening to four lanes, divided with a raised 30-foot median. We also have paved 5-foot outside shoulders, a 6-foot sidewalk on the east side, and 12-foot shared-use path along the west side,” Russo said.

The design speed for that segment is 55 mph. The total right of way varies from 169 feet to 200 feet wide.

The north portion of the project would be Stacy Road to State Road 56.

This would be a more-rural section of the road. It would be a four-lane divided road, with a 40-foot depressed median.

It would have 5-foot paved shoulders and a 12-foot shared-use path on the west side.

The design speed would be 65 mph. The total right of way width would be 235 feet.

Russo told the Pasco MPO board that some changes are expected, based on public comments.

Hall said those issues essentially fall into three categories: environmental concerns, concerns about widening the road beyond Hillsborough’s urban service area, and questions about increasing capacity on a rural highway.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said apparently Hillsborough is not aware of the planned projects near U.S. 301 and State Road 56, on both sides of the county line.

Moore noted that he used to frequently travel U.S. 301, when he had a private business.

“Wow, that was scary,” Moore said. “If you go off the shoulder, you’re in a ditch and you definitely don’t want to cross the center line.”

He thinks it makes perfect sense to widen U.S. 301.

“We’re at the point in this region where we need to get ahead. All we hear from our citizens is, ‘Why didn’t you do this before?

“Well, here’s that perfect opportunity. Let’s get ahead of the game, because it’s coming. It’s already coming.”

Commissioner Ron Oakley agreed.

“I’ve already gotten emails from people about congestion, when they go to (U.S.) 301, from (State Road) 56. It’s crowded. It’s terrible.

“If this road had already been done … a person would not have died this morning at 2:45, when they had a head-on collision and they closed 301.”

Hall said there were actually two fatalities in that crash. He also told the MPO board that the state roads department plans to proactively address some intersection signaling needs along U.S. 301.

Published April 20, 2022

Pasco sheriff calls for more deputies

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Pasco County’s top law enforcement official appeared before the Pasco County Commission last week, making a case for the county to fund more deputies on the street.

Citing a statistic from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco told the county board: “We are 64th out of 67 counties, in terms of law enforcement officers, per thousand (residents) that we serve.”

Based on figures from Florida Tax Watch, Pasco ranks 55th out of the state’s 67 counties in terms of funding for public safety, Nocco added.

Pasco County significantly lags behinds Pinellas County, when it comes to sworn law enforcement officers, Nocco said, noting Pasco’s ratio is 1.06 officers per 1,000 residents, while Pinellas County’s ratio is 1.86.

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco is making a case for hiring more deputies to put on the street, in response to the county’s growing needs. (File)

Other ratios of nearby counties are: 1.23 for Hillsborough County; 1.26 for Polk County; and, 1.32 for Hernando County.

Nocco also emphasized that these are numbers from the FDLE.

To match Pinellas County’s level of service, Pasco would need 399 more deputies. It would need 130 more to match Hernando; 100 more to match Polk; and, 85 more to match Hillsborough.

The staffing at the Pasco Sheriff’s Office is not keeping pace with the county’s growth, Nocco said.

“We’re trying to maintain the level where we’re at. We seem to keep falling behind.

“I am not anti-growth. I am not anti-development. That’s not my role and responsibility.

“My role and responsibility, as the sheriff, is to make sure we do everything we can to keep our community safe,” Nocco said.

He added: “It’s also my role to come here and explain this and tell you, this, to tell you, ‘Hey, this is where we’re at.’”

He told the county board that for every 1,000 additional residents, Pasco should be adding two additional deputies.

And, that, he said, would just slightly improve the current level of service.

He also told commissioners that it’s not just a matter of hiring new deputies. They must go through an onboarding process.

“It takes us over a year to hire somebody, train that person, put through orientation and put them on the street,” Nocco said.

Plus, since it’s an around-the-clock job, 365 days a year, it’s not just a matter of hiring one deputy to be out on patrol. It takes five deputies to equal having one on patrol at all times.

Pay is another significant issue, Nocco said.

Around 2015, Pasco lost more than 100 officers to the City of Tampa, because of pay.

“They actually called it ‘The Tampa 100 Club,’” Nocco said.

While the county board responded to that problem, Pasco again is at a disadvantage when it comes to pay, Nocco said.

“We’re now competing against higher-paying agencies. So, Tampa PD (Police Department) is starting at $60,000 a year. Pinellas is $51,000.

“Florida Highway Patrol is planning to have a starting salary of $56,000 a year, if Gov. Ron DeSantis approves it, which he has said that he will,” Nocco said.

At the same time, Pasco’s starting salary is $46,948, just slightly above Hernando County.

He also noted there’s an issue of hiring law enforcement officers across the country “because a lot of people lost interest, and say, ‘Hey, maybe I don’t want to get into that field,’’’ Nocco said.

Pasco’s 30-year retirement also puts it at a disadvantage to Tampa, which has a 20-year retirement for high-risk positions, Nocco said.

If the county doesn’t increase pay for its law enforcement officers, they will go elsewhere, Nocco said.

“And, if you lose them to Hillsborough, Pinellas, you’ve now trained them up, build them up, and they go somewhere else,” he said.

The sheriff also asked the county board for some assurances about his budget.

“I don’t think there’s anyone who will disagree with keeping the current budget for law enforcement and court security at $111 million.

“I just want to make sure that everybody is good with that, that the $111 million stays with the law enforcement budget and the $51 million (for jail operations) will transfer back to the county.

Reducing the $111 million would result in reduced law enforcement services in the county, Nocco said.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey told Nocco: “I’m not prepared to say anything about numbers.”

County Administrator Dan Biles said, “as part of the jail transfer, our budget office is working with (their budget office), to see what their expenses are in the jail, because we have to build a budget based on line-item expenses. So, we’re working on that.”

However, Biles added, “I don’t expect us to ask for any of that piece, as we move forward into ’23, with the jail transition.”

Commissioner Mike Moore wants the county to explore ways it could shift the burden of these costs to the new growth that is causing the expenses.

He raised the prospect of creating a new MSTU (municipal services taxing unit), so new growth could pay for new costs incurred for public safety services.

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder said it might be possible to structure something like that, but added that he’s not aware of it being done anywhere, and he’s not sure that would be  defensible.

After the lengthy discussion, there was a consensus on the board that the conversation needs to continue.

The board has a budget workshop planned for May 24.

Ratio of law enforcement officers (per 1,000 residents)
Pasco: 1.06
Hillsborough: 1.23
Polk: 1.26
Hernando: 1.32
Pinellas: 1.86

Source: Pasco County Sheriff Nocco, citing state law enforcement figures

Published April 13, 2022

Pasco County raises tourist development tax

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Pasco County has increased its tourist development tax by 1%, making the new rate 5%.

The action came during the Pasco County Commission’s April 5 board meeting, on a 4-0 vote, with Commissioner Jack Mariano absent.

Adam Thomas, the director of tourism for Experience Florida’s Sports Coast, appeared before the commission to request the increase.

The tax is paid by visitors who stay in short-term lodging in the county, Thomas said.

Adam Thomas, director for Pasco County’s tourism brand, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast (File)

The proceeds are used to support tourism outreach efforts, which are coordinated through Experience Florida’s Sports Coast, Pasco’s Destination Management Organization (DMO).

Thomas reminded commissioners: “In 2019, you invested and supported our rebrand of Florida’s Sports Coast, and since then we’ve taken our market share to new heights, new levels that we previously did not reach.

“Since 2019, we’ve seen our visitor economy grow, with the current resources that we already have in place,” he said.

The tourism marketing group now wants to take Pasco County’s story to international market places, Thomas said. It is particularly interested in marketing to Europe, he said, noting the county attracts some European visitors.

Commissioner Mike Moore, who is the chairman of the Pasco Tourist Development Council, said that the council unanimously supported the proposed increase.

He said there were no real issues or questions from the council.

“It’s not our citizens here in Pasco County that pay this, it’s actually people who come and visit,” Moore said. “We’re the lowest (tourist development tax rate) in the area.”

“As we all know, Adam and his team have done an excellent job with the funds they’ve received so far.

“I haven’t had one person reach out and say anything negative about this. And, the hoteliers are onboard. And they’re the one who are going to have concerns, if they’re going to have concerns about it,” Moore said.

Pasco County’s 10-day bay scallop season in July could help boost tourism efforts in 2022.

Kathy Lambert, who lives in Dade City, did have objections.

She told the county board that she was there when they initiated the tourist development tax and she had objections then.

She said she’d like to see a county board that isn’t “going to keep digging into the taxpayer’s wallet,” whether those taxpayers are from Dade City, or coming from Washington D.C., to enjoy Pasco County.

Board chairwoman Kathryn Starkey, however, spoke in favor of the increase. “I have not had opposition from anyone in that industry. We heard not a peep.”

Moore agreed: “They actually welcomed it.”

Starkey replied: “It gets them more business.”

The Tourist Development Tax initially was authorized by the county on Sept. 5, 1990, as a 2% tax imposed on each whole and major fraction of each dollar of the total rental charge for overnight accommodations for a term of six months or less within the unincorporated areas of Pasco County.

Since then, the county increased it to 4% on Aug. 15, 2017.

The majority of the funds resulting from that increase are earmarked for debt service of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus.

The tax applies to any living quarters or accommodations in any hotel, apartment hotel, motel, resort motel, apartment, apartment motel, rooming house, mobile home park, recreational vehicle park, or condominium for a term of six months or less

The authorization for the tax increase also spells out the types of expenditures allowed with the tax funds.

Published April 13, 2022