The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Suncoast Trail

Pasco readies for Suncoast Parkway Trail overpasses

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Pasco County continues to lay the groundwork for overpasses on the Suncoast Parkway, at State Road 52 and at State Road 54.

The Pasco County Commission on May 3 adopted an amendment to a Locally Funded Agreement between the county and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for the planned bicycle/pedestrian overpass at Suncoast Trail, over State Road 52.

Board members approved the amendment for $216,447, as part of the board’s consent agenda — meaning it was approved as part of a bundle of items, without discussion.

This trio of cyclists, led by Tom Spock, completes a ride on the Suncoast Parkway Trail, during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Land O’ Lakes man is accompanied by Michael Russell and Leslie Spock. Plans call for installing overpasses at State Road 54 and at State Road 52, giving cyclists safe access to the trail. (File)

At its Feb. 3 meeting, the board approved a lump sum for the design and construction of the overpass, and the agreement calls for FDOT to be responsible for preparing the design plans, advertising, and letting the construction contract, to include utility coordination, permitting and the Construction Engineering Inspection for the project.

In the agreement, the county is responsible for the completion of all required survey, geotechnical exploration, and Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE).

Since then, it has been decided that the FDOT would be responsible for completing the work the county was going to do, since FDOT already has consultants in place to perform the necessary work.

The total estimated project cost is slightly under $10 million, which the county has provided.

It now will furnish the additional funds, by May 27, for geotechnical exploration, Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) and survey activities associated with this project.

The design, including geotechnical work, is slated to begin this year and be completed by 2023, Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2024.

In another action, the county board approved amending an agreement with the FDOT for work associated with the planned overpass at State Road 54 and the Suncoast Trail. That agreement increased the county’s contribution by $190,007.

That action also was on the board’s consent agenda.

Like the work for the other overpass, this agreement covers expenses for work that FDOT will now do, instead of the county, relating to geotechnical exploration, Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) and survey activities associated with this project.

The design work on the State Road 54 overpass is expected to be completed in 2023 and the construction is expected to be completed in 2024.

Published May 11, 2022

Get off the beaten track, to experience Pasco’s beauty

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Any sport can tamp down frustrations of everyday life. Hiking in the woods goes a step further. It soothes the soul.

Visit one of Pasco County’s trails and you’ll see. You can hike under ancient oaks, past cabbage palms and ferns, through pine , and along swamps and riverbanks.

You’ll hear birdsong, and smell pine needles, bay leaves and loamy lakebeds. You’ll see wild orchids, thick forests, and, maybe you’ll even taste salt air.

Scientists say getting out into nature may ward off depression, high blood pressure, even hyperactivity in children. Some doctors even prescribe a hike in the woods to alleviate stress and anxiety, and to get their patients to cut down on screen time.

Guides lead “forest bathing” meditation tours to soothe worries. And studies have shown that merely looking at photographs of nature or even the color green can be calming.

Hiking is an enjoyable way to immerse yourself in nature and get exercise.

Here are just some places in Pasco County to hit the trail:

Giant oaks, some dating back to before Florida became a state, line nature trails in Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, encompassing 8,300 acres in New Port Richey. (Karen Haymon Long)

Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park
10500 Wilderness Park Blvd., New Port Richey
Hours: Daily, dawn to dusk
Free entrance
Contact: 727-834-3247; PascoCountyFl.net

This 8,300-acre park has a 7.3-mile paved trail that leads to the Suncoast Trail, which runs 42 miles from Hillsborough to Hernando County. Bikes share the park’s paved trail with hikers, but it’s wide enough for both. Woods often line both sides of the paved path, so it feels more serene than urban.

Off the paved trail, signs lead to leaf-strewn nature trails through pine and oak forests, palmettos, fern beds, red mulberry, magnolias and other trees.

Trails are marked with green and blue slashes on trees, so it’s easy to find your way. One trail leads to the Pithlachascotee River, in a spot where it’s tea-colored and crossed with fallen tree trunks.

Birdwatchers have identified 177 species of birds in the park. Look for wood ducks, little blue herons, even sandhill cranes. The park also has a 10-mile equestrian trail, camping, restrooms, picnic shelters, tables and grills.

Nearby, Starkey Gap Trail starts on the south side of State Road 54 at Starkey Boulevard. Heading south, it crosses Trinity Boulevard (where there is a parking lot) and continues through grassy fields, past cow pastures and woods. After about a mile, it joins the Pinellas Trail.

Suncoast Trail
Hours: Daily, dawn to dusk
Free entrance
Contact: PascoCountyFl.net

This 42-mile paved trail passes through Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties, running along the east side of the Suncoast Parkway.

Half the trail is in Pasco County. Benches, water and portable toilets are available in some areas. The trail passes through residential, agricultural and natural areas.

“There are many areas where you really can’t see the parkway,” says David Jay, site supervisor for the Suncoast Trail and Crews Lake Park. “It’s completely wooded to the west in many areas.”

He says most hikers (and bikers) access the trail at State Road 54 at the Suncoast Parkway. That’s the official trailhead, with a free parking lot, a picnic table, portable toilets and a fix-it station.

Pasco County’s other main access points, he says, are off Wellfield Road, where the Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park Trail leads onto the Suncoast Trail; and off Shady Hills Road, a mile hike from Crews Lake Park in Spring Hill.

Other Pasco access points are at the Ridge Road Extension, State Road 52, Caldwell Lane, Lawless Road, Bowman Road and County Line Road.

Everywhere you hike in the Green Swamp, you’ll likely see towering trees and watery views. The Green Swamp is a vital recharge area for the Florida Aquifer. (Karen Haymon Long)

Green Swamp Wilderness West Tract
13347 Ranch Road, 5 miles from downtown Dade City in East Pasco County
Hours: Daily, sunrise to sunset
Free entrance
Contact: 352-796-7211; www.swfwmd.state.fl.us

This preserve, with an astounding 37,350 acres, has 65 miles of trails for hikers, bikers and horseback riders.

A section of the Florida National Scenic Trail meanders through thick woods shaded by towering oaks, pines and magnolias. Some stretches are lined with ponds and brown grasses, saw palmettos and cabbage palms.

On a portion of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, hikers may see deer, wild hogs, turkeys, alligators, wading birds and soaring, squawking osprey.

The Green Swamp is one of Florida’s largest wetlands, and because it is considered an environmentally sensitive habitat, hikers are urged to stay on designated trails.

The tract also has picnic tables, portable toilets and campsites.

Trails in Withlacoochee River State Park near Dade City wend through woods and past the picturesque river. (Courtesy of Experience Florida’s Sports Coast)

Withlacoochee River Park
12449 Withlacoochee Blvd., Dade City
Hours: Daily, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Free entrance
Contact: 352-567-0264; PascoCountyFl.net

This picturesque Pasco County park, on the western edge of the Green Swamp, has sandhill bluffs overlooking the Withlacoochee River, a forest, prairies and wetlands.

Eight miles of well-marked hiking trails and boardwalks loop through the park, past the Withlacoochee River, cypress trees and old oaks. The park also has a 1.7-mile paved trail for walkers and bikers. All trails begin at a kayak dock, the south parking area and the campgrounds.

The park is home to barn owls, woodcocks, ibis, limpkins and many other bird species, some that can be seen from an observation tower. Other amenities: picnic shelters, restrooms, cabins, and primitive and RV campsites.

At Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park in Port Richey, you’ll see springs, deep woods, and maybe even bald eagles and dolphins. (Karen Haymon Long)

Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park
8737 U.S. 19 N., Port Richey
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to sunset
Fee: $2 for walkers and bikers; $3 for vehicles with up to 8 people
Contact: 727-816-1890; FloridaStateParks.org

This tranquil park of bayous, salt marches, creeks and thick mangroves is just off busy U.S. 19, but you’d never know it. It’s a peaceful place to hike, kayak and have a picnic.

Each park entrance has hiking trails. The half-mile Springs Trail leads to sinks and artesian springs, through oak hammocks and pinewoods. Just past Salt Spring, if it’s low tide, hikers may see a tidal waterfall created by a spring that is 351 feet deep.

Bald eagles are sometimes seen on the Eagle Trail, along with hawks, roseate spoonbills, great blue herons and snowy egrets. A boardwalk leads to a kayak launch, where you’ll see water views and, if you’re lucky, dolphins and otters.

From the launch, kayakers can paddle through bayous, salt marshes and creeks. The park also has restrooms, picnic tables and a pavilion.

A boardwalk trail makes it easy for hikers to see the Pithlachascotee River in the James E. Grey Preserve in New Port Richey. (Courtesy of Experience Florida’s Sports Coast)

James E. Grey Preserve
6938 Plathe Road, New Port Richey
Hours: Daily, sunrise to sunset
Free entrance
Contact: 727-841-4560; FloridaHikes.com

This 80-acre wildlife preserve is on a stretch of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, with 140 bird species, manatees, deer, wild boar, gopher tortoises and more.

Hikers can walk along a boardwalk past the Pithlachascotee River, take the shaded Palmetto Loop, with a river overlook, or follow the Uplands Trail Loop through a scrub habitat of palms, wildflowers and gopher tortoises.

Towering palms cast shadows on the river. Thick palmettos and cabbage palms line the boardwalk, and benches dot trails, all adding to the preserve’s tranquility.

The preserve also has a lake, playground, restrooms, a picnic shelter and an observation deck.

By Karen Haymon Long

Published February 09, 2022

New overpasses planned for bicyclists, pedestrians

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Pasco County and the Florida Department of Transportation are working together on projects aimed at providing bicyclists and pedestrians overpasses on State Road 54 and State Road 52, to gain access to the Suncoast Trail, on the Suncoast Parkway.

The estimated costs for the overpass at State Road 52 is slightly under $10.1 million, according to materials in the Pasco County Commission’s Jan. 25 agenda packet.

The project is funded through the Transportation Capital Improvements Program, with funding from Penny for Pasco, the documents say.

Since the overpass will span a State Road, county staff has been in discussions with FDOT staff about having FDOT manage the project for design and construction, according to the backup.

It notes that “FDOT has the expertise with bridge design projects and resources available to execute the project.”

The state transportation agency has agreed to include the overpass project as part of its work program, as long as the county provides the funding.

Under the agreement, FDOT will be responsible for the design plans, advertising, and letting the construction contract, to include utility coordination, permitting and the construction engineering inspection for the project.

The county will be responsible for all project costs, securing an agreement with the Florida Turnpike Enterprise for the use of the Turnpike property for the project, and completion of all required survey, geotechnical exploration, and subsurface utility engineering, the agenda document says.

“If there are any additional costs required for the project, provided they are necessary and compensable, the county will pay those additional costs,” the document adds.

Upon completion of the project’s construction, the county will assume the maintenance of the

bridge and its components.

Discussions also have been underway with the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department regarding the maintenance responsibility for the bridge, since it is part of the Suncoast Trail (which they currently maintain).

The total estimated project cost is $10,089,528. The county will transfer $9,779,528 to FDOT for the design and construction cost of the project.

The remaining funds ($310,000) will be retained by the county to complete the survey, geotechnical exploration, and subsurface utility engineering for the project.

The agenda background also notes: “With the completion of the design plans, the project could be positioned as a shovel-ready project and potential candidate for grant funding from the “Build Back Better Reconciliation Plan,” and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, in which new investments will be made for safety, walking and biking opportunities.”

The county board approved staff’s recommendation to amend the budget to add nearly $8.6 million to the project because less than $1.5 million had been included in the current budget for the project.

In another action, the county board also approved an agreement with FDOT relating to the design and construction of a bicycle/pedestrian overpass for the Suncoast Trail at State Road 54.

In that agreement, the board approved a budget amendment of more than $9.6 million, since the current budget includes only slightly more than $1 million.

Just like the overpass project at State Road 52, the agenda packet for this item notes that“with the completion of the design plans, the project could be positioned as a shovel-ready project and potential candidate for grant funding from the “Build Back Better Reconciliation Plan,” and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, in which new investments will be made for safety, walking and biking opportunities.

In addressing her colleagues during the Jan. 25 board meeting, Pasco County Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey talked about recent discussions she had with state lawmakers, to discuss Pasco’s funding requests.

“I feel confident that we’re going to be successful this year,” Starkey said.

She specifically mentioned a conversation she had with Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson, who is a Republican from Trilby.

She said she talked to him about finding a funding source to help with the costs of the planned overpasses at the Suncoast Parkway.

Starkey said she has been told that when the Suncoast Parkway was designed, “they didn’t have the trail in mind.

“And so, they didn’t anticipate that, so it wasn’t built in and planned in our area.”

As a result, Starkey said, “the citizens of Pasco County are ending up right now funding our pedestrian overpasses on (State Road) 54 and (State Road) 52.”

But Hernando County has an overpass funded by the Turnpike Authority, and so does Citrus County, she said.

Starkey said Simpson said he will help with the issue.

“We have a plan that we’re going to push forward this year, to hopefully alleviate that cost to our citizens and be able to move that money to other projects, so I’m real excited about that,” Starkey said.

Published February 02, 2022

Resurfacing work proposed for Suncoast Parkway

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Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise has included a resurfacing project on the Suncoast Parkway, as part of its tentative work program for fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

Siaosi Fine, of the Turnpike Enterprise, briefed the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) board about the sole Pasco County project included in that proposed plan, at the board’s Oct. 14 meeting.

The resurfacing work would be done on the Suncoast Parkway, from just south of the Hillsborough County and Pasco County line to a little bit north of State Road 52, Fine said.

The design funds are included in the tentative five-year work plan in fiscal year 2024 and the construction funds are included in the fiscal year 2025 plan. The total cost would be $23.1 million for work that includes milling and resurfacing, guard rail installation, and signing and pavement marking improvements, he said

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, who sits on the Pasco MPO board, inquired about funding for the two pedestrian/bicycle overpasses that are planned at State Road 54 and State Road 52, respectively, to connect to the Suncoast Trail.

Those projects are being funded by Pasco County, while overpasses in Hernando and Citrus counties are being paid for by the Turnpike, the commissioner said.

“It’s not fair,” Starkey said.

“Board members, citizens of Pasco County are paying for the bike/ped overpasses on (State Roads) 54 and 52, and the Turnpike is paying for the overpasses in Hernando County and Citrus County) who have a lot less traffic than us. I don’t understand how that happened,” she said. She added that she’d like to talk to someone at the Turnpike Enterprise about the possibility of it sharing those costs.

Starkey addressed her MPO board colleagues: “Guys, I really think we should elevate our voices on that,” adding that perhaps that can be done when they go to Tallahassee to address concerns.

“Why are other counties getting it paid for, and we have to pay for our own?” she said. “It bothers me.”

In another part of the meeting, Starkey reiterated her concerns about trail design, urging those who are planning trails to use an approach that allows trails to meander away from roads and to place them behind ponds or landscaping, to improve the experience for users and to make it safer.

In some cases, that might increase costs, she said. But it might not.

“There are ways to make the user experience better. You don’t have to buy more right of way, you just have to plan it as a user would like to use it,” Starkey said.

Pasco County Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick agreed. She said trails should be farther back from roads, not butted up right next to them, to help keep users safe.

MPO Board Chairman Lance Smith, who serves on the Zephyrhills City Council, agreed that more thought needs to be given to trail design.

“I do want to say that I appreciate the commissioners’ input on the trails because I think this trail idea has evolved over the years,” Smith said.

“It used to be —  well — no trails. Then, over the years, as an afterthought, let’s put in a trail. “Now, we’re thinking more on integrating it as part of the actual construction. I think it’s great to have a landscape architect in there and fight as hard as they can to create these nice spaces on the trail.

“It’s great to have a trail, but if there’s not a piece of shade on it, in August, I don’t know how many people will use it,” Smith said.

“And,” Starkey added, “an occasional bench?”

Published October 20, 2021

Pasco MPO has new executive director

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has a new executive director.

Carl Mikyska assumed the helm of the organization in March, and took part in his first MPO board meeting on April 8.

Nectarios Pittos, who had been serving as the interim executive director, shared some of Mikyska’s background with MPO board members before turning the meeting over to him.

Mikyska was selected after a lengthy search, said Pittos, who is Pasco County’s director of planning.

Prior to coming to the Pasco MPO, Mikyska was the executive director of the Florida MPO Advisory Council.

That job involved collaborating with the 27 MPOs in the state of Florida, he said.

Before that, Mikyska said he worked with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Chicago MPO and the Federal Highway Administration. His experience in the transportation field dates back to 1990.

He told the Pasco MPO board members: “I’m active in our national associations and hope to continue to do so, to represent the interests of Florida, particularly as we look at federal policy.”

Randy Stovall, of the Pasco MPO board’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), told the board that at its meeting, BPAC was “most interested in the item of building some wildlife culverts under S.R. (State Road) 52,” which had been discussed by the board at its last meeting.

“Our ears perk up when we think: Is there an opportunity for some kind of a public use there? Some walking? Some bike riding? Whenever culverts come up, there’s an opportunity, perhaps,” Stovall said.

He also shared that information from the county, regarding the intention to build some restrooms at the junction of Starkey Trail and Suncoast Trail.

“Certainly, that’s very well-received. I think there’s a need there that will be served,” Stovall said.

He said that BPAC was informed of a strategy that involves building segments of the Orange Belt Trail — rather than waiting for all of the funding to be available before getting started.

“I thought that made a lot of sense,” Stovall said.

“We also received an update about the Hardy Trail here in Dade City and the Withlacoochee Trail to the north, and the (U.S.) 301 Trail to the south, and related to that, I’ll just say, some of us attended the groundbreaking here on Dade City, here on March 10, for the new bike hub

visitor center that’s going to be constructed about two blocks from here (Historic Pasco County Courthouse), in the center of the Hardy Trail.

“That will provide really a good stop for people. Bathrooms and other facilities if they wish to stop here, and go up and down the trail — particularly with those connections to the north and south,” Stovall said.

Kurt Scheible, Pasco County Public Transportation director, also updated board members on a few issues.

He told them his department is getting ready to purchase three more vehicles through the Florida Department of Transportation. By doing that, they’ll be able to pay $9,000 versus $90,000 a vehicle, he said.

He also reported: “We’re still seeing some of the effect of COVID, but we’re starting to see some of the numbers rise up. It looks like our ridership is starting to recover, slowly but surely.”

The county bus system also is planning to take a look at all of its service areas, through a route contraction/route expansion study.

As part of that, the department plans to look into adding some transit in Dade City, St. Leo/San Antonio and south of Zephyrhills in the Crystal Springs area, he said.

“We really haven’t moved the transit routes around in a long, long time,” Scheible said.

But, he noted that significant input will be sought from all stakeholders during that process.

The Pasco County MPO is the lead transportation planning agency in Pasco County that serves the following municipalities in Pasco: Zephyrhills, San Antonio, St. Leo, New Port Richey, Port Richey and Dade City.

According to federal and state laws, the Pasco County MPO is responsible for establishing a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive transportation planning process for Pasco County. Key responsibilities include the creation of the 20-year Long Range Transportation Plan, the five-year Unified Planning Work Program and the five-year Transportation Improvement program.

Published April 21, 2021

Pasco Animal Services to get cooling, heating upgrade

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The Pasco County Commission is moving ahead with a project to upgrade the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system at its Animal Services’ Adoption Center.

Commissioners approved a staff recommendation to proceed with a project design, and build a heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrade for the Adoption Center, for a cost not to exceed $506,190. The agreement calls for utilizing Omnia Partners, with Daikin Applied Americas Inc.

The Adoption Center consumes more energy per square foot than any other county building, according to the board’s Jan. 26 agenda background materials.

The building currently averages an annual electric bill over $160,000 per year, the agenda materials say, and the installation of three new energy-saving HVAC units would save approximately $90,000 annually.

Using Omnia would allow for standardization with current systems already installed throughout the county, the agenda materials said.

In other action, commissioners allocated $40,000 to help pay for amenities at the intersection of the Starkey and Suncoast trails.

The primary source of support for the project is a $160,000 grant from a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) recreational trail program grant. Pasco County also set aside an additional $10,000, for possible cost overruns.

The money will be used to add a restroom with a composting toilet, an ADA hard-surface access trail, a well/water fountain, a bike repair station, a solar charging station, a bike rack, a wayfinding locator, and a kiosk with trail use/trail safety educational literature.

In another action, commissioners approved the purchase of 1.09 wetlands mitigation credits in the amount of $131,100 from North Tampa Mitigation LLC.

The credits are needed to offset additional wetlands impacts for the Wesley Chapel Boulevard (County Road 54) widening project, from north of State Road 56 to north of Magnolia Boulevard, according to the agenda backup.

As part of finalizing the design plans for the C.R. 54 (Wesley Chapel Boulevard) widening project

from north of S.R. 56 to north of Magnolia Boulevard, two stormwater management facilities located at the south end of the project needed to be reconfigured and relocated. In addition, a right-turn lane was added on northbound Wesley Chapel Boulevard, 54 at Compark Drive to replace the existing right-turn lane.

These design changes resulted in additional wetland impacts, which need to be mitigated in order for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to approve the county’s permit modification application.

On another issue, commissioners approved a resolution requesting the Pasco County Legislative Delegation to sponsor and support a local bill that would support a Net Metering Program in Pasco County.

At the end of 2024, Pasco County’s energy contract with Duke Energy (Duke) will expire. Presently the sale of renewable electricity supplied by the Waste To Energy (WTE) Facility accounts for approximately 40% of the solid waste department’s enterprise fund’s annual revenue, according to a county documents contained in the board’s agenda materials.

Under Duke’s currently available standard offer contract, the county’s annual electrical revenue would decrease by over $22 million, the document says.

If the proposed local bill is adopted, Pasco County would be able to realize fair market value for the renewable electrical energy that it is already generating.

Published February 10, 2021

Setting The Mood By Painting Outside

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Don’t miss exhibit by Land O’ Lakes Artist Lionel Sanchez

From a distance, the watercolor paintings of Lionel Sanchez appear to be very detailed with intricate brushstrokes. But, according to the artist, his work only gives the appearance of detail because of his unique style and brushstrokes.

The end result of Sanchez’s art are stunning paintings of rural scenes from his native Colorado, old world urban settings in Germany, and natural Florida settings, including many from Tarpon Springs. Viewers find Sanchez’s artwork balanced, inviting and mesmerizing.

Tarpon Springs is the setting for this Lionel Sanchez’s painting, ‘Under Repair.’

“It is my hope that each of my pieces will elicit an emotional response and a desire to investigate the painting further,” says Sanchez. “I strive to create an emotional connection that opens a dialogue between the artist and viewer.”

In addition to painting in watercolors, Sanchez works in graphite, acrylic, pen, and ink. He prefers to paint outside, which in the art world is called en plein air and made famous by French impressionists, such as Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

“It is easier to accomplish the mood when you paint outside. The light is pure, there is no distortion,” said Sanchez, who sketches an image before beginning to paint, and often adds creative elements not present in the scene.

An example of this is one of his favorite paintings on display in Wesley Chapel of a large commercial fishing boat in dry dock. Titled “Under Repair,” the boat and the Anclote River are real, but the docks and foreground were painted from his imagination.

“Under Repair” is one of more than 20 of the artist’s paintings on display at an exhibition Sanchez calls, “My World Through Watercolor.” The show runs through Feb. 10 at the Avalon Park Welcome Center on State Road 54, about five miles east of I-75. The show is being co-hosted by the Pasco Fine Arts Council, and is the fourth art show the Council has sponsored in the past six months at Avalon Park Wesley Chapel for East Pasco residents.

An artist reception to recognize Sanchez’s work is this Friday, Jan. 31, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Sanchez’s paintings are available for purchase, with prices beginning at $250.

Sanchez is 76 years old, and has loved art since an older brother entertained him as a young child by drawing him pictures.

“I was fascinated with what my brother could do with a pencil, and my fascination grew into a passion,” explains Sanchez. “My life experiences and challenges are evidenced in my paintings, and my passion for art has shaped how I view the world around us.”

Before retiring to Hudson in 2009, Sanchez worked as an industrial draftsman and project manager for 31 years. He gave up the mountains of Colorado for the prairies of Florida to be closer to his granddaughters in south Florida.

Through the years, Sanchez took many classes in painting and photography, but did not begin painting daily until he moved to Florida.

“I am a much stronger painter today than when I first retired, and continue to work on my technique almost daily,” he said.

When he first moved to Florida, Sanchez began teaching at Life Enrichment Center in Tampa, and still teaches there today. He joined the Pasco Fine Arts Council about five years ago, where he also teaches painting.

“I love to teach because it helps me reinforce and bring to the surface art techniques that I may have forgotten. I find it fun,” said Sanchez.

Sanchez and his wife, Carolyn, live off State Road 52, about a half mile from the Suncoast Parkway, where he regularly bicycles the Suncoast Trail to and from the Starkey Wilderness Park Trail. He also is a marathon runner.

The goal of the partnership between the Paso Fine Arts Council and Avalon Park Wesley Chapel is to bring arts and cultural events, exhibits and workshops to East Pasco County. This is the first time in the Council’s 40-plus year history that is has had a location in East Pasco to host its exhibits and art classes.

One of the main goals of this partnership is to introduce people to local artists like Sanchez, with monthly exhibits and demonstrations, and also to offer art classes for youngsters and adults.

Lionel Sanchez Artist Reception
“My World Through Watercolor”
Friday, Jan. 31, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Free – Refreshments Served
East Pasco Fine Arts Gallery
Avalon Park Information Center
33613 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel

Joye Moon Workshop: Feb. 4 at Avalon Park
Area residents have the rare opportunity to attend a free demonstration by renowned watercolorist Joye Moon on Feb. 4, at the master-planned community of Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.

The Wisconsin-based painter’s history in art and teaching is as rich as the color and texture of her masterfully executed watercolor paintings. She has taught hundreds of watercolor workshops throughout the country, and is currently touring Florida. She also is the author of the bestselling art book, “Exploring Textures in Watercolor” (2008).

Moon’s local demonstration is Tuesday, Feb. 4 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Avalon Park’s amenity center, 5060 River Glen Blvd. Seating is limited, and advance registration is requested by calling (813) 783-1515, or sending an email with your name and phone name to .

 The demonstration is being co-hosted by the Pasco Fine Arts Council and the developer of Avalon Park Wesley Chapel. These organizations also work together on the new East Pasco Gallery of the Pasco Fine Arts Center, located on State Road 54 in Avalon Park’s Welcome Center.

“It is our goal to have art classes and workshops for our community, and a place to share artwork created by students and adults,” said Stephanie Lerret, senior vice president of marketing and community relations for the Avalon Park Group. “We are very excited to be hosting our first workshop with such an acclaimed artist as Joye Moon.”

Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel is currently under construction and is designed to be the cultural and event center of East Pasco County. Lerret said Downtown Avalon’s first buildings are expected to open later this year.

Published January 29, 2020

Bicycle association honors Kathryn Starkey’s tenacity, service

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Becky Afonso, executive director of the Florida Bicycle Association, recently honored Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey as its 2018 Elected Official Champion of the Year.

Afonso highlighted Starkey’s tenacity and public service during the Pasco County Commission’s April 23 meeting.

These cyclists attended an event on Oct. 30 to celebrate the construction of the new Starkey Gap Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail that will link the Starkey and Suncoast Trails in Pasco County to the Pinellas Trail. (File)

The association executive reminded commissioners that the Tri-County Trail connection won the 2014 Future of the Region development infrastructure award from the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council.

“Today, the future of the region is here and the Tri-County connection on the cusp of completion,” Afonso said.

“Commissioner Kathryn Starkey has been and continues to be, the champion of this connection and for Pasco County,” said Afonso, whose association uses advocacy and education to encourage more people to bicycle in Florida.

“I personally want to thank the commissioner for her persistence to make this vision a reality.

“Her experience, tenacity and public service record are admirable and inspirational.

“I remember a few years back, when the Florida Department of Transportation held a Coast-to-Coast Connector Trail public meeting in Webster,” Afonso said.

Starkey fought for Pasco County to host a meeting, she said.

“I also recall her determination to fill the trail gaps in Pasco County, ASAP, to ensure those using the trail will boost the local economies where shops and restaurants are accessible, and ultimately to have residents and visitors on the trail embrace Pasco as a friendly destination and a community to enjoy.

“I look forward to the ribbon cutting for the Tri-County connection. I also look forward to riding from my city of Oldsmar, come into Pasco County, have a lunch and then going back,” the association executive said.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey recently was named the Florida Bicycle Association’s 2018 Elected Official Champion of the Year.

Starkey was pleased by the recognition.

“I am honored that you guys thought of me. My path to my trail work started when I was on the Pinellas Anclote River Basin Board and then I was also doing some work within the county as a civic activist.

“When they were building the Suncoast, they built a trail along the side.

“My husband said, ‘You know, the trail and the park really should connect to that trail.”

Starkey agreed and began talking with various departments about connecting that trail.

She said when she talked to each group individually, they said they wanted it. But, they also claimed that another group did not.

So, all of the parties came together for a meeting.

“In the first 15 minutes, we had that trail connected, and then in the next 45 minutes, we figured out the funding. We split that, one third, one third, one third. So we connected the Starkey Trail to the Suncoast Trail and, because of that, then I got notice from state officials and that’s how I got put on the state’s Greenways and Trails Council. From there, that’s when I learned of the state’s plan to make a connected system in Florida, and from there, I started working on the Starkey Gap, and that was when Gov. (Jeb) Bush was in office.

“Sometimes, government goes way too slow.

“We’re really glad that gap is under construction. We’ve also worked on off-road trails in the county.

“I think trails add so much value to the quality of life to communities. I recall being at a meeting in Tallahassee when Visit Florida gave us a presentation. They said there were more people asking for trails maps than golf courses. Trails have really overtaken the recreational desires of people coming to Florida,” Starkey said.

Starkey has served for years on the State Greenways and Trails Council through appointments from Gov. Jeb Bush, Gov. Charlie Crist and Gov. Rick Scott.

She frequently points out the need to connect segments of trail, and to ensure that those connections are considered during discussions of potential changes to zoning.

The new 2.4 mile Starkey Gap Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail that will link the Starkey and Suncoast Trails in Pasco County to the Pinellas Trail is expected to be completed this summer.

Once the segment is finished, it will provide connectivity to a trail that’s more than 100 miles and continues to grow.

Published May 01, 2019

Construction begins to link recreational trails

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Pasco County’s engineering services had an event on Oct. 30 to celebrate the construction of the new Starkey Gap Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail that will link the Starkey and Suncoast Trails in Pasco County to the Pinellas Trail.

Construction of the new multi-use 2.4 mile-trail is expected to be completed in the summer of 2019.

Some cyclists were among those gathered to celebrate the beginning of construction of the Starkey Gap Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

Once the segment is finished, it will provide connectivity to a trail that’s now more than 100 miles and continues to grow.

Construction of the Starkey Gap Trail is being funded and managed by the Florida Department of Transportation. After the trail is built, Pasco County will assume management of the trail.

This section of the trail is the last link of the Coast to Coast Connector Trail to be built in Pasco County. Once the Coast to Coast Connector Trail is completed, the network will stretch approximately 250 miles  — from St. Petersburg to Titusville.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, who has played an instrumental role in addressing the need for recreational trails in Pasco, and across Florida, commented on the importance of this and other trail projects during an interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

“Before there ever was a Coast-to-Coast, we had this wonderful trail through Starkey Wilderness Park, which is a real jewel and it connects to the Suncoast Trail, which takes you all of the way up to Citrus County.

“The experiences on both trails are different, but they’re very special to serious cyclists.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey has a keen interest in linking Florida’s recreational trails together. She spoke during a recent event to celebrate the beginning of construction for the Starkey Gap Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail that will link the Starkey and Suncoast Trails in Pasco County to the Pinellas Trail.

“And then, you have the Pinellas Trail, which is a real economic driver for communities along that trail. It’s world famous.

“And, it just made so much sense to connect the two,” Starkey said.

She noted that she served on Florida’s Greenways and Trails Council, under governors Jeb Bush, Charlie Crist and Rick Scott.

While serving on that council during Bush’s administration, she said she learned about trails all over the state, and it just made sense to link those trails.

She was involved in linking the Starkey Trail to the Suncoast Trail, which provided a 100-mile trail, she said.

After that, she got started on working on the Starkey Gap link.

The Starkey Gap project will build a new 2.4-mile long multi-use trail from the Pasco/Pinellas County line to the southern end of the Starkey Trail, north of State Road 54 in Pasco County.

The trail will follow the Duke Energy right of way to State Road 54, west along SR 54 to Starkey Boulevard and then north to Starkey Trail.

The construction cost for the project is estimated at $2,615,000, according to a Florida Department of Transportation fact sheet. The work will be done by D.A.B. Constructors Inc., the fact sheet says.

Published November 7, 2018

Trails putting Florida on the map

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Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp wants to get residents moving when it comes to supporting and building a network of trails and greenways.

The first-time county commissioner recently invited trail experts to give residents an overview of current and future projects in Hillsborough and the Tampa Bay region.

Regional trails coursing through Pasco County include the Coast to Coast Trail tying together east and west coasts; and, the Suncoast Trail, with trail heads in Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties

Dale Allen, executive director of the Florida Greenways & Trails Foundation, left, received an award given to the foundation by the Florida Bicycle Association. J. Steele Olmstead is the association’s president; Pat Kemp is Hillsborough County Commissioner.
(Kathy Steele)

Nearly 75 people attended the April 4 meeting at the Robert W. Saunders Sr. Public Library in Tampa. Speakers included Dale Allen, executive director of the Florida Greenways and Trails Foundation; Wade Reynolds of the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization; and Anthony Matonti of Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority, or TBARTA.

“Trails are just exploding,” said Kemp.

But, she came away disappointed when she attended a regional meeting on trials in Venice in February. At least seven counties made presentations.

“Pasco had a great demonstration, good programs,” Kemp said.

Hillsborough didn’t have as much going on, but that wasn’t always the case, she said.  “It seemed like something happened in Hillsborough because they went dormant.”

Kemp hopes that the April 4 meeting will spur efforts to follow through on trail projects in Hillsborough and regionally. An annual summit on trail development in Hillsborough also would keep momentum going, she said.

On April 5, Hillsborough County commissioners asked the county’s staff to prioritize a list of hiking and bicycling trails for future projects, and to make a biannual report on progress.

All across Florida, a trail system is taking shape.

It’s one that largely began with local projects, but now is emerging as a statewide network, Allen said.

The Coast to Coast trail, for instance, includes about 14 individual trails built by local governments. When the trail opens in 2020, it will connect Volusia County in the east with Pinellas County in the west. A portion of the 250-mile trail will cut through Pasco.

Kathryn Starkey is a Pasco County Commissioner.
(File)

People can ride bicycles from the Kennedy Space Center to the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Allen said.

“The economic impact of this is tremendous,” he said.

Florida’s trail system benefits from a number of factors, including year-round warm weather. But, Allen said the state has other assets as well, including its state parks.

Florida is the only state in the nation to win the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence three times for the maintenance of its parks.

The state also has thousands of miles of abandoned rights-of-way along railroad lines. Many trail systems around the country are being built on those old routes, including the Coeur d’Alene Trail in Idaho along 71 miles of the Union Pacific rail line, and the High Line in New York City on an abandoned, elevated rail road trestle.

Allen said the High Line is the second biggest tourist attraction in New York City.

In Pasco, a trail is proposed to follow the Orange Belt rail line. Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey often mentions the trail as an economic boon to Land O’ Lakes.

Dade City often is cited as a future hub for bicyclists traveling the trail network.

The Coast to Coast trail could benefit Dade City’s efforts, said Allen, in response to a question posed after his presentation. But, he added, “They’ve got to do it right. Putting lanes for bicycles along roadways won’t do it.”

The trails must be safe, scenic and lead to destinations people want to visit, Allen said.

In Florida, safety is a critical issue. The state consistently over the years ranks at or near the worst among states in annual pedestrian and bicycling fatalities.

Data shows that nine out of 10 Floridians own bicycles. But, Allen said one out of 10 owners don’t ride them. “The roads are too dangerous,” he said. “To go to best from worst, we have a lot of work to do.”

Published April 26, 2017