Stephanie Vazquez To Challenge Seth Weightman For Dist. 2 Commission Seat 

District 2 Pasco County Commission candidate Stephanie Vazquez and her family. (All photos for this story were provided by Stephanie Vazquez) 

The next election for the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) isn’t until November of 2026, so why is Wesley Chapel resident Stephanie Vazquez already declaring that she is going to run as a Democrat to oppose current Republican District 2 Pasco Commissioner Seth Weightman? Stephanie is the first candidate to throw a hat into the race to unseat Weightman for the Dist. 2 seat. Here’s why: 

If you’re unfamiliar with Pasco County government or new to the area, Pasco is divided up into five districts, with District 2 including a large portion (but not all) of Wesley Chapel, as well as about half of Land O’ Lakes, and small (but important) portions of unincorporated Zephyrhills and Lutz. 

Vazquez, who has been a resident of District 2 since 2013 (there will be more on this later in this story), moved to our area from Pittsburgh, PA. Like many northerners, she primarily wanted to escape the snow. 

With Wesley Chapel being the fastest-growing area of not just Pasco, but also one of the most quickly expanding areas of Florida and the entire nation, Vazquez believes that the time is now for a change in county leadership. 

“I’ve thought about running for several years,” she says, adding that even though she’s new to politics, her background has prepared her for leadership and, “The time is now.” 

The Right Background, The Right Person 

Vazquez currently works as a remote marketing manager for Northeastern University in Boston, MA, but she also is enrolled as an online student at the school, as she is working towards her second Master’s degree, this one in Public Administration, and expects to graduate in 2026. She believes that degree is helping to prepare her for the job she’s now seeking. 

She earned her first Master’s degree, for Entrepreneurship in Applied Technologies, in 2016 from the University of South Florida and she previously earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Sciences from Bellevue University in Bellevue, NE, in 2010. 

But, Vazquez says, her decision to run is about a lot more than just her educational background. Most of her recent work experience, beginning with her service in the U.S. Air Force as a Senior Airman, working in airfield management, both in the states and overseas in Germany, is about public service. When she left the military, she says she wanted to continue fighting, but on two different kinds of battlefields most people never see. 

Vazquez (second from left) appearing on “10 News” WTSP-TV as a panelist on a discussion about human trafficking. 

The first was her seven-year service as an Advisory Board member for the Post 9/11 Veterans Corp., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that focuses on, “providing a platform, a starting point, and a place of belonging, where veterans are encouraged to integrate into their local communities and inspire through actions.” 

The more recent battle was against Human Trafficking. As a vice president of the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking and a Board member of both the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking and the NISSI Project (which provides housing for verified adult female victims of human trafficking) for six years, Vazquez says she helped build these national and local programs to tackle exploitation at its roots: opening a safe house, building recovery programs and training thousands to recognize and stop injustice. 

She later honed her public speaking and writing skills while holding a public servant government position as a public information officer for the City of Zephyrhills. 

A Campaign Forged By Hard Times 

Vazquez says she hasn’t had it easy, explaining that growing up poor helped build her character, not just once, but twice in her life. Born in Flint, MI, her dad was a young Marine veteran who worked part-time at a local drug store while also going to college part-time to try to earn a basic degree. Meanwhile, her mother was a stay-at-home mom, but both of her parents’ families came from generational poverty, so between her dad’s paycheck and essential government services like food stamps, she said it was barely enough to keep them from going hungry. 

She remembers growing up having to “do without” most of the time, as her family stretched everything they had, often having to eat the same one meal multiple times in row. 

“The most disgusting thing was the powdered milk, mixed with water,” she says, “because real milk was too expensive for us. I can still taste it.” 

Years later, Vazquez found herself in a similar situation, just out of a relationship that wasn’t working. As a single mom of three, she moved to Florida, with kids who were 4, 3, and 3 months old. She was unable to afford child care or find a job that paid enough to put them in daycare, so she found herself below the poverty line, receiving government assistance. 

“I used to take my kids to Walmart so they could play with toys,” she says, “because we couldn’t afford to buy any.” But, these struggles forced her to develop the ability to get by, and evolve, leaning on her experience from the military. She says that when you’re poor and struggling, “you don’t think about politics, you think about how to survive.” That experience makes her want to stand up for working class families. 

“Pasco deserves better than business as usual,” she says. “Our families are paying the price while a handful of insiders cash out. I’m not a politician. I’m a veteran, a mom and a community advocate who believes Pasco should work for the people who live here, not for the powerful few calling all the shots.” 

But, why should people vote for her? 

“The incumbent was hand-picked by insiders, and swept-in through a closed primary,” Vazquez says, adding that the current commissioners, including her opponent, continue to vote to allow more and more growth, “before the county is ready for it. But, I’m not part of the county political machine, I’m part of this community.” 

She says that Weightman was, “a strategically chosen candidate” by the local powers that be. “But, I want clean government, not back-rooms deals, with decisions made in the open, with transparency and accountability.” 

Here are the issues Vazquez says her campaign her campaign will be about: 

• Fixing broken roads, drainage and outdated storm systems. 

• Preparing for future challenges like flooding and climate change. 

• Establishing term limits to break the cycle of insider control. 

• Curbing reckless growth that strains neighborhoods and schools. 

Speaking Of Schools… 

She and her husband Yamani Vazquez Martinez have built their life in Pasco, raising a blended family of six children. All of their kids have either graduated from, or currently attend, Pasco’s public schools and Yamani currently is serving as an assistant principal at Cypress Creek Middle School. 

Vazquez believes strongly in the power of education, and personally feels that new large-scale developments should be required to include school sites, so that the children living in those communities can go to schools in or near their own neighborhoods, as well as to keep class sizes appropriate and have fewer portable classrooms throughout the district. Vazquez says that overcrowding of classrooms can be avoided through, “proper, thoughtful planning. If the population is increasing, we need to prioritize schools, and developers need to pay their fair share.” 

But, speaking of paying their fair share, Vazquez says, “In August 2024, Commissioner Weightman was the only Pasco commissioner to vote against raising school impact fees, which are one of the few ways to hold developers accountable and fund schools as costs rise. He chose developers over Pasco‘s kids.“ 

Vazquez also has posted a video to her social media opposing House Bill 5101 — legislation that would reduce public school funding statewide. The video, which breaks down the bill’s potential impact on local classrooms, has garnered more than 40,000 views and hundreds of comments from educators, parents and concerned voters. 

“I’ve spent years fighting for people who have been overlooked or outright ignored — including our teachers,” Vazquez says. “I didn’t expect the video to take off, but I think it hit a nerve. People are tired of watching public education be gutted while our kids and teachers are left behind.” 

She acknowledges that if she was to be elected, there may not be much she can do to directly help increase teacher salaries, which are controlled by the Pasco School Board, but says that helping to fund schools with BCC-controlled development impact fees would be her top priority, with #2 being funding for new and improved roads, and #3 being flood mitigation and drainage projects. 

These school issues hit close to home for Vazquez, because Yamani has been an educator for 15 years. Education, administration and school athletics are important to him, as he previously was the head coach of Wiregrass Ranch High’s softball team for eight years. 

To Develop Or Not To Develop? 
Stephanie Vazquez says it’s time for a change in Pasco County leadership.

Vazquez wants voters to know that she is NOT anti-development. She just wants the BCC to consider three important questions: 

“Do we need it? Does it put the people of Pasco first? Are we ready for it?” 

She feels that these questions would help the county avoid the “Gold Rush Mentality,” where developers just want to make money and then leave, sticking taxpayers with gridlocked roads, overcrowded schools and neighborhoods that flood with every storm. She says that this type of reckless development, which seems to be running rampant in Pasco, “favors insiders over families. But, enough is enough.” 

As for what she envisions District 2 to look like 10 years from now, Vazquez she says that our area already is becoming the hub for health care in Pasco County and should continue to do so, with more new hospitals and medical offices continuing to be added to the local landscape. She sees this medical hub being surrounded by thriving communities, with schools, walkable green spaces and family-centered resources. She also believes that Pasco, and by proxy District 2, as “Florida’s Sports Coast” is a good idea and that she, “would love to see that continue to grow.” 

“That would include more year-round sports people can play, facilities that offer good-paying jobs and more options for youth sports programs,” as some in our area (like the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association’s youth baseball and softball programs) can’t handle all of the kids who want to play. She believes that the Wesley Chapel District Park is at maximum capacity, saying that although it’s a great facility, parking and traffic “can be challenging.” 

“We need more [sports] options in the District. The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus has been fantastic,” but its primary function is to provide a location for sports tourism. “What we need are more green spaces and fields throughout the area.” 

She says that if proposed large-scale developments are unwilling to include parks and school sites in their communities, she would, “Vote No!” She believes that the BCC is responsible for the over-development of Pasco County and Wesley Chapel in particular. “Yes, a lot of people have been moving here, and leadership has been swept up in that,” she says, but the commissioners should have tried harder to control Pasco’s growth. 

The Bottom Line? Forget Politics 

For Vazquez, this race isn’t really about politics. “It’s personal,” she says. “I’m not backed by big money. I’m not here to make deals behind closed doors. I’m here to fight for every family who feels like their voices have been drowned out. Pasco belongs to all of us, it’s time to take it back.” 

She adds, however, that she knows it won’t be an easy fight to win. 

“Since there is currently a Republican majority, not only in Pasco County, but in Florida and the Federal Government,” she says, “I know it can feel like we’re just little blue dots in a sea of red, but the truth is, there are more of us than we realize. And I’m not just talking about Democrats. Voters with no party affiliation, independents and even longtime Republicans are starting to move away from the noise and division and toward something better: people over party, progress over politics and community over chaos. We all want the same basics — strong schools, safe neighborhoods and honest leadership. And those aren’t red or blue issues. They’re people issues. Win or lose, I’m proud to be fighting for that.” 

When asked about working across the aisle, with an otherwise red majority, Vazquez says that her background proves she’s capable of doing just that. “I worked with (District 1 Commissioner) Ron Oakley successfully for many years when I was with the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking. It’s about the work we’re doing and who we’re doing it for.” 

She adds, “I listen to everyone, regardless of who they voted for, and what political leanings they have.” In other words, she says, “Many issues are by-and-large nonpartisan,” she says. “So, if you want different, vote for me!” 

But, considering that the seat Vazquez is eyeing has not seen Democratic representation yet in this millennium, the stage is set for what could be one of Pasco County’s most closely watched commission races — especially in light of the fact, Vazquez says, that Weightman won his first election, even though he may have been living outside the district in which he was elected, which would be a violation of a Florida Constitution mandate. 

“Commissioner Weightman bought a property with a mobile home in District 2 during his campaign, but a lot of people in Pasco say he doesn’t actually live there, and that he still lives at his longtime home in Dade City, which is outside the district. It’s raised real concerns about whether he’s truly representing the community he was elected to serve and that he may be violating residency requirements for holding the seat.” 

Meet the Candidate 

If you’d like to meet Vazquez, she will officially launch her campaign at a public kickoff event on Tuesday, May 20, 6 p.m., at Meals on Wheels, 38112 15th Ave., Zephyrhills. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. and attendees are encouraged (but not required) to bring nonperishable food donations to support Meals on Wheels. 

At the event, Vazquez said she will have what she describes as a “Vision Board” — not something with her vision, but a blank board where attendees can write how they envision a better Pasco County. “I like public feedback,” she says. 

If you’re not able to attend that event but would like to hear Vazquez’s viewpoints and opinions on certain topics, search “Stephanie Vazquez Pasco” on Instagram, where she posts often. Or, scan the QR code (left) to access her campaign kickoff event page. 

New Phase Of Persimmon Park At Wiregrass Ranch Taking Shape! 

Anyone driving on Wiregrass Ranch Blvd. recently has likely noticed the huge amount of new construction occurring right next to the Wiregrass Ranch community in Wesley Chapel’s northernmost roundabout. This long, 50-acre parcel, that stretches north to south along the west side of Wiregrass Ranch Blvd. (from the first roundabout down to the third roundabout) will serve two future Wiregrass Ranch developments. 

The southernmost seven acres (bottom of map, right) is currently slated for future professional medical offices — a 46,000-sq.-ft., two-story building, followed by a 72,000-sq.- ft., three-story building at a later date. Plans were submitted to the county in February and construction may begin later this year. 

The northernmost twelve acres (at the top of the map) will be for Persimmon Park Phase 3, which will consist of 37 two-story, single family homes and 75 two-story townhomes (or 112 total units). Construction of the land and infrastructure already has been under way for a few months. 

This will leave roughly 31 acres of the 50-acre parcel for drainage ponds and undisturbed conservation wetlands. 

The first two phases of Persimmon Park have had a few home builders, but Phase 3 will be exclusively David Weekley Homes, which also is currently finishing the part of Phase 2 closest to Phase 3 by the roundabout, along Orange Berry Dr. (again see the map). 

The 37 single-family homes will be similar to that part of Phase 2, with the garages in the front of the house, or what the builder calls its “Garden Series.” The lots will be 40’ x 105’ and the salespeople have told us that they expect that the new homes will be at a slightly lower price point when compared with Phase 2, by not offering as many upgrades. Current prices for the Garden Series range from $595,000-$695,000, so Phase 3 buyers should expect slightly lower prices than that. 

However, the townhomes (photo below), which will be located across from the single-family units, will have their garages at the rear of the house, which will open onto an alleyway, similar to how more than half the homes in Phases 1 and 2 of Persimmon Park are laid out, and part of what gives the community its unique look and feel. 

In Persimmon Park, most of these existing “Cottage” series homes’ front doors face a street with parallel parking (which makes sense), and for only one row (14 units) of the new proposed townhomes, the front doors also will face a similar road. 

For all of the other proposed townhomes (61 units), the front doors will face common grass areas or the perimeter of the community, which is something of an odd design choice, because those residents may likely never enter their homes through their front doors, which will be located where one might expect a rear patio to be, only offering a tiny (almost unusable) front porch instead. 

One benefit of this layout, however, is that it allows for an oversized two-car garage, on a townhome lot that might otherwise only be able to accommodate a single-car garage, as these townhomes don’t need room next to the garage for an entry. 

It’s also a good thing that all of these townhomes will have two-car garages, because none of them will have usable driveways! The driveways will only be a couple of feet from the garage doors to the edge of the rear alleyway, which means future owners will either have to park in their garages, or in one of the 32 parallel parking spaces being shared by all 112 units. 

While it’s not 100% confirmed yet, we were told by David Weekley Homes’ sales staff that one of (or perhaps even the) only townhome floor plan that will be offered will be the 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom, 1,751-sq.-ft. “Seawater” floor plan. 

This plan features something unique, where the first floor half-bath is partially (literally two steps) up the stairs, off to the side of the stairwell directional landing (yes you heard that correctly) — not under the stairs like most are used to seeing in newer townhomes. The bathroom actually protrudes into the oversized garage to achieve this set-up, while the space under the stairs is reserved for storage. Pricing for these townhomes has not yet been determined. 

There was some unexpected good news, however, for the future residents of this upcoming new phase. According to a permit submitted last month, Persimmon Park Phase 3 will now be getting its own swimming pool, so residents of the new phase won’t have to share the existing pool serving the first two phases of Persimmon Park. 

For more info about David Weekley Homes in Persimmon Park at Wiregrass Ranch, visit DavidWeekleyHomes.com. 

What Is Being Done About Morris Bridge Rd.? 

Will The ‘Rural’ Road’s Flooding Following Hurricane Milton & Clear Need For Widening Ever Be Addressed? 

This is Morris Bridge Rd. looking south from the entrance to Cory Lake Isles on a usual weekday morning. For those who live along this formerly rural roadway, the daily commute to Tampa can be an absolute nightmare. So, what, if anything, is being done about it? (Photo by Joel Provenzano) 

 What are some of the things New Tampa and Wesley Chapel have in common? 

In addition to car washes, nail salons and self-storage facilities, both rely heavily on two “major” north-south roadways — the eight- (in New Tampa) or six-lane (in Wesley Chapel) Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and the mostly two-lane Morris Bridge (MB) Rd — as important daily travel routes. 

Due to the explosive growth in both K-Bar Ranch/Easton Park in New Tampa and, especially, in the plethora of new developments in and near Wesley Chapel, dependence upon MB Rd. has continued to grow year after year. 

However, traveling on the winding, two-lane MB Rd. from the Fletcher Ave. exit off I-75 in Hillsborough up into Pasco County can be a white-knuckle experience for any motorist, bicyclist or pedestrian — and for more than just one reason. 

Development has caused this formerly rural roadway to be plagued by flooding (resulting in closures), as well as by heavy traffic, safety concerns, poor road conditions and some other silly stuff that commuters in both New Tampa and Wesley Chapel have to deal with every day. 

With three mattresses tied to a roof, even a single Nissan Altima going 25 mph at rush hour can create havoc on MB Rd., generating a quarter-mile-long backup of angry drivers, all inching over the centerline to see if they can pass. Yes, we observed this while standing outside our vehicle and taking photos from the entrance to Cory Lake Isles! 

We reached out to both Hillsborough County and City of Tampa governmental officials to find out their thoughts, and if there are any “real” projects actually moving forward to improve MB Rd. We provided them with a list of questions that did generate some responses. 

We specifically asked if there were any planned capacity or safety improvement projects in the works, especially any widening plans to handle future volumes, or how the county (since MB Rd. is a county road that serves both city and county residents, as does BBD) plans to handle those traffic volumes that are expected to significantly increase over next few years, due to development on the north end — primarily the continuing expansion of K-Bar Ranch and the massive Two Rivers development, which is really just getting started building near MB Rd. both north and south of the Hillsborough-Pasco county line. 

In short, much-needed flooding countermeasures have been installed (following the multi-week shutdown of MB Rd. north of Cross Creek [CC] Blvd. following Hurricane Milton last October) and both a safety project and resurfacing project are coming, but any real vehicle capacity/ modernization projects are still up in the air. District 7 Tampa City Council member Luis Viera, in his final term in his seat, at least has an idea about how to address the everyday traffic on MB Rd. 

Councilman Viera’s Perspective 

Although MB Rd. is entirely a county roadway, roughly 1/3 of the people living along the roadway live within Tampa’s city limits, with all of those residents (at least until the Hillsborough portion of Two Rivers begins building) living in the city-based New Tampa developments of Cory Lake Isles, Easton Park and K-Bar Ranch. 

As such, we were grateful to interview Viera to get his opinion about some of the county’s responses, and what he’d like to see done as a proven champion of innovative intergovernmental (meaning city and county) collaboration. 

He specifically notes that there’s a, “Need to modernize Morris Bridge. The City has to work with the county on long- term solutions,” indicating that county officials can’t, and shouldn’t have to, try to fix MB Rd. all by themselves. 

Viera believes that one of the biggest issues in the past (in regards to capacity improvements) has been the obvious environmental concerns, since MB Rd. winds past thousands of acres of multiple county parks (Flatwoods, Morris Bridge Park, etc.). He explains that, “We need to be respectful of the environment, but the environmental issues have been the biggest roadblock (to improving MB Rd.).” 

Viera clearly believes that NOW is the time for a change. “You know what?,” he says. “Next week [the week of March 24, or after we went to press with this issue], I’m going to make a motion to City Council,” in regards to creating a shared vision for MB Rd. by having the city reach out to the county. 

Since the road actually winds through two counties, Viera says he also plans to reach out to District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman (who represents the portion of Wesley Chapel directly to the west and north of the county line at MB Rd.) to also try to get Pasco’s buy-in and help with that shared vision. 

Since several places of worship, and multiple new businesses and communities are quickly popping up along the route, he feels the “rural nature” of the road isn’t keeping up with the times or its now more modern suburban context. 

A Little History 

While the original Morris “Bridge” is long gone, a bridge that was originally located just north of the Pasco County line (near where an underwhelming box culvert now sits), MB Rd. still exists as an “old” rural road abutted by suburban communities. 

How old? Apparently, more than 100 years old! In fact, MB Rd. may be one of the oldest surviving (and continually used) county arterial roads in Tampa, coming from a time when maps of the county and state were more likely to show railroads than roads, because that was the primary form of transportation for those traveling long distances. 

Without these primitive roads being shown on maps, their existence, location, and purpose had to be shared by word of mouth and/or in newspaper articles, especially for newer routes. What was written over a hundred years ago about Morris Bridge as a fledgling route was absolutely fascinating. 

In its June 1, 1923, edition, The Dade City Banner (photo, left) had the following article: 

GOOD ROUTE OPEN TO TAMPA 

BY WAY OF MORRIS BRIDGE 

“The recent heavy rains having made the route [where S.R. 39 sits today] to Tampa by way of Crystal Springs and Plant City impassable, there has been considerable inquiry as to another route that could be used by parties who found it necessary to visit the South Florida metropolis and did not care to avail themselves of the convenient train schedules. A number of people have been making the trip lately by way of the Morris Bridge and pronounce that route not only perfectly passable but a surprisingly good one. It is about 12 miles shorter than by way of Plant City. 

To follow this route one turns west at the railroad crossing at Zephyrhills, goes to Will Ryals farm, about a mile from town, from there to Jim Hills’ place. Here take a plain road running southwest and at all forks take the one running in that direction. This road is said to be graded the entire distance and, from the Morris Bridge at the county line to Harney has been clayen [sand-clay]. From Harney a brick road leads to Tampa.” 

This is funny, because to this day, Morris Bridge Rd. still becomes Harney Rd. at its very southern terminus in Temple Terrace. 

Flooding Concerns 

Speaking of flooding and impassable roads, our field review showed where repairs had been done when the road was flooded (and closed) multiple times last year. We asked Hillsborough County staffers if these repairs were permanent fixes that will reduce flooding and road closures in the future, or just temporary fixes to repair the damage? 

Todd Pratt, who is with the Hillsborough County Media Relations Department, says that, “The repairs done after Milton were permanent fixes that consisted of replacing culverts that convey water under and across Morris Bridge Rd. These culverts had collapsed/washed out during the hurricane.” 

Time, and the next major rainy season, will tell if these repairs will hold, or if new ones will be needed. 

Safety Improvement Project 

Regarding MB Rd. safety projects, Hillsborough senior media relations strategist Chris Wilkerson says that, “Morris Bridge Road has a planned safety improvement project (see below) slated to begin later this year. The contract for the project is planned to go before the BOCC (Board of County Commissioners) in April. If approved, the project would address safety concerns on the roadway, including documented consistent high rates of speed and distracted drivers. The project is designed to address speeding and motorist lane departure crashes.” 

Proposed Safety Improvements – $2.1 million: 

• No Passing Zones w/Vertical Delineators 

• Reflective & Profiled Lane Line Markings 

• Speed Feedback Signs, Flashing Beacons for Intersection Ahead & Curve Warning & Signal Head Back Plates 

• Bike Lane & Safety Enhancements at Bridge over Hillsborough River 

• Bicycle Signs and Lane Markings & Wildlife Signs 

Meanwhile, Viera says that, “$2.1 million is wonderful, but we need to push that envelope!,” although he says he is really happy to see that “speed feedback signs” and “no passing” enhancements, are part of the safety project, as these would address issues his constituents have discussed with him. 

Prior 1% Surtax to Fund Resurfacing 

The last time MB Rd. (at least north of CC Blvd.) was resurfaced was way back in 2002. The portion south of CC Blvd. is in somewhat better shape, as it was last resurfaced in 2017. 

A physical review we conducted of the corridor noted aging/deteriorating pavement with potholes, multiple patches, narrow, worn or no shoulders, no sidewalks (except self-funded ones in front of a few businesses) and very narrow lane widths at a few points (mostly north of Cory Lake Isles approaching and into Pasco County). 

So, is MB Rd. on the county’s list of roadways to be resurfaced? We hadn’t previously seen or heard of MB Rd. as being on any 3R (Resurfacing, Restoration, Rehabilitation) project list. 

But, Pratt told us, “The Florida Legislature has identified repaving projects to be completed in Hillsborough County using a portion of the previously collected Transportation Surtax funds (see below). One of the roads to be repaved is Morris Bridge Road. The County will need to coordinate this paving to be done in conjunction with the safety improvement project.” 

Confused? You may recall that back in 2018, Hillsborough County voters had passed a one-cent sales tax to fund needed transportation projects. This tax ended up being legally challenged, and was found to be unconstitutional by the Florida Supreme Court in March 2021. But, by then, the county had already collected about $589 million from local taxpayers. 

After the tax was eliminated, state lawmakers went ahead and made a plan to split that collected money up between county road improvement projects, a Hillsborough tax holiday, reimbursement of the county’s legal fees, and a settlement fund that would allow Hillsborough taxpayers and residents to receive refunds (up to $100 without showing any receipts). 

That plan began about a year ago, when county commissioners met to start dividing up the funds. It was decided that about $256 million would go towards road projects (including road resurfacing). At the beginning of March of this year, the first $17 million of that money started being distributed, with all of the funds expected to reach the long list of target projects by 2030. 

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is slated to make sure the county completes these projects by the deadline. That overall plan will be up for approval at one of the upcoming BOCC meetings in April. 

Capacity Concerns 

At our press time, county officials had not yet responded to our most pressing question — How does the county plan to handle MB Rd. volumes that surely will significantly increase over next few years due to development on the north end of the road (from K-Bar Ranch, Two Rivers and other Pasco developments), and what those forecasted volumes (if they’ve been forecasted through traffic studies or other models) might be, compared with recent historic volumes (meaning, how much growth in percentage or number of vehicles is expected?). 

Current state data shows an annual average daily traffic (or AADT) of 15,000 vehicles per day for MB Rd.. (Note-AADT is the total number, in both directions, of vehicular trips taken on that road each day, divided by 365 days in a year.) 

Based on our preliminary calculations, it would not be unreasonable to see an increase of 20% in the traffic volumes over the next few years, given the size of the future developments that will be connected to the road. 

As we had written in a previous article from April of 2024, the final phase of K-Bar Ranch in Hillsborough will add hundreds more homes, and open up ALL of K-Bar to MB Rd. via an extension of K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. to the east, past Easton Park. Once that extension has been completed, this also will subsequently open all of the Union Park and Meadow Pointe developments in Wesley Chapel to MB Rd. as well, via the planned Wyndfields Blvd. extension to the south, and the existing Meadow Pointe Blvd. extension. 

The 6,000-acre Two Rivers development on the edge of Wesley Chapel and New Tampa (although it actually is located in Zephyrhills in Pasco and Thonotosassa in Hillsborough) will be adding an estimated 7,500 more residences, plus commercial developments, the Peak Surf Park and schools, with its north-south traffic to be split between U.S. Hwy. 301 and MB Rd. But, as anyone living in the area might imagine, it will still have a significant impact on MB Rd. 

Bridge Scouring 

The current bridge over the Hillsborough River on MB Rd. was built in 1963. Since then, its piers have experienced significant base erosion, which is referred to as “scouring,” a critical problem that can affect the bridge’s structural sturdiness if not properly addressed. 

Based on a fact sheet put out in January 2025,Hillsborough plans to spend roughly $864,000 to, “install an articulating concrete block revetment system as a scour countermeasure.” Revetment is just a fancy way of saying a sloping structure that is usually made of stone or concrete, used to protect the riverbed around piers from erosion caused by river currents or other forces. Otherwise, the piers can become unstable if too much of the bed is eroded, which is why this is a critical repair. 

Construction of the revetment system is expected to be completed by early 2027. 

So, How Can I Get Involved? 

Believe it or not, your elected officials actually want — or even, make that need — to hear your traffic and safety concerns about MB Rd. 

So, how can you get involved? In addition to contacting your local county representative — District 2 Commissioner Ken Hagan — Councilman Viera wants everyone to know that he has an upcoming New Tampa Community public meeting, on Tuesday, April 15, 5:45 p.m., at the Easton Park Community Pool Clubhouse (10776 Pictorial Park Dr., Tampa). 

Viera says he will be on hand at that meeting to receive input, answer questions, and talk about MB Rd., as well as about crime, education, housing, the progress on the planned park in K-Bar Ranch and pretty much anything else New Tampa or even Tampa-related. 

Viera will be joined by a representative of the Tampa Police Department at that Town Hall-style event, as well as by District 6 (countywide) Hillsborough School Board member Karen Perez. 

For more information about that meeting, email luis.viera@tampagov.net. 

Wesley Chapel’s Walmart To Be Home To Conviva Senior Primary Care 

Speaking of convenience, Walmart is expanding a partnership to provide convenient healthcare options inside their stores, and the Wesley Chapel is next on the list. Last month, the Walmart at 28500 S.R. 54 took out permits and then quickly installed the new sign for “Conviva Senior Primary Care,” located in the clinical office space formerly occupied by Walmart Health. 

The clinics are part of Humana’s Primary Care Organization (PCO), which includes Conviva and CenterWell Senior Primary Care. 

Last year, in a press release from Humana, Walmart’s executive vice president of health & wellness Brian Setzer said, “We are looking forward to welcoming CenterWell [and Conviva] into these purpose-built health care spaces to offer quality care to communities in four states.” 

He added, “Leasing these spaces to a well-known and successful healthcare delivery organization is a win for [our] customers and patients, as we continue to focus on our core health & wellness business of Pharmacy and Optical.” 

Conviva’s website states that the company has locations in Texas and Florida, and we found that there are already more than a dozen existing care centers dotted around the greater Tampa area, a couple of which are located inside Walmarts, like the ones at 1575 Land O’Lakes Blvd. in Lutz and at 7631 Gall Blvd. in Zephyrhills. 

According to ConvivaCareCenters.com, “At Conviva Senior Primary Care, you’ll get 50% more one-on-one time with our primary care physicians who respect your schedule. Take the time to ask all of your questions and feel confident about your care.” 

Conviva will have its own exterior entrance, located east of the doors for Wesley Chapel Walmart’s ‘Home & Pharmacy’ section. There will be dedicated and marked parking spaces for patients, as well as another interior entrance to the clinic next to the vision center. 

Meghan Kile, an insurance broker/agent with a desk set up just inside the front of the Walmart in the mornings (under a bright blue banner with the Walmart logo and the names of multiple insurance providers), stated that she thinks Conviva is hoping to be open by April or May, but she had heard no exact date as of yet. Meghan believes this Conviva location is still in the process of hiring its staff. 

The sign out front of Conviva’s exterior entrance says “Accepting New Patients” and the phone number listed — (813) 815-8391 — goes straight to a voicemail for an “Immacula Nezier, APRN.” Unfortunately, we were not able to get in touch with Nezier for more exact details. 

New Tampa’s Walmart & The Retail Giant’s Plan To Stay Ahead Of Amazon 

On Feb. 20, history was made. It was reported that, for the first time ever, Amazon had surpassed Walmart in quarterly revenue — $187.8 billion to $180.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024. Investors immediately took notice and Walmart’s stock dropped nearly 7%. Walmart still led Amazon in annual revenue for 2024, however — $674 billion to Amazon’s $638 billion — as the Bentonville, AR-based Walmart barely kept its title as the world’s biggest retailer. 

Some might think that Walmart is starting to lose because its sales are going down, and that its business model is archaic, but Walmart actually has continued to grow year-over-year, with explosive growth over the last three years. In fact, Walmart’s revenues for 2024 were the highest they’ve ever been — 6% higher than in 2023. 

So, who would think that in the world of big retail, New Tampa would get something the rest of the nation doesn’t yet have? This “not so secret weapon,” which will be pilot-tested soon, is part of Walmart’s plan to hang onto the #1 spot. Lasers? Robots? Artificial Intelligence? How about all three? Yes, seriously! 

New Tampa As Ground Zero? 

The New Tampa Walmart on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd, just south of Wharton High, is a very busy store. Although not the biggest or busiest in the nation, it still serves thousands of customers every day. And, with Walmart desperately trying be the nation’s leader in customer service, how does the New Tampa Walmart store figure into that equation? And, why are the recently installed robotic towers at the New Tampa Walmart still sitting unused (photo above)? 

Taking up more than half of the store’s exterior garden center, the large blue “Auto-Dispense Towers” (as they were officially called) have given us a glimpse into the future of the retailer, even if they were slightly ahead of their time. And, these unassuming structures might hold part of the key to Walmart’s continued success nationwide. 

If you pull up to the store on the Wharton side, you might wonder, “What in the heck are these things?,” as they remind us of the classic drive-up bank ATM/teller lines, and honestly, that’s not too far off from their actual purpose. 

There currently are eight parking spaces under the blue awnings where customers can pull up and park next to individual roll-up doors, get out, walk over to the screen, type in their Walmart order number, and their orders are sent via blue crates on a rail system inside the building (through the thick blue part of the roof), down to the waiting vehicle, where the roll-up door will open, allowing the customer to load their order directly into their vehicle. 

This is all supposed to be done automatically by a robotic retrieval system that was called “Alphabot,” working in the 27,000-sq.-ft., back-of-house Market Fulfillment Center (MFC). It was a truly cutting-edge concept that can even handle orders with cold groceries. 

But, while the towers, the system, and the fulfillment center were all installed in 2023 and were supposed to be operational for customers by sometime last year, the rollout of the automated system was delayed for reasons unknown, despite multiple in-person inquiries at the store that went unanswered by management for over a year. 

We were told it was corporate policy not to talk about the stores, even though management was more than happy to explain the system’s purpose when we wrote our first article about it back in 2023, called “Walmart to Begin Utilizing Robotic Order Fulfillment by Next Year.” 

We had heard some rumblings that the wait times for products to be delivered through the system were too long, and that the program was possibly being completely scrapped because the revamped curbside pickup area just worked better. 

These rumors didn’t seem too far-fetched, as this was only the 2nd store in the U.S. to get this new technology (in addition to Walmart’s flagship store in Bentonville), so maybe it hadn’t worked as was hoped, and was being abandoned, as was the drone delivery service the New Tampa store was among the first to have back in 2023 that actually was abandoned last year. 

What we have found out is that Walmart is not scrapping the automated customer fulfillment program, and that another company contracted by Walmart will be perfecting it for them. 

Convenience Above All Else 

Convenience has become a big issue for Walmart, since the company believes its customers want and are even willing to pay extra for it, and that this focus will keep the retailer at the top of the retail sector. According to Walmart.com, “Approximately 90% of the US population lives within 10 miles of a Walmart or Sam’s Club,” but as we all know, times are changing and, especially with the growth of Amazon and other home delivery services, customers still want more. 

Walmart has been leading the way in customer convenience for years. In 2000, around the time the New Tampa store was breaking ground, Walmart.com was launched, allowing customers to shop online. And, in 2007, the website introduced “Site to Store,” which allowed customers to order online and pick up in-store. 

The company also helped pioneer self check-out in the early 2000s, which then became commonplace in Walmart stores in the 2010s. In 2013, curbside pickup was introduced at a Denver location, and added to 1,000 locations by 2017. The New Tampa store has a fully revamped curbside pickup (photo), now with up to 45 numbered spots available on the north side of the store. 

Walmart first introduced its big orange in-store pickup towers in 2016, but discontinued them after less than five years. The towers were used to pick up online orders and were partially robotic, operating like a big vending machine at the front of the store. 

Today, the company’s most ambitious program, the “Walmart Plus” subscriptions — which are similar to an Amazon Prime membership — are soaring, offering free grocery and product delivery for $12.95 a month, but with an option to have your items delivered within three hours for an extra fee. According to Walmart, the extra fees accounted for a whopping 30% of all Walmart Plus orders. The company has set itself up to offer same-day service to 93% of US households, chief financial officer John David Rainey explained during a recent investor call in February. 

“We’re strengthening our ability to serve people how they want to be served in the moment,” chief executive officer Doug McMillon has said, “That’s what’s driving our growth.” And, McMillon is doubling down on the convenience strategy. “If I could change anything about how we’re perceived today, it’d be that more people know about our breadth of assortment online and our increasing delivery speed.” 

What About Lasers, Robots & AI? 

Although we haven’t had any confirmation from Walmart, part of the reason why the New Tampa store’s automated system isn’t yet operational for customers may have to do with the fact that, on Jan. 16, Walmart announced that it had agreed to sell its “Advanced Systems & Robotics” business, based in Andover, MA (which had been developing the company’s proprietary Alphabot system), to a publicly traded company called Symbotic (NASDAQ stock ticker SYM), for $200 million cash at close, with consideration for $350 million more (or $550 million total), depending upon how much business Walmart does with the company. 

Then, Walmart will turn around and pay Symbotic $230 million at close, with another $290 million over time (or $520 million total), as a contractor to install the robotic systems in Walmart stores. Confusing, right?! That’s business! 

Since 2022, Walmart has been a big investor in Symbotic and, as of Dec. 2024, the retailer owned 15 million Symbotic shares valued at more than $400 million. 

It makes sense that Walmart is heavily invested in Symbotic and paying the company a hefty sum in the deal, because, in the announcement, Symbotic said that, “Walmart has chosen Symbotic to develop, build and deploy an advanced solution leveraging Symbotic’s A.I.-enabled robotics platform to offer Walmart customers greater shopping convenience through accelerated online pickup and delivery options at stores.” 

The announcement also said that, as part of the deal, “If performance criteria [for the robotics platform] are achieved, Walmart is committed to purchasing and deploying systems for 400 APDs at stores over a multi-year period, with Walmart’s option to add additional APDs in the coming years.” APD stands for Accelerated Pickup and Delivery centers, which is just a fancy name for the Market Fulfillment Centers (MFC), just like the one that was built in the New Tampa store that isn’t yet available to fill customer orders. 

According to this news, since Symbotic acquired the part of Walmart that first developed the robotic technology, one could assume the company will be perfecting the Alphabot technology and deploying it to the New Tampa store when it’s ready, and then construct the system in 400 Walmart stores as part of the initial agreement.