The Laker/Lutz News

U.S. 98 Bypass

Pasco transportation planning board talks priorities

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has adopted a draft of its transportation improvement plan for fiscal years 2023 to 2027.

The board, which is made up of elected leaders from Pasco County, Port Richey, New Port Richey, Dade City and Zephyrhills, gave preliminary approval to a draft brought to them at their April 14 meeting, by the MPO staff.

Scott Ferry, a transportation planner for the MPO, outlined some of the major improvements included in the draft TIP. They are:

  • The widening of State Road 52, from east of U.S. 41 to Bellamy Brothers Boulevard: $121.5 million
  • Interstate 75 to Interstate 275 corridor improvements, from County Line Road to State Road 56: $57.6 million
  • U.S. 98 Bypass, around Dade City: $35.8 million
  • U.S. 41/State Road 54 interchange design and right of way acquisition: $33.6 million
  • Pedestrian overpasses over the Suncoast Parkway, at State Road 54 and State Road 52: $18.7 million
  • Roadway lighting projects on State Road 52, State Road 54 and U.S. 301: $4.7 million

A final approval is not expected until the board’s meeting in June. Once adopted, the TIP, as it’s known, will become effective July 1.

Ferry also told the board that Pasco has been faring extremely well, in terms of funding from the Florida Department of Transportation.

“Comparing funding levels with the current TIP, with the draft TIP, we see that funding is increasing by 68% in fiscal year 2023; 9% in (fiscal year) 2024; 145% in fiscal year 2025; and, 56% in (fiscal) year 2026.

“Comparing current total funding, with the draft TIP funding, spending is projected to increase by an overall amount of $154 million, for an increase of funding of almost 50% over a five-year period.

“This very large increase reflects the Florida DOT’s commitment to Pasco County and the recognition of the many transportation improvements that exist in the county. The MPO and the county are very grateful to the Florida DOT, for their strong commitment to their partnership with the county.

“It goes without saying, it’s very significant to the county and it’s going to go a long way toward addressing a great many unmet needs,” Ferry said.

Before he shared some of the high points, Ferry provided an overview regarding why adopting the TIP is both significant, and essential.

Without it, Ferry said, federal funds could not be spent on projects within the county.

“The TIP is a five-year schedule and program of federal, state and locally funded transportation projects in Pasco County. It reflects the Pasco MPO’s short-term transportation programming priorities,” Ferry said.

Developing the TIP is required by federal law and it must be updated annually, under state law, he said.

“The TIP is required to be fiscally constrained, which means the amount that is planned to be spent on the projects in the TIP cannot exceed the estimated amount of funding that’s available during the five-year period.”

It includes a list of all transportation programs and projects funded by federal and state funds, and includes all regionally significant projects, regardless of the funding source.

“That includes any projects that are county funded or privately funded, that are deemed to be regionally significant.”

Categories that are included among the priorities in the TIP include:

  • MPO planning efforts
  • Traffic operations and safety improvements
  • Intelligent Transportation projects
  • Additional roadway capacity improvements
  • Resurfacing projects
  • Bicycle and pedestrian improvements
  • Transit projects

It also includes funding for improvements to the Suncoast Parkway.

The agenda backup materials also included maps for:

  • Proposed highway capacity improvement projects
  • Bicycle and pedestrian improvement projects locations
  • Safety improvement projects
  • County capital project locations

On another note, Commission Kathryn Starkey offered a shorter-term solution, to address congestion on State Road 52, before the final segment of that roadway is widened in Pasco.

“I drive it all of the time to get here (to Dade City), Starkey said.

“I was wondering if it is possible to at least get a passing lane, because it is full of construction trucks, pulling in and off.

“And, if we could get some passing lanes here and there, that would make a huge difference in that five years.”

“A few passing lanes in the meantime would make a huge difference to commuters on that road, especially as more and more construction trucks, with Angeline and other projects coming on there.

“It’s going to be stop-and-go, and someone is going to get hurt, like me, trying to zip around those cars and trucks.”

Published April 20, 2022

Is Dade City poised for a marketing rebrand?

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The City of Dade City is in midst of an evolution that undoubtedly will alter the community’s aesthetic  — perhaps for decades to come.

The charming town in East Pasco is poised to see some 14,000 new homes on the books within the next five years, plus a slew of exciting downtown amenities and other unique, adventurous hotspots on the outskirts of town, just outside the city limits.

Drawing attention to Dade City’s past, while embracing it’s future is likely a challenge as the community looks to define its marketing identify. It’s an exercise that’s similar to how Pasco County in 2019 rebranded itself as ‘Florida’s Sports Coast,’ which is intended to capitalize on the county’s wave of youth and amateur recreation facilities. Shown here is The Dade City Heritage and Cultural Museum, housed within the Dade City Atlantic Coast Line Depot. This was the first site in Pasco County that was be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. (File)

It’s longtime moniker, “Proud Heritage and Promising Future,” may no longer be quite apt — because, as it turns out, the future is happening now.

So, city leaders face this looming question: How does Dade City go about rebranding itself as a tourist destination, and what specifically does it want to promote, to best encourage visitors and foster economic growth amid an unprecedented period?

Melanie Romagnoli, the city’s community and economic development director talked about those issues during two city commission workshops, held in October and November.

“We need to decide who we are and what we want to be,” Romagnoli said, addressing the Dade City Commission. “I think the whole thing about the brand is actually having our vision of what we want our future to be and sticking to it. How can we market the city as a destination, like Clearly Zephyrhills, like Florida’s Sports Coast?”

Following the monthly workshops and three-plus hours of discussion, at least one conclusion is apparent —  much more brainstorming is needed, before the city become serious and throws thousands of dollars to a branding consultant to develop an image profile (photos, videos, graphics, logos) to best promote the town’s features.

Built into the city’s budget for this year is $40,000 toward a marketing and advertising plan, promotional activities and other contractual services.

Before that money (and possibly much more) gets allocated, however, commissioners believe additional input is needed from the community and the public, including local businesses, residents and other stakeholders.

The input could take form in charrettes, surveys, monthly forums, and even door-to-door visits.

Commissioners also agreed that it may be prudent to wait until some new amenities throughout the city are established.

In other words, don’t put the cart before the horse.

“I do think branding right now is a little premature,” Mayor Camille Hernandez said. “There’s a lot of things happening, but I think what we need to do is go back to this community (for input).”

She also added: “I think we’re just a few steps away. It’s right under our noses.”

Mayor Pro Tem Jim Shive likewise was vocal about fostering grassroots community feedback on branding the city for the future.

“I don’t think we have actually talked about a real vision of what we want, or expect from the future, when it comes to development, when it comes to growing the city,” he said. “I think we need to have the public on board with this, especially when you’re talking about branding.”

Commissioner Normita Woodard, too, pointed out that some of the best ideas or designs may first come from a talented local volunteer, which may yield some cost savings instead of hiring an outside branding firm. Woodard also added she’s in “a reserved state” about spending thousands of dollars just yet, as the city is in a transitional period and still navigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

First things first
In the meantime, sprucing up the city’s downtown is necessary before doubling down on a full-scale rebranding effort, commissioners agreed.

Commissioners expressed concerns on proceeding with a full-on rebrand until noticeable improvements are made along the city’s Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) district in the form of wayfinding signage, speed limit and lighting fixtures, façade improvements and filling commercial property vacancies.

Some solutions could come via a commercial minimum maintenance standards ordinance, which staff is drafting — based on a consensus reached by commissioners to proceed in that direction.

If a maintenance standard is approved, it would require upkeep from property owners and business tenants on building paint, signs, window coverings, dumpster enclosures and fencing or security upgrades. Besides the CRA, standards would likely apply to the city’s main thoroughfares along U.S 301, U.S. 98 Bypass, State Road 52/21st Street intersection, and Meridian Avenue.

Emphasizing the importance of cleaning up the city, the mayor said: “Nobody wants to go to an icky, dirty place.”

Also before spending thousands on branding and marketing, another pressing issue is solving the city’s sizeable commercial building vacancy rate.

It presently exceeds 40% just in the downtown area, Romagnoli said.

“What are the vacancies telling our visitors: That there’s not anything going on. You walk down a street and you see a long wall of nothing but empty,” she said. “What makes them want to go to the next store?”

Commissioner Knute Nathe said it’s a “chicken-and-egg” dilemma that can’t quite yet be fully quantified: “You know, it’s kind of hard to market a place as a destination, without a ton of stuff already there; but it’s hard to bring businesses into town when people aren’t going there,” he said.

One way to create more consistent foot traffic is to have the city retain an event coordinator, Romagnoli suggested. The coordinator could host artisan and craft vendors somewhere downtown each weekend.

Commissioners expressed optimism with that idea.

Branding options abound
Aside from blighted areas, Dade City is beaming with opportunity on the horizon.

The city is in the midst of developing a 2-plus acre downtown park on Church Avenue, slated to include a multi-use water splash pad, bike-share shelter, amphitheater, ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)-accessible playground, open space, concession area and other amenities.

Just a stone’s throw away is a forthcoming event and entertainment center on Seventh Street, known as The Block.

The site of a former car dealership, and spearheaded by development partners Larry Guilford and Melanie Armstrong, The Block will include a wedding and event venue, outside patio, brewer, catering business, space for food trucks and a CrossFit gym.

Also on Seventh Street is the Dade City Center for the Arts, which has begun making inroads to facilitate community art events, as well as indoor and outdoor arts and cultural exhibits.

Other imaginative and creative marketing and branding possibilities seemingly abound.

Possibilities include leveraging the fun, family friendly experiences at Treehoppers Aerial Adventure Park and Snowcat Ridge, the state’s only snowtubing park, off St. Joe Road. Those attractions are just outside of city limits, but have a Dade City address.

The city also may be able to capitalize on another niche: Its budding reputation for rural, rustic destination weddings.

There are about nine such spots in East Pasco, including several with a Dade City address, Romagnoli said.

The city could consider a branding campaign that hypes local wedding spots, while encouraging other activities nearby, whether it’s biking the local trails and roads, shooting at West Armory’s indoor range, strolling the downtown shopping and dining scene, touring Pioneer Florida Museum, and so on.

The city’s economic director said another opportunity to piggyback on the destination wedding angle, includes attracting photographers, caterers and wedding planners to lease one or multiple empty building spaces downtown.

Yet another branding concept? Promoting the city as a wholesome place to raise a family.

In any case, a challenge going forward will be fighting through some established perceptions and misconceptions, Romagnoli said.

A case in point: Forbes magazine once listed Dade City among “The Best Places to Retire.”

That label no longer fits, or is appropriate, Romagnoli said.

The city’s median age is around 36.

“We’re no longer the best place to retire, but we’re a great place to raise a family,” she said.

Published December 02, 2020

Dade City turns 130: It’s time to celebrate

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Dade City is celebrating its 130th birthday with a series of events this week that include everything from a walking tour, to enjoying a free cupcake, to a scavenger hunt — and more.

The week kicked off with events on Monday and Tuesday — which was after The Laker/Lutz News went to press.

But, there are other events set for the rest of the week, beginning with a Walking Wednesday tour, set for June 5 at 9 a.m.

This historic courthouse has a commanding presence in downtown Dade City. It also is where the Pasco County Commission has some of its meetings. (File)

The tour begins at Agnes Lamb Park, 14200 Ninth St., and goes through downtown Dade City, wrapping up at the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, 14112 Eighth St., where refreshments await.

Those taking the tour have a chance to see a city that prides itself on its charm, its history, shops and restaurants, and its picturesque courthouse.

The stop at the chamber of commerce gives tour-takers a chance to visit the place which rallies a couple of hundred volunteers annually to put on the city’s signature event: the Kumquat Festival.

The festival, which pays homage to a tiny fruit, attracts thousands of visitors to Dade City.

Last year, the festival feature more than 400 vendors and sponsors who sold their products and promoted their services. In addition to generous sponsors, more than 200 volunteers stepped up to make it happen.

The chamber also hosts popular monthly business breakfasts and promotes merchant events to encourage a lively downtown.

Another celebration set for this week is called Throwback Thursday, which pits downtown merchants in a competition to see whose storefront window best reflects a theme from the past.

Voters can choose their favorite on June 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The winning business will receive a prize.

On Friday, June 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., drop by the Dade City Heritage Museum, at 14206 U.S. 98 Bypass, to enjoy a free cupcake and learn about Dade City’s 130-year history.

The museum itself has an interesting past.

It is housed within the Dade City Atlantic Coast Line Depot, which was built in 1912 and was the first site to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Originally, the depot accommodated freight and passenger traffic.

“Designed in a traditional style for southern railroad depots constructed in the late 19th and early 20th century, this building is utilitarian in layout, yet possesses finely crafted structural and ornamental Folk Victorian style details,” according to documents related to its historic designation. The building’s architectural elements include gable dormers, bay window, wraparound loading platform, and interior finishes, the document says.

Beyond being an architectural gem, the depot played an important role in Dade City’s history.

“Railroad stations served as major community commercial and social centers, linking each of the small towns with the rest of the world. At the turn of the century, therefore, railroads and associated depots play a significant role in the development of Central Florida communities, such as Dade City,” the historic document said.

The week of celebrations concludes with a Scavenger Hunt, set for Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The hunt will involve representatives from the City of Dade City, the city’s merchants, the Dade City Heritage Museum and others for a city-wide scavenger hunt. Take photos of the activities, people and places on the scavenger hunt list to earn points toward a grand prize.

Events set for earlier in the week — after The Laker/Lutz News went to press — included

Monarch Monday, which was a ceremony to officially dedicate Dade City as a Monarch Butterfly City USA.

The city has joined four other Florida municipalities to address the plight of the endangered insects.

Another event, called Touring Tuesday, was held on June 4. It featured a guided tour of City Hall, with a meet-and-greet with Mayor Camille Hernandez and members of the Dade City Commission.

Dade City celebrations
Walking Wednesday: June 5, 9 a.m.: Tour begins at Agnes Lamb Park, 14200 Ninth St., in Dade City. The walk travels through downtown Dade City, ending at the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, 14112 Eighth St., where refreshments will be available.

Throwback Thursday: June 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: The Downtown Dade City merchants will be decorating their storefront windows to reflect the years past and you get to vote on which you like best. The winning business will receive a prize.

First Friday: June 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: The Dade City Heritage Museum, 14206 U.S. 98 Bypass. Celebrate Dade City’s birthday with a free cupcake and learn about 130 years of Dade City history.

Scavenger Hunt Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Join the City of Dade City, the city’s merchants and the Dade City Heritage Museum for a city-wide scavenger hunt. Take photos of the activities, people and places on the scavenger hunt list to earn points toward a grand prize. Visit the Dade City Heritage Museum’s website or Facebook page for more details.

Published June 05, 2019

From Dade City, making Gator history

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Stipulated: Father-son combinations are scarcely so rare as to be particularly newsworthy in and of themselves. We’ve had father-son presidents of the United States, twice, and fathers have been handing off everything from international corporations to small family businesses almost since the idea of commerce emerged.

How ancient? The Abraham of Genesis begat the business of building great nations to Isaac and, if unwittingly, Ishmael.

Len Johnson, standing, and Hjalma Johnson are the first father-son presidents of Gators Boosters Inc., the fundraising arm of the University of Florida’s athletic association. (Tom Jackson/Photo)
Len Johnson, standing, and Hjalma Johnson are the first father-son presidents of Gators Boosters Inc., the fundraising arm of the University of Florida’s athletic association.
(Tom Jackson/Photo)

All of that is prelude to establish this: My deep roots in the University of Florida’s Gator Nation notwithstanding, I wouldn’t argue the newsworthiness of the following extension of the father-son tradition unless it were genuinely unique.

And, it is.

A couple of months ago, Len Johnson, 59, the Dade City-reared lawyer, became the 35th president of Gator Boosters Inc., the 14,000-member fundraising arm of The University Athletic Association Inc.

Len’s dad, the peripatetic Hjalma (pronounced “yomma,” rhymes with “comma”), whose reputation for joyful tears has made him the Fountain of Triple J. Ranch, was the group’s president during 2006-07 — undeniably the best year in University of Florida athletic history, if not the best year in the history of any big-college athletic program. And at a buoyant 81, Hjalma has a diamond-encrusted championship ring sandwich— a national football title between back-to-back basketball crowns — to show for it.

Still, we promised uniqueness, and we shall not disappoint: For all the legacy families tied to UF that have been prominent in Florida’s economy, politics and history, the Johnsons of Dade City are the first father-son presidents of Gator Boosters Inc. The absolute first.

And, to think Len’s old man once tried to scuttle this first-of-its-kind legacy. (OK, not really, but it makes an inviting tale.)

When the moment arrived a couple of years back to line up the president for 2016-17, executives and officers polled a key sample of the membership for a slate of candidates. On the appointed day for assembling the electors — most at UF’s athletic offices in Gainesville, some, like Hjalma, joining by speaker phone — then-President Rex Farrior III, the Tampa attorney/investor. Farrior, a one-time New York Yankees minor leaguer and former area youth sports star, declared only one name had been placed in nomination: Double-Gator Leonard H. Johnson, who earned UF degrees in business administration (1978) and law (1980).

At his office-shrine off the U.S. 98 Bypass in Dade City, Hjalma could hear murmurings of cheer accompanied by the approving rapping of knuckles on the boardroom table. Even as his heart swelled and his eyes puddled, Hjalma couldn’t resist playing the imp.

“Before you make a hasty decision,” the old Gator (industrial engineering degree, 1958) interjected with a teasing wink that was almost audible, “I want the board to know I have a lengthy c.v. (curriculum vitae, or life resume) on this Johnson fellow, and I’d like all the members to review it before they take a vote they might come to regret.”

“Hold it right there,” Farrior, 30 years Johnson’s junior, said from Gainesville, his voice crackling over the speaker phone in Dade City. “I’m going to say something to you I’ve been waiting nearly 10 years to say. Hjalma … you’re overruled.”

With that, the deed was done. Len Johnson, son of the weeping orator, became by acclamation president-elect.

Days later, Hjalma rang up Executive Assistant Rebecca Mahony, the group’s unofficial historian, wondering how long it would take to compile a list of all previous father-son Gator Boosters presidents.

“Not long,” Mahony replied. “In fact, I can give it to you right now. You and Len are it. It’s never happened before.”

Cue tears.

The president’s duties are substantially, but not entirely, ceremonial. As president of “The Team Behind the Teams,” Johnson is, in many ways, the head of the UF athletic program’ chamber of commerce. He’ll be part of on-field and on-court ceremonies, such as the one when Florida Field is officially renamed for Len’s first Gator hero, Steve Spurrier, the Heisman Trophy winner and legendary football coach.

Len also will be among the ribbon-cutters when the Stephen C. O’ Connell Center — home to the Gators’ indoor sports — reopens in December after a $64.5 million renovation, two-thirds of it financed by Gator Boosters efforts.

But, his prime directive is spearheading the group’s expansionist ambitions. Not that 14,000 reliable contributors — about 750 of them annual $15,000 “Bull Gators” — is small swamp cabbage. However, says Len, “We need to have 50,000. We need to increase the number who identify with the university at whatever level” they can muster, who will say, with their checkbooks, “Yeah, I’m a Gator.”

It’s an uphill climb, Len concedes, in an era when network contracts broadcast almost every game into the homes of fans where, “they have 70-inch high-def TVs, comfortable couches and the beer’s cheap.

“Support slips, when attendance falls, and that’s across the [Southeastern Conference],” he adds, increasing the challenge for a group that raises about $60 million a year.

While noting the clear differences between the son, known for stoicism and a dry wit, and his ebullient dad, Rex Farrior III is confident about the group’s leader, calling him “solid and methodical.” Len Johnson, Farrior says, sticks to his task even in the midst of upheaval.

Farrior’s confidence is sure to be tested, with two second-year coaches overseeing the university’s highest-profile sports and the pending retirement of long-serving Athletic Director Jeremy Foley.

On the other paw, all that change might herald the approach of opportunity. If it comes, new Gator Boosters President Len Johnson, the arid-cheeked first of his kind, should be uniquely qualified to tackle it.

Tom Jackson, a resident of New Tampa, is interested in your ideas. To reach him, email .

Published July 27, 2016

Cities to have backup water

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A project to link the water systems of Zephyrhills and Dade City is headed to construction, most likely by this summer.

The Zephyrhills City Council, on May 10, approved a contract for about $1.7 million with Suncoast Development of Pinellas County.

Work can begin after the Florida Department of Transportation completes its resurfacing and trails project on U.S. 301, which could happen within the next month.

Once underway, work on the water systems is expected to take about a month, said John Bostic, utilities director for the City of Zephyrhills.

Last year, the cities of Zephyrhills and Dade City reached a 25-year interlocal agreement to link their water systems. The agreement is seen as a backup plan during water emergencies. Both cities also anticipate greater water needs as more residences and commercial development sprouts along U.S. 301, the federal highway that links the two.

“If one of us ever runs out of water, we can send water on its way to one or the other,” Bostic said.

Each city would pay the going rate at the time, according to the agreement.
The project involves installing about three miles of water pipes and fire hydrants along the east side of U.S. 301, from Phelps Road to near the highway’s intersection with U.S. 98 Bypass in Dade City. Centennial Road will mark the dividing line between the two systems.

Construction costs will be paid through a $2 million grant awarded to the City of Zephyrhills by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Both cities use multiple public wells to supply residents and businesses with drinking water drawn from the Floridan aquifer. Zephyrhills gets most of its water from the Hillsborough River Groundwater Basin, and a portion from the Withlacoochee River Basin. Dade City’s permitted wells are within the Withlacoochee basin.

Published May 18, 2016

New Dade City Hall ready for debut

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Dade City residents will get their first official peek inside their new City Hall at a ribbon cutting on March 11 at 10:30 a.m.

City employees and law enforcement officers, however, are already getting accustomed to the new, 22,000-square-foot building. They moved in about three weeks ago.

“We’ve gotten settled in,” said Gordon Onderdonk, the city’s public works director.

(Courtesy of Wannemacher Jensen Architects)
(Courtesy of Wannemacher Jensen Architects)

Now, it’s the public’s turn to explore the new seat of city government, and the headquarters for the Dade City police department.

Ribbon-cutting festivities will include a performance by the Pasco High School Band, as well as speeches by guest speakers, a flag raising and a rendition of the national anthem. Those attending will be able to go on guided tours of the complex, and refreshments will be served.

Wannemacher Jensen Architects created a design for two separate buildings that are joined by an entryway canopy and a courtyard. One side of the complex houses city offices; the other is headquarters for the Dade City police force.

In preparation of the celebration, the Dade City Commission approved the temporary closure of Meridian Avenue from Fifth Street to the U.S. 98 Bypass from 8 a.m. to noon on March 11.

Construction on the new City Hall began in March 2015 on the site of the old building.

In the 1920s, developers planned a hotel at the location, but that was never completed.

During the Depression, the building found new life as a federal work project and served as the hub of city government for decades.

Through the years, city agencies outgrew the space and moved into other buildings.

During construction, some City Hall employees were relocated to an annex building and to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot on U.S. 98 at U.S. 301.

Consolidating offices in one building will make it easier for people to do business with the city, Onderdonk said.

“This is one-stop shopping for them to take care of everything. It’s all in the same building and will be convenient,” he said.

The city’s police department vacated its previous location on Pasco Avenue.

The new facility has typical features of a police department, including interview rooms, holding cells, a booking area, a special area for the K-9 unit and a conference room. But, there also is new and upgraded technology.

The city commission chamber also will benefit from technology upgrades, including a projector screen that will make it easier to observe meetings.

The approximately $5.9 million budget for the building’s construction came from the countywide Penny for Pasco program and the city’s reserve fund.

Published March 2, 2016

Scenic vistas are in U.S. 301 vision plan

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Between Zephyrhills and Dade City, a ribbon of asphalt connects two cities with distinct characteristics.

At either end, U.S. 301 is a gateway into two versions of small town America.

Between those places, motorists are treated to scenic vistas, rolling hills and wooded valleys.

“Anyone who drives it understands the uniqueness,” said James Edwards, director of Pasco County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization.

But, there are pressures building along U.S. 301, as developers make room for new subdivisions, shops and offices.

The Florida Department of Transportation will complete resurfacing of U.S. 301 in 2016, and also build a 10-foot wide multi-use trail paralleling the roadway. (File Photo)
The Florida Department of Transportation will complete resurfacing of U.S. 301 in 2016, and also build a 10-foot wide multi-use trail paralleling the roadway.
(File Photo)

The test is how to make room for growth, but also preserve the character of two cities and the state highway in between.

Edwards and Randy Mejeur, associate principal with AECOM, presented a long-range strategic vision plan on Jan. 25 for development along U.S. 301, from Kossik Road to the U.S. 98 bypass.

The plan emerged from three public workshops that gathered input from area residents, developers and business owners.

Pasco MPO funded the vision efforts. Representatives of Zephyrhills, Dade City and the Florida Department of Transportation participated.

“We think we’ve packaged a consensus out there,” Edwards said. “There really was no foundation. I think we’ve built the foundation.”

Mejeur said the workshops were heavily attended.

About 72 percent who participated either approved or strongly approved the proposed vision. About 11 percent either opposed or strongly opposed the plan and 18 percent was neutral.

Highlights of the vision plan are:

  • To maintain four lanes, with a trail system
  • To build reverse frontage roads, parallel to U.S. 301, but for use by local traffic
  • To have a minimum number of traffic signals and median cuts
  • To support development, but to have landscaping, buffering, and preservation of hills and vistas
  • To create unique gateways for Zephyrhills and Dade City

“They didn’t want to see Zephyrhills and Dade City all mashed up,” Mejeur said. “They wanted to keep distinct looks.”

And, they didn’t want the highway to be lined with strip malls.

Trail connections were priorities, too, Mejeur said.

“If we can preserve the character while accommodating traffic, I think that would be great,” said Zephyrhills Councilman Lance Smith.

Councilman Charlie Proctor had concerns about right-of-way purchases.

Edwards said, “We would see it as a friendly buy and not a condemnation. It is possible to come to terms.”

The state transportation department began resurfacing U.S. 301 in 2015, from Kossik Road to Bougainvillea Avenue, near the U.S. 98 bypass. The approximately six-mile road project also includes construction of a 10-foot wide multi-use trail paralleling the highway. Completion of the project is expected in the spring.

The new trail eventually is slated to link with Hardy Trail in Dade City.

Mejeur said a bicycle and pedestrian analysis for the area should be done “to look at how movement occurs, so that they continue to occur in a safe way.”

Next steps include the Pasco planning organization partnering with the state transportation department on a realignment study for U.S. 98 and Clinton Avenue. There is no funding as yet for the realignment, but other road projects to extend Clinton and to realign State Road 52 are in design phase.

The Dade City Council is expected to receive a similar presentation on the U.S. 301 vision plan soon.

Published February 3, 2016

Dade City and Zephyrhills pool their water

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Zephyrhills and Dade City will connect their water systems as a hedge against emergencies and future development along U.S. 301, the highway that runs between them.

City commissioners in both cities recently approved a 25-year interlocal agreement to turn their spigots on if either city is in need. Each city would pay whatever the going rate is at the time.

The first step is installing about 3 miles of 12-inch water pipes and fire hydrants along the east side of U.S. 301 from Phelps Road to somewhere near the highway’s intersection with U.S. 98 Bypass in Dade City.

“The water will be used on an as-needed basis, mainly for emergencies,” said John Bostic, Zephyrhills’s utilities director.

But city officials want to prepare for more rooftops and shops that could one day populate the highways and byways of Zephyrhills and Dade City.

A $2 million grant awarded to the City of Zephyrhills by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection will pay for construction. The project’s design, by Jones Edmunds & Associates, is nearly completed. The construction contract will be bid this summer, with an anticipated completion date of summer 2016.

Bostic said the initial plan to route the water pipes along the west side of the highway changed when the Florida Department of Transportation decided to install 10-foot wide multi-use trails on the west side of the road as part of a repaving project.

Construction on that project is under way.

The dividing line for maintaining the new water lines and serving customers will be Centennial Road.

Both cities rely on multiple public wells to supply residents and businesses with drinking water drawn from the Floridan aquifer system. Zephyrhills draws most of its water supply from wells permitted within the Hillsborough River Groundwater Basin, with some water also from a small portion within the Withlacoochee River Basin.

The Southwest Florida Management District is the state agency that issues water use permits. Currently the Hillsborough River basin is on the agency’s list of “areas of water resource concern.”

Dade City’s permitted wells are within the Withlacoochee basin.

“Hillsborough is definitely more restricted,” said Gordon Onderdonk, Dade City’s utilities director.

The long-range strategy of a unified water system traces back to the East Pasco Water Coalition, which was founded in 2009 through an interlocal agreement with Zephyrhills, Dade City, St. Leo and San Antonio. Onderdonk said the group meets about twice a year.

Predictions then were for demand to exceed water supply within 20 years. Swiftmud records show demand is high, but municipalities have reduced overall water usage in the last five to 10 years. Water restrictions, including limited lawn watering, and reclaimed water programs are among reasons for the decrease.

But as the economy recovers, developers are eyeing new projects that could add to water demand.

“There’s a lot of talk about (development) along U.S. 301,” Bostic said.

If it materializes, Zephyrhills and Dade City officials say linking their water systems will be a good backup.

Published April 8, 2015

Thanksgiving is a time of tradition, fellowship, food

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If Thanksgiving is all about sharing time together while enjoying a holiday meals with all of the trimmings, the Benedictine Sisters of Florida and Saint Anthony of Padua parish want to help make that happen for people unable to prepare their own meal, would otherwise dine alone, or do not have the means to make it happen.

Sister Donna DeWitt shows off some of the pies she baked for a previous Thanksgiving feast provided by the Benedictine Sisters of Florida and Saint Anthony of Padua parish. The two organizations will team up again this year to provide another holiday dinner for those who are unable to prepare their own meal, or are seeking companionship for the holiday. (Courtesy of Benedictine Sisters of Florida)
Sister Donna DeWitt shows off some of the pies she baked for a previous Thanksgiving feast provided by the Benedictine Sisters of Florida and Saint Anthony of Padua parish. The two organizations will team up again this year to provide another holiday dinner for those who are unable to prepare their own meal, or are seeking companionship for the holiday. (Courtesy of Benedictine Sisters of Florida)

Putting on the traditional feast and inviting others to share it has been a tradition for 19 years. The “Food, Fun, Faith and Fellowship” dinner is free, and takes place on Thanksgiving afternoon Nov. 27.

The meal includes turkey, stuffing, salad, mashed potatoes and pie.

Making the mashed potatoes is a gargantuan chore. It involves peeling 100 pounds of potatoes and then preparing them with Sister Donna DeWitt’s closely guarded recipe.

Members of the Saint Anthony Women’s Club get into the act, too, baking pies and making other desserts to top off the holiday meal.

Dinner is served from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., in the parish center behind Saint Anthony Church, 32848 Massachusetts Ave., in San Antonio.

Those who are homebound or who need transportation can call to schedule delivery of a meal, or to get a ride to enjoy the company of others on Thanksgiving. The numbers are (352) 588-8320, or (352) 588-3081.

Sister Jean Abbott, who lives at the Holy Name Monastery that the sisters share, loves the holiday tradition. It is a nice gathering.

“It’s better than a handout because we get to sit and eat with people,” Abbott said.

If people don’t have a way to get there, they don’t need to feel left out. “We can pick people up,” Abbott added.

If they’re simply unable to travel, she said, “we can do home delivery.”

Other Thanksgiving events

  • The Northeast Pasco Ministerial Association is having an annual Thanksgiving service Nov. 25 at noon, followed by a meal at Calvary Assembly, 13544 U.S. 98-Bypass, Dade City. A free will offering will be taken.

  • The 35th annual Bluegrass Music Festival will have bands, music, workshops and camping from Nov. 27-29, at the Sertoma Youth Ranch, 85 Meyers Road in Brooksville.

  • Annual Thanksgiving Boogie and Skillz in the Hillz, Nov. 22-31, at 4241 Sky Dive Lane in Zephyrhills. Buffet dinners are served nightly. For information, visit SkydiveCity.com.

Published November 19, 2014

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Gas prices fall in Zephyrhills, Dade City

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Gas prices have now dropped for six weeks in a row. And those prices could fall even lower yet, especially after the price of oil is at its lowest point since May 2013.

“Motorists should continue to see a discount at the pump,” said AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins, in a release. “High domestic oil supplies, a decrease in global demand, and the easing of geopolitical tensions in Libya and Iraq are keeping downward pressure on gasoline prices.”

Beginning Monday, refineries will no longer need to sell summer-blend gasoline, Jenkins said. Winter-blend is cheaper to produce, which will help push prices even lower in the coming months.

The price for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel in Florida was $3.32 on Sunday, compared to $3.36 a week ago. That’s down 16 cents a gallon from a year ago.

The price for a barrel of oil settled at $92.27 on Friday, down a little more than a dollar from the previous week. It’s at its cheapest level in four months.

The price drop came as the International Energy Agency decreased its 2015 oil demand forecast late last week, where it estimated that global demand will rise just 1.3 percent next year.

“The bottom fell out of oil prices this week,” Jenkins said. “U.S. domestic oil production is set to hit a 45-year high by next year. Barring a major weather event in the Gulf, or overseas geopolitical tensions, we should continue to see oil prices fall.”

In Zephyrhills, gas is cheaper than most other places in the county, with six gas stations checking in at $3.15. Yet, the Citgo at Gall Boulevard and Chancey Road reported prices of $3.34. Dade City saw a range of $3.15 at the RaceWay on U.S. 301 and McDonald Road, to $3.29 at a BP station at the U.S. 98 Bypass.

Four locations in Land O’ Lakes offered gas at $3.19 on Sunday, according to GasBuddy.com. They included the RaceTrac on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard near Lake Patience Road and on State Road 52 near Silver Palm Boulevard, as well as the Citgo station on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard near Lake Patience Road as well, and the Mobil station on State Road 52 near the Suncoast Parkway.

The most expensive reported was $3.30 at a Sunoco station on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard near Causeway Boulevard.

In Lutz, gas prices Sunday ranged from $3.21 at the Circle K on Van Dyke and Old Tobacco roads, to $3.39 at two Shell stations near Van Dyke.

Wesley Chapel prices were the lowest at Sam’s Club at State Road 56 near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard at $3.16, and reportedly the most expensive at a Shell station nearby, where gas sold for $3.29.