The Pasco County Planning Commission and the county’s planners have recommended approval of a rezoning that would allow 400 apartments on approximately 43.42 acres at the southeast corner of Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Hay Road.
Denise Hernandez, the county’s zoning administrator, detailed the request at the planning board’s July 22 meeting.
The proposed multifamily project would be located between the recently approved Hay Road Townhomes project to the west and Compark 75, to the east.
“Multifamily apartment uses create a transition from the industrial uses to the townhomes,” Hernandez said.
The request is consistent with the county’s land development code and its comprehensive plan, Hernandez added.
The site is currently zoned for agricultural and light industrial uses.
In addition to the rezoning, the applicants also are requesting a variance from the county land development code requirements relating to parking and park space, Hernandez said.
The planning board and county staff recommend approval of those variance requests.
The planning board voted unanimously to recommend approval of the rezoning, with the exception of Planning Commission Roberto Saez, who was absent.
No one raised objections about the request during the public hearing.
The Pasco County Commission is expected to take final action on the land use plan amendment, which is required for the rezoning, and on the rezoning itself, during its Aug. 24 meeting, according to Joel Tew, the attorney representing the applicants.
Although the request has the support of the planning board and county staff, it has faced opposition in the past.
Commissioners were divided on the land use plan amendment, voting 3-2 to transmit the request to state officials for review.
Commission Chairman Ron Oakley, and Commissioners Kathryn Starkey and Christina Fitzpatrick voted in favor of the transmittal, while Commissioners Mike Moore and Jack Mariano were opposed.
Moore who ultimately persuaded his colleagues to allow a six-month moratorium, which affects only his district, has urged commissioners to ease up on rezonings for multifamily developments.
If it doesn’t, Moore predicts there will be a heavy price to pay in the future, when a glut of apartment buildings leads to high vacancy rates and buildings that fall into disrepair.
Published July 28, 2021
