Slice of Pasco’s rural protection zone gets first nod for new homes

For Richard Riley and like-minded residents, the East Pasco area known as the “rural protection overlay district” is sacred and “should not be nibbled away.”

Clarke Hobby, who represents a group of several well-known land owners who have plans for a housing development for a 39-acre corner of that zone, some portions of the rural district aren’t as rural as others.

This week, the Pasco County Commission granted land-use changes on that parcel known as Hilltop Vistas to allow development of 117 single family detached homes north of County Road 52 and west of Happy Hill Road. Hobby said the land doesn’t meet the criteria for the rural zone even though it is technically inside the boundary.

It is in an area surrounded by land approved for new housing, it’s adjacent to commercial areas and it butts up against a water and sewer connection at the Lake Jovita community always meant to be a connection for more development.

“You’re not looking at a rural area,” Hobby said. “This is a very reasonable thing to do.”

Commissioners also heard the first reading on taking that 39-acre slice out of the rural district with the final decision on that coming next month.

The property is owned by Belly Wadding LLC, a corporation whose officers include Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, former state senator from Pasco County and former school board member Allen Altman, and Dan Johnson of Dade City.

East Pasco resident Lisa Moretti urged commissioners to consider any conflicts of interest they might have because of their political and employment connections with owners of the property. Moretti had served as chairperson for a committee to develop commercial standards within the zone until her criticism of the county prompted Commissioner Ron Oakley to disband the committee.

Another rural area supporter, Nancy Hazelwood, reminded commissioners how the rural zone was first formed. She said that the community was promised a swath of rural east Pasco would be saved and, in exchange, the Villages of Pasadena Hills, would be granted more flexibility for dense development.

“What do we get in return?” Hazelwood asked.

Riley, who lives several miles north of the site, said that the community was promised protection in the rural district. “Let’s take 39 acres out of Pasadena Hills,” he suggested in exchange.

“This part of Pasco County is unique and must be protected,” said Jack West, “no matter who is behind it.”

Sharon Hanna-West said she worried that once a corner of the zone is given away, the county won’t be able to stop the requests that follow. “People don’t want Dade City to look like Zephyrhills, don’t want Dade City to look like Clermont.”

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Hobby countered saying that the density planned for Hilltop Vistas was a good transition between the rural area and the higher-density developments that have already been approved all around them. He also said that taking the 39 acres out of the rural zone was “not having a material effect on the Pasco rural area,” which stretches over 61,000 acres.

County commissioners voted unanimously for the land-use changes. They also agreed to address concerns by other nearby residents about road safety, since Happy Hill Road is on a hill and some of the side roads in the area are narrow and not able to handle significant amounts of new traffic.

Commissioners also asked for better signage for speed limits and for other roadwork that would slow traffic and improve safety.