The City of Zephyrhills is looking at the future by turning toward the past.
The largest town in Pasco County — with a population of nearly 18,000 — is working on a major update to its Comprehensive Plan through 2035, and is asking for suggestions and feedback from new arrivals and long-time residents.
During this process, the city and its planners will collect ideas from residents, business owners, workers and community stakeholders to help create a citywide vision for 2035.
The city typically updates its plan every 10 years, but given the population boom, Zephyrhills opted to plan for the next 12 years.
The population has more than doubled since 1990, from 8,200 to more than 17,200. It is expected to reach nearly 23,000 by 2035.
The planning project is being called PlanZepyrhills2035.
“(The Comprehensive Plan) sets the tone, the goals, the objectives and policies for basically all of the rest of the city,” said Audrey McGuire, Zephyrhills’ historic preservation specialist and community planner. “That’s because a comprehensive plan impacts land use and development and infrastructure, as well.”
The comprehensive plan is a document that spans a long period of time. It aims to protect valued places and promote economic prosperity.
It is carried out over time through city zoning, land development regulations and infrastructure budgeting.
The city wants to engage its residents and stakeholders in shaping the plan’s direction.
“It’s very important because it gives us an idea of what the community wants and how they want Zephyrhills to grow,” McGuire said. “Because it’s not just what we want as planners. It’s what (the citizens) see that can be issues or needs or things that are great in the community they want to preserve.”
The city has already reached out to the townspeople in the form of three Community Conversation Meetings. At those, McGuire and a representative from Brana Consulting — a firm helping the city organize the plan and its publications — took extensive notes from those who attended.
The city also has posted a three-question survey online that citizens have the rest of the year to complete. The survey seeks to help answer two central questions: “What does our community’s best future look like?” and “How will we achieve that vision of the future?“
“We are planning additional workshops later this year — with public works and the City Council, are a couple — so there will be several more community meetings (about the plan) coming up,” McGuire added.
At the second Community Conversation on June 25, several citizens expressed their “concern” that no matter how the comprehensive plan develops, they want Zephyrhills to “maintain” and “protect the small-town feel.”
“That’s the biggest thing we keep hearing,” McGuire said. “That, and improving our parks.”
City Manager Billy Poe has already addressed Hercules Park, which the city took over in 2018.
A renovation plan has been drawn up and city officials announced on June 11 that a construction contract has been awarded to Tampa-based Wharton-Smith Construction Group.
The estimated cost of the project is $4.2 million and includes amenities such as a BMX track, a frisbee disc golf course, a nearly 1-acre open playfield, and a 1.42-acre playground and picnic/shelter area.
“I think keeping that small-town feel is very important because we shouldn’t be extending into Wesley Chapel or vice versa,” Zephyrhills resident Christa Remington told city officials at the June 25 meeting. “It would be nice if there were more walking or biking destinations in town, and more places to go out to — parks and programs, places for kids to play.”
Another item that came up involves a desire to revitalize the historic Zephyrhills Home Theater on Main Street.
The City Council, however, voted on Oct. 25 to deny an appraisal of the downtown building.
Another suggestion by citizens involves the desire for a Zephyrhills community pool.
“This is the first time we heard (a request for a community pool) specifically at these meetings, but not the first time we’ve heard it from the community,” McGuire said.
Ironically, Zephyrhills did have a pool in the city limits: Hercules Aquatic Center. However, that was operated by Pasco County and was closed in 2009, due to budget constraints.
Despite several attempts to keep it open, it was shuttered for good and fell into disrepair.
The former aquatic center site is now owned by the city and is part of the Hercules Park renovation project.
Still, in light of additions to the city in recent years, such as the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Center, citizens would like a place to cool off.
“This is Zephyrhills, the ‘City of Pure Water.’ Right?” longtime Zephyrhills resident Tim Allen asked at the June 25 community meeting. “How do we not have a community pool?”
To complete the PlanZephyrhills2035 Comprehensive Plan Survey, visit Plan2035.zhills.city.
Published July 13, 2022
