The Laker/Lutz News

Pasco Ranch Inc.

Private school, more retail, on planning commission agenda

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The Pasco County Planning Commission will consider requests for a private school, and increased retail development, among items during its Jan. 10 public hearing at 1:30 p.m.

Planning commissioners will consider these requests on their consent agenda.

  • Request from Tracy L. and Raul Rodriguez Jr./Keiro Academy, for a private school on 20.6 acres of land zoned for agricultural and residential use. The parcel is on the east side of Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, about one-half mile north of Darby Road.

According to the applicant’s information, “Our student population will primarily demonstrate anxiety, sadness, defiance and school refusal issues stemming from technology overuse. Our students simply need to reconnect with nature in a screen-free environment, and to develop social and life skills to succeed. We intend to create a program exclusively for boys age (15 to 20) and seek to maintain a daily census of 32 students who will live on the property.

“Keiro Academy will not accept students with histories of violence, crime, drug or alcohol abuse issues.”

County staff has recommended approval of the request, with conditions.

  • Request for a substantial modification to the Cypress Creek Town Center master planned unit development (MPUD) — Pasco 54, Ltd.; Pasco Ranch, Inc.; and JG Cypress Creek LLC.

This request calls for changes that would allow for an increase of retail/commercial square footage from 1,998,400 square feet to 2,399,500 square feet, which is an increase of 401,000 square feet; a decrease in hotel rooms from 350 rooms to 135 rooms; and, an increase of multifamily units from 230 units to 600 units, on approximately 490 acres of land.

County staff has recommended approval of the request, with conditions.

When an item is on the consent agenda, the planning commission won’t discuss it, unless a member of the board has questions, or someone in the audience wishes to speak on the item.

On their regular agenda, planning commissioners are expected to hear from representatives from Duke Energy Florida LLC, regarding a proposed landscaping plan in connection with the company’s request for an electrical substation on the north side of Satinleaf Lane, approximately 650 feet west of Smith Road, in Wesley Chapel.

The Planning Commission previously approved Duke’s request for the special exception, but that was subject to the applicant submitting a landscaping plan for review and approval.

The proposed landscaping plan calls for more extensive screening than previously proposed, including more trees and different varieties of planting materials.

The planning commission meeting will be in the board room on the second floor of the courthouse, at 37918 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.

Published January 9, 2019

More construction pops up on State Road 56

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Until recently the south side of State Road 56, by the Interstate 75 interchange, created the most commercial buzz.

Tampa Premium Outlets and a slew of restaurants turned grassland into a shopping and dining mecca.

More is on the way.

Construction is nearly complete on Wendy’s and Taco Bell, on Sierra Center Boulevard at Cypress Creek Town Center. The restaurants will join Ford’s Garage and Pollo Tropical, which opened a few months ago. (Kathy Steele)

Starbucks is the latest opening on the south side of the highway. It’s next to Culver’s.

But, now it’s the north side of the state road that’s starting to see a surge of new restaurants and shops as the next phase of Cypress Creek Town Center kicks into gear.

Sierra Center Boulevard, off the entryway at Grand Cypress Drive, is the center of the activity.

The town center straddles both sides of State Road 56, at its juncture with Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Interstate 75. The southern side largely is being developed by Simon Properties and Richard E. Jacobs, with Sierra Properties in control on the northern side. Its properties are listed under the ownership of Pasco Ranch, Inc.

Ford’s Garage and Pollo Tropical, which opened in recent months, were first up for Sierra.

Now, Wendy’s and Taco Bell are nearly ready for fast-food delivery.

Heading east along Sierra Center, work crews are rolling out a parking lot and laying landscaping for a multi-store retail center.

According to county permitting records, Men’s Wearhouse, Mellow Mushroom, Mattress One, T-Mobile, and Great Clips are future tenants.

Hutton, with headquarters in Chattanooga, is developing the retail center. Hutton representatives could not be reached for additional details.

A stand-alone Chuy’s Mexican Restaurant is slated for a spot just east of the shopping strip, according to county records.

In January, a pre-application meeting was held with county planners to discuss a location on Sierra Center for Bahama Breeze Island Grill.

Another restaurant headed to Cypress Creek is Newk’s Eatery. According to QSR Magazine, the company, based in Jackson, Mississippi, plans to open as many as 30 new restaurants in Florida in five years. Central Florida and the Tampa Bay area are target markets, with a menu of fresh-made soups, salads, sandwiches and California-style pizzas.

According to its website, the founders also opened McAlister’s Deli.

On the northern side of Sierra Center, permits for infrastructure have been issued attached to brand names of Dick’s Sporting Goods, Pet Smart and Burlington.

Five Below also is landing in the town center. The shop is a cornucopia for teens and preteens looking for games, jewelry, candy, makeup, computer gear, DVDs, books, school supplies and novelties. Everything is low-budget at $5 or below.

A six-story, 132-room Hyatt hotel is in permitting stages for infrastructure on another outparcel in the eastern area of Cypress Creek.

Cypress Creek could end up with two grocery stores.

Aldi representatives inquired in March about opening one of its discount grocery stores on an outparcel owned by Sierra that is at an entrance into Tampa Premium Outlets.

In June, a pre-application meeting was scheduled to discuss an approximately 24,000 square-foot grocery store at the northwest corner of State Road 56 and Wesley Chapel Boulevard – across from the Aldi site. That grocery store was not identified.

Plans also call for another 11,500 square feet of retail.

Published July 12, 2017

Costco eyes Cypress Creek Town Center for new store

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The world’s third-largest retailer is looking to set up shop in Pasco County, and become the first major store associated with the Cypress Creek Town Center.

Costco Wholesale Corp. is set to meet with county officials just before Christmas about opening a 153,000-square-foot store at the shopping center, located near the intersection of State Road 56 and Interstate 75. It is slated for an 18-acre outparcel part of the overall property currently controlled by Pasco 54 Ltd., Pasco Ranch Inc., and JG Cypress Creek LLC.

This would be Pasco County’s first Costco store, and the first one to be built in the Tampa Bay area north of Brandon. The only other location in the region is in Clearwater.

Costco has the potential to make a tremendous economic impact on the county, and the region. The average retail employee makes $20 an hour, nearly double that of other retail workers, according to a 2013 report by Businessweek. Employees at the company typically start out at $11.50 an hour, and after five years, can reach as high as $19.50. Also after five years, Costco workers get bonuses of more than $4,000 each year.

At Walmart’s similar Sam’s Club stores, according to the same report, workers start at $10 an hour, and typically reach $12.50 after five years with no bonus plan.

Costco reportedly earns $814 in sales each year per square foot, compared to $586 from Sam’s Club.

No official announcement has been made on when Costco would break ground, let alone open. However, work already has begun on Tampa Premium Outlets, slated to open late next year not far from where the Costco is planned.