6.2.26 Pasco County Board of County Commissioner Meeting (Afternoon Session)

We approved [clears throat] publication of the hearing of this matter in June 26th. This is an emergency Porter County Commissioners amending the passage plan land development code um for the purposes of parking recreational vehicles. Um this comes to you with a recommendation to continue that to August 25th, 2026 1:30 p.m. where I assume that after I assume it will be heard in open session. This is simply a continuation Yeah. adoption. The motion to continue.

I second.

I move.

I second.

All those in favor say "Aye".

Aye.

All right, public hearings.

I just want to read the application for the hearing of this matter for a previous board meeting on July 14th, 2026, where it was continued to today.

I have a motion to continue.

I move.

I second.

All those in favor say "Aye".

Aye.

Any opposed?

I have no items on the agenda. County Attorney?

Uh there are two rezoning agendas, regular and consent. It looks like we only have consent today. Uh staff will present each application on the County County Commission. To the County Commissioners, if staff or Planning Commission has recommended approval and there is no opposition, the application will be considered by the board without further presentation. If the staff or Planning Commission has recommended denial, or if there is opposition to the application, the applicant will be given 5 minutes for presentation. The opposition will be given 3 minutes for each individual or 5 minutes for a group representative. And the applicant will be given 2 minutes for rebuttal. Any individual disagreeing with staff or Planning Commission recommendation, or any individual to object to any condition of the rezoning may ask for a staff request to be pulled from the consent agenda, in which case that application will be heard on the regular agenda later on during the meeting. Otherwise, [clears throat] it will be approved. Rezoning applications on the consent agenda will be approved by single motion and vote. If you wish to speak to any position, please give your name and address and whether or not you support it for the record. These are quasi-judicial public hearings. The law in Florida is to hear public support or opposition to an application or position for the support to take action. Please limit your comments to those criteria. Have a good evening. And welcome good. Mr. Hart, if you'd like to support the following again, I will until 5:00 if there is anyone anticipating giving us testimony in any of the rezoning matters, please rise. Once again, if you think you might, just please rise, raise your right hand. Do each of you swear or affirm that the testimony you will give in these matters is the truth, so help you God? You may be seated. Thank you. If you come When you come forward to present, please give your name and address for the record as the county attorney outlined, and also acknowledge that you were sworn. Okay. On P-32, we have proof of publication in the March 25th, 2026 edition of the Tampa Bay Times, supplemented by uh certification of mailings and site postings. Uh the word that may 5th, 2026 for meeting purposes continued to today.

On P-32, it's E-26-033, the state comprehensive plan amendment in the name of CPAS 2501, Palmetto Ridge, CPAL, providing for transmittal of a comprehensive plan amendment of the very policy for those 7134 Palmetto Ridge, uh this is with your recommendation to authorize the transmittal of the proposed comprehensive plan amendment to the Department of Commerce for the Commerce element.

Are there any agencies? And there is a participation, so to say.

Uh thank you. Does anyone in the audience here speak in opposition to this to this P-32?

Anyone online?

Anyone online? Mr. Hart. Uh Mr. Hart, P-33, to approve proof of publication in the Tampa Bay Times, April 1st, 2026, supplemented by an affidavit of service by mailings and site postings.

On P-33, it's PD-26-0356, the state comprehensive plan amendment it was PPA 25-13. The Vilo Ranch providing for transmittal of the comprehensive plan text amendment to go through six Pasadena Hills to amend tables PH-2, UPH residential conversion chart and PH-3, UPH residential conversion chart and a text amendment to go through six land classifications, village mixed use two. So, let's go to your recommendation to authorize transmittal of those comprehensive plan amendments to the Department of Commerce, Florida Commerce and other regulatory agencies. And there is a presentation from the consultant.

I have a question.

Sure.

Um on this one, if I'm not mistaken, can you put up the map?

From office?

Yeah.

Sorry. And then P-34 is P-34 with the application of the first 20.26 elevation of the County Bay Times submitted by an FDOT official by the County Bay Times. And then P-34 is PD 26-7876. This is a substantial modification for the for the MPUD for the name of Evans C1 property operated as a substantial modification to the Evans C1 MPUD to increase the number of residential uses from 82,000 square feet to 94,000 square feet on approximately 52.08 acres located in the Village of Pasadena Hills within Village C on the north side of McKay Road approximately 1 and 1/4 mile east of Curley Road. And so, that's your recommendation to approve the proposed substantial modification to the MPUD subject to the attached conditions of approval. And [snorts] there is a presentation from the consultant.

Mr. Chairman, this is the one I had a question on and that's the other.

P-33 um Is there anyone to utilize in office for P-33? Is there anyone online?

No one online, no one in the audience.

So I'll motion to approve the second general repeat 32 and 33. All in favor say aye.

Aye.

They're approved. MP 34.

Um

They're approved.

Yeah, can you and maybe this isn't where it happens, but and I I did have a meeting on this and I'm sorry I don't have my notes on the particulars of that with the county administrator yesterday and um Oh, is that it? Wait. Which is the one that has Oh, shoot, I might have messed up. Which is the one that we talked about with the commercial that we that was going to look like those pictures? What is that one? Okay. Can and maybe this isn't the right place, but I want to make sure that the development pattern is what we want on the on What's the road that's going north or south on K? Handcart? So um you showed me a picture and you showed me a picture. Um can you put that picture up?

Absolutely. Uh where's William Blake development?

It is, I just didn't remember.

And then fast forward. This MPUD This is the place. I'm going to fast forward. I'm going to fast forward to here. So and actually

That picture right there.

Um a little bit of context. Originally this MPUD was approved 145 multi-family dwelling units and some support commercial. They came to staff with their original submittal wanting to increase the multi-family to 300 dwelling units from the 145 and in working with staff they eliminated the multi-family component entirely in lieu of more commercial retail geared. And so what we did um with the applicant was to make this a more walkable downtown village area. This is the area where we're reducing the Handcart Road typical section. The comprehensive plan originally contemplated this map.

But you're telling me you took out residential.

This map we're reducing

But that's what's that's what's in this picture.

So this this picture is entirely non-residential. On the other side of Handcart

to guess that's that's vertical mixed use.

full section which is from your own comp

Is not Is that not commercial and retail on the bottom and vertical mixed use on the

So that picture right there for the 82 AA that's just a picture of the cross section from the Village at Paseo del Norte comprehensive plan. So it's meant to show the width of the road as well as the pedestrian infrastructure and how the building should form on it. It's not necessarily trying to indicate a specific use in the cross section. And if I was to the area immediately adjacent to this project on Handcart Road um the where this area here this is where um staff is anticipating the multi-family integration and reloading capital products to go on the opposite side here.

I I I think it's disingenuous to show me that picture like that's what we're going to get. But when I look when I look at this and I I I get that the buildings are pulled up to Clinton. But Clinton is is not necessarily road that you're going to have a lot of pedestrians. It's not where you would want to hang out, right? You would want to hang out on Handcart.

Exactly. That's why we reduced the cross section from the 142 to 82 feet width here. What the comprehensive plan is trying to show is what can be accomplished with the smaller typical section. But if we go back to the binding plan of

development pattern you're going to get pop and drop.

Well so we

It's not blocks.

So the the red the red lots there that don't have a building foot set on them, that is commercial development well.

Yeah, again, But what kind of commercial development? I mean, that was that I mean

So, we do our conditions of approval because we did show the building footprint due force the buildings on either side of Hancock to be up along the road as it's shown in the table. So,

But, are they going to have parking lots surrounding them?

No, the parking is conditioned to be to the side and rear of the building as a part of this approval. Um, much like indicated on the southern piece, they just didn't have any users for the building footprints within the red lots for the commercial users, but the conditions of approval um, mandate the required activity of the buildings to be up on the road and that the parking be shielded.

I would rather have given them the residential and let them put it up above and um, had more customers for the restaurants and shops that we would hope would be downstairs. But, again, but now we're getting away from what we were trying to make VOP special about. We just had the workshop. I mean, do y'all see what I'm talking about?

I was going to say but

I mean, is that going to be a McDonald's and a Burger King and a Taco Bell?

The lanes are funny to the side and you know, having to do with residentials on the long line plus it goes along the upper part of the roadway with a mixed use.

I'm just saying I don't want to see a Taco Bell, a Burger King and a McDonald's in downtown VOP. I mean, to me that's the pattern we're setting up here unless I'm missing Yeah, they may have the parking lot on the back road, but you would turn left to get in to the to the fast food. It it's just I just want to be sure that's not a Burger King.

Let's let's hear a little bit more presentation from staff unless staff is done with the definitive answer. Yeah.

Well, let me ask you this. Can you speak to his end user since that appears to be

Good afternoon, Joe. Two Palm Harbor land use consultant for Evans Properties, the land owner. Uh Commissioner, I appreciate your comments. We actually did discuss this when we had our 101 preview with you. Uh so, I'll try to summarize what what we [clears throat] explained. Um at this point in time, we have absolutely zero users

[clears throat]

for the project. Therefore, we cannot draw a specific user site plan that tells you the users. That's number one. Number two, uh what we have agreed to do because of that, uh And and let me start off by saying that giving up these apartments and increasing commercial, we understood was something that you actually wanted us to do, and would be happy with us doing. And we're happy to do that to this location, which is probably one of the best commercial locations in VOP H. The what we agreed to do to get you comfortable with this is, as you can see, the portion of the project that is fronting directly on McKay, we specifically committed to that building layout to give you exactly what you want, building frontage on McKay and a hand cart centralized parking. We're committing to that there because even though we have no idea what users will be in those buildings. Uh We further have agreed, and and it's it's a little confusing because we agreed on a specific cross section with the county engineer and PDEG. A specific cross section for a hand cart going north for this specific reason we are addressing. We did not like the big wide Boulevard cross section that would not be pedestrian friendly because we want to have great fully integrate the eastern commercial with western commercial and we want it to be an integrated quote main street development. So, that section of hand cart is intended to become the main street for this project where where in fact we have exactly what you're asking for. And now, what's causing the confusion is that in the adopted BOPH comp plan all of these various types of cross sections have illustrations and renderings that you invented in your comp plan. And when we have to attach the specific cross section that we're agreeing to, we have to attach that picture from your own comp plan. So, the picture you don't like and that picture is the picture you adopted in your comp plan. It is not our

I I like that picture. That's what I want you to build.

As as applied here, as Will was saying, the material part of that reference is to define the right away width and the specific cross section so that we can make sure this pedestrian friendly. What we in fact, if you then read all the conditions, what we're required to construct along that frontage on each side is retail. And we are required to have the storefronts on the Leaf Street. We're required to make it pedestrian friendly and required to put the parking behind it just as you want. So, so even though we don't have specific use, you're going to have exactly the form. And And let me just say one additional thing which we did discuss. I And I've said this at several public hearings in the H. Evans properties and the Galvin company collectively own or control over 90% of the currently entitled retail land within VOP H. Just those two owners. They both have voluntarily agreed and I'm helping them do this with planning, development and economic growth. We are collaboratively working on retail design guidelines which you have never had. We have 82,000 square feet of retail approved on this property today and 145 apartments that we have no design requirements and no use requirements and no Main Street requirements. I mean, we can build a project there with none of this. But Evans is voluntarily agreeing to not only help formulate these proposed retail design guidelines which we intend to have back to you before the end of this calendar year, hopefully for the board to adopt and embed in the VOP H so that they apply to all properties in VOP H and we've agreed to these conditions that whatever comes out of that board approved within this year, this MPUD is going to be bound by them. So, we're willing to abide by your future control of the design guidelines and we're going to help you try to come up with those. So, that's why we're going forward with this. We really prefer to have more commercial here at this tremendous corner and we think we give you in the conditions, we give them 100% control over what that future retail is going to look like. We simply I could we could throw you a plan today and it would it would not be the plan. It can't be the plan when you don't have the users.

Can I can I say that I don't You know, what when you think of apartment complexes or multi-family the only way you think about it in the in the context in the county right now is the way we have had these national apartment builders come in and build. But there are many other ways, especially in this kind of community, to bring in multi-family that makes it um woven into the street structure and uh townhomes, lofts above the buildings, um ADUs. So So when when when I say multi-family, it doesn't mean 300 apartments that have no context to anything around. Um but I don't I would prefer if you don't take out the ability for someone to come in here and put some kind of housing above the shops. Well, we have Because that makes the shops more viable if they're done right.

And we we did discuss this. We have retained that right. If you look at these conditions, we have retained the right to do vertical mixed-use in the conditions. And we have an exchange matrix that allows us to do that. We we agree. If we get a capital investor who's willing to Cuz you can't just wish those projects to happen. You can't just throw a picture in front of you. You actually have to raise money from someone who's in the business that thinks that they can build and market and rent those units. And if we find that person, it would be silly for us to not do that deal. So we have retained the right to do vertical mixed-use, but we're obligated to do that ground-floor retail on both sides of that main street. No matter what.

So what I what I want to know is can that be a Burger King, a McDonald's, and a Taco

Well, let's discuss the use thing. Here's Here's the problem with what you want. The problem is your adopted VOPH regulations do not allow you to say I don't want a Burger King, a Taco Bell, McDonald's. Okay? You don't have that legal power. You were never given that planning power and your documents don't allow it. You are allowed to control You are allowed to control land design and building design and we're going to go through that process, but there is nothing presently, in my opinion, and I helped write the documents and we've stood here for 20 years talking about it. There is nothing in the VOPH documents that you can just decide one morning that you don't like Taco Bell or you like McDonald's but not chicken. You just You don't have that legal power under this zoning framework. You've never had it in the state of Florida or almost anywhere else.

Now, Commissioner Terry, were you going to say something?

That's not to say we intended to

Not on Main Street. That's That's, you know, that's not the character of something.

it's not the character of what but you won't have the authority that you are provided in your own documents or by

fact that you you have the ability to say we won't be we won't put those in. But let me ask

Thank you. Economic growth, Joel is right that in terms of like limiting land use and he's right that you can control that site design. So, one way that uh these types of users can be mitigated is by designing and locating their drive-thru facilities at the at the right location. So, if if you want to mitigate the quick service restaurants that have drive-thrus, then a condition of approval could be developed that says you know, drive-thrus should only be or shall only be to the rear or sides of buildings and shall not wrap around. And

Not be any drive-thrus. I mean, that's not what we want.

That's not a

That's not a business. It's a regulation of the the name of the business. It's a regulation of the design of property, right?

And and I sug- I suggest that if the commission as a whole decides to go that direction, then obviously that's something you would need to impose not on one approval when you've got a dozen others already. That would be correct. That is something that would have to be discussed in the context of an overall regulatory climate for VOPH or whatever area you're regulating. So, that would be and again Well, and we talked about that. For example, are you really not going to allow a Costco or a Sam's Club anywhere in or around VOPH and require 40,000 residents to drive to Wesley Chapel to go to these things?

No, I think they can be right outside the boundary.

But that's the one. But see, that's my that's my point, and that's part of what we're we're looking at with PDEG in this global view. We're going to be talking about certain types of uses, proposed locations for certain types of uses. Where would these things be best suited to provide the needs of the residents, but without unnecessarily intruding on what was intended to be the the village design concept? So, we're not at odds with the any of this. I'm just saying that it has to be done on a global basis through this process we're working on the next few months. We've talked about work shopping those ideas with you, obviously, before we waste time in drafting regulations, because we've got to get a consensus among you. So, we're we're in tune with that, but it really needs to be done on a global basis cuz everyone needs to abide by the same regulations, or else any one property owner's at a huge

And Joe, we had a wonderful workshop last week on VOPH. Um and was it filmed, Mike? So, that might be something that you want to look at. I know Clark Park was there. Um

I'll have to see it.

the launch playing golf.

Oh, yeah.

I apologize.

[laughter]

Not really.

Um

We understand the point, but I guess what I'm trying to say is for this particular approval we honestly believe that we're bringing you what we've heard from you in the last year or two that you wanted and we're committed to abide by whatever those design regulations are that come out of this process and our written conditions say that.

But do you guys um would you be with me on the that we don't want that kind of the drive-thrus in here? I mean, this should be walkable. local When you do that, you take out the mom-and-pop opportunity to have great restaurants and bakeries and coffee shops. They They don't They can't compete. And I think that's the flavor that we want in Rock V. O. P.

So, you're going to have 40,000 just being dumped so you've got you've only 40,000 residents that can't have Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts or another drive-thru service in 20 square miles. I I don't understand. I think it's something that you might

I don't know how you

You might want to think through before you just jump.

Is that

That's all I'm saying.

I mean, I'm not opposed to Starbucks. Okay, come on up to the

Uh good afternoon, David Angle, Planning and Economic Development Director. Um just to give the board some context and background, we asked the Galvin companies and the Evans Group to come in and work with us. We are working on drafting new design standards for V. O. P. H. And this was a pre-existing application. The applicant has agreed to abide by our our our new design standards. They're going to be stakeholder driven as well as board driven and we will be back, but the applicant is willing to uh to work with us and perfecting these design standards.

But David, they could you could still have a three fast food restaurants in a row like what we've done to 54, just pulled up to the street.

Well, Chris, that's the point.

But that's not a

They were already entitled to allow that and we

Well, I'm just wondering if they have agreed not to put any in because we said yesterday we don't or last week we don't want any drive-thrus at

I think what David's saying is yeah.

in the village centers.

They voluntarily

Yeah.

agreed to work with us to come up with a consensus that it worked out.

Are we asking

If there's no drive-thrus allowed, then and and you pass that, then there's no

you can you legally say coffee shop but nothing else? I don't know. If we if we were able to get an agreement that we wouldn't have um certain kinds of drive-thrus, can you discriminate?

No.

Yeah, see I I don't I don't think you can do that.

So, I mean

Here's Here's how the county you can screw it up like 54 if you want to or you can make it special, you know?

And this is 12,000 square foot increase. So, they've already got 60 or 82,000 square feet and multi-family. They're asking to to get rid [clears throat] of the multi-family.

I don't think that's a good idea. I mean, we just saw that in Mocksville. I I I

If you want an apartment complex, then you would leave it there.

I I did not I did not say apartment complex.

But that's what they're giving up. Joel and Bernie said to you that they they deserve the right

to do vertical mixed.

to do vertical mixed, too. And and and also uh board members, we view um VOP H as under entitled for commercial use. They have overweight residential. So, we called them in

family resident.

Yes.

Not multi-family resident.

Um you're correct. Most of the uptake is single-family detached.

Right. There's not enough multi-family

commercial there regardless of the type of residential there. So, when I look at this application, I'm looking at you as you say 12,000 more square feet. You got to do all this for that. I'm wondering are you asking for enough commercial? Do you want us to do more? That's a very good question. The answer is yes, we do ultimately. But right now, we're trying not to be the PH. Because Village C only has a specific allotment and we've committed to Galvin that we'll leave the rest of this on the table for what they have on the south side of the cave. But as part of

Not the big village?

You know, as part of the same big village, but as part of this overview we're doing with Mr. Engel and his team, part of that analysis is looking at the quantities of commercial and I believe we're going to propose to you as part of this update that we intend to increase the total square footage of commercial allowed in certain villages and certainly Village C is one of those because of its location. So, the joint answer is we will be asking in that update later this year to increase the total amount in Village C, at which time we then will ask for a partial allocation of that back here

Not big box.

into theirs. Well, once again, I thought you wanted Sam's Club if it was across the street.

No big box in VOP 8. Let's go.

It's a discussion.

That's 301. That's 52. That's 54. That's not a walkable village.

How far are you willing to drive to one of those if you live in VOP 8?

I I I get my paper towel at Publix. I don't have to drive to Costco to

Well, there are other people that don't do that. Well, they don't all They don't all shop with you.

I think they'll trade having a great place to live than live in

Well, I submit that I I submit that's another discussion for another day as part of this global review and we think that we're going to be able to identify some locations where those would work and not offend your sense of the village structure and yet be of service to your future constituents who are going to live in the village, but we are going to ultimately ask for more when it's available in Village Center. If you decide to up the the score of Village Center

I think my my first thing I'm looking at this is I saw a small small you just go through this whole process. So, I'd like to say to you is you coming forward with what you've added if you come across someone that wants to build this big office complex and what comes to mind is in Wesley Chapel the one the gentleman that's built a couple around the area they're all full and he sold so, you have and I'll even get you with the introduction with that gentleman, but if he wants to build an office complex there, I don't want to have that to limit you from doing other things you want to do as well.

Well, and we did talk in the one-off meeting about that and and we committed to you and I think to other individual commissioners we actually think that given the topo here this is the highest one of the highest points in BOPH the vista to the northwest over Saint Leo is spectacular here. We think long-term that a taller structure on this site whether it's you know boutique hotel with rooftop bar and restaurant whether it's office building and some purchase residences in a vertical configuration. We think that this has great potential for high-end product. We have tremendous slope going to the northeast. We can do an outdoor amphitheater on that slope for outdoor events. This this property even though it's only 52 acres has tremendous potential

hamstrung to the point that if we have an idea like Commissioner Murray was saying, we can come back and say, "Hey, we've got a chance to really do something. Can we get more square footage?" Uh but right now, there simply isn't enough available in Village C for us to ask for more without unfairly limiting our code developer. We're not We're not going to do that to them at this point.

What's the floor area ratio limit at this point?

Uh I think we're allowed to do a up to one.

.75

.75, so I'd say Um

Is that anything we can change?

Well, that can be changed in the global update. See, right now, we're bound I mean, we have to live with what the documents say until you change the document. That's a good point. That's something we can put on our to-do list and in this update, you can see if you're willing to go higher. I agree with you. As long as we can park the need as long as we can park the need, why why wouldn't you Why wouldn't you build the space?

I know this and I think in US-19, we've got a floor area ratio so low even though we put a no height restriction on it because the floor area area ratio is so low for the past 18 years after this board voted to increase the height, we couldn't do it because of the floor area ratio. So, it's an issue. I mean, that hasn't been addressed yet and needs to get addressed. So, David, if you would

Yeah, I I just sent you a picture. Can you Can you show it?

Thank you, Commissioner, and that was a good point about the .75 FAR. It doesn't really fit for these building centers in VOPH. In the In the case of US-19, you're right, unrestricted height, we did have a very strict FAR there. Um but I think it's 2022, Tariq, you correct me if I'm wrong, we elevated it to three three times FAR, which would give you about a 15 and 18-story building. So, that's currently and we're now exploring going to a a five times FAR and we're we're bringing that in our our land use analysis for the corridor. Where we are going to be initiating a redevelop and study for West Market area 19 and that'll be addressed soon. Thank you.

Um Jean, I just sent you a picture.

I think the floor

Um I'm not sure if this is the place that you want a big box like a Sam's or something like that in this particular area cuz you're so close to Zephyrhills and you're really not so far from West Chapel at this point. But if you live where I do north of Land O' Lakes on 75 we need a Home Depot or a Lowe's or some other big box that we can get to without having to drive 15 miles to get there. Probably have to have it cuz we don't have the infrastructure to handle the traffic because of all the growth we've got. And people are having to travel longer distances to get to what they need for their households. And

[clears throat]

we've got to pay attention to that, but I don't mean to put a big box right behind another big box on 301 here on Handcart Road. So uh we need to pay attention to where these things are located.

Um what I'm showing you in this picture I I'm not sure if it's this one um but um cuz one of these is I think this is the one that's the assisted living or senior housing. This is This is something like what one of the hotels looks like in the downtown North Commons. So above the retail. And I don't think this is it. I think it was a white building. It looks has a little more architectural detail than this. It's a hotel. It's it's not a Holiday Inn or you know the parking's behind this. It's a it's a touchless no no lobby hotel kind of like a VRBO or Airbnb but it's a hotel and you you book it online, you unlock the door when you check in, and um when you leave they come and clean it. I mean, it's it's woven right to the community. Um And I want to show you this one. That is the apartment. This is a um senior senior housing. All right, Gina sent you You have it?

No.

So, you can Change chapter 8. Yeah. All right, I want to you. Well, that's showing what the main street is. Um I'm not sure if that's the main street, that might be a cross street, but hopefully you get it again. But, anyway, the um

It's right there, I think.

be it right there on the corner, the senior. Is that it on that corner? Yeah. That that above is senior housing.

No, it's to the right, man.

Right right there, the three-story.

That that that brick building on the right. That's it.

I don't think that's where the apartments actually That's the apartment. Yeah. No, I think that's the apartments. I took a picture, but that's a apartment comp- those are that's multi-family woven into a walkable downtown that doesn't look like the big apartment complexes that we get that are don't fit in a neighborhood like this. So, I'm saying you can get multi-family in a community like like this neighborhood that they're trying to build with those kind of structures. Gina, did you get my email? Yeah, that's the senior housing complex.

And if someone wants to build that on this property, we would be ecstatic to have that.

Well, come with me next year and you can meet all kinds of developers who do this kind of stuff.

They're going to build it for us?

I'm going to introduce you to the people who built that. We may We may send send some names to you, but they they want to have the framework done so they don't have to go through variance after variance after variance trying to do really good quality development like

They're trying to do here.

Like this. We had to do a long lead. Every single thing we did was a variance. Okay. I just

I just hate wishing for it but I'm going to say if we can get something more commercial or elevated up and create jobs where people are driving down South Hill or somewhere else

There's small shops and restaurants underneath. There's

I just say that I'm talking about a five-story office complex. That's where I want to be.

Go back to that picture. This is right downtown. You have townhouses and single family. Go back to where you just were on the map. Now. Um you were behind the street. I don't know how you did it. No, but if you don't have the bones right, then they'll come in and they'll put what you don't want. Um you've you've lost the spot that you bought. These are the homes that run right down the street from all those commercial buildings and offices.

He's got the flexibility to do that if he chose to.

Only if the only if the the details are right.

He's got the rights right now to do so.

That's the back.

Right.

That that's hidden from view. That's where you obviously they need to be doing but that's that's um

The design is

The parking is in the back and then the front is absolutely lovely. And that's the senior housing.

That's what I want to see right there. Anything else? How's the board? Good. Um

Good job.

You are welcome. Anyone here from the public? Please come to the front.

No one online. No one signed up. Close public comment. To the board. Second. All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed? Motion passes. Okay. That's the agenda for today. Now we're going to go back to Commissioner Wayman. I'll let you have your reports.

Uh yes, I'm done.

Looking back at that.

Thank you, sir.

All right. Thank you, Harvey.

Um I Now I have some um Do you know did Okay, I I attended the Steps to Recovery opening. These are some pictures of what the inside looks like. Quite quite a wonderful facility. Um I attended oh the Sneakers for A in Tampa where they highlight wonderful athletic that they they give awards for athletic sports but they also uh lift up some young people who have overcome incredible accomplishments. So, I think that Adam was here. Adam was there. But a great event, but they never introduced Pasco County Commissioners that are there. 3 years in a row I've gone and they introduced all the other Commissioners. I don't I don't know what it is about us. All right, um Yeah. I Well, it's it's now uh funded by Nike and it's pretty cool. It's a great event if you get a chance to go. We had our 50th um career discovery boot camp and um this is our master trainer with a donated robot that we have um that's that's awesome that the students are getting to learn all about robotics. I have another picture. Um I don't know how many were in that camp. I know it was full. Where's the other picture with all the the people in it sitting there. We had I don't know 60 guests there. Um Nope, that's not Pasco's. I guess Katie just picked out one picture out of all the pictures I sent. Um but this for the first time ever um I think that uh everybody in the boot camp got a second interview which is really good. And uh people from all different walks of life. We We had a gentleman who and his son who lived up at the Coalition Ministries um go through the program and um and then some that that uh might have had a college degree and uh then they went through. Pasco County Utilities was a big part of it. And I think they're going to get some great candidates this time. So, uh let's see what else. I think that's it for me. Oh, no. I have some pictures of A Land Remembered. Now, did you get the ones I just sent you? They're Don't go so fast. These are some pictures from the set of A Land Remembered that filmed here in Pasco County. Um that's the That's Todd, who's the director there. Um and Zeke and Emma. Zeke as the little boy. I You guys have all read the book, I hope. I And um they said he He was a He was a rodeo star, but had never acted.

And and out of a casting call of a thousand young men, they picked instead of having someone who had acting skills but had never done roping and riding, they went with a roping and rid- riding young man, and they sent him to LA to learn how to act. And they said he's going to be a breakout star. Swear. Okay, next picture. See they get they get stuck in the swamp there.

Are those these pictures?

No, I No. Okay. Go. That came from um Kathleen. This is Is this on on Steve Mountain's property?

I believe so.

Or is this the uh

That's the museum.

Is that the museum? Yeah. Is that the pioneer? Okay, cuz I That's not the the general store, is it? I don't Cuz No, no, it didn't have that hill there. But anyway, this is showcasing um the Pioneer Museum. Look how beautiful that is when you take out all the filming stuff. Okay, another picture. Um this is the slave trading. These These are local kids, except for one that's a well-known, you know, accomplished actor, but these are local kids who got to be in the in the movie. This is a sad part of our, you know, our history, but this is These are young young boys being sold at an auction, which was actually very tough to watch out there. All right. Um This is uh How was this filmed? Well, this is filmed here in Pasco County as well. I think that's What's that in here? Um Skillet? All right. Another I thought I had more pictures. There. I mean, isn't that beautiful? That's an untouched up picture of Pasco County. So, I'm very excited for what it can do for us. I'm sorry that I don't have any beautiful pictures from the Barfield Ranch, which blew my mind when I went out there. The most beautiful oak trees I've ever seen in my life. So. Okay, I'm done.

I have a question for you here.

All right. Well, some of my slides are very similar, so. Yeah. Now, this was maintenance of walls, stairs. All right, next one. Steps to recovery. And then I um attended the teacher referendum kickoff. Currently, this is in place, and if it's not passed again by the voters, employees will lose about 12% of their income, so teachers will see about a $6,000 decrease in their salary. So, um just came to support with the teachers. And then we had the Moon Lake pop-up, and we fed 236 residents. And a shout-out to Connor. He was not there. Oh, he came to help, and then um Osiah from our PR office came as well, but uh we had a great huge turnout. It the line just kept going and going and going. So, and they were all so thankful we were there. And of course Pam and Paula. And um we also have a birthday. It's Pam's birthday as well.

Oh.

Should we like to sing? Start singing? Stand up. Pam.

Oh, she's

I'm not singing just to protect you.

Happy birthday to you. Happy [clears throat] birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Pam. Happy birthday to you.

You all share with Pam.

I have a few things here commissioner. Patient with me. First and foremost occurrence with the recommendation of the fire chief. We are intending to lift the burn ban. We've achieved enough fall and we're doing so We'll be in a good position to lift the ban without [clears throat] the concern of rain closing in the future. So that'll be going out today. Secondly, with regards to your local provider participation fund, we I need to um uh ask that you award to We need We need to make some changes to that ordinance and I'm just looking for a waiver of the introduction requirement according uh usually required on the ordinances. So it's uh introducing an amendment to the local uh local Sorry, I need a waiver and here's Here's what I need from you. Uh Commissioner, the introduction of the ordinance The local provider participation fund ordinance was changing federal law through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and will be ready to submit it forward at 6:16 2026 board meeting. Thanks, Joe. [clears throat]

This is exactly right.

This is the local provider ordinance. It's the one where the hospitals

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

I just need a motion to

Wave wave requirement.

Second.

All those in favor, say "Aye."

Aye.

All those opposed, say "Nay." Yeah.

The uh The other the media topic and I'd like David Angle to to come up to to to support on this. Um our our our team has been leaning forward as it as it comes uh to deal with data centers as we know that this is a a national issue that has a lot of implications on not only our our infrastructure, but also our natural resources. And our land development code provisions right now don't really regulate the use of data centers, right? We have the term data processing that that exists there, but that originates from a zoning code back when uh Harold, you were you were on this.

Um so so data centers aren't really identified as a community use. Uh we we have concerns, obviously, right? Infrastructure, utility capacity, which includes electricity demand, water consumption, waste water treatment capacity, as well as environmental concerns, which include but are not limited to can see noise and light pollution. So in in conjunction with Justin, uh we are requesting that the the board provide us with with formal direction uh for us to go ahead and propose a 12-month moratorium on data centers so that way we can conduct a comprehensive evaluation of these impacts and identify any deficiencies in our existing zoning regulations. During that moratorium period, our planning department will research best practices for the regulation of data centers by examining approaches used in jurisdictions across the nation and reviewing relevant white papers and academic literature.

I make a motion to that effect.

Um

Well, wait.

I'd like a little more discussion though.

Yes, sorry.

So I talked to uh David Lambert from Withlacoochee about this issue uh coming forward and he said that anything under 20 megawatts was not an issue as well. Is that going to be part of this moratorium or is it separate from it?

Well, uh Commissioner David Engel, Planning and Economic Development. Uh it is. In fact, uh we're asking for No, it No, we we are considering the smaller types of data centers. Just give you some context here. This is a request for a temporary moratorium. We're not prohibiting, we're asking to prohibit forever uh data centers. So, um going back about 3 and 1/2 months, uh County Executive Mariano called me and said, "Hey, I'm up here with Sony in Washington and you know, there's there's the talk of the town is these data centers." So, I said, "Well, you know, we we should really start addressing it internally." So, what we started doing, we did some preliminary research. Uh we talked to some stakeholders. And we realized that the term data center is a cabinet of from 20 megawatt max up to hyperscalers that are taking up hundreds of acres to, you know, million square foot building with no jobs and and no no revenue coming in. And it's a heavy draw on natural resources. So, uh we realized we have to do some work. Now, we know that there are data centers that'll be proposed here in the county that will support specific economic development-driven projects for our local users. For example, Sparrow's. Uh it's a 16 million square foot R&D and biotech facility. They will need some data center support cuz that's part of their necessary 21st century infrastructure to operate their their activities. So, we want to allow those with certain conditions and make sure that it doesn't isn't deleterious to environment, doesn't raise electric bills, and that type of thing. And then it's all the way to the hypercenter, which is not directly supporting Pasco business for our economic development plan. That would be another consideration. So, what we'd like to do is we'd like to to quickly and we're hopefully we're not going to take a full year. We want to meet with our economic development people. Those are the That's the Moth office. Those are the double branches that we have economic development agreements with with their large millions of square feet of development and see what they foresee in their future and then we also want to do what what Mike Barletta just indicated. We want to do a global analysis, be very careful and then come back with some recommendations to the Porter County Commissioners. There is um We do have a proposal to get on the planning commissioner or the local planning agency agenda at their next meeting with it an ordinance proposal. This will be a defining defining where this modification where taking data processing centers and we're and then we're we're going to put that in an already permitted use bucket, but we want to define what a data center is. We have no definition and there's ambiguity in our code. Number two, there is a there is a clause that the clause of necessity if let's say Spiros came in two weeks from now and they needed critically needed a data center and it was of the size and capacity that we

could handle here successfully in the county with our electric providers and our water situation, then it would give the board the ability to go ahead and approve that even though we have a temporary moratorium. So, we are that that that clause was drafted by our county attorney's office. We're really thankful that our our office helped us out with that. We have a meeting tomorrow just to kind of fine-tune that language. But there will be a there will be a clause of necessity in the proposed temporary language.

Well, I appreciate the research you're doing, going to do, etc. Um with this information in case we do have a Moth type situation, could be someone else as well, that we have the right to have the exception to that if we find out it's not going to affect energy

[clears throat]

or water consumption. So, with that conclusion there, what you're trying to do is if you would maybe as you're getting these white papers that are kind of circulating with with us, so we can kind of stay abreast as this is evolving. This is I think in the past couple of weeks we've gotten a lot of emails and everything else to it, so I can see the impetus to it, but I also have heard from some of the private sector where it's not as bad as everybody's saying, depending on the center that's going to come in, etc.

That's what and I and I and I hear you.

Mr. and you know, I saw a lot of these emails flooding in. We went in for a trickle, now we have a deluge of these of these emails. Most of the people don't understand what Pasco is doing and what we're focused on, but I did send out an email to you all your legislative aids giving them the context and framework of what's going on working on. And we will share our research library with the board if you like. Thank you.

[clears throat]

Um

I understand you're just authorizing them to advertise ordinances to adopt a moratorium. Our recommendation is to have the broadest title that you can have. You can always pair that back so it gets pretty during So, um but kind of have to go through planning commission and then it's going to come back. Thank you.

Joy, thank you.

Yeah, thank you.

[clears throat]

Obviously, we're working on the definition of data centers that just rolled off air conditioning to keep cool, smaller footprint, and then the hyperscale. Um I think [clears throat] it's a important that we understand um on the sizable data centers what areas they would be looking if they were to come to Pasco, where they would land. Obviously, there'd be large slots of land uh that they they would be probably eyeballing, but it'd be good if we take a proactive approach. That way we know kind of where the big fish will want to go with it or the smaller fish will want to go. I think that would be helpful for us to understand.

And and also there's an an issue of climate. Some of the hyperscalers may not be attracted to Pasco because of our tropical storm impact. So we don't know but we're going to find out what the market is bearing, where things can go, what are the consequences of this development. We'll report back to the board.

All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you very much.

And last item we did just get notification through our Board of County Emergency Management that we received a $4 million grant from FEMA for our utility wastewater lift stations. So for the generator connections, which is great. So that's additional money that's getting pumped into the community that we don't have to spend on it. Makes our makes our collection system more resilient, which is great. Last item I I do have the TDT [clears throat] numbers if you want to bring that back up. But I stand ready to have the discussion.

I'm trying to show the discussion. We need to get going. So as I told you I had two concerns. One was money and where it comes from, was there or not. After talking with Mike Tourist Development and he agrees as well. I'm very confident that we have the money to go pay for this. I'm also confident that those can be spent on. I got to get taken care of as well to get more hotel beds. So I'm comfortable with it going from TDC. However, Mike's going to have to use it where we have to change our limits. We're going to have to supplement it through the county regular tax revenue but we can reimburse ourselves with TD TDT later on. So Mike wants to go that way.

So I would I would need a motion from the board. I'm happy to read this but before myself I'd like the board to give me a target and suggests $150,000. That's in line with what Polk County, I believe, gave. You heard that Hillsborough County gave half a million. Um they do have specific film funds for that. But it's it's really to the board. Uh if you give me a number, I will make a motion.

I'll make I'll make the motion. I'm I'm comfortable with with 250 and

You want those and then we embark on a new successful force in the picture. But I'd like to read this motion and the board can accept it, second it if they like. Uh move to approve a $250,000 uh expenditure and authorize the county administrator to execute an agreement with the production company subject to review by the clerk, comptroller, and county attorney. In order to expedite funding, authorize the county administrator to cash flow the approved amount within the approved budgets in the general fund. Advertise for public hearing an ordinance amendment to amend section 102-190, Pasco County Code of Ordinances, 2024 through 2028 Strategic Force Development Plan for action by the BCC with the intent of reimbursing the affected general fund. Yes.

Thank you.

Second.

I'll wait till after the vote.

Oh wait, wait, wait.

Commissioner Yager

Yeah, I'll take Commissioner Yager.

Commissioner Rao made the motion. Commissioner Yager seconds the motion.

Um and just in an abundance of caution, if somebody might consider a proposition to see if there's any public comment, I'll make a motion.

If anyone would like to propose it and if anybody else would want to speak to it as uh and then I was not given the chance.

Uh chair

I'll put the fact Commissioner Starkey.

So

Yeah, I'll I'll second it if we have the votes. If not Uh if we don't, I'm voting for it.

I believe Mr. Starkey said that she's going to or she has an abundance of votes.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Oh, wait. No. Never mind. I abstain. Sorry.

[laughter]

All right. Anything else on that matter?

Yes, sir. I'm done.

Okay. County attorney?

Clerk's office will show that is four and one abstention, please.

I don't have anything else, Mayor.

Thank you.

I'll pass as well.

Roger. Thank you.

Well, I'm going to go to the next one.