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Published June 18, 2018

Re: County OKs solar zones | June 8

Plea ignored at solar plant hearing

The Pasco County Commission on June 5 voted to identify a utility-sized solar electric plant as a "special exception" use on agricultural-zoned land in Pasco County.

What this means is that if you live near a pasture, woods or farmland, you could find a utility-sized electric plant, that is comprised of hundreds of thousands of solar panels, put on that property.

If an application for such a solar plant is applied for it will be considered for approval by the Planning Commission.

The Planning Commission is a seven-member panel "appointed" by the County Commissioners.

If the Planning Commission decides the proposed solar plant is consistent with the Land Development Code and the Comprehensive Plan, the "elected" county commissioners will not be involved unless a citizen files an appeal. Filing an appeal will cost $2,500 plus another $2,000 for the necessary paperwork.

I live in the "North East Rural Protected Area" of Pasco County, an area which, despite its recognition in the Comprehensive Plan, was ignored by both the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners during the recent solar plant hearings.

During the June 5 commission ordinance meeting, the people of the North East Protected Area and others citizens tried to tell the county commissioners that a utility-sized solar plant in an agricultural-zoned district is not consistent with the governing Comprehensive Plan and that such a project should be restricted to "commercial and "industrial" zoned districts so it would not be a burden on existing communities. That plea was ignored.

In general, Pasco County has no need for solar plants generating electricity that is for the main grid and is detrimental to local communities.

Nancy Hazelwood, Dade City

Pasco is still living in the past

Back in the 1970s, my parents retired in Spring Hill and opened a small business in New Port Richey. Now I live here part-time and it's like the '70s all over again.

While the majority of the country has been educated in the health problems that arise from smoking and being overweight, Pasco County is still living in the past. I find it shocking as to how many people smoke here and what's worse, I see them smoking in cars with their children breathing in second-hand smoke with the windows rolled up.

I see the ads on TV and how the state of Florida is trying to reach out to people to help them quit, but it seems people here think they'll never get cancer.

Well, I invite those people to wake up and smell the coffee. Better-educated people have seen the statistics of how many Americans die from smoking and obesity, and have heeded the advice to stop smoking and to eat healthy. If you don't want to change your lifestyle, fine. But don't take down your children with you.

Neil Cassidy, New Port Richey

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