The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

U.S. 301

2045 roadway plan officially pushes forward

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) board has approved the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan that includes numerous projects that are expected to be pursued within a 20-year time frame.

“The goal is to develop [a] cost-affordable plan that covers a minimum of 20 years through the planning process,” Wally Blain, of Tindale Oliver, told the MPO board during a Dec. 11 meeting at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse.

The evaluation of State Road 54 and U.S. 41 is underway and a part of the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan. This agenda was passed by the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization board on Dec. 11. (File)

The 2045 plan is a revision of the 2040 plan. It prioritizes road in greatest need.

The long-range plan is updated every five years and is subject to revision.

Its feasibility is determined by what funds are allocated on the federal, state and local levels.

The planning process also included a public comment period, from Nov. 6 to Dec.6.

“More than 2,500 residents of Pasco participated in those and provided input on the transportation planning process,” Blain noted.

One comment noted that trucks are traveling faster on Ehren Cutoff, since the road’s shoulders were expanded. Another cited a lack of north-south improvements in Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills compared to east-west improvements. And, there was a suggestion for a train service to connect Pasco County with Orlando and Tallahassee.

While the feedback was noted, priority road improvements must be dealt with first, Blain said.

The 2045 plan includes changes in the way revenues are distributed for transportation-related improvements.

The 2045 plan contrasts to the 2040 plan as follows:

  • Funding for roadway capacity rose from 64% to 71%
  • Funding for transit decreased from 25% to 9%
  • Funding for sidewalks and bicycle facilities increased from 1% to 2%
  • Funding for technology/congestion management rose from 1% to 3%
  • Funding for roadway maintenance rose from 9% to 14%

Projects in the 2045 plan include:

  • Widening of State Road 52 to four lanes, from U.S. 41 to Old Pasco Road
  • A one-way pair conversion, along U.S. 301
  • Widening of U.S. 301 to six lanes, from Eiland Boulevard to Kossik Road
  • Widening of Old Pasco Road to four lanes, from Wesley Chapel Boulevard to State Road 52
  • Widening of Overpass Road to four lanes, from Interstate 75 to U.S. 301
  • Extending Tower Road to U.S. 41

The Vision 54/56 project has $600 million for improvements, but specific changes have yet to be determined.

“State Road 54 is a key corridor that the MPO has taken as a priority in this plan, as well as the 2040 plan,” Blain said.

The MPO has been working along with the Florida Department of Transportation to address the issue.

The state transportation department is conducting an evaluation to determine potential improvements at the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54.

The approved long-range transportation plan will be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration and the Florida Department of Transportation. These agencies utilize the adopted plan to implement numerous federal and state-funded transportation projects in Pasco County.

In addition to long-range planning, Blain also covered a number of projects that are ongoing and committed in the five-year plan, which runs through 2024.

Those include:

  • Widening of State Road 52 to four lanes from the Suncoast Parkway to U.S. 41
  • Widening U.S. 41 to four lanes, south of State Road 52
  • Ridge Road extension from Moon Lake Road to the Suncoast Parkway (The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit to begin work on the project on Dec. 20)
  • Construction of a new State Road 52 alignment, east of Interstate 75 to Clinton Avenue
  • Construction of an Interstate 75/Overpass Road interchange.
  • Widening of Collier Parkway to four lanes, from Bell Lake Road to Parkway Boulevard

Published December 25, 2019

Mayor delivers ‘State of Dade City’ address

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A newly passed budget and some corresponding reorganization in city hall was a forefront topic for Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez in her annual “State of the City” address at The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce October breakfast meeting, at AdventHealth Dade City.

Dade City Commissioners last month passed a $19.3 million budget by 4-1 vote.

The 2019-2020 budget is based upon a 7.14 millage rate and represents a 17% increase ($2.8 million) from last fiscal year ($16.4 million).

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez covered a lot of talking points during her ‘State of the City’ address. (Kevin Weiss)

The budget covers 83 full-time staffers, including several newly funded positions — community and economic development director, associate planner, GIS analyst, another building inspector, and others.

Addressing a roomful of chamber members, Hernandez said this year’s budgetary process “was one of the most difficult for me, as a city commissioner, as a mayor.”

“It was tough, guys,” Hernandez said. “We’re heading in the right direction, but we had to make some tough choices for not only the city and the services, but also position us in a great place to move forward and to all of those people that are coming in, all those transportation (issues), all those businesses, to be able to accomplish that.

“It wasn’t unanimous, but I think the majority of the commission agreed that we had to prepare ourselves for challenges and opportunities moving forward, and how are we going to make Dade City the best it can be.”

With that, the mayor noted the city last year received 658 building permits for private construction and now has over 4,000 residential unit entitlements (either under construction or review).

That underscores the necessity, she said, for the city to create a new community and economic development department that encompasses community redevelopment, current and long-range planning, online permitting and customer service, and building and safety services.

“We have a bunch of homes that are on the books, and they’re going to start to be built sometime next year,” the mayor said. “There’s a lot of work being done by staff, so this is the reason we needed to reorganize, we needed to make those tough decisions to hire some staff to get those folks help, to continue to move us forward.”

In addition to the budget as a whole, Hernandez offered updates on various capital improvements projects.

She noted that paving has begun on the second phase of the Hardy Trail northern extension, from Church Avenue to Lock Street, and is expected to be complete around next spring. The extension is part of a larger trail network planned for the U.S. 301 corridor extending from south of Zephyrhills to north of Dade City. It ultimately will extend to the Withlacoochee State Trail trailhead.

“We’re really excited about that,” Hernandez said. “We’ll be getting into some healthy initiatives, hopefully working with the banks and hospitals, and other organizations.”

Hernandez also mentioned improvements are “finally” underway to the city’s downtown stormwater management system, which is slated to be finished by sometime next summer.

Hernandez quipped: “For those that have businesses in town, for those of you that love your shoes like me, you won’t have to take them off anymore and go into 6 inches of water on any stormy afternoon.”

Other forthcoming projects include Tank Hill water facility renovations (finalizing request for proposal documents) and Dade Oaks stormwater improvements (finalizing funding and bid documents); the city also has allocated $200,000 toward paving or repaving city maintained roads. “There’s a lot of dirt moving around. I always say that’s progress, and I kind of like having the dirt picked out,” Hernandez said.

The city’s demographic profile was another one of the mayor’s talking points.

Hernandez said of the city’s 7,240 residents, the median age is 35.5 years old, with a growing number of first-time householders, newer marriages and families.

The average household size is 2.51, median household income is about $40,000 and median home value is about $145,000.

That in mind, the mayor stressed the need for the municipality to “maintain youthful interests in style and fun, with lots of things to do.”

She noted several community events — namely the Dade City Heritage & Cultural Museum’s Masquerade Ball, Monarch Butterfly Festival, Scarecrow Festival and Dade City Symphony — all happened within a weekend of each other.

“We are a fun place with fun things happening, and we are going to continue to do that as we move forward,” Hernandez said. “We’re not a town that’s going to roll up.”

Elsewhere, the mayor made it a point to commend the Dade City Police Department’s ongoing efforts to boost its community outreach and advocacy programs, especially with local youth.

Some of the agency’s regular initiatives include Shop with a Cop, Cop-sicle Days, Back to School Bash, Explorer Scouts, Special Olympics, and Habitat for Humanity, among others.

Hernandez put it like this: “It’s not only about having these guys show up and protecting them or leading someone off in handcuffs, but it’s showing them that they are an integral part of our community. They are human, they go home to a family, and you couldn’t imagine the change in some of these children when they realize, ‘Hey, these aren’t bad guys, these are actually good guys that are here to help me.’”

She added: “You don’t know how wonderful of a group of guys we have in our community.”

Published October 23, 2019

Zephyrhills economic summit highlights industrial hub

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It may now be famous for its crystal clear water and skydiving but, someday, the City of Zephyrhills also wants to be known for its industrial offerings and high-wage jobs.

The third annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit, held earlier this month, focused on the need to maximize both the use of the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport and the development potential of adjacent industrial property.

The event, at Zephyrhills City Hall, was presented by the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition (ZEDC) in partnership with the City of Zephyrhills and Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

The third annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit focused on the importance of developing an industrial corridor and cultivating high-wage jobs. Shown here speaking is Zephyrhills planning director Todd Vande Berg. (Kevin Weiss)

City officials are developing a 20-year master plan known as the Zephyrhills Industrial Corridor Plan.

The proposed industrial development hub encompasses approximately 9.76 square miles (6,248 acres) of land in the southeast portion of the city, around the Chancey Road corridor and municipal airport.

Roughly a third of the property is within city limits and the remainder in unincorporated Pasco County — representing the largest aggregation of industrial lands in the county.

Within that area is 442 divisible acres of what’s known as the Zephyrhills Airport Industrial Park, a build-ready site equipped with water, sewer and electric utilities, and accessible to natural gas.

While the corridor is still in preliminary stages, it ultimately will set the city up for long-term growth and economic sustainability, said Zephyrhills planning director Todd Vande Berg.

Possible targeted industries could include aerospace, aviation and defense; advanced manufacturing; light manufacturing; electronics and technology; logistics and distribution; life sciences and medical technology; telecom/data hosting centers; research and development; showroom; refrigeration/cold storage and other uses.

Vande Berg explained a built-out industrial corridor will yield more revenues for the city and create a better jobs-to-housing balance. He also noted industrial manufacturing uses less services — police, fire, water, sewer— compared to, say, residential or commercial land use.

All that, he said, will ultimately “raise the bar in quality of life” for Zephyrhills residents, allowing funds to be steered toward downtown redevelopment, recreational amenities and other community uses.

“We want to be economically diverse. We don’t just want to have family residential, we want to have a mix of uses,” Vande Berg said.

“If we bring in industrial, we’re going to be more fiscally solvent, and that ties in with being resilient. If we have the industrial there, we feel like we’re in a better position with the city.”

The city planner expressed confidence the corridor’s utility offerings and centralized proximity to Orlando, Lakeland and Tampa makes it an attractive spot for companies looking to relocate or set up shop.

“We’ve got a great location we feel like,” he said. “We have such an asset out there in the southeast quadrant of the city.”

The entire planning area is generally bound by Melrose Avenue to the north, the CSX Transportation railroad and U.S. 301 to the west, Pattie Road to the south, and Barry Road and the Upper Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area to the east.

Two CSX mainline railroads traverse the area and it is accessible to Port Tampa Bay and the CSX Central Florida Intermodal Logistics Center.

The local airport also is undergoing a $5.9 million runway extension and roadway improvements to accommodate larger commercial aircraft, and encourage aviation and industrial development.

Moving forward, Vande Berg said ongoing collaboration is vital between the city, county and state officials to have a coordinated plan on zoning and land use, and “to continue to improve transportation accessibility to this industrial corridor.”

He mentioned a more near-term priority is working with the Florida Department of Transportation to extend State Road 56 east of U.S. 301 to connect to Chancey Road. “Transportation’s huge, like anywhere,” he said.

Aside from transportation and infrastructure boosts to draw companies in, other speakers said the city needs more workforce development programs to develop skilled labor employees and then keep them in the area.

It’s already something holding back existing industrial businesses in the city, said Dr. Randy Stovall, president of the Zephyrhills chamber.

“They can’t find those people they want to hire,” Stovall said. “They want to hire them, but there’s not enough of them, so that is a challenge. We’ve had that (issue) for some time.”

Tom Ryan, economic development manager for Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.,  said having training programs and a baseline of skilled labor in place is “a huge component” for luring large companies to a particular area.

“We’ve got to have (workforce) inventory,” Ryan said. “We’ve got to have a plan to tell those companies, ‘Look, we want your jobs here, and we have a plan to help you bring those jobs here.’”

Pasco County Commission Chairman Ron Oakley pointed out that Zephyrhills and the East Pasco area are working to position the area to do just that.

Pasco County Schools plans to build a technical high school by 2022 near the intersection of Curley Road and Kiefer Road in Wesley Chapel that will hold nearly 900 students.

Meanwhile, Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative (WREC) plans to construct a 4,000-square-foot facility for AmSkills to teach manufacturing jobs.

Also, local business owner Kevin Bahr of Bahr’s Propane Gas & A/C is starting a teaching school to train propane service and HVAC technicians.

“The county is working very hard for jobs,” Oakley said. “Our county’s growing. We need jobs, and we need to teach them (the necessary skills).”

Elsewhere during the summit, State Rep. Randy Maggard commended Zephyrhills “for thinking ahead of schedule” in regards to its future and planned industrial hub.

Maggard, a Republican representing District 38, specifically applauded city leaders for this year putting a $2 million septic to sewer project at the top of their state appropriations request list.

The project includes decommissioning existing septic tanks to a residential subdivision and homes along Sixth Avenue and Armstrong Street, with potential for sewer expansion to additional properties in the future.

The project aims to prevent springs from dying because of nitrates from septic tanks.

“At the end of the day, if we don’t have water, none of this matters,” Maggard said. “We can talk about infrastructure, we can talk about a lot of things, but if we can’t provide water, it doesn’t matter at all.”

The elected official also gave this piece of advice for the city going forward: “You need to tell us where you want to go, and we need to help you get there in the long-term planning, funding, whatever it takes for us to be able to do that.”

Other summit speakers included Mohsen Mohammadi, chief operations officer for American Infrastructure Development; David Gwynn, District 7 secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT); and Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy.

Published October 23, 2019

Leveraging the power to do good

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The tables aren’t exactly round.

Instead, they’re set up in the shape of a giant square, and those seated around it are taking turns — talking about organizations they represent.

They share what they do day-to-day. They announce upcoming events. They identify current needs.

Some folks in the room are familiar with others. The rest are total strangers.

But all have come to Bridgeway Church, 30660 Wells Road, to attend the inaugural “Wesley Chapel Pasco Difference Makers” roundtable meeting.

David West and Larry Guilford, of Make a Difference, are involved in efforts to make a difference in Pasco County, through a variety of efforts. One of those is called Wesley Chapel Pasco Difference Makers roundtable, which brings people together from a variety of charitable and service-oriented organizations, to create the potential for helping each other. Another roundtable is also held in East Pasco. (B.C. Manion)

The group an extension of the same kind of roundtable that has been meeting,  at the Make A Difference, Inc., headquarters at 12311 U.S. 301, in Dade City.

“Our goal is to bring our community together,” said Larry Guilford, founder of Make A Difference, Inc., which initiated the monthly roundtables.

“We don’t want to get in the middle,” he told those gathered. “We want to help you guys network together.”

Organizations tend to operate in silos, explained David West, who works for Make A Difference, Inc. The roundtables are intended to open lines of communication.

By sharing information, organizations can become aware of new opportunities, such as grants or training in a particular expertise, Guilford said. They also might tell each other about resources, such as  volunteers or equipment — that they need or can provide.

It didn’t take long at the initial session to learn that this assorted group of organizations had diverse immediate needs.

Bridgeway Church, for instance, could use some fill dirt.

It wants to use the dirt to help smooth out a field it would like to use for football and soccer games, said Joel Eason, senior pastor.

Diapers are in big demand at the locations operated by Oasis Pregnancy Care Centers, said Dave Dorsey, organization’s development director.

And, volunteers who can help build houses — especially on week days — would be greatly appreciated, said Jere Ferguson, director of volunteer services for Habitat for Humanity of East & Central Pasco.

Todd Woodfill, executive director of Defeat Suicide Foundation, said he’s in search of a mentor who is especially good at raising money.

He said that he needs to raise $80,000 for some services he’d like to provide next year, and so far, he noted, with a self-deprecating laugh, he’s about $79,000 short.

Jody Armstrong, of Disability Achievement Center, said her group welcomes donations of wheelchairs, walkers and other durable pieces of medical equipment. It cleans up the equipment and gets it to people who need it, she said.

Those were among needs expressed during a roundtable session that offered a glimpse into the wide range of services being provided by multiple organizations operating in Pasco County.

Work being done ranges from providing diabetic testing to encouraging students to read; from providing clothing and personal items for foster kids to supporting athletes for the Special Olympics; and, more.

Guilford said he hopes the roundtable sessions will attract not only organizations that are doing good work, but also members of the community who want to provide resources to help.

“We’re here to help you fill your needs, and also show you other needs in the area that you may not be aware of,” said Guilford, a Wesley Chapel real estate agent, who has been involved in charitable giving for numerous years.

Before his current efforts, Guilford was involved many years doing charitable work in Ukraine, Colombia and the Philippines.

He decided to return home in 2015 to focus on selling real estate and helping people in Eastern Pasco, which has been so good to him.

Make A Difference focuses on serving Dade City, Zephyrhills, San Antonio, Lacoochee and Wesley Chapel.

Its services include a mobile food pantry that distributes food once a month in Dade City and once a month in Zephyrhills. It also provides new shoes to students in need at area schools.

Guilford said he has seen an incredible amount of need in Pasco communities.

Wesley Chapel’s growth and new development has boomed in recent years, making it difficult for some people to realize it has pockets of poverty, he said.

“We don’t see the needs because Wesley Chapel is so promising,” Guilford said.

The roundtables are based on old-fashioned concept of networking.

“We’re open to anybody who is trying to help people in the community,” West said.

And, it’s not limited to charitable organizations.

“There are businesses that are very involved in doing community support, so we’re hoping that we’ll have a pretty good representation of them, too,” West said.

He issues this invitation to them: “Come and listen to what everybody’s needs are.”

The whole point of having the roundtables, West said, “is to find out what people need and to try to find resources for them.”

Pasco Difference Makers roundtables
What: Various charitable and service-providing organizations share information about what they do, upcoming events and immediate needs
Where: There are two locations
The roundtable in East Pasco meets on the first Wednesday of the month, from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Make A Difference office, 12311 U.S. 301.
The roundtable in Wesley Chapel meets on the third Wednesday of the month, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., the roundtable meets at Bridgeway Church, 30660 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel.
Info: Call (352) 437-3466.

Published October 09, 2019

Cannabis dispensaries coming to Dade City?

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The Dade City Commission during a workshop session directed city staff to draft an amendment to the city’s land development regulations that would allow medical marijuana dispensaries within one of the city’s zoning districts.

Commissioners, at their Sept. 24 workshop, indicated that the dispensaries should be allowed in the general commercial zoning district.

That zoning district generally spans U.S. 301/U.S. 98 south and north of town and certain pockets of the Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) district, but avoids much of the city’s historic downtown main street and central business district.

The City of Dade City is considering an ordinance that would permit medical marijuana treatment centers in one of its business zoning districts. (File)

The amended ordinance would require any future standalone pharmacies and drug stores to locate within the general commercial district only, as Florida statutes prevent municipalities from enacting regulations that restrict dispensaries more so than traditional pharmacies.

However, existing pharmacies in other zoning districts would be grandfathered in and would be able to continue to operate as a legal non-conforming entity.

The workshop session set direction only.

Any drafted ordinance will come before the city’s planning board and have two public hearings before a formal commission vote.

The majority of commissioners concurred that limiting dispensaries and pharmacies to the general commercial district would offer convenient access for local residents facing debilitating conditions, and still preserve the historical integrity of the downtown area’s specialty shops and mom-and-pop businesses.

“The general commercial (district) seems to accomplish what we’re trying to do,” Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez said. “We’re trying to find places within our municipality limits that we can have these (medical marijuana) facilities without adversely affecting merchants’ concerns, but also be sensitive to the needs of folks that are in need.”

Commissioner Jim Shive agreed the general commercial district “seems to have less impact to the direct downtown around the merchants,” but noted he is concerned about some existing pharmacies being deemed legal nonconforming.

“I think we all want to be very compassionate people,” he said, “but we all want to do the right thing.”

Commissioner Scott Black was the lone commissioner who favored an outright ban medical on marijuana treatment centers within the municipality.

He said dispensaries are “readily available” throughout Pasco County and have become more accessible compared to a few years ago.

The county presently has three medical cannabis dispensaries in New Port Richey and another situated near the Land O’ Lakes-Lutz county line.

“It’s much more convenient to go 20 miles now than it was before (Amendment 2) was passed when you couldn’t get it at all,” Black said.

Black also had reservations about any dispensary ordinance that could prevent a locally owned pharmacy or drugstore from opening up somewhere downtown.

Black observed: “Keep in mind, what you have is a goal for a livable, workable downtown, in terms of if you want a pharmacy downtown or don’t.”

Since 2016, the city has enacted five six-month moratoriums, or temporary ban, on the sale of medical marijuana while staff researched its potential impacts on the community.

The latest six-month moratorium expired Sept. 21. If no action is taken, dispensaries could theoretically locate in multiple zoning districts, including the historic downtown area.

It’s not the first time commissioners have sought to allow dispensaries in designated areas.

The commission earlier this year directed staffers to draft an ordinance that would have permitted dispensaries in all zoning districts where the city allows pharmacies, except in the CRA district.

However, the city’s planning board recommended denial of the drafted ordinance, primarily due to language that makes existing pharmacies and drugstores in the district legal nonconforming uses.

The planning board subsequently recommended the commission to extend the moratorium, which they did.

At the latest workshop, new Dade City Senior Planner Melanie Romagnoli pointed out the previously drafted ordinance wasn’t exactly kosher, because the CRA district isn’t truly a business zoning district. “We would have to rezone everybody in the downtown to a certain district and then ban it from that certain district to practice zoning law,” she explained.

When asked by the commission for a recommendation, Romagnoli all but endorsed allowing dispensaries within city limits in some form or another.

“Coming from a pure zoning standpoint, I don’t view medical marijuana as the recreational pot that a lot of people are concerned about,” the city planner said. “It’s heavily controlled, it’s heavily regulated, and you have to have a prescription to get, so I view that particular product as going to get your prescription antibiotics, and my personal opinion is we should not regulate what is sold inside of a pharmacy if it’s already regulated at the state and federal levels. I don’t want to deny medical access to those who may need it.”

The mayor followed that sentiment, saying dispensaries should to be examined in a “medical context” to serve local residents stricken with illnesses like cancer, glaucoma and so forth.

Said Hernandez: “My heart just can’t do anything but go, ‘Hey, wow, there’s a condition and a need that needs to be addressed that we can provide access to.’ You can argue about the location of it and all that, but still having access to it is very important.”

Published October 2, 2019

Economic summit to focus on industrial hub

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Local business and government leaders in Zephyrhills will join together for an event that will spotlight the city’s industrial corridor and ongoing efforts to cultivate high-wage manufacturing jobs.

The third annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit is scheduled for Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Zephyrhills City Hall, 5335 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills.

The summit primarily will focus on the city’s forthcoming industrial corridor master plan and Zephyrhills Municipal Airport runway extension, according to a press release from the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce executive director Melonie Monson is organizing the third annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit.

Other topics will broach infrastructure and the East Pasco roadway network, plus updates on various state and county intergovernmental collaboration projects in the region.

The event is presented by the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition (ZEDC) in partnership with the City of Zephyrhills and the Zephyrhills chamber.

Registration is $10 and will include lunch and continental breakfast.

The summit will feature interactive discussions and presentations from the following speakers:

  • Billy Poe, Zephyrhills city manager Billy Poe
  • Dr. Randy Stovall, Zephyrhills chamber president
  • Todd Vande Berg, city planning director
  • Mohsen Mohammadi, chief operations officer for American Infrastructure Development
  • David Gwynn, District 7 secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
  • Randy Maggard, State Rep. District 38
  • Ron Oakley, chairman of the Pasco County Commission
  • Tom Ryan, economic development manager for Pasco Economic Development Council, Inc.
  • Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy

Zephyrhills’ proposed industrial development hub focuses on a large grouping of industrial properties and adjacent areas within the Chancey Road corridor and municipal airport.

The planning area is generally bound by Melrose Avenue to the north, the CSX Transportation railroad and U.S. 301 to the west, Pattie Road to the south, and Barry Road and the Upper Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area to the east. That encompasses approximately 9.76 square miles (6,248 acres), including 33% within Zephyrhills and the remainder in unincorporated Pasco County — representing the largest aggregation of industrial lands in Pasco.

Zephyrhills chamber executive director Melonie Monson, who’s organizing the summit, underscored the need to build out the industrial corridor, to recruit employment-generating manufacturing companies and to develop a middle-class workforce in Zephyrhills.

The city is pining for a “medium-sized industrial manufacturer,” Monson said, to give local high school graduates a place to work, so they can remain in the community.

The chamber director believes that Zephyrhills could attract such a company soon. She cited the city’s recent efforts to partner with Pasco County to spend millions of dollars to extend water and sewer to the industrial site.

“It’s just ready for industry, it just is,” she said.

Monson put it this way: “We’re excited the city’s being proactive instead of reactive, so when that big person hits and says, ‘I want to come here,’ we’ll be ready for that and say, ‘Here’s your spot, this is what we have, these are the incentives, this is your workforce.’

“That’s what we’re working toward, to put all those pieces together to make sure that we get what we want here,” Monson said.

She said the industrial corridor also could pave the way for other companies in distribution, light manufacturing, aviation and so on.

“I believe it’s going to have a lot of different textures to it,” the chamber executive said.

She is encouraged by the city’s direction in recent years of attracting younger families and groups to live, work and play.

She mentioned the downtown area alone has added a brewery, a billiards hall and axe-throwing venue, and other things to do.

Zephyrhills also is in the midst of getting a state-of-the-art tennis center and thousands of new homes and apartments.

The city recently landed its first Starbucks and Wawa. A Chick-Fil-A in the works.

Other notable businesses set to come online include Aldi Supermarket, PetSmart, Marriott Fairfield Hotel and Dollar General.

“We’re getting there. In the last three or four years you’ve just seen this huge spur of development,” Monson said.

Previous Zephyrhills economic summits focused on the medical community and education. Monson said next year’s will likely be geared around workforce development.

The summits encourage stakeholders to collaborate to help move Zephyrhills forward as a viable community.

“We’re the only community in Pasco County that’s doing something like this — where we have a coalition that really focuses on pro-business, pro-education, trying to make our community stand out in the midst of all of the other communities.

“We just every year want to make sure that we let people know what we really have here and what we’re doing and why you might want to come and be a part of the Zephyrhills community,” Monson said.

For information and to register for the summit, contact Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce director Melonie Monson at (813) 782-1913 or

Published October 2, 2019

 

 

Ridge Road permit coming soon, administrator says

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A permit to clear the way for the construction of the Ridge Road Extension is expected to be granted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers within the next four weeks to six weeks, Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles said.

That would signal the end of a two-decade effort to secure the federal permit needed to create a new 7.6-mile east-west connection from Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey to U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

The only way for the county to be absolutely sure it will receive the permit is for the Corps of Engineers to issue it, Biles said.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles
(File)

“They won’t ever tell you that you’re going to get the permit until they sign the letter on the permit, giving you the permit. They’ll never tell you, ‘Yea, you’re going to get approval on the permit’ until then. That isn’t the way the Corps works,” the administrator said.

That being said, it appears that everything is lining up toward the county obtaining the permit, Biles told those gathered at Sept. 17 breakfast meeting of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce at Scotland Yards Golf Club, on U.S. 301 in Dade City.

While the county awaits the permit, it is preparing to move ahead with the project.

The first phase of the project, which is funded, is from Ridge Road in New Port Richey to the Suncoast Parkway. The second phase of the extension, not yet funded, will provide a link between the Suncoast Parkway and U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes.

Biles told the breakfast crowd: “The construction project is actually on the street today, so we can bid that and start work the day I get the call from the Corps.

“We’ve got it set so that, I get the call from the Corps, I call public works, I call the project manager. They get our consultant out there and start removing the gopher tortoises off the right of way.

“Our surveying crew is already working on surveying the right of way,” Biles added.

The contract includes three milestones, with bonuses available to the contractor if the work is completed within certain timelines.

The Pasco County Commission approved the approach.

“It’s pretty unique. It took a lot of work in the county attorney’s office to set it up,” Biles said.

The first milestone involves providing a secondary access to River Ridge High and River Ridge Middle, before the school year begins in August 2020.

To achieve that, Biles said he would need the permit in hand, and a contractor notice to proceed, by Dec. 1.

“That’s a goal to hit that, and we can do it,” Biles said.

The second milestone is to have two lanes of Ridge Road open to the Suncoast Parkway, and to have the interchange operational before Hurricane Season 2021, Biles said.

“So, we’re going to get there, open up two lanes, we’re going to breathe and relax for about 30 seconds, then they’re going to finish the other two lanes, finish the project by the next hurricane season,” the administrator added.

Biles said he wants to get the first two lanes open as quickly as possible, to get traffic onto it to the Suncoast Parkway.

That will provide another hurricane evacuation route, and will open up the west-central area of the county to within a “commutable distance” of downtown Tampa, Biles said.

It also would be good timing, in conjunction with a new $191 million expansion campus that Moffitt Cancer Center wants to create in Pasco County.

Moffitt recently announced it would be asking the state Legislature to increase Moffitt’s share of the state’s cigarette revenue from 4% to 10% to support an expansion of its facilities in Hillsborough County, and to provide for a new campus in Pasco County.

The project would allow Moffitt to meet future demand for cancer therapies, create a research park that would be a magnet for biotech partners, and expand its services in the Tampa Bay region, according to information provided by Moffitt.

Published September 25, 2019

County continues tackling traffic issues

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Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said there’s no specific solution in sight yet for congestion motorists face daily at U.S. 41 and State Road 54. But, the commissioner outlined a number of other projects underway that should improve mobility on the county’s roads.

Moore’s comments came during a sold-out luncheon meeting of The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 13, at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Tampa North, in Land O’ Lakes.

There are plans for a temporary fix at U.S. 41 and State Road 54, Moore said, noting some turn lanes are being extended — which should improve traffic flow.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore talked about the county’s efforts to address traffic congestion, during a luncheon meeting with The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce. (B.C. Manion)

But, the final plan to address that intersection is not yet known, Moore said.

“We know something needs to be done, but,” he added, “funding obviously always is an issue.”

Plus, there’s not a consensus on the best approach.

“Do you use eminent domain and take out businesses? Do you do a flyover? We have a community that is split,” Moore said. “Our county staff is going to continue to work very closely with FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) to come up with a viable solution.”

Addressing the issue is important, he added, because the entire stretch of State Road 54 is going to get busier as the area continues to grow.

“Do you look at Bus Rapid Transit? I’m kind of a fan of Bus Rapid Transit,” he said, but added he would like to see how Bus Rapid Transit has worked elsewhere.

While there’s no definite solution for the U.S. 41 and State Road 54 intersection, the county is making progress in other areas, Moore told chamber members.

The county is awaiting a federal permit to proceed with a project to extend Ridge Road, and Moore said he thinks the county is closing in on securing that.

He also talked about other road projects that are underway or planned.

For instance, plans call for widening U.S. 41 from Connerton Boulevard, north to State Road 52. Improvements also continue to widen State Road 52.

Moore also noted that construction is underway on the Diverging Diamond, a project that is expected to ease congestion at the Interstate 75/State Road 56 interchange.

State lawmakers helped get that project built much faster than originally planned, Moore said.

The commissioner also talked about a planned interchange at Overpass Road and I-75.

“State legislators helped us get $15 million toward that. It’s about a $70 million project. We’re allowing FDOT to control that project because they’re the professionals, and they know what they’re doing when it comes to design-builds.

“That is moving forward now,” Moore said.

He also noted that State Road 56 has been extended from Meadow Pointe Boulevard in Wesley Chapel over to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.

“That is an amazing extension.

“Now, we’re even looking at punching it (State Road 56) through, so it goes to (U.S.) 98, too,” he said, but that plan remains under discussion.

Moore also touched on the positive impact that tourism has had in the county.

“Tourism is booming right now,” Moore said.

It generated an overall economic impact of $615 million in 2018,  he said, noting the county had 965,000 visitors that year. There were 7,480 tourism-supported jobs, and tourism generated  $156 million in wages.

Published August 28, 2019

Residents generally pleased with county services, surveys say

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Overall, Pasco County fared well in recent citizen surveys intended to help inform the county’s planning in its allocation of resources, and to improve its programs and policies.

“This is what we call our voice of the customer,” Marc Bellas, performance management director for Pasco County, told the Pasco County Commission during a recent meeting.

In terms of overall government services, the county scored above the national benchmark of 67%, Bellas said.

“This is the highest rating we’ve ever had, since we’ve been doing this here in Pasco County since 2009,” he said, noting the goal in the county’s strategic plan is to score 70 percent.

“We believe in the next year that we’re going to be able to do that,” he said.

According to the survey, 72% of Pasco residents rated the county as a good or excellent place to live. That’s up 5% over last year.

Two-thirds gave the county excellent or good ratings for its customer services.

In terms of the economy, Bellas said all of the dimensions are trending up.

“That’s very good news in Pasco County,” he said.

“Usually, employment opportunities and Pasco’s a good place to work have always been the very lowest, but you can see that we’re now trending upwards from 2014. That’s good news. That means that we’re moving in the right direction,” he said.

Those were just some of the findings from the National Community Survey, which was conducted through the National Research Center Inc., in collaboration with the International City/County Management Association.

The survey was developed to provide a statistically valid survey of resident opinions, regarding their community and services provided by local government. About 350 communities participate in the survey annually, according to Bellas’ presentation to commissioners.

This year’s survey was distributed to 1,600 selected addresses in Pasco County, with 263 surveys completed, representing an 18 percent return rate. The results have a plus or minus 6% margin of error.

In addition to the surveys that were distributed, the county conducted an online citizen survey, using the same questions.

The county does the online survey primarily for comparisons, Bellas said.

“It is not a statistically valid instrument, but we find the correlations between the two to be very, very close,” Bellas said. The online survey gives citizens who were not selected for the survey a chance to express their views. This year 1,748 citizens took part.

Bellas said the survey looks at eight facets of livable communities: safety, mobility, the natural environment, the built environment, the economy, recreation and wellness, education and enrichment, and community engagement.

“In our particular survey, for our folks, the three most important areas were safety, mobility and the economy,” Bellas said.

“When we look at the Impact on the overall quality of life, safety is always at the very top.

Safe neighborhoods, and safe and uncongested roadways — are No. 1 and No. 2.

“The folks who took the survey consider these to be essential, or at the very least, very important,” he said.

Most of this year’s ratings were similar to last year’s, Bellas said.

But, the county did see “some significant downward movement in the mobility piece,” he said.

Regarding mobility, the people using Pasco County’s bus system gave it favorable marks.

But, motorists were less complimentary.

“There are some downward trends here, ease of car travel, specifically, traffic flow, traffic enforcement — those are some concerns for us, because they are downward trends,” Bellas said.

There also are concerns about traffic congestion, light timing and speeding, Bellas noted.

Sgt. Steve Gaskins, of the Florida Highway Patrol, said there are 24 troopers assigned to Pasco County.

“We work everything in unincorporated areas of the county,” he said, noting “we had roughly 5,000 crashes so far (this year). We worked 85 percent of them with our 24 troopers.

“We’ve had 55 fatalities in the county, this year alone,” Gaskins added.

“One of our big issues is getting to people who need help, as quickly as possible,” he said.

He also acknowledged concerns about speeding.

“Speeding is one of the huge complaints that I get all of the time from residents across the county,” Gaskins said.

If there were more troopers, they could be more proactive, Gaskins said.  “We could do more activity to stem the tide of those crashes,” he said.

Additional equipment also would help with speed control and enforcement, he said.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore asked how many troopers Gaskins thought were needed.

“If I had a wish list, I would say 50,” Gaskins responded.

Chase Daniels, of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, said efforts are being made to identify problem areas for speeding, and in the development of enforcement action plans.

Daniels also noted: “We are increasing our radar-certified officers.”

In terms of mobility, both Moore and Commission Chairman Ron Oakley noted a number of recent improvements and projects that will be coming soon that they expect to create much better mobility across the county.

Specifically, they mentioned the Diverging Diamond being built to relieve congestion at State Road 56 and Interstate 75; the recent extension of State Road 56 to U.S. 301; and work underway to widen State Road 52 and State Road 54.

Other future projects that will be done in coming years include a new alignment for State Road 52 near Dade City and a new I-75 interchange at Overpass Road.

Published August 28, 2019

Zephyrhills presents draft budget, appropriations requests

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The City of Zephyrhills has unveiled its proposed budget for fiscal year 2019-20 — totaling more than $67 million.

The $67,043,615 draft budget is based on a tentative tax rate of 6.35 mills previously approved by the Zephyrhills City Council. The draft budget was shared during an Aug. 12 council meeting.

The City of Zephyrhills’ $67 million draft budget is based on a tentative tax rate of 6.35 mills. A budget workshop is scheduled for Aug. 26. Public hearings on the proposed budget are scheduled for Sept. 9 and Sept. 23. (File)

Based on the 6.35 millage rate, the total budget for the new fiscal year will be roughly $16.4 million for the city’s 16 departments (city council, administration, economic development, finance, human resources, planning, information technology, police, dispatch, fire, building & code enforcement, library, equipment maintenance, storm water, streets, parks & facilities).

Remaining money necessary for the 2019-20 budget will come from other funding sources, including state revenues, county shared funds franchise fees, utility fees and grants.

The draft shows the city’s police department has the largest departmental budget at over $3.9 million, followed by the fire department at roughly $2.8 million.

A budget workshop is scheduled for Aug. 26. Public hearings on the proposed budget are scheduled for Sept. 9 and Sept. 23.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe shared budget highlights during the meeting, including these items relating to employee benefits and compensation:

  • Total employee health care costs increased 9.7%
  • A proposed pay increase of 3.5% for all employees
  • An increase in cost of 15% for worker’s compensation costs
  • An increase in cost of 11% for property casualty expenses
  • Tuition reimbursement up to $2,500 annually, up to a maximum of $15,000 in total, for city employees

Big ticket items in the budget include:

  • Six fully equipped police vehicles totaling $310,000 funded through Penny for Pasco
  • A $300,000 side-loader truck for sanitation
  • A $267,000 final installment for a new fully outfitted fire truck, which has a total cost of $457,000

With talks ongoing with Pasco County regarding the possible consolidation of the Zephyrhills Fire Department into Pasco County Fire Rescue, the city manager told council members the new fire truck will be part of those broader negotiations, possibly to help offset MSTUs (Municipal Service Taxing Unit) levied through any merger.

“The budgets were prepared as if the (fire) department is staying,” Poe said. “We don’t know which direction we’re going this moment, so it was budgeted to purchase that truck and that will be part of the conversation with the county. They’re aware of it, so we’ll continue that conversation.”

Councilman Alan Knight told Poe the fire truck “ought to be a real strong thing in our negotiation” with the county.

“We contracted it. We put our name on it. We’ve got it. We’re going to have to eat that, so we’ve just got to understand that that’s going to be part of our negotiations,” Knight said.

Councilman Lance Smith said he’s pleased that the budget has more funds allocated toward employee education.

“I am glad to see more money put into training employees,” Smith said. “I mean, I think that’s something really important. I think that’s something we haven’t been doing, and I think the more educated an employee is, I think the more productive they’ll be.”

A push for more police training
Along those lines, Council president Ken Burgess questioned whether the Zephyrhills Police Department allocated enough funding for more advanced, hands-on training.

Zephyrhills Police Chief Derek Brewer said his department has invested in instructor training within his department and is able to offer more in-house training.

The draft budget shows $22,000 for police training programs.

“I bring it up every year about the police training. Especially in light of recent events, I want to make sure that in our training, we do more than just get on the computer and click a few buttons,” Burgess said.

“There’s a lot of things that can happen that we don’t want our officers to experience that for the first time in real life,” he said.

Zephyrhills Police Chief Derek Brewer pointed out training opportunities are often trust funded or free, but said the issue is more about being able to manage overtime associated with training.

The department has sent a handful of sworn officers to receive instructor training, so it is able to offer more in-house training programs, the chief said.

“Whether it’s advanced, in service or online or whatever it is, I can tell you we’ve been actively trying to send people to as much as we can,” he said.

Brewer also told the council the police department is considering participation at an active shooter response training center in Arizona.

“We were looking for something a little closer, but, of course, if that’s what we’ve got to do then that’s what we’ll use,” Brewer said.

In other action, the council approved the submission of three appropriations requests for projects to be sponsored by State Rep. Randy Maggard and State Sen. Wilton Simpson in the Florida Legislature:

  • $2 million septic to sewer project to a residential subdivision and homes along Sixth Avenue and Armstrong Street, and decommissioning existing septic tanks. The project will affect 67 existing properties with potential for expansion to additional properties in the future.
  • $1.2 million for an indoor/covered tennis facility at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center site. The indoor facility would also be used for other sports, such as soccer, and banquets and ceremonies.
  • $2 million for the purchase of roughly 1.3 acres of land at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport for the extension of runway 01-19. The cost also includes relocating Skydive City’s existing RV parking east of Skydive Lane.

The city also is considering a fourth appropriations request for $2.5 million, to be used for U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road intersection improvements. Those improvements would involve the relocation of a traffic signal that is currently located at Merchants Square and Townview shopping centers to a new location, at the intersection at Pretty Pond Road.

Council members discussed that topic at length. The aim of the improvements would be to speed up potential commercial development in the area.

Published August 21, 2019