The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

New Port Richey

Pasco County on a path to create wildlife corridors

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A network of wildlife corridors is closer to reality as landowners concede most of their objections have been resolved.

The ordinance comes nearly 16 years after a lawsuit settlement mandated that Pasco County create the corridors, also known as “critical linkages.”

The linkages function as protected pathways for wildlife as diverse as bears, panthers, salamanders and frogs.

At the first public hearing on May 10, Pasco County commissioners had a presentation from county staff members and took public comment. No vote was held.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore questioned whether a county ordinance to create wildlife corridors did enough to protect property owners’ rights. (Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)
Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore questioned whether a county ordinance to create wildlife corridors did enough to protect property owners’ rights.
(Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)

Commissioners are scheduled to have their second public hearing and vote on the issue at their June 21 meeting at 10 a.m., in their chambers in New Port Richey.

“It’s been a long road to get here,” said Matt Armstrong, Pasco’s executive planner for the Long Range Planning Group.

The May 10 hearing was postponed from last year when commissioners asked for meetings and discussion on the issue.

The lawsuit was filed in the late 1990s and settled in 2000. Previous county commissions considered, but never approved, an ordinance.

Under the proposed ordinance, landowners could “willingly” sell their land to the county. Otherwise, the ordinance’s regulations would apply only if a landowner sought to rezone property for land uses of greater density or intensity, and had a corridor within the property’s boundaries.

Matt Armstrong, left, Pasco’s executive director for the Long Range Planning Group, and Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein answered questions at a public hearing on creating wildlife corridors.
Matt Armstrong, left, Pasco’s executive director for the Long Range Planning Group, and Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein answered questions at a public hearing on creating wildlife corridors.

Tweaks to the ordinance include a process to negotiate a corridor’s width; potentially rerouting the corridor without filing an expensive rezoning application; allowing a third party appraisal in land sale negotiations and an appeal to the commissioners; and splitting maintenance costs related to the corridors and their easements between the county and landowner.

“I’ve kind of run out of arguments against this ordinance, believe it or not,” said attorney David Smolker. He represents a client who owns about 140 acres that fall within one of seven wildlife corridors.

Mac Davis of the Gulf Coast Conservancy said county staff had listened to landowners and made reasonable changes. Now he said, the ordinance should be “rounding third base and heading for home.”

Determining the width of corridors, however, still gives Smolker and others some pause.

Keith Wiley, the county’s natural resources manager, said, “The staff will have the mechanisms to have the discussion with owners. Every piece along the corridor is different.”

But he added, the science behind how to create viable corridors is sound. “It’s being replicated across the world,” he said.

Minimum width is 500 feet; maximum width is 2,500 feet.

Mac Davis, of the Gulf Coast Conservancy, spoke at a public hearing in support of the county’s plan to create wildlife corridors.
Mac Davis, of the Gulf Coast Conservancy, spoke at a public hearing in support of the county’s plan to create wildlife corridors.

About 7,000 acres is needed to create seven wildlife corridors, but the county already owns some land. Some areas are wetlands that can’t be developed. About 2,500 acres is owned privately and would be regulated through the ordinance, county officials said.

In Central Pasco, corridors would link current and proposed development projects at Starkey Ranch, Crossbar, Connerton and Cypress Creek.

With the spurt of development in Pasco, Janet Howie, of the Nature Coast Florida Native Plant Society, said, “Ecological corridors are even more important to help prevent a total environmental wasteland from happening.”

Some still have concerns, however.

Land use attorney Ethel Hammer told commissioners during public comment that the ordinance would substantially affect property owned by the Bexley family. She plans to meet with county staff to detail their objections.

Landowner Jim McBride said the corridors should be more narrow. He also said there would be problems arising from people seeking access to the corridors.

“Ultimately, I believe the corridors are going to have to be fenced,” he said. “You need to protect wildlife from people.”

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore shared that concern.

“Wildlife corridors are not people corridors,” he said. “We could have people roaming back and forth.”

It’s difficult to write an ordinance that covers every scenario, but Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein said, “There is nothing in the ordinance requiring us to leave it open to the public. It’s best to deal with those on a case by case basis.”

Published May 18, 2016

Predatory towing under fire

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Pasco County commissioners want to put the brakes on predatory towing of vehicles.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore brought the matter up in February after receiving complaints from residents who chose to call a taxi or a friend for a ride home after an evening of drinks and dinner.

“Someone is being responsible,” said Moore, who discussed the problem again at the April 12 Pasco County Commission meeting. “They take Uber, or they ride home with a friend. They are not putting our citizens at risk on the road.”

TitleBut, Moore said some towing companies sweep through parking lots in the wee hours of the morning, especially on weekends, and haul off any vehicles they find.

Residents wind up paying hefty sums to get their cars back, even though they did the right thing by not driving, Moore said.

On April 26 at 1:30 p.m., a public hearing will be held to consider an amendment to the county’s towing ordinance. The hearing will be in the boardroom of the West Pasco Government Center, at 8731 Citizens Drive, in New Port Richey.

The City of Tampa and Hillsborough County have similar ordinances, and Pinellas County is considering one, county officials said.

The amendment would ban removal of a vehicle between 9 p.m. and noon when parked at an establishment licensed to sell beer, wine and alcohol for consumption on premises. The exception would be if the property owner signs an order permitting the removal of a particular vehicle.

A towing company would be required to have such an order prior to hauling off a vehicle.

“It sounds like a reasonable solution to predatory towing,” said Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader.

Published April 20, 2016

Patience dwindling on Ridge Road

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When it comes to the extension of Ridge Road, one Pasco County commissioner said it’s time to fish or cut bait.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore wants an answer from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the project by mid-May, or he’s ready to drop it.

The county has been waiting for 16 years for a permit on the project.

Moore reluctantly joined other commissioners on March 29 to approve a new consultants’ contract to pursue the permit, but said his tolerance is waning.

Mike Moore
Mike Moore

“I can’t continue this year after year,” Moore said. “I can’t continue even six months to give more and more funds (to a project) that I don’t know is going to happen.”

Moore signaled earlier that he had concerns about a six-month extension to a contract with consultants at Dawson & Associates.

The firm, based in Washington D.C., is helping steer the county’s permit application through the rules and regulations of multiple federal agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

At the time, commissioners agreed to the contract extension, but lowered the monthly payments of $38,500 down to $28,500.

The new contract is for one year, retroactive to February 2016, with the potential for month-to-month extensions for an additional three months. The fee remained unchanged.

The contract can be terminated with 30 days’ notice.

Dawson & Associates have submitted a new road design, with more bridges, that is part of a packet under review by the federal agency.

The agency is expected to respond within a month or so, said Dwight Beranek, senior advisor with Dawson & Associates.

“We’re seeing continuous progress, and even accelerated progress, in these last months,” he said.

The federal agency rejected the county’s permit application in April 2015, citing insufficient data and analysis of 17 construction alternatives.

Additional information and the modification of one alternative have been provided, but the application remains in the bureaucratic pipeline.

The 8-mile extension is viewed as high priority as a hurricane evacuation route, and as an additional east/west connector. But, there are objections about environmental damage to the area, and additional harm if more development is encouraged.

The road would run through about 58 acres of the 6,000-acre Serenova Preserve, set aside years ago to mitigate wetlands lost during construction of the Suncoast Parkway.

The road currently dead-ends at Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey.

The extension would link to U.S. 41, with a route to the parkway in Land O’ Lakes. There would be no access to the preserve from the road extension.

The county’s budget, for several years, has included $42 million for the first phase of the project.

Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey also expressed frustration with the lengthy process.

Pasco’s application is believed to be the longest pending permit request in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s history, but Starkey said delays aren’t unusual.
“This is a major problem with the Army Corps. It’s not just the county,” she said. “We’re not the only ones going through this.”

In agreeing to the new contract, Moore issued an ultimatum:

“I’m giving you (Dawson & Associates) until mid-May, or I’m done.”

Published April 13, 2016

PHSC aims to prepare globally astute graduates

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Dr. Timothy Beard, president of Pasco-Hernando State College, has been making the rounds to each of the college’s campuses in a run-up to a formal celebration of his inauguration as the college’s fourth president.

The events have had a different focus at each campus, with the most recent event at the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch centering on leadership development and community engagement.

Before that panel discussion began, however, Beard shared his vision for the college and talked about steps that are necessary to ensure its graduates are ready for challenges they will face.

Dr. Timothy Beard outlines Pasco-Hernando State College’s quest to prepare globally astute graduates during a recent event at the college’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. (File Photo)
Dr. Timothy Beard outlines Pasco-Hernando State College’s quest to prepare globally astute graduates during a recent event at the college’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.
(File Photo)

The state college, formerly known as Pasco-Hernando Community College, is 44 years old, and has made its mark on the region, Beard said. However, he added, “we believe our best days are ahead of us.”

Beard told those gathered that it’s important to reach out to the community, and for the community to reach out to the college.

“We’ve learned over the years in order to be effective and efficient as a public institution, we all need each other,” Beard said. “At the end of the day, we want our students to be successful. We want our students to be able to complete whatever they started.”

The college wants to prepare students “who are globally astute,” Beard said. It also wants them “to be able to imagine, achieve and succeed,” he said. “In other words, we want them to be able to dream.

“This vision doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It needs fuel. It needs energy,” he said.

The college delivers its instruction through online learning, face-to-face instruction and through a hybrid approach, Beard said.

It is aiming to increase its college completion rates by 50 percent within the next five to 10 years, Beard said.

“College readiness is big piece of what we do. We have very strong partnerships with Pasco and Hernando public schools, with USF (the University of South Florida) and Saint Leo University,” Beard said.

“We serve a purpose in making sure that students have the right to a public education. So, we want to make sure that education is affordable. We want to make sure it is accessible. And, we want to make sure our students are successful,” he said.

“We take great pride in being the great democratizer of education — meaning we’re willing to give students not just a second and third, but a fourth and fifth chance.”

The college also wants to help close the American skills gap, Beard said.

“Companies want to come here. They want to do business with us. No. 1, they want to make sure we have a skilled workforce,” he said.

“We have companies that are calling us every day to ask us, ‘Do you have students or graduates who can go to work for us?’” Beard added.

So, the college is playing “a very vital role in making sure we can produce students with industry certifications, AS (Associate of Science) degrees, students who can go to work to make a difference in our workforce,” Beard said.

“We want every student in this county that at least by age 20, 21, they have some type of credential – a certification, an AS degree, a BS (Bachelor of Science) degree,” Beard said.

He also asked for continuing support of the college’s efforts.

“We know we can’t do it alone,” Beard said.

Inauguration of PHSC President
Dr. Timothy Beard will be inaugurated as Pasco-Hernando State College’s fourth president on May 6, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., at the college’s Performing Arts Center on its West Campus in New Port Richey, 10230 Ridge Road. The reception will follow, at 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., in the physical fitness center at the same campus.

Published April 13, 2016

Governor slashes some budget items

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Pasco County had some hits and misses in the 2017 state budget.

Gov. Rick Scott signed a statewide budget bill of about $82 billion on March 17. But not before he slashed about $256 million in vetoed items, including $11 million sought for the proposed performing arts center at the Pasco-Hernando State College.

However, he spared some Pasco projects including $450,000 for repairs and upkeep at the Baldomero Lopez Memorial Veterans Nursing Home in Land O’ Lakes and $53,500 for the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village in Dade City.

Gov. Rick Scott vetoed a proposed $750,000 grant to help restore the Capt. Harold B. Jeffries House in Zephyrhills. (File Photo)
Gov. Rick Scott vetoed a proposed $750,000 grant to help restore the Capt. Harold B. Jeffries House in Zephyrhills.
(File Photo)

The performing arts center is planned for joint uses between the college and Pasco County Schools. It likely will be built on property near the Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

In two prior years, requests of $10 million each made it through safely. This is the first rejection for a project expected to cost as much as $60 million.

“It’s disappointing, but we understand it’s a complex statewide budget,” said Lucy Miller, spokeswoman for the state college. “There’s always another year we can vie for funds. It’s a fact that we have to look at other options and see what’s out there.”

Miller noted, however, that it’s unlikely to be a private donor with deep enough pockets to foot such a large bill.

Planning for the project will move forward, she said.

The college currently operates a performing arts center in a 620-seat theater on its West Campus in New Port Richey. The proposed facility would have up to 3,000 seats, and could serve as training ground for college and high school performing arts’ students.

It also has potential for conferences, conventions, trade shows and high school graduation ceremonies.

A 2013 study by the Urban Land Institute found that Pasco lacks sufficient cultural and arts venues, and should consider using revenues from the Penny for Pasco program to support such projects.

Scott also rejected some other Pasco projects.

He cut $250,000 to help reopen the Moore Mickens Education Center in Dade City and $75,000 to restore the historical Capt. Harold B. Jeffries’ house in Zephyrhills.

The Moore Mickens school was Pasco’s first school for black students. In more recent years, the school provided adult education, a Cyesis program for pregnant teenagers and an early childhood education program for child care workers.

School officials closed Moore Mickens in 2015 and transferred its programs to other sites.

The request for the Jeffries’ house in Zephyrhills landed on the annual “turkey watch” list issued by Florida Taxwatch.

Built in 1912, the structure is the original home of Jeffries, the Civil War veteran who settled Zephyrhills in the hopes of bringing other war veterans with him.

The private, nonprofit Taxwatch group doesn’t judge a project’s worthiness, but singles out projects for a lack of transparency and accountability.

According to Taxwatch, the request for the restoration funds didn’t go through the historical properties grant process.

Another project on the turkey list escaped the veto pen: Scott led stand a request for $750,000 for a multi-modal trail across U.S. 19 in New Port Richey.

Other winners in Pasco are the STEM aeronautics academy at Sunlake High School and other locations, with $750,000; Dade City, with $400,000 for a storm water project; Pasco Sheriff’s child protective unit, with $400,000; Lighthouse for the Blind in Pasco and Hernando counties, with $100,000; and $250,000 for a new kitchen for the Senior Elderly Nutrition Program in Land O’ Lakes.

Sometimes persistence pays off.

Last year, Gov. Scott vetoed a similar request for the kitchen. He also scuttled a larger request of $1.9 million for Dade City’s storm water initiative.

Published March 30, 2016

Nursing home set to open in 2017

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Construction is under way on an upscale nursing home and assisted living facility at the corner of Hayes Road and Nebraska Avenue, in Lutz.

Tampa Lakes Health Care and Rehabilitation Center, at 750 Hayes Road, is slated to open in February 2017. A groundbreaking for the 179-bed facility took place in January.

Tallahassee-based Summit Care Consulting is developing the approximately 96,000-square-foot center that will be built in a neighborhood style layout.

An artist’s rendering shows the ‘neighborhood’ style design for Tampa Lakes Health & Rehabilitation Center. The facility will offer a homelike setting for permanent and temporary residents. (Courtesy of Tampa Lakes Health & Rehabilitation Center)
An artist’s rendering shows the ‘neighborhood’ style design for Tampa Lakes Health & Rehabilitation Center. The facility will offer a homelike setting for permanent and temporary residents.
(Courtesy of Tampa Lakes Health & Rehabilitation Center)

Each “neighborhood” at Tampa Lakes will have its own dining and activities areas, spa room, tranquility/therapy room, outdoor areas and mobility garden.

Permanent and temporary residents will be welcome.

Summit Care specializes in nursing home facilities.

According to its website, clients include New Port Inn in New Port Richey, The Springs at Boca Ciega in St. Petersburg and Northbrook Health & Rehabilitation Center in Brooksville.

In a statement announcing the start of construction, company officials said they were responding to a customer base that wants “to enjoy more of a homelike environment during their stay.”

For instance, residents can dine in restaurant-style settings with freshly prepared meals. Nutritional counseling will be provided by a registered dietician for residents in short- and long-term care.

The focus of customized care plans will be to reduce unnecessary drug use and repeat visits to the hospital.

A “Partners in Care” program brings physicians, patients, residents and their families together to set attainable goals.

Rehabilitation programs will offer state-of-the-art medical technologies to work toward recovery, reduce pain, prevent falls and address other age-related health issues.

“It will be our focus to improve the quality of life for each individual, so they can get the most out of life,” the company statement says.

Published March 9, 2016

Connerton Corner to get McDonald’s

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McDonald’s restaurant is set to open at Connerton Corner in late summer.

It is yet another sign that developers are looking north along U.S. 41 to bring retail to Land O’ Lakes, an area where more rooftops are popping up.

A groundbreaking for McDonald’s is expected by mid-April, with an opening date slated for late July or early August.

A dump truck tips a load of dirt onto a vacant lot that in April will be the site for a groundbreaking of a new McDonald’s restaurant, at U.S. 41 and Pleasant Plains Parkway. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
A dump truck tips a load of dirt onto a vacant lot that in April will be the site for a groundbreaking of a new McDonald’s restaurant, at U.S. 41 and Pleasant Plains Parkway.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Construction crews currently are preparing the site at the entrance into the master-planned community of Connerton, at U.S. 41 and Pleasant Plains Parkway.

The site is owned by Orlando-based Connerton Corners LLC, according to Pasco County records.

For McDonald’s franchise owner, Jose Hernandez, the restaurant will be his 11th restaurant in the Tampa Bay area. His 10th restaurant recently opened at 11367 Ridge Road in New Port Richey.

Hernandez also owns franchises in Trinity, New Port Richey and Land O’ Lakes. He bought most of his locations in 2014 from Bob Brickman, a long-time franchise owner in the Tampa Bay area.

“(Pasco) is destined for very progressive growth,” said Hernandez, who began his career with McDonald’s more than 25 years ago. He has been an operator/owner since 2008 but also has served in corporate positions including more than four years as president of McDonald’s Caribbean division.

McDonald’s has restaurants in about 120 countries. Hernandez has visited more than 80 of those countries and helped open restaurants in Central and South America and the Philippines.

Hernandez now calls Pasco County home.

“It’s amazing after a world tour to come home,” Hernandez said. “We are very fortunate to be in our location in Pasco County, (an area) that is still under discovery.”

He was 9 years old when his family immigrated from Cuba to south Florida. In 1989 Hernandez relocated to Tampa where he began his career with McDonald’s.

The fast-food chain currently is sprucing up the design of its restaurants including Hernandez’ location at Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and State Road 54.

The company also recently introduced the all-day breakfast to its menu. That is going over well, Hernandez said.

The Connerton Corner restaurant will be testing another new concept – self-ordering by kiosk. The Ridge Road location also has kiosks.

Hernandez said customers can walk in, place an order at a kiosk, then sit down and wait for an employee to deliver the meal tableside.

“I believe it’s a whole different experience,” he said.

It’s a sign of how much social media and new technology is influencing customer service, he added.

Initial testing has been positive but the system will be tweaked to work through any kinks in its operation. Employees will help guide customers through the process. “We’ve done a lot of prep work to bring it forward,” Hernandez said.

The new restaurant initially will fill about 60 to 65 positions. Current employees from other locations will help get the restaurant started but local residents also will have opportunities to apply for jobs, Hernandez said.

“I think it grows from there,” he said.

Published March 9, 2016

Radio system improvements planned

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Pasco County is replacing dinosaur analog with new age digital.

The county is replacing a 26-year-old, outmoded radio communications system.

New radios, antennas and cell towers will enhance Pasco County’s public safety coverage.

In recent years, the existing system has been plagued with complaints by residents about dropped 911 calls.

Todd Bayley, Pasco County’s chief information officer, stated the obvious to Pasco commissioners in February. “The system is at maximum capacity,” he said. “We have coverage issues currently.”

Commissioners approved a $14.5 million contract with Williams Communications Inc., to add seven new cell tower sites for a total of 10 sites countywide. Existing sites are in New Port Richey, Darby and Dade City. The new sites will enhance public safety coverage particularly in new growth areas of Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel.

In addition, the new system will replace old hand-held and portable radios, add antennas to existing sites, and enhance capabilities at the county’s 911 emergency center. The project will roll out over three years, with completion expected in July 2018.

“It’s giving us total 100 percent coverage everywhere in the county,” Bayley said.

The current system relies on three cell tower sites, 2,500 hand-held and portable radios, and 11 dispatch consoles for 911 calls.

The manufacturer’s expiration date for that system is in 2017.

The upgraded system will support public safety agencies including the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Office of Emergency Management, and Pasco Fire Rescue as well as law enforcement agencies that have merged emergency operations with Pasco. Those include Port Richey, Dade City and New Port Richey.

In addition, the county supports communications on board more than 30 percent of Pasco County School District’s buses. Communications among all county agencies also will be enhanced and expanded.

Funding is from the Penny for Pasco tax money collected annually by the county, with 20 percent set aside for public safety projects.

The new system will be compatible with radio systems used by law enforcement and public safety agencies in surrounding counties.

As an added feature, Bayley said certain public safety and fire rescue officers will be able to download an application to a Smartphone, and with the punch of a button, start talking over the radio system.

“So, they don’t always have to have a radio on their hip,” Bayley said.

As the systems are traded out, the transition should be seamless as the new system is compatible with the existing system, Bayley said.

The county plans to fund the project initially by borrowing from the general reserve funds and then securing a loan to reimburse those funds. The loan closing is expected on March 9.

Published March 2, 2016

Helping homeless people reclaim sense of dignity

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In the spiritual realm, preachers often talk about being cleansed by the healing power of Jesus.

But, members of Vine Church in Zephyrhills, also want to share their love of the Lord in a more practical, down-to-earth way.

Members of the church at 4743 Allen Road already routinely feed the homeless.

Their latest quest has been a fundraising campaign to raise money for a mobile shower unit.

The idea came while sharing food with the hungry, said Pastor Carlos Santana.

Santana said some of his “homeless brothers and sisters” told him what they would really like is a nice, hot shower.

Initially he thought a shower could be built in someone’s barn.

But, then he realized that homeless people would have a hard time getting to the shower.

So, then he thought: “Why don’t we make it mobile?”

“Through a lot of prayer, we found out that FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) uses these mobile showers every time they have a disaster.”

So, now the church is raising money to buy a mobile unit with four shower stalls.

To help things along, it is planning a movie night behind the church on Feb. 26. Donations of $10 are requested, but people are welcome if they can’t afford to pay, Santana said. And, donations exceeding $10 would be gratefully accepted, he said.

The church needs $30,000. So far, it has raised about $4,000.

Vine Church, which began about two years ago, is a nondenominational Christian church, with about 45 members, ranging in age from infants to around age 70.

“Our basic mission as a church is to love God fully and people unconditionally. That’s our mission. That’s our vision. To love people unconditionally,” Santana said.

“We started feeding the homeless. Some of them in Zephyrhills,” he said.

They also feed the hungry at Sims Park in New Port Richey.

“We go out there every Saturday, and we feed them breakfast. And then, one Saturday a month, we also do lunch,” he said.

“Now, we’re collecting clothing. So, we’re also giving clothing and toiletries,” he said.

Eventually, Santana hopes the church can buy several of the portable shower units.

“When people look at homeless people, for some reason, they look at them like they’re not people, they’re not human,” he said.

A hot shower may seem like a simple thing, Santana said. But, a hot shower, a meal and clean clothing can go along way toward helping to restore someone’s sense of dignity.

He hopes other churches follow Vine’s lead.

“I really would like for this to be something that all churches would pick up on. If we all just come together, we could make a real difference.

“It’s really God’s church. It’s one church. One body,” he said.

He said his church feels called to get out and help others in need. When they see the love of Christ in action, they will come to see that it’s true, Santana added.

“We’re not called to sit in a church and warm up pews,” Santana said.

“He (Jesus) told his disciples, ‘Get up and go.’

“That’s what we’re doing,” Santana said.

Shower fundraiser
What: A showing of ‘The War Room,’ a movie about prayer, to raise money to purchase a portable shower unit to help the homeless.
When: Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
Where: Behind Vine Church, 4743 Allen Road in Zephyrhills
How much: A donation of $10 is suggested. Less will be accepted, and more will be appreciated.
Details: Popcorn and hotdogs and other refreshments will be available for purchase. Movie-goers should bring their own chairs.

Published February 24, 2016

 

Craft beers are In the Loop in Land O’ Lakes

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Cooking home brewed beer started as a hobby five years ago, with three friends in Land O’ Lakes meeting up in a garage on Cherbourg Loop.

All anyone had to say was – “See you at the loop.”

And, the next few hours were devoted to brewing beer.

The compliments rolled in.

Mark Pizzurro, Joe Traina and Peter Abreut anticipate opening their craft brewery in Land O’ Lakes in spring. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
Mark Pizzurro, Joe Traina and Peter Abreut anticipate opening their craft brewery in Land O’ Lakes in spring.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

“We had a lot of people like our beers,” said Peter Abreut. “That made us think we could really start something.”

By spring, a garage hobby will become In the Loop Brewing with an on-site brewery, tap and tasting room, and nearly 7,000 square feet for an outdoor beer garden.

The brewery, tap and tasting room will open first, with the beer garden opening later on.

Abreut and partners, Mark Pizzurro and Joe Traina, are busy renovating a former residence at 3338 Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. The two-story house is next door to a building that houses Interior Elegance and Abreut’s gym, Crossfit En Fuego.

The upstairs can be rented for private parties or special events such as birthdays, weddings and office parties.

“We’re trying to keep the house as is,” Pizzurro said. “It has its own character.”

A former single-family home on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard is being renovated for a tap and tasting room. In the Loop Brewing will be next door to Interior Elegance and Crossfit En Fuego.
A former single-family home on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard is being renovated for a tap and tasting room. In the Loop Brewing will be next door to Interior Elegance and Crossfit En Fuego.

A shed on the property will be converted into the brewery.

An outdoor patio, decks, an inside/outside serving window and landscaping will complement the beer garden.

Noise will be kept at a minimum, Traina said, with low-level background music for the beer garden.

“It’s very community oriented,” he said. “That’s our goal.

Everything is coming into place.

In the Loop Brewing already has a fan base with nearly 900 likes on Facebook from beer enthusiasts who identify as “loopers.”

A Portland-based company is delivering brewing equipment. The Pasco County Commission, in January, approved the brewery’s beer and wine licenses. A federal license to brew beer is expected soon.

“I’m excited about this. This is a great day for Land O’ Lakes,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore. “This is great for the area’s development. This is also tourism for the county if you think about it.”

An In the Loop growler sits on a table on the patio of a former residence that is being renovated as a tap and tasting room for In the Loop Brewing.
An In the Loop growler sits on a table on the patio of a former residence that is being renovated as a tap and tasting room for In the Loop Brewing.

Three years ago Big Storm Brewing, located in Odessa, was Pasco’s only craft brewery.

“For years you’d seen nothing of this kind of thing,” Traina said.

Pasco now is seeing a burst of new breweries.

The vacant ClassB screen-printing business in downtown Zephyrhills will soon open as Zephyrhills Brewing Co. Pasco County commissioners also approved a beer and wine license for Rebel Dog Brewing Co., in New Port Richey.

According to 2014 data from the Brewers Association, Florida ranked ninth nationally in numbers of craft breweries, with 111 locations. The state held the fifth spot in production at 1.1 million barrels of craft beer.

But, Traina said the trend for more breweries isn’t about competition, but camaraderie. “The whole culture of the (brewing) community is to be tight- knit,” he said. “It’s so diverse.”

Pizzurro is head brewer among the partners. In addition to home brewing, he served as an intern at Big Storm for about a year.

In the Loop’s beer selections so far include an IPA, American pale ale, a Vienna lager and farmhouse ale.

It is a true partnership, however.

Everyone can contribute on beer recipes.

Abreut is skilled in marketing; Traina in sales.

“We all bring something to the table,” Traina said.

And, they take pride in bringing a unique experience to Land O’ Lakes.

“It’s helping revitalize this area,” said Abreut. “That’s what we want to do.”

More information about In the Loop Brewing can be found on their Facebook page.

Published February 3, 2016