The Laker-Wesley Chapel/New Tampa-October 6, 2021

Page 1

The LAKER

ee r F

LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM

Auto Accident? Slip and Fall? FREE CONSULTATION

No Fees Or Costs Unless You Win HOLLIDAY KARATINOS LAW FIRM, P.L.

WESLEY CHAPEL/NEW TAMPA EDITION

O C TO B E R 6 , 2 0 2 1

Pasco extends multifamily moratorium

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 Commission Chairman Ron Oakley’s District 1. Initially, the temporary ban was set to expire on Sept. 28. The temporary ban’s intent “is to study the potential oversaturation due to the existing and all possible future multifamily developments within the moratorium area and to determine whether additional reguSee MORATORIUM, page 9A

HelpingInjuredPeople.com Call Attorney

JIM HOLLIDAY 813-868-1887 “I Will Aggressively Fight To Protect Your Legal Rights” 18920 N. Dale Mabry Hwy Ste 101 Lutz, FL (Corner of Sunlake & Dale Mabry)

Walk-Ins Welcome WE’RE THE TEAM YOU CAN COUNT ON

cornerstonepros.com CAC1816647 & CFC1428982 • EC0001103

TUNE-UPS FOR AC

$29.95 Valid for new customers only. Mon - Fri 8am-8pm. Not valid on pre-purchased plans. Exp 10/31/21.

AC OR PLUMBING SERVICE CALL

$29.95

FRED BELLET

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.

FOR FIRST-TIME CUSTOMERS

Valid for new customers only. Mon - Fri 8am-8pm. Not valid on pre-purchased plans. Exp 10/31/21.

Same-Day Service Free 2nd Opinion* Free Estimates** 24/7 Emergency **Free estimates for new A/C, water heater, water treatment, whole home generators, whole home repipe and electrical panel upgrade. *Free second opinion with written diagnosis from another company.

813-990-0561 2012- 2020

Land O’ Lakes rezoning gains approval By B.C. Manion

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.

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 singlefamily 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 See REZONING, page 9A

Should Pasco ban the retail sale of pet rabbits? By B.C. Manion

Pinellas County took in 246 pet rabbits last year. “We don’t have the statistics yet of the Humane Society of Pinellas, Pasco County outlawed the sale of but we’ll get those to you. kittens, puppies, cats and dogs from “And the Humane Society in pet stores last year, and now animal Tampa took in 190 pet rabbits, as of advocates are urging the Pasco July this year. County Commission to halt the retail “There are no facilities that acsale of pet rabbits, too. cept pet rabbits in Pasco County,” A trio of speakers appeared before she said. the county board during the board’s A couple of good Samaritans public comment portion of its Sept. began the Suncoast House Rabbit 28 meeting. Rescue in 2019, Rivard said. Kurtis Marsh, of Holiday, explained COURTESY OF MARY RATHMAN “Since then, they have taken in the need for the change. “Rabbits, if you don’t know, are the This bunny was kept in a loving home; unfortunately, rabbits over 100 rabbits.They line up fosters to help them. third most popular pet, which makes often are ‘impulse buys’ and are abandoned on the streets “They cannot keep up with the them the third most dumped pet,” shortly after their purchase, say some animal advocates who want to ban the retail sale of rabbits at pet shops. overwhelming number of calls they Marsh said.. get from people who are turned “This year alone, because of away from the nonprofits because COVID-19, our small rescue has taken in 25 rabbits. you on the dog chaining law for Pasco they have no space,” she said. Just this month, the people who run the “Since the first of September, there have County.” been a total of 66 rabbits we’ve been conNow, the focus is on trying to end the shelter said they had to turn away 60 rabbits. tacted about — either dumped, or someone sale of rabbits by pet stores, she said. “Pet rabbits are not native to Florida and is about to dump them. People call the res“We’re working on this issue with five cues and threaten to dump the rabbits,” he counties that make up the greater Tampa they can easily die of temperatures below said. Bay area: Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, 50 degrees and above 80 degrees.They also By prohibiting the sale of rabbits at pet Manatee and Sarasota. Not a single county- do not know how to find food and shelter. “Commissioners, we are asking for your stores, the number of rabbits being dumped run animal shelter takes in pet rabbits. Only on the street will decline, he said. four nonprofit facilities accept pet rabbits,” help with this issue. “As far as we can see, we have two opPeople are buying pet rabbits over the she said. weekend and dumping them by Tuesday of She then recited some statistics for the tions. Even provide a facility to take in unwanted rabbits, or ban the retail sale of the following week, he said. county board. “SPCA (the Society for the Prevention rabbits. “It’s just gotten that bad,” Marsh said. Another speaker, Renee Rivard, reminded of Cruelty to Animals) in Manatee County See RABBITS, page 9A commissioners:“We worked with some of took in 76 rabbits last year. The SPCA of

bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
The Laker-Wesley Chapel/New Tampa-October 6, 2021 by LakerLutzNews - Issuu