The Pasco County Commission has approved two joint partnership agreements with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), aimed at improving lighting along two county roads.
One agreement calls for installation of street lights along State Road 56, from Willow Oak Drive to The Shops at Wiregrass entrance. The county will be coordinating with Withlacoochee River Electric Company on the project, which is set to start this summer and be completed by winter 2023.
The second agreement calls for installing the lighting along State Road 56, from The Shops at Wiregrass entrance to Meadow Pointe Boulevard.
The county will coordinate with Withlacoochee River Electric Company for the installation of the street lights. The construction, engineering and inspection phase is expected to begin this summer and be completed by the winter of 2023.
Both projects are each estimated at $60,000, according to backup materials in the county board’s May 17 agenda packet.
In other action at the May 17 meeting, the county board:
- Approved a moratorium for development near airports, with the exception of Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. The moratorium will allow the county to develop regulations aimed at protecting airports.
- Approved awarding work to the following companies: Megascapes Landscape and Maintenance Inc., (Megascapes) as the primary vendor; Sunbelt Sod & Grading Company (Sunbelt), as the secondary vendor; and Sod Solutions Inc., (Sod Solutions) as the tertiary vendor for ongoing and as-needed sod and sod installation to be used by the Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources Department. The total work is not to exceed $250,000 for fiscal year 2022 and $250,000 for fiscal year 2023, for a cumulative amount of $500,000, for the two-year contract ending Sept. 30, 2023.
- Agreed to purchase 18.28 acres of property from Lynn Heasley, for $400,000, plus closing costs, for the land to be included in the county’s Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program. The land is in Land O’ Lakes, on the north and south sides of State Road 52. The property is next to the ELAMP-owned Upper Pithlachascotee River Preserve, and within the North Pasco to Crossbar Ecological Corridor. While the property will be managed as part of the Upper Pithlachascotee River Preserve, the seller has requested that the tract be named after her father, Maj. Billy A. Heasley, a retired veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
- Approved a rezoning from a general commercial district to a Master Planned Unit Development to allow 376 residential units and 85,500 square feet of retail on 40.05 acres, on the south side of State Road 52, about 840 feet east of Mirada Boulevard.
- Directed County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder to follow the recommendation made by outside counsel to approve the proposed settlement with Walgreens, and authorize the county attorney’s office to execute necessary documents for Pasco County to participate in the proposed settlement with this defendant.
- Approved spending $425,000 to purchase affordable housing rental units.
- Approved a 120-day extension for completion of an intersection improvement at Eiland Boulevard/Morris Bridge Road and State Road 54. The new completion date is set for Aug. 9, 2023.
- Approved a budget amendment recognizing additional revenue for the library service department, through a state aid to libraries grant award of $144,793. The state aid to libraries grant is received annually, and the funds are used to purchase library books and electronic resources.
- Approved funding for reimbursement grants from the Florida Sports Foundation to the county’s Destination Management Organization (DMO), in the amount of $32,677.82.
The reimbursement resulted from a higher-than-expected public participation at several events hosted by the DMO.
The board also discussed the need for a working arrangement with Pasco County Schools to open school playgrounds, basketball courts and other facilities, to allow families and children to enjoy using them.
Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick said she has been working on the issue.
Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey said opening up those facilities is long overdue. She, too, has been interested in making the facilities available for public use.
When there are more people congregated in areas, there’s a reduced chance for vandalism, because there are more people watching what’s happening there, the county board chairwoman said.
Published May 25, 2022
