The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

U.S. 301

New State Road 52 alignment opens in East Pasco

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A new alignment of State Road 52 has opened in East Pasco, from Uradco Place to U.S. 301.

Elected leaders and government officials gathered for a ribbon-cutting on Feb. 17 to signal the opening of the new State Road 52 alignment in East Pasco. (Courtesy of Andy Taylor/Pasco County)

Officials from state and local governments, including David Gwynn, secretary of Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 7, gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Feb. 17.

Traffic was switched to the new alignment on State Road 52, from Uradco Place, east of Interstate 75 to U.S. 301, before noon on Feb. 17.

The current traffic configuration consists of one lane in each direction (westbound and eastbound) divided by a median from the beginning project limits at Uradco Place to Prospect Road. Traffic just east of Prospect Road continues in the two-lane, two-way configuration along Clinton Avenue through the end limits just west of Fort King Road. Traffic signals are operational at Mirada Boulevard, Curley Road and Prospect Road, according to FDOT.

Clinton Avenue between Pasadena Avenue and U.S. 301 is now part of the new State Road 52. Construction will continue all along the new corridor into summer 2023 to open additional lanes and complete the project later in the year. Drivers should stay within the posted speed limit and remain alert that the area is still a construction zone.

The former alignment of State Road 52 from west of Mirada Boulevard to U.S. 301 is now designated as Pasco County Road 52. To access old State Road 52 (now County Road 52), use Mirada Boulevard, Curley Road or Prospect Road.

The short section of the old alignment near the west end between Emmaus Cemetery Road and Piney Grove Baptist Church is open to local traffic only; you can access that area from new State Road 52 by using Mirada Boulevard between County Road 52 (old State Road 52) and the new alignment of State Road 52.

Published February 22, 2023

Pasco planning board wants more input on public safety needs

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The Pasco County Planning Commission — which makes recommendations related to the county’s growth — wants public safety agencies to provide more meaningful comment on proposed zoning and land use changes.

The planning board voted at its Jan. 19 meeting to ask for a discussion with representatives from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and Pasco County Fire/Rescue.

That request arose from the planning board’s consideration of a proposed land use change that would allow up to 158 townhomes on two parcels on Clinton Avenue, a quarter-mile west of U.S. 301.

The planning board recommended approval of that request, but not before some planning board members said they’d like the county’s public safety agencies to provide greater detail in their comments on a potential development and the increased public safety needs it will create.

Ladder 38 is located at Pasco Fire Rescue Station 38, at 7541 Paramount Drive, in the Watergrass subdivision of Wesley Chapel. (File)

Planning board member Jaime Girardi observed that he notices that many applications come in with “no comment” from public safety agencies.

County planner Doreen Roy told the planning board that when a request like this comes through, it is forwarded to the agencies for their review.

“I constantly have to send out an email, to see if we get comments and sometimes we just get an email back, ‘No comments.’”

Girardi continued: “But the sheriff’s department did respond back, ‘No comment’?”

Roy replied, “Correct.”

Planning board member Peter Hanzel added: “Just to springboard from that, what about the fire department?
Roy replied: “The fire department, I usually never hear from them.”

Hanzel responded: “I think it’s unfair to the public, as a whole, that these two departments that are extremely critical to safety of any county, do not respond, other than in a negative fashion.

“I think there should be some pressure applied that they indicate that, ‘Yes, we have reviewed this and we do not concur, or we concur, or we have comments,” he said. “I think that needs to be a positive response, rather than no response.”

Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein told the board: “The problem with saying that they have to provide comments, is that it has the potential of slowing down an otherwise meritorious application for months and months simply because the department doesn’t want to focus on it.

“Applicants were put in limbo for months and months because staff was waiting on comments from affected agencies and not getting any,” Goldstein said. “At some point, it becomes a fairness to the applicant issue.”

Hanzel said he has no desire to slow the process down.

But planning board member Derek Pontlitz asked if the Pasco County Commission can compel the agencies to respond.

The county has jurisdiction over Fire/Rescue, but not over Sheriff Chris Nocco, who is an independent constitutional officer.

However, Goldstein added: “We also don’t have the authority to compel the school board to do it, either, but they do. They recognize the value of being able to participate in the planning process.”

Goldstein added: “At one point, I thought the sheriff recognized the value, too, because at one point he asked for a seat on the Planning Commission.”

But the Pasco County Commission turned down that request.

Goldstein said that county staff responded by involving the sheriff’s office more in the pre-app and application process, but he doesn’t know why the sheriff’s office isn’t more actively involved in the process.

The attorney continued: “The school board actively participates and probably gets certain developer concessions that they otherwise wouldn’t have gotten, had they not participated in the process.”

Even when the county is planning very large projects, it doesn’t get much feedback from public safety, Goldstein added.

“For example, the Villages of Pasadena Hills has sites allocated for parks, sites allocated for schools, roads, utilities. To the best of my knowledge, there’s no specific sites allocated for fire stations or sheriff substations.

“Probably the same thing in Angeline. So, it is a problem. I’ve raised this concern in the past, but I don’t have a solution,” Goldstein said.

Planning board member Chris Williams, who represents the school board, agreed with Goldstein’s assessment.

With the master-planned unit developments coming to Pasadena Hills, fire station sites likely will be needed, Williams said.

Pontlitz noted: “Public safety appears to be a little bit more reactive, than proactive.

“We could get away with being more reactive when there wasn’t a whole lot of growth going on. But there’s a lot of growth going on,” he said.

It’s an issue, he added “because it takes time to actually purchase assets and hire a staff. In the case of fire/rescue, to buy new trucks and ambulances, it has to be budgeted well in advance. That could be a couple years process right there.

“So, the earlier in the planning process this gets addressed, with some substance, the better,” Pontlitz said.

The planning board’s comments follow repeated appearances by union representatives for Pasco’s Fire/Rescue responders urging the county board to provide additional resources to reduce their emergency response times. Sheriff Chris Nocco also has appeared before the board to highlight the law enforcement agency’s significant manpower needs.

Published January 25, 2023

Efforts being made to speed up project on U.S. 301

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has agreed to a request by the Florida Department of Transportation to merge two transportation projects on U.S. 301, to speed up work on the planned improvement.

Combining two segments of the U.S. 301 roadway widening will allow the state transportation department to meet design-build criteria for the project, which means the project will be built sooner.

The existing project segments are from the Polk County line/County Road 54 to Old Lakeland Highway; and from Old Lakeland Highway to U.S. 301/State Road 53/State Road 39 and State Road 700.

The combined project will extend from the Polk County line/CR 54 to US 301/SR 53/SR 39/SR 700.

The Pasco County MPO approved a change to its Transportation Improvement Plan to accommodate the change during its Jan. 12 meeting. The MPO is the lead transportation organization for Pasco County and includes elected officials from Pasco County, Zephyrhills, Dade City, New Port Richey and Port Richey.

Jensen Hackett, of the Florida Department of Transportation, told the board: “There’s no financial increase for this part of the project in the TIP amendment.”

“These are the two segments that are between the county line of Pasco and Polk County and U.S. 301 and U.S. 98, just to the south side of Dade City.”

Published January 25, 2023

Pasco needs to plan ahead for trail connections, elected officials say

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Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey’s passion for providing more safe ways for people to get around, and to enjoy nature, is no secret.

Virtually every time a request for a rezoning comes before the county board, she wants to know how the new development will connect to others around it, and she also advocates for trails to tie in to  existing ones, and/or that new multi-use paths be created within the proposed project.

But Starkey recently learned that no trail was included in the project to widen Clinton Avenue, from Curley Road to U.S. 301, and she wasn’t happy.

She brought up the topic during the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Jan. 12 meeting.

“I want to apologize to St. Leo, San Antonio, Zephyrhills and Dade City,” Starkey said. “I did not know this was happening.”

This 10-foot wide multi-use path runs along the south side of the State Road 56 extension, between Meadow Pointe and U.S. 301. (File)

Starkey said she thinks Tina Russo, the MPO’s planner for pedestrian and bicycle safety, also was unaware of the situation.

To make sure her MPO board colleagues understood the issue, Starkey explained: “You know, we’re widening Clinton Avenue. It’s going to become the new road State Road 52.”

When the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) builds new roads, its practice is to add a sidewalk on one side of the road and a multi-use path on the other, she said.

“Sadly after our last (county) board meeting, I drove on some of the new Clinton Avenue extension and I came down Prospect (Road). When I came down Prospect and I headed west, I noticed that there was only a sidewalk on the north side and a sidewalk on the south side.”

The multi-use trail didn’t show up until she reached Curley Road, Starkey said.

So, she began looking into it to find out why.

She discovered that someone on the county’s staff had decided not to build a trail on the road because, Starkey said, in the staffer’s opinion: “it wouldn’t connect to anything.”

Starkey said she reminded county staff that there is a trail that’s been open for years that goes from Dade City to Zephyrhills, and is planned to extend beyond that.

Russo told the MPO board: “We’re looking at ways of correcting that situation. We’ve reached out to (Florida) DOT.”

She said efforts will continue to find the best way to correct the situation, from Curley Road east to U.S. 301.

It’s still a current project, but we’ll find out the best way to correct that situation, from Curley east to (U.S.) 301.”

Starkey added: “It is super frustrating to me because it is a multimillion dollar hiccup.

“I’ve talked to our county administrator about this because this isn’t the first time we’ve messed up. This is the biggest one that I know of, in the county. In my opinion, it’s a mess-up. Others may not think so, but I think it’s a huge mess-up.

“It’s just that we are disjointed in our trails planning. We need to have someone looking at the big picture because we have the engineering department making trail decisions. We have parks and rec making trail decisions. We have MPO making some. And they’re not talking to each other.

“Tina did not know that that trail was not being constructed. And, you couldn’t tell until they laid the sidewalk.

“She didn’t know until I called her.”

Russo explained: “We saw the piece already done, basically west of Curley. In fact, we got a tour of that piece. A beautiful facility. We kind of made the assumption that the typical was the same through the whole project.”

Russo also noted that the project was approved years ago.

“Moving forward we’re going to see what we can do to correct that situation and keep these from happening again,” she said.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Jack Mariano asked: “So, the way the MPO approved it was with the trail, correct?”

Russo: “Again, that project was approved going back to (Florida) DOT back in ’18, that was before I was here for sure.”

The project is a county project, as well as a state project, Russo said.

Starkey added: “I talked to engineering. They made a conscious decision to end it at Curley.”

“That’s what bothers me,” Mariano interjected.

Justin Hall, with FDOT, said when the project was approved, it would have been as a widening realignment with sidewalks.

He confirmed that Pasco County staff made the decision not to include the trail further to the east.

But, Hall said that FDOT could commit to doing a feasibility study to see what it needs to build the trail.

“If there’s available right of way, we can make a revision,” Hall said.

“If there’s not available right of way, or if it’s spotty, it probably would be better to have them finish the sidewalk and then have them come back.

“If not, we’re leaving a gap in the sidewalk, for whatever time it takes us to acquire the right of way, so I think it would be better for us to finish the sidewalk.

But Mariano said he didn’t want the sidewalk to be poured, just to have it ripped back up.

Hall told the MPO board: “I think we can come back next meeting with what we would need for right of way. I don’t think that’s a very big lift.”

Oakley said he thinks the county can work with FDOT, and then asked Hall to look into it and come back. In the meantime, Oakley said he would talk to the county’s engineering staff.

The idea, Oakley said, is to work together.

Pasco MPO Board Chairman Lance Armstrong agreed with Starkey that the county needs to be taking a look at the big picture.

“If we’re trying to create a trail network and we have a new road that could be a vital part of the network and we missed it, we’ve got an issue.”

Starkey agreed: “And that was such an important connection for Dade City and Saint Leo and Zephyrhills.”

Smith added:  “You know what, we all need to pay attention. We really need to have our eyes open.”

Adding the trail between Curley Road and U.S. 301 is one issue, Armstrong said.

“The second one is making sure it doesn’t happen in the future. That’s a totally different issue.”

“We can’t miss a connection,” Smith said.

Published January 25, 2023

Mike Moore departs from Pasco County board after two terms

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Mike Moore wasn’t a stranger to politics when he decided to run for Pasco County Commission. However, being an elected official wasn’t a lifelong ambition, either.

Rather, the Wesley Chapel man said, he increasingly came to realize the impact government has on everyday life and decided he wanted to play a role.

Before running for office in 2014, Moore owned a home health company, which led to his involvement in lobbying efforts with that industry’s trade group at the state level.

Commissioner Mike Moore joins a hard-hat tour of the recreation center at Wesley Chapel District Park. Building a center had always been intended, but hadn’t happened because of a lack of funding. Moore drew attention to the issue, and that changed. (Courtesy of Andy Taylor/Pasco County)

He was active in Republican Party politics in Pasco, too, knocking on doors, waving signs for candidates and writing campaign checks.

Ultimately, after discussions with his family and within the community, Moore decided to toss his hat into the ring for a seat on the county board.

Moore said he wanted to help shape local government’s impact within District 2, and across the county, as a whole.

Early on, he identified three key issues: Public safety, infrastructure and jobs.

As he leaves office on Nov. 21, Moore said the county has made gains on all three fronts.

Complaints still surface during public comment and budget discussions regarding a shortage of manpower and pay issues regarding first responders, but Moore said Pasco has made great strides in those areas during the last eight years.

The county has budgeted more money for pay, and Pasco’s residents have supported public safety through both a General Obligation bond and Penny for Pasco, Moore said.

Traffic bottlenecks
Traffic is another big issue in Pasco.

At public hearings, opponents frequently battle proposed projects — raising concerns about traffic congestion and potential dangers if more growth is allowed before road improvements are made.

This group helped graduating seniors from Cypress Creek Middle High, during festivities at the Grove at Wesley Chapel. The drive-by celebration was held to give members of the Class of 2020 a way to celebrate their achievements, in the midst of COVID-19. From left are, Jennifer Yingling, Mark Gold, DJ Night Mixer Makayla Gulash, Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore, Troy Stevenson, Cypress Creek Middle/High School Principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles, Jennifer Welling, and Tami Baker, along with the school’s Coyote mascot.

From Moore’s perspective, though, the county has made significant progress on infrastructure.

Numerous road projects have been completed, or are on the way, he said.

“I’m very happy that we were able to work very closely with our legislators and FDOT (the Florida Department of Transportation) to get that Diverging Diamond moved up, from 2024 — when it originally was going to start, to now, almost being completed.

“That’s huge. It really is huge,” he said, referring to a project intended to reduce congestion at Interstate 75 and State Road 56.

He also pointed to the new I-75 interchange being built at Overpass Road.

“How often do you see a new interchange on (Interstate) 75?” he asked.

The extension of State Road 56, from Meadow Pointe Boulevard in Wesley Chapel to U.S. 301, in Zephyrhills, is a big achievement, too, Moore said.

Initially, proposed as a two-lane road, the State Road 56 extension was expanded to four lanes, after partnerships were forged between Pasco County, the City of Zephyrhills, the FDOT and private landowners to finance the road and get it built.

There are ongoing projects on State Road 52, State Road 54 and U.S. 41, as well. Plus, land is being acquired for the widening of Wesley Chapel Boulevard, with construction expected to begin next year, Moore said.

Also, a portion of the extension of Ridge Road has been completed, from Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey to the Suncoast Parkway, in Land O’ Lakes. The next phase will extend it to U.S. 41.

It took more than 20 years for the county to get the green light on the Ridge Road extension, he said.

More companies are coming to Pasco
Pasco has projects going on all over, but there’s one, in particular, which is expected to create significant opportunities for decades to come.

A new “city” called Angeline is beginning to emerge on 6,200 acres, in an area south of State Road 52 and west of U.S. 41.

The development, which will have an emphasis on wellness, is expected to become home for people of all ages and feature a diverse mix of housing types.

Commissioner Mike Moore tosses up a ball during a ceremonial tipoff between Hasahn French and Micah Potter, during the inaugural Tampa Bay Pro Combine (TBPC), held June 3 through June 5, 2021, at the AdventHealth Sports Arena at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County.

Plans call for pathways throughout the development to encourage people to walk or bicycle to get to around, rather than hopping into a car.

The community also will boast the latest in internet technology.

When complete, Angeline is expected to have about 35,000 people.

It will be home to H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco County campus, which will span 775 acres and which is entitled for up to 24-million square feet of planned clinical and research facilities.

Plans for the area include a hospital, research and development space, office, manufacturing, laboratories, pharmacies, educational facility/university, hotel, and commercial space. The multi-year, multi-phase project is expected to create 14,500 jobs.

Moore pushed hard to expand Pasco’s job growth, noting residents need more work options closer to home.

“If you want a good quality of life, the less time you’re on the road, the more time you can spend with your family and your friends,” Moore said.

He’s been a fierce advocate for preserving land designated for job-generating uses, rather than allowing its conversion for other uses, particularly apartments.

He persuaded his colleagues to approve a temporary moratorium on new multi-family entitlements within District 2.

That moratorium has been lifted; Moore’s attitude hasn’t shifted.

“Converting commercial land to multifamily along our major corridors — will always concern me,” Moore said. “I was happy we had a pause on it. I wish it had continued longer.”

As he reflects upon his time in office, the commissioner said he’s pleased with Pasco’s many improvements through the years.

The county’s revamped tourism efforts have resulted in higher Tourist Development Tax revenues, a bigger impact on the local economy and the successful branding of the area as Florida’s Sports Coast, Moore said.

“We’re making a name for ourselves,” he said, noting the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team trained at AdventHealth Center Ice before skating to win a gold medal at the Olympics.

Pasco also has hosted national and international tournaments, showcases for professional sports and recently was selected as the site for the Florida Senior Games.

Commissioner Mike Moore brings JoJo, one of his family’s rescue pets, to the county board’s Sept. 8 meeting in 2020, on a day when commissioners were considering an action to ban the the retail sale of dogs and cats.

When athletes and spectators travel to Pasco, area restaurants, gas stations, hotels, stores, shops, entertainment venues and mom-and-pop businesses benefit, Moore said, adding these additional TDT revenues also help to reduce taxes for Pasco residents.

Pasco is looking good, in more ways than one
Moore cited a number of improvements he thinks are noteworthy.

The county’s curb appeal is better because of the county’s war on blight, Moore said.

Its animals are safer, too, because of the county’s abuse registry and its ban on the retail sales of dogs, cats and rabbits.

The passage of the county’s sexual predator ordinance was important, as well, to protect Pasco’s most vulnerable residents.

He also praised the county’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially its efforts to help area businesses and residents hit hard by its impacts.

Besides big-picture issues, Moore pushed for specific projects.

He advocated funding for a recreational center at Wesley Chapel District Park and for a library in Seven Oaks.

One of his most gratifying projects, he said, involved the effort to establish a universal playground — for children of all ability levels — at Wesley Chapel District Park.

“It was a true community project,” Moore said.

“It was amazing when I reached out to private organizations, like the (Wesley Chapel) Rotary (Club) and AdventHealth (Wesley Chapel) and (the) Lennar (Foundation), and how willing they were — not just to write a check for a couple of thousand dollars — but $50,000 and $25,000 checks — and, it (the playground) happened,” Moore said.

The real payoff came from seeing the joy on children’s faces, when they showed up to play. Such moments reveal what’s possible — when government and community join forces for the common good.

Published November 16, 2022

Zephyrhills addresses exponential growth needs

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As Pasco County’s largest municipality, the City of Zephyrhills has been experiencing rapid expansion. That’s why city officials already are working to try to stay ahead of area growth, which has doubled in the past 30 years.

During an Economic Summit at City Hall, City Planning Director Todd Vande Berg addressed previous, current and upcoming work in Zephyrhills.

This map shows the City of Zephyrhills, with a population topping 18,000 — making it Pasco County’s largest municipality. The dotted lines show the city limits in 1990, while the blue areas show how the city has expanded. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

The city planning director addressed how the city population more than doubled in a 30-year period, from 1990 to 2020.

The current population is estimated at slightly more than 18,000.

Zephyrhills also has expanded its city limits, especially in the north and to the west.

Abbot Square, the city’s largest new residential development, has more than 700 units. It’s just off Simons Road.

In total, the city has added 3,000 residential units, Vande Berg said, characterizing that as being “a lot for us, especially our community.”

The city’s residential growth is in keeping with a trend across both Pasco County and the state, the planning expert said.

Since 2010, Zephyrhills has seen a 61% increase in the total acreage of land of the city that is residential, with 2,995 acres dedicated to it.

To go along with the residential expansion, Vande Berg said 364,400 square feet has been added for industrial and commercial use.

That expansion includes new industrial spaces, expansion of Zephyrhills Municipal Airport and the development of the historic downtown area.

Downtown changes include new businesses and buildings. There are a number of other projects, too.

Making it safer and easier for people to get around
As it grows, the city also has been and will continue to seek ways to improve traffic flow, and enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety.

Significant roadway improvements, include:

  • A roundabout at Wire and Pretty Pond roads
  • A traffic signal at Simons Road and Eiland Boulevard
  • An extended right-turn lane on Fort King Road and Eiland Boulevard
  • Improvements to the intersection at County Road 54 and 12th Street, next to Zephyrhills High
  • An extension of Dairy Road to Kossick Road
  • An extension of Kossick Road to Wire Road
  • An alignment of Simons Road

Vande Berg said other measures have been discussed, such as identifying traffic “hot spots,” an additional extension of State Road 56, and improvements to U.S. 301.

“We’re going to look at all the areas in the city that might be considered problematic and call them out, and address those with a solution, whatever that might be,” the planning director said.

The city also has allocated $1 million of the 2022-2023 budget to improve sidewalks. All new development and redevelopment projects are required to build sidewalks adjacent to their sites.

“This will provide a safer haven, a better environment for kids to get to school and onto better sidewalks,” Vande Berg said.

Meanwhile, the city continues to grow.

Its population is expected to exceed 22,600 by 2035.

To address that growth and its needs, the city is updating its Comprehensive Plan, which aims to chart a vision and set policies for future growth through 2035.

An artist’s rendition of The Back Yard, a $250,000 open-air park at the southwest corner of Eighth Street and Sixth Avenue that will feature covered seating, metal storage containers as vendor spaces, and food truck and event space.

The city continues to accept public input, as it works on that plan.

It also is looking to “encourage smart growth,” which will concentrate on building within the city “compact, walkable urban areas to avoid sprawl,” Vande Berg said.

In essence, the city wants to encourage new development and redevelopment in downtown, rather than at its outer limits, he said.

“We can expand and develop what we have downtown and into the residential areas that are there, and that just makes the most financial sense,” Vande Berg said.

Some plans already have been identified, including The Back Yard, an open-air park at the southwest corner of Eighth Street and Sixth Avenue. It will feature covered seating under teepee-like structures, repurposed metal storage containers as vendor spaces, a stage, lighting, an event screen, plus service from food trucks.

That $250,000 project is tentatively expected to begin construction in late February 2023.

Other developments include more tennis courts at the tennis center, plus The Well, a 34,000-square-foot apartment development that can provide long-term housing for up to 90 students and families.

Other projects include a $5.4 million enhancement of Hercules Park, next to Woodland Elementary; additional expansion to the airport; a distillery being planned at an old bank on Gall Boulevard; and, more residential developments, with a variety of housing types.

“Avoiding overuse for residential land has to be key, with a better balance between that and commercial use for a sustainable economy,” Vande Berg concluded. “There is no magical formula, but it’s important not to get too oversaturated with residential.”

Published November 09, 2022

‘Never a more exciting time to be in Pasco,’ appraiser says

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Pasco County Property Appraiser Mike Wells recently shared an informative look at the county’s broadening tax base, during a gathering of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.

“I’ve got to be honest. There has never been a more exciting time to live in Pasco County, to be part of Pasco County,” said Wells, who served on the Pasco County Commission before being elected to his current post.

His comments came during a Sept. 20 luncheon, well before Hurricane Ian caused untold damage to communities in southwest Florida and continued its path of destruction across the state and into South Carolina.

Pasco Property Appraiser Mike Wells said Pasco County’s property base has been diversifying in recent years, as the county attracts more employers. (File)

Wells provided a brief recap of how Pasco has been evolving, and how it has become part of the discussion when companies consider moving to the Tampa Bay region.

“The team of commissioners and myself did a great job for six years to help the landscape get where it is today, quite frankly.

“We used to be a bedroom community. That’s all we were. All we did was build houses, quite frankly,” Wells said.

The vast majority of Pasco’s developed parcels remain residential, but companies are increasingly aware of what Pasco has to offer, he said.

Pasco needs a diverse tax base to generate the taxes necessary to provide the services its residents need, Wells said.

In recent years it has been making progress on that front, with an influx of new companies and commercial development, Wells said.

“The companies are coming here. They know we’re open for business. A lot has to do with us working together as a region,” he said.

He thinks much of that is due to a shift in attitude about regional cooperation.

“Eight years ago, we really weren’t a team.

“When I took over commissioner in 2014 — it wasn’t ‘us,’ it wasn’t ‘we,’ — it was ‘I, Pasco County’ against Hillsborough County, against Pinellas County — trying to poach.

“Now, we actually work together as a team —  what a concept, with the EDCs (economic development councils), with the chambers.

“We can all do more together — with Moffitt (Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco campus) — being an example.

“We’re close to the port, we’re close to the airport. Why would somebody not want to come up here to Pasco County? The cost of living is less,” Wells said.

Pasco has 300,000 parcels and a population of roughly 600,000, Wells said.

“Our growth is among the fastest in the state,” he added.

The county’s preliminary just value for 2022 is more than $66 billion, an increase of nearly 17%, he said. New revenue to Pasco County was roughly $90 million.

There are “exciting new projects and there’s plenty in the pipeline for years to come,” he added.

He shared a breakdown on Pasco’s businesses.

The vast majority — 86%  — have 25 or fewer employees, he said.

Nearly two-thirds have been in business for more than 10 years and 43% of Pasco businesses are owned by county residents.

Future prospects look bright, too, he said. About 36% of businesses expect to add employees within the next three years.

Also, slightly more than one-third of Pasco businesses are expanding at locations within the county, or are building on new Pasco sites, he added.

Wells is a big proponent of small businesses and of local businesses, too.

It used to bother him greatly when a Pasco company would lose out to a larger business from outside the area because it had a bigger footprint and could offer to complete the work at lower costs.

The county board addressed that issue by passing a local vendor preference policy to help local companies be more competitive when vying for county business.

As Pasco moves forward, it expects to attract more employers, the property appraiser said.

He pointed to 47-million square feet of planned development in the pipeline, and 78,500 jobs.

“We have enough pre-approved permits for 75 years’ worth of houses, so they’re coming,” Wells said.

Consideration of requests for future development in the county must take into account how the projects will affect the balance Pasco is trying to achieve, Wells said.

“Every decision we make for the next acre of land is important,” Wells said.

Tampa Premium Outlets, the Simon Real Estate-owned outdoor mall located at 2300 Grand Cypress Dr., in Lutz that opened in 2015, ranks No. 2 in Pasco County, in terms of its property value, at about $84.4 million. (Mike Camunas)

Apartment construction bolsters Pasco’s tax base
Wells said he’s aware the topic of multifamily development has been controversial, but he noted: “Multifamily leads the way on new construction value for 2022, as it did last year.”

He’s aware that his former colleague Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore championed a temporary moratorium on such development.

Moore sought the temporary measure to give the county time to gather information to make sure the multifamily market isn’t being overbuilt. He warned his colleagues about the potential negative consequences in the long-term, if that happens.

The multifamily moratorium is now over, but Moore continues to push for job-generating uses, rather than apartments.

Wells said, in general, he’s not in favor of moratoriums.

“I’ve always been a proponent of the market decides — not me,” he said.

The property appraiser also noted Pasco is attracting more health care development.

“We’re seeing exciting growth, as you know in Wesley Chapel, with Orlando Health, BayCare expanding,” he said.

He also expects the county to become more competitive in attracting industrial growth.

Its access to the interstate system and to rail — along U.S. 41 and U.S. 301 — provide an advantage that not all counties enjoy, he said.

He’s particularly enthused by what lies ahead in the development of Moffitt Cancer Center’s Pasco County campus.

Moffitt’s planned 775-acre campus, larger than the footprint of downtown Tampa, is in the heart of a developing community, which will be known as Angeline, Florida.

The scale of Angeline, which is south of State Road 52, near the Suncoast Parkway, is massive. At build out, it will have tens of thousands of residents, who will live in a community that is focused on providing the latest in technology and having an emphasis on wellness.

Plans call for the ‘city’ of Angeline include high-speed internet connectivity and an extensive trail network that will enable people to get where they want to go, without having to jump into a car.

Plans call for schools, research clinics, health care facilities, a community farm and thousands of residences, ranging from apartments to luxury homes.

Moffitt’s Pasco cancer center is expected to become home to leading-edge cancer researchers.

“This will be a global center of innovation. A huge asset to our region,” Wells said.

Pasco Top 10 properties, by value
HCA Health Services of Florida: $103,156,579
Tampa Premium Outlets: $84,376,243
Lantower Seneca Tampa LLC: $81,445,912
PAC Wiregrass Ranch LLC: $79,178.815
FRMF Odessa LLC: $71,994,778
Odessa Apartments LLC: $71,477,965
Pasco Cypress Creek DST: $62,152,747
Trinity Lakes Apartment: $61,732,459
Lantower Asturia Tampa LP: $60,055,988
Addison at Sunlake LCC: $58,377.067

Top five Pasco County taxpayers
Duke Energy Florida: $513.5 million
WREC Electric: $331.4 million
HCA: $137.2
Frontier: $106.8 million
Pasco Ranch: $102.5 million

Source: Pasco County Property Appraiser Mike Wells

Published October 19, 2022

Board is pushing for faster progress on emergency response times

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The Pasco County Commission is turning up the heat on its administration’s efforts to improve response times for the county’s emergency crews.

During a recent budget workshop, board members wanted to know why it isn’t possible to bring fire stations online quicker than is currently planned.

The questions surfaced during the board’s May 24 budget workshop.

The discussion came after repeated appearances at board meetings by members of the International Association of Firefighters, Local 4420, representing Pasco’s firefighters, who have complained that they aren’t able to respond to emergencies fast enough.

They said the delays pose a risk to Pasco residents, who need medical attention and to properties that are in danger of destruction.

During the budget discussion, Robert Goehig the county’s budget director, updated the county board on progress regarding fire stations being built through the general obligation bonds approved by voters.

Fire Station 17 is under construction at 2951 Seven Springs Blvd., in New Port Richey, and Fire Station 9 is being built in Land O’ Lakes.

Fire Station 3, which will be located in Beacon Woods, is expected to be put out for bid in the next few weeks, Goehig said.

Commissioner Jack Mariano wanted to know why more progress hadn’t already been made on Beacon Woods, given the fact the county has owned the property for several years.

Commissioner Mike Moore asked: “What can we do, when it comes to purchasing, to prioritize? I know obviously, when you’re moving something up, something else pops down.

“But we’re talking about public safety. Obviously, that should take priority.

“So, what can we do?”

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder said the county attorney’s office prioritizes its legal work based on the county administrator’s priority list.

“Fire Station No. 3 is No. 4 on the current ranking,” Steinsnyder said.

Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick responded: “It’s needed now. It’s imperative.”

County Administrator Dan Biles responded: “I want to remind the board that before we even took the bond to the voters in 2018, we outlined a phasing program for all nine fire stations.

“We phased the building so that when they come online, we have the funding to operate them.

“If you build them too early, you don’t have the funding to operate them,” Biles said.

“So, right now, (Stations) two and four, we don’t have the funds in ’23 to actually operate them, if they opened in ’23.”

He said the phasing was requested by the board, to ensure the county would have funding for operations.

“So, that’s what we’ve done,” Biles said.

Growth prompts need for faster action
Commissioner Mariano said the decision that was made at that time made sense.

“However, with the surge of growth that’s out there right now, with the extended times that people are taking to get service, I think it’s time we need to re-look at it, and make an adjustment.”

Mariano said he doesn’t understand why it would take so long for architectural work related to the buildings, since they can be essentially the same buildings.

Biles said each building has to be individually sited to make sure the footprint of the building fits on the site.

“You have to do the civil work and adapt it to the site, because every site is different. Every site has different site constraints, different access points. All of that stuff is different for every site,” Biles said.

Biles told the board a proposed “peak-hour rescue program” can be initiated to help reduce the response time for rescue calls.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey asked about the possibility of adding private rescue companies.

“If our dilemma right now is not having enough rescue, we can contract out, temporarily, until we have more of our own. It’s our same firefighters that are working for those companies that are manning that could be available, parked around the county that could help us.

“Right now, I think they just do transport, but I’ve been told they can do rescue,” she said.

Biles responded: “There are different classifications of transport and we allow the privates to do a certain level of that. We don’t allow them to do the initial emergency response.”

The county administrator said part of the problem stems from neighborhoods springing up in areas that are not close to fire stations. Another problem is that the county went a considerable number of years without adding any fire stations.

“We went over a decade without building a new fire station,” he said.

Meanwhile, “we added 100,000 people in Pasco County and we didn’t build a fire station.”

Biles noted that the corridors of U.S. 19, State Road 54 and U.S. 301 are where the peak-hour calls are happening.

The county has existing facilities in those corridors, Biles added. “So, it’s put the peak-hour rescue units in, the facilities that we have and let them be mobile.

“Every new fire station is going to help, but the issue right now is the peak call volume. So, the peak-hour rescue program that we’re already working to stand up, is the right way to attack it,” Biles said.

Commissioner Moore asked Steinsnyder if the county could pursue a Municipal Services Taxing Unit to attempt to force new growth to pay for itself.

Steinsnyder said he’s not aware of any government entity that has crafted that approach and he’s certain it would hold up, legally.

But the attorney did note that impact fees for capital fire projects have not been increased in numerous years.

Published 06/01/2022

State studying widening project on U.S. 301

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The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is studying a widening project, which would add capacity to U.S. 301, from Fowler Avenue in Hillsborough County to State Road 56 in Pasco County.

Amber Russo, a project manager for FDOT, provided an update to members of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization, at its April 14 meeting.

The project’s purpose it to improve safety for motorists, and to improve mobility for pedestrians and bicycles, Russo said.

“Safety is a key element for this project,” Russo said.

“During the five-year period that we studied, from 2015 to 2019, there were 464 crashes, which involved 16 fatalities, 338 injuries, 24 head-on collisions, and five crashes involving a pedestrian.

“A portion of this project, the southern end, the crash rate is almost double the state average,” she said.

She also noted that based on the 2040 projection — which puts the volumes at 29,000 to 48,000 — the road would be operating at a Level of Service F in both directions, during peak hours.

Justin Hall, also from FDOT, noted the current volumes on the road are 12,000 to 14,000.

Presently, this stretch of U.S. 301 is a two-lane, undivided roadway, with a posted speed varying from 50 mph to 60 mph, through the corridor, Russo said. The existing right of way varies from 100 feet to 200 feet wide.

“U.S. 301 is an important north-south corridor,” Russo said. It connects regionally significant corridors, such as I-75, I-4 and state road 56, 54 and 52.

“It also connects regional centers in Zephyrhills and Temple Terrace to the Tampa Bay area,” Russo said.

The proposed project, which would cost an estimated $200 million, has not yet been funded.

Proposed improvements are divided into two segments.

The southern portion would be from Fowler Avenue to Stacy Road.

“This is a suburban, typical section: with widening to four lanes, divided with a raised 30-foot median. We also have paved 5-foot outside shoulders, a 6-foot sidewalk on the east side, and 12-foot shared-use path along the west side,” Russo said.

The design speed for that segment is 55 mph. The total right of way varies from 169 feet to 200 feet wide.

The north portion of the project would be Stacy Road to State Road 56.

This would be a more-rural section of the road. It would be a four-lane divided road, with a 40-foot depressed median.

It would have 5-foot paved shoulders and a 12-foot shared-use path on the west side.

The design speed would be 65 mph. The total right of way width would be 235 feet.

Russo told the Pasco MPO board that some changes are expected, based on public comments.

Hall said those issues essentially fall into three categories: environmental concerns, concerns about widening the road beyond Hillsborough’s urban service area, and questions about increasing capacity on a rural highway.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said apparently Hillsborough is not aware of the planned projects near U.S. 301 and State Road 56, on both sides of the county line.

Moore noted that he used to frequently travel U.S. 301, when he had a private business.

“Wow, that was scary,” Moore said. “If you go off the shoulder, you’re in a ditch and you definitely don’t want to cross the center line.”

He thinks it makes perfect sense to widen U.S. 301.

“We’re at the point in this region where we need to get ahead. All we hear from our citizens is, ‘Why didn’t you do this before?

“Well, here’s that perfect opportunity. Let’s get ahead of the game, because it’s coming. It’s already coming.”

Commissioner Ron Oakley agreed.

“I’ve already gotten emails from people about congestion, when they go to (U.S.) 301, from (State Road) 56. It’s crowded. It’s terrible.

“If this road had already been done … a person would not have died this morning at 2:45, when they had a head-on collision and they closed 301.”

Hall said there were actually two fatalities in that crash. He also told the MPO board that the state roads department plans to proactively address some intersection signaling needs along U.S. 301.

Published April 20, 2022

Progress continues on U.S. 98/U.S. 301 project

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The board of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has approved a request by the Florida Department of Transportation aimed at making progress on a widening project on U.S. 98.

The Florida Department of Transportation asked the local MPO to amend its Transportation Improvement Plan to include right of way and design funding for the widening of U.S. 98, from U.S. 301 South to U.S. 301 North, from a two-lane road to a four-lane road.

Funding for the work will not affect the Pasco County MPO, but would come from state and federal sources, according to background materials in the MPO board’s Feb. 10 agenda packet.

The FDOT notified the Pasco MPO staff on Jan. 10, 2021, regarding additional funding to advance the project.

The project is designed to support economic development by improving access for movement of goods, connections to transportation facilities and major activity centers.

It also aims to improve safety by reducing fatal and serious crashes.

This proposed amendment will be posted on the MPO’s website, PascoMPO.net, where the public is welcome to submit comments.

In another action, the Pasco MPO board approved a new way to add and rank projects on its priority list.

The Pasco MPO is the lead agency in transportation planning, and its board is made up of elected officials from Pasco County, Dade City, Zephyrhills, New Port Richey and Port Richey.

Under the new system, there will be a separate priority list for bicycle and pedestrian improvements.

The new method also assigns numerical scores to rank the projects, based on points received in specific categories.

Proposed bicycle and pedestrian projects will be ranked based on the total number of points they receive in the following categories: safety and security; mobility and connectivity; economic development; project readiness and project longevity.

Proposed road improvements will be ranked upon the total of points they receive in these categories: safety and security; mobility and connectivity; freight movement and economic development; project readiness and project longevity.

In other action, the board:

• Moved forward $600,000 in funds that will be unspent by the end of fiscal year 2022, so it can be spent in fiscal year 2023.

• Reappointed Lance Smith as chairman of the MPO board and appointed Matt Murphy as vice chairman. Each will serve a one-year term.

Published February 23, 2022