Big Changes Coming To WaterGrass

Florida Medical Clinic will be the first of what is likely to be many businesses coming to the Promenade Business Centre.

Florida Medical Clinic (FMC) is set to be the first occupant of the long-planned Promenade Business Centre located at the Curley Rd. entrance to the WaterGrass community. But, it won’t be the last.

On June 19, Pasco’s Board of County Commissioners approved a large-scale comprehensive plan amendment, amending the Future Land Use designation for the property from TC (Town Center) to PD (Planned Development) on 77 acres at the northeast and southeast corners of the Curley Rd. intersection with Overpass Rd.

The Promenade Business Centre PD will consist of an employment center within the WaterGrass Master Planned Unit Development (MPUD). The business park concept, according to the background summary, “proposes mixed-use development that incorporates office, retail and multi-family/townhomes with a focus on Business Park uses that encourages target industry job creation.”

The Promenade Business Centre would add roughly 1.2 million square feet of corporate business park uses, including for such things as medical clinics, corporate headquarters, research and development facilities and business accessory retail (like food service within an office complex) uses.

The development may also feature multi-story buildings that would incorporate uses such as cafeterias, restaurants, banks, health or fitness facilities, meeting rooms, co-working spaces, off-street parking and on-site day care facilities, according to the summary.

The parcels proposed for the business center also would include two parks and Pasco Fire Rescue Station 38, a 10,843-sq.ft. facility which broke ground last year and is expected to open this fall.

A new charter school, next to Station 38, also is in the concept plans. 

FMC’s Latest Foray Into WC

The Florida Medical Clinic WaterGrass Medical Building is set to begin construction later this year and will open in late 2020, says Barbara Kininmonth, VP of sales and marketing for Crown Community Development (also the primary developer of Seven Oaks). 

The two-story, 30,000-sq.-ft. facility is needed in the quickly growing area, Kininmonth says. “There is going to be a variety of things at the front of WaterGrass,” she says. “Florida Medical Clinic really wanted to be at that location with all the new housing coming to the area. We thought there would be good support for that.”

FMC also has two major nearby complexes: 60,000 sq. ft. on S.R. 54 in Land O’Lakes and the newer, 85,00-sq.-ft. complex  just south of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel on Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

Kininmonth also says that the rest of the Promenade Business Centre tenants will be market-driven.

The WaterGrass community recently held its Grand Opening for Phase III, the latest residential offering, with seven neighborhoods and builders Meritage Homes, D.R. Horton, Taylor Morrison and Vitale Homes.

Phase III will be the last single-family-home phase of the community, which currently has 800 residents, a number which will swell to 1,900 when WaterGrass is built out.

Promenade Park in Phase III, which sits on four acres and Kininmonth calls a “unique” amenity, also is close to opening. 

“Everything is meant to be family-centric,” she says, adding that Phase III will be completely private and gated, and will include a resort-style pool, large splash pad, shaded picnic area, open playfield, two dog parks (one for large dogs, and another for smaller dogs), a playground and a pavilion with luxury seating and WiFi where parents can relax within view of the playground and splash pad.

“The market in Florida, in Wesley Chapel in particular, has been very very strong and growing,” Kininmonth says. “A lot of exciting things are happening in Pasco, and we’re glad to be here.”

Check Out These Local Events For the 4th!

There are lots of options for area residents looking for some local Fourth of July fun and fireworks, but the best option may be the annual celebration right on S.R. 54 at the Avalon Park West (APW) community.

For the sixth straight year, APW will hold its Fourth of July celebration, which is expected to draw thousands of festive frolickers — and many from the surrounding areas, including Tampa — as it continues to grow in popularity.

“Last year, we had 2-3,000 people, which was definitely the biggest crowd we ever had,” says Marielle Fernandez, APW’s marketing and events coordinator. “It’s grown every year.”

While APW is a growing mixed-use community with roughly 2,000 residents, Marielle says more than half of those that come for the fireworks are actually not APW residents. 

The celebration is scheduled for 5 p.m.-9 p.m. on Thursday, July 4, and as usual the event will include a host of activities to keep families entertained.

While last year’s celebration featured a pie bake-off, this year it will be called a “Patriotic Bake-Off” and will include pies, brownies, cakes and cookies. 

There also will be a bike parade (strollers and wagons welcome) beginning at 6 p.m., with kids showing off their decorating skills, and Fernandez says there will be more food trucks, vendors and community performances than ever.

“I think the response has been really great,” Fernandez says. “It’s nice having something for the community to come together and celebrate. And, we’re happy we’ve become that hub where they come to enjoy the Fourth of July.”

You have to register for the bike parade and bake-off. To do so, and for more information, visit AvalonParkWest.com. 

DINNER & A SHOW!: For those who are interested in a sit-down dinner followed by fireworks, our friends Anass El-Omari and his wife Susana Herrera of Omari’s Grill at the Lexington Oaks Golf Course (which is closed for renovations) are hosting a delicious, family-friendly, open-to-the-public celebration on the 4th, with hamburgers and BBQ chicken on the grill (plus side dishes) served from 5 p.m.-9 p.m.

There also will be live music, a premium alcohol cash bar and what Susana promises will be an impressive professional fireworks display. Reservations are definitely suggested, because brunch events at Omari’s Grill have been known to sell out and people love barbecues and fireworks for the 4th. The cost is just $14.99 per person (ages 13+), with kids ages 4-12 just $5.99. 

Please note that no outside food or drink will be permitted during this event. For reservations, call (813) 907-7270 or see the ad on pg. 39 of this issue for more information.

BOOM!: If you think bigger is better, then you might like this — The City of Tampa will unveil a new Fourth of July celebration of its own.

After back-to-back busts with celebrations organized by private vendors, Tampa is taking over the festivities this year.

New Mayor of Tampa Jane Castor announced shortly after being elected that the city will host a “Boom by the Bay” fireworks spectacle, which she says will be “sparking a brand-new tradition in Tampa.”

Tampa’s Fourth of July celebration will feature four fireworks displays spanning 2.5 miles of the city’s majestic waterfront, from Armature Works to Riverfront Park to the Tampa Convention Center and over to Sparkman Wharf.

There will be activities for the family and live entertainment as well.

“I want to kick off my time in office with a big bang,” Mayor Castor said in a video posted to social media announcing the event.

You can text the word BOOM to 888 777 to receive special notifications about “Boom by the Bay.”

Time To Take Out The Trash!

Those blue bins still have Pasco County District 2 commissioner Mike Moore seeing red.

Moore is renewing an old fight against donation bins that seem to be a breeding ground for mini-junkyards, as a recent spate of trash dumpings have pushed him to ask for stiffer rules and harsher penalties.

Moore, who originally pushed to enact an ordinance passed in 2016 making it harder to leave unmanned bins scattered around the county, is rolling his sleeves back up. The Seven Oaks resident’s district serves most of Wesley Chapel, and one recurrent dumping ground on S.R. 56 just east of I-75 has him particularly unhappy.

“When we did that (ordinance in 2016), a bunch of them did go away,” says Moore. “It wasn’t as bad. But now that the dust has settled, they have been starting to reappear all over the place.”

That may not be much of a surprise. The 2016 ordinance required that those operating the donation bins apply for a permit, which entailed producing a site plan and receiving written permission from the landowner, as well as a regular pick-up schedule to be followed.

And how many bin operators have applied for a permit since then?

“Zero,” says Moore.

Three of the dumping locations — there are many all across the county, Moore says — that have gained a lot of attention among Neighborhood News readers the past month are in Wesley Chapel, including one near his home.

A pair of bins placed across the street from the Wesley Chapel Mini car dealership near the Texas Roadhouse restaurant, and another near the Sam’s Club (also on S.R. 56) have been attracting items not intended as donations.

Photo: Dan Ballman (Facebook)

Resident Dan Ballman posted the photo above on the Wesley Chapel Community Facebook page on June 9 pleading for an answer to the illegal dumping problem, with a two pictures of the dumping site between Texas Roadhouse and TD Bank.

One picture, he wrote, was taken on May 26, and the second was taken two weeks later, after the junk pile had doubled in size.

A dresser, at least five couches, six mattresses, a television set and what appears to be a dishwasher can be seen in the pictures. it looked as if enough items were dropped off to fully furnish a one-bedroom apartment. 

Facebook page members have called the dumpers “lazy,” “horrible” and “disgusting,” while suggesting that the county install cameras in certain hot spots to catch the lawbreakers in the act.

Moore says the county already has asked code enforcement and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office to investigate, and said cameras have been placed at other locations he cannot reveal.

Moore said some bins have been seized as evidence for potential criminal proceedings. Although the bins are labeled for charitable donations, the commissioner thinks they are full-fledged businesses cashing in.

“Companies are collecting textiles to be reimbursed for it, to sell it,” Moore says. “Some say they give a portion of the funds to charity. We can’t confirm or deny that, because when you call the number on the bin, there’s no answer.”

While the bins themselves — which are not picked up in a timely fashion and are often overflowing — are a problem, District 1 commissioner Ron Oakley pointed out that those dumping items with no intention of putting anything in a bin also are an issue. 

Commissioner Moore, however, said it is the bins themselves that begin the process of sites turning into junkyards. Commissioner Kathryn Starkey called the bins “magnets” for junk haulers to unload their stuff.

Moore said he suspects some of the junk dumpers are professionals who get paid to haul away large items but then decide to unload it somewhere other than the nearest junkyard — the Pasco County Transfer Station (PCTS) at 9626 Handcart Rd. in Dade City — to avoid paying a fee.

The PCTS charges $2.96 for every 100 pounds dumped.

When the county has to clean up these eyesores, it is at the taxpayers’ expense, Moore says.

On May 21 at a Board of County Commissioners meeting in New Port Richey, Moore suggested that the county ban unmanned collection bins altogether, which would affect legitimate collection bins like those used for recycling and those used by churches. County assistant attorney Kristi Sims said that the county would “quite definitely” be sued.

“I cannot stand up here and tell you we will win,” Sims said.

What the county has done is that it has begun monitoring various sites and seizing bins, and some sites that have been cleared out have since been repopulated with more bins — or more junk. 

The county also sent 40 letters to property owners where the bins are being placed, asking if they had given permission; 15 of those letters involved bins from one company.

About 20 have responded, “and not a single one has said they gave permission,” Moore said.

Those who haven’t replied have until July 1 to do so.

Sims suggested that Moore hold off on pushing for a ban and allow for renewed enforcement efforts this summer to take hold. “Let’s see how this shakes out,” she said.

Moore said the county needs to end the problem as soon as possible. He is promoting strict enforcement of the ordinance and stiff penalties — including third-degree felony charges for dumping more than 500 pounds (or 100 cubic feet in volume), which carries with it up to five years in prison.

“I’m frustrated,” Moore said, “That’s why we’re taking it to next level. Now, we’re going to go out, and we’re going to catch them. We’re going to prosecute (them). We need to catch a few of them, and if they meet the criteria for a felony, they are going to be in bad shape.”

The Lagoon Review: Pricey, But Definitely Worth Checking Out!

Since opening its gates to the public, the Crystal LagoonsÂŽ amenity at Epperson Ranch has been a hot topic in and around Wesley Chapel.

Depending upon who you listen to, it’s the world’s greatest amenity, or just a glorified community swimming pool; it’s a great day out with the family, or a money pit; it’s just like the beach, or a charmless knockoff.

Nothing seems to fire up the locals more than lagoon talk. And, while we’re not here to settle the debate, after spending a day there with the wife, two teen-age boys and some friends, I can say this: While pricey, it’s definitely worth checking out.

First off, the lagoon is not an amusement park. It isn’t Adventure Island, a comparison some derisively make. It isn’t a river, it isn’t a lake and it isn’t a beach.

If you plan to look at the Crystal Lagoon through any of those prisms, you will be disappointed.

Here, however, is what it is: a pretty cool and unique nearby getaway with sand, palm trees, crystal clean water and enough food, drink, music and activities to entertain your family for most of a full day.

If you live in Epperson, congratulations. It is a fantastic amenity, and for $25 a month, I say it’s well worth it. It’s a slam dunk, really, unless you’re one of the residents unhappy that the public is taking up some of that beach space, but someone has to pay for the lagoon maintenance until many more of the 4,000 planned homes in Epperson are built and occupied.

If you don’t live in Epperson, your perspective may differ (but remember, it wasn’t built for you).

It is $25 per person to visit, but only $5 if you go with a resident (so make some friends while you’re there!).

The $25 gets you in the door and, if you get there early enough, a spot on the beach, as well as access to the swimming areas of the lagoon. 

We heard no complaints about the refreshingly chilly water — now that the summer weather is turning all of our smaller pools into oversized bath tubs — but we did hear a few requests for more, or larger, swimming areas. Parts of the lagoon are roped off for the water obstacle course known as Wibit, and to make room for paddleboarders and kayakers to make their way around the lagoon. The swimming areas did seem a bit small, but that probably all depends upon the size of the crowds the day you visit.

The water is everything developers said it would be — clean, clear and refreshing. The beach area was filled with folks relaxing in chairs, enjoying a beverage and working on their tans. Because the surrounding areas aren’t fully landscaped, the lagoon can feel a bit sterile, but there were a lot of happy faces and energy in the crowds. You may miss the expanse, the salty air and the waves lapping at your feet while walking in the cool sand along the shore of an actual beach, but otherwise, the lagoon does a pretty good impression. 

We did wish there was more shade, but personal umbrellas are not allowed. If you can’t find a seat with some respite from the sun, there are shaded areas — in what is called “premium seating” — a few steps away from the beach that will cost you $12 for two chairs and an umbrella, and $20 for four chairs and an umbrella. It’s a gorgeous area, and is a purchase we agreed will be well worth it on our next visit. 

The a la carte pricing at the lagoon — yes, even for residents, although they get a discount — can make for an expensive day, and some will find it annoying.

The slide will cost you $10 for the day, not a bad deal for those who plan on using it over and over. A rock wall, which wasn’t open the day we went, costs the same. And the Wibit, which was a huge hit with the teenage boys and everyone else who tried it, is available for $10 for a 45-minute session. 

You can buy all three together for $20, which will save you some money, but you might want to skip the rock wall and save your money for an extra session on the Wibit, pictured here (left).

Kayaks and paddleboards are available to rent for $10 an hour. Those who are serious about each might want to skip both — there’s none of the waves, scenery and wildlife that makes saltwater or whitewater kayaking and paddleboarding fun — but it’s great for those who don’t often get the chance and the always-calm waters make it ideal for first-timers. 

For example, we have friends who will spend seven hours on Crystal River paddleboarding, and we told them the lagoon might not be for them. But another friend, who is convinced alligators, sharks and snakes will devour her and her family if she joins us on a river one weekend, went to the lagoon a week later on our recommendation and rented a paddleboard and kayak and absolutely loved it, with plans to return every chance they get this summer.

The lagoon does not allow outside food, although you can bring your own water. We brought a large thermos, but were shocked to see bottles of water on sale for only $1. There also were $5 mimosa and bloody Mary specials, beers were between $4-$6 and things like hot dogs ($3) and nachos ($4) were very reasonably priced. 

Tampa Sammich, one of the popular food trucks that rotate in and out at the lagoon, was selling Cuban sandwiches — and they were quite tasty — and other grilled sandwiches for $9, grilled cheese and chicken wraps for $6, and canned and bottled sodas for only $2.

Perhaps we have been scarred by the ridiculous prices at concession stands at sporting events — raise your hand if you’ve ever bought a $15 beer — but we found the food and drink at the lagoon to be a bargain, and certainly much cheaper than we anticipated.

The lagoon also has a stage for live bands and DJs, although nothing was playing the day we attended, and a shaded, sunken bar that also offers not only reasonably priced drinks but also great respite from the heat.

One minor nit: the artificial green grass in parts of the lagoon gets amazingly hot, so watch your step. We learned our lesson when starting a game of cornhole. 

So, is the lagoon pricey? A little. A family of four that decides to partake in all or most of the activities, and then grab lunch, will spend at least $200. That’s an expensive day trip. 

But, bypassing the 45-minute drive to one of our Bay-area beaches, missing the traffic and parking hunt and not having to lug your chair and cooler across the sand might make it a more convenient option at times.

The lagoon may never replace the beach, or a river or lake, or Adventure Island, but it’s not trying for that anyway.

It is what it has been advertised as — a first-of-its-kind-in-the-U.S. amenity designed to sell thousands of homes and keep those local residents entertained.

Is it worth a visit? You bet, if just to say you’ve been to the lagoon.

We have. And, as everyone in our group agreed — we’ll be back.

Viera Hoping For Filled Seats At Warrior Games

Team Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Josh Laban blocks a shot at the net during the gold medal sitting volleyball round of the 2018 DoD Warrior Games at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. June 8, 2018. Navy won the gold. (DoD photo by EJ Hersom)

When District 7 Tampa City Council member Luis Viera, who represents New Tampa, read about the exploits of Tampa’s Mike Nicholson in the Department of Defense (DoD) Warrior Games, he remembers being moved. 

Despite losing three limbs in Afghanistan n 2017, Nicholson picked up the pieces of his life and won an incredible six gold medals at the competition.

Nicholson, a retired Marine Corps Sgt., then set off on another goal — to bring the games to his hometown.

Viera was ready to jump at the chance to help. He volunteered to head up a large committee of individuals to promote the Warrior Games, which will be held June 21-30 at various locations in Tampa.

U.S. Army SPC Brent Garlic is cogratulated after receiving the U.S. Army Heart of the Team award during the Closing Ceremony at the 2018 Department of Defense Warrior Games June 9, 2018 at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The DoD Warrior Games are an annual event, established in 2010, to introduce wounded, ill and injured service members to adaptive sports as a way to enhance their recovery and rehabilitation. (DoD Photo By: Mark Reis)

“For what so many of them have sacrificed, we should welcome them with open arms,” Viera says. “I’ll be darned if there’s empty seats at these events. We owe it to these people to cheer them on.”

The opening ceremony will be held tonight, June 22, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., at Amalie Arena, and will be hosted by former “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart (pictured, right, at last year’s games), with music by Grammy-nominated country singer Hunter Hayes.

The Warrior Games were created in 2010 as a way to help with the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded veterans and expose them to adaptive sports.

More than 300 wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans are expected to compete at this year’s games.

All four branches of the U.S. Military will be represented, as well as athletes from the United Kingdom Armed Forces, Australian Defence Force, Canadian Armed Forces, Armed Forces of the Netherlands and the Danish Armed Forces.

There will be head-to-head competition in 14 sports, including — for the first time — golf, wheelchair tennis and even wheelchair rugby. 

The University of South Florida will host a number of events during the games: 

• Track events will be held at the USF Tampa campus on Saturday, June 22, 7 a.m.-3 p.m., with field events the following day, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

• The wheelchair tennis competition will be held at USF’s courts on Sunday, June 23, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

• The sitting volleyball finals will be held Sunday, June 30, noon- 4 p.m., at the Yuengling Center on N. 30th St.

• Amalie Arena, the Tampa Convention Center, Macdill Air Force Base and the Eagles Golf Course in Odessa also will host competitions in other sports.

A complete schedule is available at DoDWarriorGames.com/schedule.

Viera started a New Tampa Veterans Association as one of his first actions after being elected to his City Council seat in 2017. A longtime supporter of the military and veterans, it is Viera’s hope that those competing in the Warrior Games do so in front of large and receptive crowds.

“I think this is a very patriotic community,” Viera says. “And we have a lot of veterans in New Tampa that I think would like to see these heroes compete.”

For information about attending the Warrior Games closing ceremonies, visit AmalieArena.com. To learn more about the Warrior Games, visit DoDWarriorGames.com.