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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Pasco County Planning Commission

Planning Commission supports requested changes

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has given its stamp of approval for a number of requests that would affect property use in the central and eastern portions of Pasco County.

The Planning Commission makes the final decision on special exception requests, but its decisions can be appealed to the Pasco County Commission. The County Commission has authority over other land use and zoning matters.

At its Oct. 10 public hearing in Dade City, the planning commission:

  • Approved a special exception request by Gianna Mari Siervo Fragoso for a kennel for dog training on a 1.08-acre site on the east side of Boyette Road, about 650 feet north of Clearview Drive. The kennel, at 7242 Boyette Road in Wesley Chapel, will be used for dog training, boarding and breeding. Conditions limit use of the site to 30 dogs and specify that operating hours (open to the public) would be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
  • Approved a special exception request by Kelsey and Jeremy Whitmer to operate a bed and breakfast on a 10-acre site on the north side of Hanlon Terrace, about 1,100 feet west of Bellamy Brothers Boulevard. The site contains a two-story residence. The applicants propose to use the mother-in-law suite as their residence and to operate the bed and breakfast out of the remaining area of the existing structure. The applicants also wish to host events inside the bed and breakfast. The applicants note that the property can accommodate up to 10 guests at a time and the farmhouse provides a unique setting for nightly accommodations.
  • Recommended the County Commission approve a zoning request by Amanda M. Bray, aka Simmons, to change the zoning from a mobile home district to an agricultural residential district. The 3.78-acre property is at the southeast corner of the intersection of Hillbrook Avenue and Westbrook Street. The item now goes to the Pasco County Commission for a final vote, which is scheduled on Nov. 5 at 1:30 p.m., in Dade City.

Published October 30, 2019

New apartment project approved on State Road 54

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The Pasco County Commission has approved a project with 280 apartments and 49,500 square feet of commercial, on the north side of State Road 54, between Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Collier Parkway.

Commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the rezoning request, with Commissioner Mike Moore objecting vociferously.

Attorney Clarke Hobby said a market study shows that Pasco County is not overbuilt with apartments. (File)

Attorney Clarke Hobby represented the A.G. Spanos Companies and the Aiken Trust on the request, which involves a 25.4-acre site, about 2 miles west of the interchange of State Road 56 and Interstate 75.

Both county planners and the Pasco County Planning Commission had recommended approval of the request.

During the Planning Commission public hearing, Hobby told that board that A.G. Spanos Companies has built more than 100,000 multifamily Class A apartments across the United States during the past 50 years.

The main access to the site will be from the intersection of State Road 54 and Oak Grove Boulevard, an existing signalized intersection.

The commercial portion is planned near the front of the property, to take advantage of the traffic light.

Objections were raised to the proposed rezoning during the Planning Commission meeting by some neighbors in the Twin Lakes community, but no one objected during the County Commission’s hearing.

“We got the consent of the adjacent homeowners and we did that by working hard,” Hobby said.

The attorney said his client has been working with the neighborhood and with county staff to improve the project.

The applicants agreed to provide a long access road to improve interconnectivity in the project, they reduced the height of the apartments and they created a large setback, Hobby said.

The attorney also noted that the project fits in with the county’s vision for the South Market Area, which calls for higher density, mixed-use development clustered around existing arterial roadways.

The idea is to avoid spreading out density like peanut butter, and instead create a true urbanized area, Hobby said.

Planning expert Kelly Love, director of entitlement planning at Clearview Land Design in Tampa, also spoke on behalf of Hobby’s clients.

“The plan is for the South Market Area to evolve from a suburban bedroom community development pattern, with inefficient utilization of land, to one which incorporates verticality, density and urban form,” she said.

“The Aiken mixed-use amendment before you today, contributes to this land use evolution.

“We’re trying to put the density, the  mixed-use and the connectivity in an infill development, which has transit right at its front door,” she said.

And, while Moore has consistently voiced opposition to the proliferation of apartments being developed in the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor, Hobby said that a market study was done and it shows that Pasco County’s multifamily is not overbuilt.

“Our overall renter percentage ownership compared to other suburban or urbanized areas is very low. We’re at roughly 22.5 percent; Manatee is at 27.8; Hillsborough is at 40.

“So, we are way below everyone else. We are in a healthy market. There’s a demand there. We’ve got a great project. We’ve got a great builder,” Hobby said.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore wants to stop continued approvals of new apartments in the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor.

But, Moore reiterated his objections.

“It’s no secret about my disdain for the amount of apartment complexes that are going up along the 54/56 corridor, especially east of Collier Parkway up to Bruce B. Downs,” Moore said.

“My concern is that what this board is doing and continuing to do, along with what previous staff members have done with the South Market Area, is you’re going to be very disappointed, 10, 15, 20 years down the road,” he said.

He then rattled off a list of 13 apartment developments within a 5-mile radius.

Moore also said the residents and business owners who live within the area “are sick and tired of apartments on (State Road) 54 and (State Road) 56. It’s a fact. I hear it all of the time.”

When people come to Pasco County and head on State Road 56, they see apartments, Moore said.

“The market might be good right now, but you’re saturating the market in that one small section. This county is big. It’s a very large county. If we keep putting them up in this area, we’re going to pay for it,” the commissioner predicted.

He asked his colleagues to take another look at the county’s comprehensive plan and policies in its South Market Area to address the issue.

“We’re rezoning and rezoning and rezoning, to allow MF (multifamily),” Moore said. “When is enough, enough?”

Other commissioners appeared open to having a workshop session to take a closer look at the issue, but when Moore mentioned the possibility of a temporary moratorium until that can be worked through, he found no support.

A temporary moratorium, Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said, would be “pretty drastic.”

“You’re seeing all of this density here because the market needs it. We have 100 people moving to Pasco a day. Where are they supposed to live?” Starkey said.

There are also people who are downsizing and people who can’t afford to buy a house, she said.

Still, she added, “I don’t mind taking a look at it to see, ‘What is that right number?’

“And, we purposely put density on the (State Road) 54 corridor to save us from sprawl, right, and to allow one day to support transit,” Starkey said..

Commissioner Mike Wells said he agrees that the board needs to take a look at the issue.

At the same time, however, Wells noted: “I think the market decides, not us.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano said, “We were trying to avoid sprawl. Do I think that we’re getting what we thought we’d get? I will say, no.“

He thinks there are “way too many apartments.

“I would much rather see us take another look at this. Condos would be a lot better. Fee-simple townhomes would be a lot better. I want people invested in their community,” Mariano said.

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley agreed that the board should hold a workshop to take a closer look.

At the same time, commissioners said they want to take a look at the county’s mobility fee incentives and discuss which categories should receive them.

No date has been set for that workshop yet.

Published October 30, 2019

Planning Commission supports requested changes

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has given its stamp of approval for a number of requests that would affect property use in the central and eastern portions of Pasco County.

The Planning Commission makes the final decision on special exception requests, but its decisions can be appealed to the Pasco County Commission. The County Commission has authority over other land use and zoning matters.

At its Oct. 10 public hearing in Dade City, the planning commission:

  • Approved a special exception request by Gianna Mari Siervo Fragoso for a kennel for dog training on a 1.08-acre site on the east side of Boyette Road, about 650 feet north of Clearview Drive. The kennel, at 7242 Boyette Road in Wesley Chapel, will be used for dog training, boarding and breeding. Conditions limit use of the site to 30 dogs and specify that operating hours (open to the public) would be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
  • Approved a special exception request by Kelsey and Jeremy Whitmer to operate a bed and breakfast on a 10-acre site on the north side of Hanlon Terrace, about 1,100 feet west of Bellamy Brothers Boulevard. The site contains a two-story residence. The applicants propose to use the mother-in-law suite as their residence and to operate the bed and breakfast out of the remaining area of the existing structure. The applicants also wish to host events inside the bed and breakfast. The applicants note that the property can accommodate up to 10 guests at a time and the farmhouse provides a unique setting for nightly accommodations.
  • Recommended the County Commission approve a zoning request by Amanda M. Bray, aka Simmons, to change the zoning from a mobile home district to an agricultural residential district. The 3.78-acre property is at the southeast corner of the intersection of Hillbrook Avenue and Westbrook Street. The item now goes to the Pasco County Commission for a final vote, which is scheduled on Nov. 5 at 1:30 p.m., in Dade City.

Five-acre lots approved on Northeast Pasco tract

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The Pasco County Commission has approved a rezoning to allow homes to be built on 5-acre lots on a 211-acre tract at the northwest corner of Trilby Road and Dowling Lake Road.

The previous zoning required a minimum residential lot size of 10 acres.

No one spoke against the request during the commission’s Oct. 7 public hearing, where the request was approved unanimously.

The Pasco County Planning Commission and county planners had recommended approval for the request.

But, it had encountered opposition by area residents during a planning commission meeting, which sparked so much discussion, it was continued to another planning commission meeting before a vote was taken.

Neighbors expressed concerns about protecting the lake and preserving the area’s tranquil nature. They also cited the potential for safety hazards on Trilby Road, as a result of additional traffic.

However, no one appeared at the Pasco County Commission’s public hearing on the request to make those arguments.

The area’s development pattern includes lots ranging from 3 acres to 10 acres, Denise Hernandez, county zoning administrator told commissioners.

She also noted that the conditions limit lakefront development to eight lots, and prohibit a community dock, community boat launch or community beach.

Attorney Clarke Hobby represented the applicant, Massey Partners Limited. He was there to answer any questions the commissioners might have, but none were asked.

Published October 16, 2019

Volunteer sought for Pasco Planning Commission

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Pasco County is seeking a volunteer to serve on the Pasco County Planning Commission.

Ideal candidates will represent diverse knowledge and expertise in the areas of engineering, planning, real estate, surveying, property management, architecture, construction and/or other related fields, according to a county news release.

The deadline for application is Oct. 11.

Planning Commission members review and make recommendations to the Pasco County Commission on proposed amendments to the county’s comprehensive plan, proposed changes to county zoning, requests for conditional use permits and other development applications.

The Planning Commission also conducts hearings and makes final determinations on all variances, alternative standards, and certain appeals and special exception applications.

To apply online, go to bit.ly/2G3IqUH.

The County Commission will be filling one vacancy on the Planning Commission, created by the resignation of Kevin Ryman, former vice chairman of that board.

The Planning Commission generally meets twice a month, on Thursday afternoons at 1:30 p.m. The meetings alternate between the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City and the West Pasco Government Center in New Port Richey.

For more information about Pasco Planning and Development, visit bit.ly/2hMXfkD

Published October 2, 2019

Central Pasco project calls for 280 Class A apartments

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a project that includes 280 apartments and 49,500 square feet of commercial, on the north side of State Road 54, between Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Collier Parkway.

The site, approximately 25.4 acres, is about 2 miles west of the interchange of State Road 56 and Interstate 75.

The request received a recommendation for approval by county planners.

Attorney Clarke Hobby represents the A.G. Spanos Companies and the Aiken Trust.

“I’m very excited to be representing the Spanos Corporation,” Hobby told planning commissioners.

“My client tells me that they intend on building the nicest multifamily community that’s been built in Pasco County. It’s a very substantial company that’s built over 100,000 multifamily apartments. They’re all Class A around the United States for over 50 years.

“I feel it’s going to be a quality project, with quality people involved,” Hobby said.

The main access to the site would be from the intersection of State Road 54 and Oak Grove Boulevard, an existing signalized intersection.

The commercial portion of the request would be developed near the front of the property, to take advantage of the signalized intersection, Hobby said.

Hobby also noted that the applicant is seeking, In a separate action, an amendment to the county’s comprehensive plan, and the Pasco County Commission unanimously voted to forward that request to the state for review.

Such reviews are a standard part of the plan amendment process.

Hobby said his client wants to be a good neighbor.

“We realized there are about 10 or 12 houses that are adjacent to where the multifamily area will be back here, but we agreed to a 75-foot setback from our property boundary that effectively will create a 90- to a 100-foot setback from any home in here,” the attorney said.

“Additionally, this whole area already has mature oak trees on their side, and we’ll be planting  a large buffer on our end,” he said.

Karen Mason, who lives on Foggy Bottom Parkway told planning commissioners that she wasn’t there to speak for or against the request. However, she did note that within a 1-mile radius of the Twin Lakes community there are 1,659 apartment units of 1-, 2- and 3-bedrooms.

“That’s within a 1-mile radius. You don’t have to travel much further to find many more. We’re not privy to the number of entitlements approved for that area,” she said. At the same time, however, Mason said she believes the Spanos Companies will build a quality project.

John Pavka, who has lived in the community for 25 years, said he lives within 400 feet of where the apartments will be built. He opposes the project.

“If you approve this and this thing goes through, my neighborhood is going to take a hit,” Pavka said.

Planning Commissioner Peter Hanzel asked if there could be negative consequences if the apartment market becomes overbuilt, and the economy cools.

Hobby responded: “I do not believe we are overbuilt or over-planned on multifamily units, now.

“We commissioned a firm to do a market study and they showed the penetration rates, even with the ones coming online, they’re all leasing up.”

He also said his client wouldn’t invest in a project that’s in the ballpark of $60 million if there was uncertainty the market could sustain it.

Planning Commissioner Michael Cox supported the request, making a motion for its approval.

“I’m a big believer of the capital markets. What’s being built is what’s being demanded.

“Recessions are normal. We go through them periodically. It’s part of the business cycle,” he said.

Cox said the project is clearly in keeping with the intent of the county’s comprehensive plan.

Planning commissioners voted to recommend approval to the Pasco County Commission, which is scheduled to consider it at a public hearing on Oct. 22 at 1:30 p.m., in the board room at the West Pasco Government Center, 8731 Citizens Drive in New Port Richey.

Published September 11, 2019

Residents battle 5-acre lots in their neighborhood

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The Pasco Planning Commission is recommending approval of a rezoning that will allow homes to be built on 5-acre lots, instead of 10-acre lots, on a 211-acre site, on the northwest corner of Trilby Road and Dowling Lake Road.

The applicant for the rezoning change, Massey Partners Limited, was represented by attorney Clarke Hobby.

Planning commissioners are recommending approval despite opposition by nearby neighbors.

County planners also have recommended approval.

Art Woodworth, who lives nearby, expressed concerns about the potential for public access to Dowling Lake, from the new homes that will be built.

Plans call for eight new lots to be situated on Lake Dowling, with other lots without direct access.

“They might want to have a common beach area or a dock — well, we have a problem with that,” Woodworth said. “I don’t want to have a dock across the lake from me where 34 homeowners can get together and have parties. I object to that.”

He also expressed concerns about adding more traffic to Trilby Road, which is a narrow road.

“There are curves on Trilby Road that have very little sight distance, at best 100 feet,” Woodworth said.

He noted: “Cars commonly encroach into the other lane because the lane widths are so narrow.”

Calvin Weese, a neighbor to the north, told planning commissioners: “They never came to us — asked us for our input, listened to our concerns, (to) hear other options or suggestions we may have.

“I haven’t heard anyone in the neighboring area say that they support this change,” Weese said, adding the impacts on the neighbors were not considered.

“It you can see through the smoke and mirrors, it’s simply a way of getting more value for this property,” Weese said.

Another neighbor, Chris Baker, urged planning commissioners to deny the request — in order to help preserve the area’s wildlife and serenity.

“It’s an amazing place,” he said. That lake is unique. It’s special. There’s a lot of wildlife there. There’s a nesting pair of eagles that hunt there, half the year.

“We see many eagles there, when they come back in season. We see a great deal of hawks, cardinals, every type of raptor that Florida has to offer, are there,” he said.

He said his fear is, “you put too much activity in there, it’s going to chase away some of these animals.”

Sylvia Kelly, another neighbor, also is worried about adding more traffic to Trilby Road.

“It’s a dangerous road for all of us that are out there,” she said. “There are deep culverts.”

She urged planning commissioners to retain the requirement for a minimum lot size of 10 acres.

Hobby said the applicant is willing to record a deed restriction that would limit the number of lots on the lakefront to eight. He also agreed to language that will prohibit a community dock, boat launch or beach.

“We are not in here seeking small lots. We are in here seeking the second largest lots in the county,” Hobby said.

“This project is going to have a negligible effect on Trilby Road and the surrounding network,” he added.

Planning Commission Chairman Charles Grey said, “For me, it’s difficult to deny someone something that other people have been granted.

“I don’t think they’re asking for anything that’s not permitted in the code,” he added.

Grey said initially he was concerned about potential impacts to the lake.

“I wasn’t happy with (the possibility of) having 35 people have access to that lake,” Grey said. “I know if I lived on that lake, that would ruin it for me. I wouldn’t vote for that. I wouldn’t allow that.”

Unlike the neighbors, Grey said, “I don’t think it’s going to spoil the rural nature of that area.”

Planning Commissioner Michael Cox noted the applicant is the majority landowner on the lake.

The request now goes to the Pasco County Commission for final consideration. A public hearing on the request has been scheduled for Oct. 7 at 1:30 p.m., in the board chambers at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse, in downtown Dade City.

Published September 11, 2019

Changes recommended for Connerton’s master-plan development

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of changes to the Connerton Village II Master Planned Unit Development to adjust the boundaries for the regional park and elementary/middle school, and to remove the extension of the Plains Parkway north of Connerton Boulevard.

These changes are based on a land swap between Lennar Homes LLC, the Pasco County School Board and Pasco County.

The applicant also proposes to add an additional neighborhood encompassing 268 acres, adding 225 single-family units from the remaining Phase I entitlements. The changes also call for updating the Connerton Village II internal access points to reflect the pending development.

The county’s planning staff recommended approval of the changes, which they said are consistent with the previously approved land swap.

No one from the public spoke for or against the proposed changes, during the Planning Commission’s Aug. 22 public hearing on the request.

In backup materials provided to the planning commission, the county’s planners noted that the previously proposed extension of Pleasant Plains Parkway north of Connerton Boulevard would “bifurcate the new district park site and frustrate the basic purpose.”

Planners also noted that “the additional 225 units are being drawn from the remaining Phase 1 residential entitlements approved for the Development of Regional Impact. With the additional 225 units, the total aggregate units in Village II increases from 1,704 to 1,929.

The property is on the east and west sides of Flourish Drive, and the north and south sides of Connerton Boulevard.

The request is slated for public hearing before the Pasco County Commission on Sept. 18, 2019, at 1:30 p.m., in the board’s chambers at the West Pasco Government Center, at 8731 Citizens Drive in New Port Richey.

Published August 28, 2019

Baseball and softball school approved in Wesley Chapel

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A request to allow a private baseball and softball school in Wesley Chapel has gained approval from the Pasco County Commission.

In granting the request, commissioners overturned a decision made on Feb. 21 by the Pasco County Planning Commission.

Planning commissioners had denied the request , despite a recommendation for approval by county planners, who said the request was consistent with the county’s comprehensive plan, as conditioned.

Attorney Barbara Wilhite appealed the planning commission’s denial, on behalf of her clients, Ryan A. and Elizabeth J. Prior.

The approval allows the school to operate on 5 acres, on a property 320 feet south of the intersection of Hadlock Drive and Elkmont Lane.

The rules governing the appeal hearing, which was held Aug. 6, barred the introduction of new testimony, so Wilhite explained her clients’ request by outlining the conditions contained in the original request.

Among other things, those conditions included:

  • Limiting the number of students on the property on any given day, and at any given time
  • Limiting the hours of operation
  • Prohibiting outdoor speakers and public address systems
  • Keeping balls within the applicants’ property

The main issue during the planning commission hearing dealt with access to the site, Wilhite said.

One proposed condition dealt specifically with improving the road, but the attorney noted, “ultimately, the neighbors objected to anything being done with that road.”

Wilhite also pointed out that during the planning commission hearing, the county staff testified the road was accessible.

Wilhite characterized the planning commission’s action on the request as being confusing.

“It ended up being a 3-2 vote for denial. Interestingly enough, that swing vote was the person who recommended approval and moved approval,” she said.

The motion for approval “didn’t get a second,” she added, “and then that person ended up being the swing vote for denial.”

Wilhite also cited testimony by Denise Hernandez, of the county’s planning staff, who told planning commissioners that another baseball school had been approved on land with the same zoning category about 2 miles away.

“The record was very clear, and your staff was very clear that this was a compatible use,” Wilhite said.

Elizabeth Prior also spoke to commissioners.

“Obviously, myself and my husband are the applicants for this special exception.

“The neighbors that are objecting, we bought the house from them. They had full knowledge of what we wanted to do before we bought the house from them.

“My husband does private clients, it’s one on one, maximum of four at any one time.

“The staff at Pasco County approved the application, with conditions,” she said, adding that two staff experts testified that the road was sufficient.

She told county commissioners that Planning Commission Michael Cox’s motion for denial appeared to be based on “opinion” rather than the record.

Attorney Dave Smolker, of the law firm Smolker Bartlett in Tampa, represented the Dion family, who own property next-door, during the appeal.

“The Planning Commission got it right. This use is simply too intense for this particular location. Sometimes that’s the way it is. It’s a square peg in a round hole,” Smolker said.

He also attempted to introduce information that was not part of the record during the planning commission meeting, which was met by objections from Hernandez.

Smolker told commissioners there was no basis for overturning the planning commission’s decision.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Ron Oakley asked Hernandez to compare the conditions for the current request with the baseball school that was previously granted.

Hernandez said the conditions proposed for the Priors’ application were stricter.

Commissioners Kathryn Starkey and Mike Moore spoke in favor of overturning the planning commission’s denial.

“I’m kind of shocked that this was denied,” Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said.

Commissioner Mike Moore agreed. “I’m going to support overturning this,” he said. “I think this is ridiculous.”

Beyond overturning the planning commission’s decision, board members also called for reducing the restrictions on the baseball and softball school.

For instance, they increased the allowable hours of operation, and they removed a condition relating to road improvements.

Published August 14, 2019

Frolicking in the Florida snow?

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Children, and adults alike, will have a new recreational option when a new winter park opens for business in Northeast Pasco.

The Pasco County Commission on Aug. 6 approved the addition of a snow park, which will be situated next to Tree Hoppers Aerial Adventure Park, on the north side of St. Joe Road, about 800 feet east of Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, in Dade City.

The conditional use, approved by the board, applies to a western parcel that makes up about 58.5 acres and an eastern parcel that makes up about 60 acres.

The western parcel, which consists of areas of dense vegetation and a mature tree canopy, will be used for the winter park. Under the conditions, it can operate up to 120 days a year

The eastern parcel, which is the Tree Hoppers site, consists of zipline and rope ridge obstacle courses, concession areas, and a gift and pro shop. It also is used for fall festivals and Halloween festivities, including Scream-A-Geddon. Those activities will be allowed for up to 56 days a year, according to the conditions.

Both attractions will operate between two days and seven days a week, and they will not be allowed to operate at the same time, the conditions say.

The Pasco County Planning Commission and the county’s planners recommended approval of the request. They also recommended approval for the sale of beer and wine for consumption at the sites, which the county commissioners also approved.

Attorney Clarke Hobby, representing the applicant, detailed plans for the winter park, which he said will have a snow hill, where people can go snow-tubing, an area where people can play in the snow, and other features.

The snow is made using new technology, and the snow will stay in place for long periods, provided the weather doesn’t exceed 80 degrees, according to Hobby.

“I will tell you, as a native Floridian, staying under 80 degrees doesn’t happen a lot and, even though we’re allowed 120 days to operate the snow hill here, something tells me that it’s probably going to be more like 45 days,” Hobby said.

“We think we can be good neighbors and not create what is going to be a traffic or noise issue for our neighbors,” Hobby added.

Access to the properties will be off St. Joe Road, Hobby said.

Thousands of trees will be planted, which will create an evergreen condition and provide a noise and visual buffer, for the neighbors, he added.

He cited a dozen letters in support of the project.

But, there were opponents, too.

Judy Geiger submitted a binder full of documents and expressed opposition to the request.

She also introduced Bob Hunter, a planning expert, who said he was there to speak at her request.

Hunter, former executive director of the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission and a former president of the American Planners Association, told commissioners that the request is inconsistent with the county’s comprehensive plan. He also said the use is inappropriate and should not be approved.

Stephen Gonzalez, who lives on St. Joe Road, put it like this: “It’s just in the wrong place. Why isn’t this on (U.S.) 301, up where there used to be a golf course, north of Dade City? That’d be a perfect spot for this business.”

Gonzalez also complained to commissioners about the trash left behind on his road from people attending Scream-A-Geddon.

Hobby said the location works well for his client because of the natural topography.

“We’re working with the hills; we’re not cutting them down, we’re going to augment them,” Hobby said.

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley told Hobby: “You worked very hard with that neighborhood. I appreciate everything you did.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano weighed in with words of support: “The Tree Hopper thing, I think was a great addition to the county. Scream-A-Geddon was tremendous. I think this will be a nice amenity, as well.”

Commissioner Mike Moore, who is chairman of the Pasco County Tourist Development Council, agreed: “I think this is going to bring a lot of great things.”

But, Moore also asked Hobby to ask his client to keep an eye on St. Joe Road, to address any problems with trash.

Published August 14, 2019