Lutz News-Lutz/Odessa-October 6, 2021

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Land O’ Lakes rezoning gains approval

By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

The Pasco County Commission has approved a request by DMMD I, LLC/MI Homes to rezone 20 acres at the northwest corner of Kristen Lane and Joy Drive for the development of 54 single-family homes. The request received a recommendation for approval from county planners and from the Pasco County Planning Commission. At a Sept. 28 public hearing, Clarke Hobby, the attorney for the applicants, told

the county board that the site is within the urban service area and the South Market Area — which is the area the county has designated for its greatest growth to occur. The request, for a Residential-4 Euclidean zoning district, requires lots to be at least 60 feet wide. Other nearby developments include Oakstead, Bexley North and Concord Station, to name a few. Oakstead Elementary School is across the street from the rezoning site and Pasco County Animal Services is nearby.

Hobby told county commissioners that many of the nearby master-planned developments, if not all, include lot sizes that are substantially smaller than those planned for the rezoning site. “So the lots you’re seeing here are essentially 50% larger than the majority of the lots that have been approved in this area, over the last several years,” Hobby said. “MI Homes is proposing a development that will include houses from 2,100 square See REZONING, page 9A

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Park celebration = fun for all Grand opening festivities at the new Wesley Chapel District Park Recreation Center, located at 7727 Boyette Road, drew hundreds. This was one of those times when the cliché, ‘and a good time was had by all’ appeared to ring true. Above, youth ball hockey players honed their skills in a rink outside the new recreational center. See story, page 1B.

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A look at the exterior of the new Wesley Chapel District Park Recreation Center.

Seven-year-old Reagan Peal, of Land O’ Lakes, concentrates on keeping her Hula-Hoop spinning during one of many games and events at the grand opening of the new facility. She was with her 10-year-old sister, Kendal, and her mom, Samantha.

Should Pasco ban the Pasco County retail sale of pet rabbits? extends multifamily moratorium By B.C. Manion

bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

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MARCH 31, 2021

Flurry of Pasco road projects underway

of Zoom — featuring Florida Department Once those projects are completed, Transportation Secretary Kevin Thibault and Pasco’s road network is expected to be betU.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis. ter able to handle the county’s considerable Thibault and Bilirakis touched on a numgrowth. ber of big-picture issues involving Projects under construction, or that soon transportation. will be, are expected to improve traffic flow Thibault talked about the expectation of at State Road 56 and Interstate 75; offer reduced gas tax revenues over time, as moBy B.C. Manion smoother travel through East Pasco County cars and bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com in- torists make the switch to electric on a new alignment for State Road 52; vehicles with higher fuel efficiency. crease access to Interstate 75 with a new Bilirakis talked about the proposed $2 Drive along nearly any major Pasco add cabe interchange at Overpass Road; and, trillion infrastructure package. County artery and you are likely to pacity at State Road 52 and U.S. 41. He said he doesn’t support the package. backed up in traffic — during rush hour. were discussed a transprojects Those moto obvious it’s At the same time, portation briefing hosted by the North See ROAD, page 9A torists that work is underway on numerous via Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce Pasco roadways.

A strong partnership between Pasco County and the Florida Department of Transportation has paved the way for the multitude of projects.

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Nine-year-old Jawaun Washington, FRED BELLET of Dade City, lowered his mask to munch on a hot dog at the Jelly Bean Fling.

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undreds turned out to the Jelly Bean Fling at the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village to take advantage of festivities that included free family photos, an Easter egg hunt, a petting zoo, live entertainment, games

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and crafts. Event-goers could make Easter bonnets, too, enjoy a bite to eat, purchase items from vendors and check out the model train room. And, there were bubbles — showers and showers of bubbles —during the Sphere’s Bubble Magic Show.

Ty Seifert, of St. Petersburg, seems to be having as much fun as family friend 4-year old, Cami Brown, of St. Petersburg. They were enjoying the Sphere's Bubble Magic Show during the event.

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Pasco County outlawed the sale of kittens, puppies, cats and dogs from pet stores last year, and now animal advocates are urging the Pasco County Commission to halt the retail sale of pet rabbits, too. A trio of speakers appeared before the county board during the board’s pubCOURTESY OF MARY RATHMAN lic comment portion of its This bunny was kept in a loving home; unfortunately, rabbits Sept. 28 meeting. Kurtis Marsh, of Holiday, often are ‘impulse buys’ and are abandoned on the streets explained the need for the shortly after their purchase, say some animal advocates who want to ban the retail sale of rabbits at pet shops. change. “Rabbits, if you don’t know, are the third most popular pet, which on the street will decline, he said. makes them the third most dumped pet,” People are buying pet rabbits over the Marsh said.. weekend and dumping them by Tuesday of “This year alone, because of COVID-19, the following week, he said. our small rescue has taken in 25 rabbits. “It’s just gotten that bad,” Marsh said. “Since the first of September, there have Another speaker, Renee Rivard, reminded been a total of 66 rabbits we’ve been con- commissioners:“We worked with some of tacted about — either dumped, or someone you on the dog chaining law for Pasco is about to dump them. People call the res- County.” cues and threaten to dump the rabbits,” he Now, the focus is on trying to end the said. sale of rabbits by pet stores, she said. By prohibiting the sale of rabbits at pet See RABBITS, page 9A stores, the number of rabbits being dumped

By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

Pasco County has extended its temporary moratorium on new multifamily applications — which applies to a specific area of the county — until April 1, 2022. The approved 185-day extension occurred after Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick called for receiving a report back on the issue within 90 days, but that request received no support from her board colleagues. The county board initially approved the moratorium on May 4 — retroactive to April 1, 2021 — at the urging of Commissioner Mike Moore, who expressed concerns that his district was becoming oversaturated by multifamily development. The temporary ban on new applications applies to an area contained in Moore’s District 2, essentially made up of Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes. The area is generally defined as between State Road 52, on the north; U.S. 41, on the west; State Road 54 on the south; and, Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, on the east.The boundary zigzags between Moore’s District 2 and See MORATORIUM, page 9A


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