Pollo Tropical on the way?

PolloTropicalPasco County’s planning staff is scheduled to meet next week with project engineers looking into building a Pollo Tropical restaurant at the Cypress Creek Town Center Development of Regional Impact (DRI, across from the new Tampa Premium Outlets mall) at the Northeast corner of State Road 56 and Wesley Chapel Boulevard.

The permit pre-submittal meeting is scheduled for Nov. 2. “Right now, it is just conceptual,” said project engineer Zach Thornton.

The permit proposal is looking at a 3,600-square-foot restaurant and a drive-through lane”. A pre-application conference was already held Feb. 18 regarding the site plan but, according to the meeting request form, changes have been made since that meeting.

The Pollo Tropical chain was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Kendall in Miami-Dade County, and is best known for its flame-grilled chicken.  It has more than 180 locations and more than 3,000 employees mostly across the southern United States.

Wesley Chapel man killed in crash

fhp-150x1501Robert Michael Rudman, 33, of Wesley Chapel was killed early Friday morning  when his 2006 Honda Civic collided head-on with a semitrailer truck on SR-50 (Cortezx Blvd.) west of Richloam Clay Sink Road in Hernando County.

Rudman was traveling westbound shortly after midnight when, for unknown reasons, he crossed into the wrong lane and into the path of 50-year-old Jose Antonio Moux Rivera of Orlando. The two vehicles collided into each other, proving fatal for Rudman who died at the scene of the crash. Rivera suffered serious injuries and was transported to Dade City Hospital..

 

2nd 'Trick's Kicks' Tourney Nets nearly $11K!

KICK2Kingshyre at Cross Creek residents Dick & Kathy Strom, who lost their son Patrick to a single-vehicle accident a little more than three years ago, are proud to report that the second annual “Trick’s Kicks” golf outing at Heritage Isles Country Club on Oct. 17 raised about $10,800.

Dick says that amount is about $3,500 more than last year, which will buy, “a lot of sneakers for a lot of needy kids in our area.”

Trick’s Kicks is a nonprofit organization started by the Stroms and their friends in honor of Patrick (who was called “Trick” for short), who loved to collect athletic shoes (“kicks”). Since starting the organization, Trick’s Kicks has donated dozens of pairs of sneakers to kids in need, including 35 pairs donated to the kids at the Everyday Blessings orphanage in Thonotosassa.

Dick says that a full field of golfers, increased sponsorships and promotion in the Neighborhood News all helped the second tourney beat last year’s total, and he says the hope is that “we can do even better again next year.”

Food was provided for the event by Hoosier’s Gille, the restaurant located inside Heritage Isles CC. Among the prizes given away was a 55-inch flat-screen TV, which was won by Kyle Taylor, the last entrant in the event’s putting contest and the only contestant to sink the 60-footer.

For more info, visit Facebook.com/Trick’s Kicks.

 

Vision 54/56 Initiative To Study Congested Corridor

5456WEB2
Transportation planner Ali Atefi shows some of the latest plans for the S.R. 54/56 corridor.

It’s no secret that the S.R. 54/56 corridor is a difficult drive. Whether you’re going a few miles from Wesley Chapel to Land O’Lakes, or all the way to New Port Richey, the 25-mile stretch from Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. to U.S. 19 can be a nightmare to traverse, and Pasco County transportation planners are looking into ways to improve the corridor with a new initiative called Vision 54/56.

During the next seven months, the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is holding meetings at Rasmussen College (18600 Fernview St. in Land O’Lakes) to gather input from the public to use while coming up with alternatives to improve the S.R. 54/56 corridor during the next two decades.

A part of the MPO’s “Mobility 2040” Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), the Vision 54/56 study will be conducted using two “Task Forces,” one to study the corridor east of U.S. 41 to BBD (which includes the Wesley Chapel area) and another to study the area from U.S. 41 west to U.S. 19.

Each Task Force is comprised of nine individuals from local chambers of commerce and civic groups. The task force that will represent Wesley Chapel includes Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) CEO Hope Allen, Sandy Graves of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, Steve White of the Pasco Alliance of Community Associations, the Pasco Economic Development Council’s Brent Nye, project developer Joe Cimino, MPO Citizen Advisory Committee members Christie Zimmer and Cliff McDuffie, as well as citizens-at-large Debby Catanzaro and former Wesley Chapel Noon Rotary president Kelly Mothershead.

The Force is tasked with coming up with a total of six alternatives for improving transportation along the S.R. 54/56 corridor, which is the same stretch of road for which a private developer proposed an elevated toll road in 2013. However, that idea officially was abandoned last May. Phase one of the Task Force aims to educate the public and facilitate possible solution alternatives, which will be presented to the MPO Board. Regardless of the alternative ultimately chosen, the corridor will not be widened further than six lanes, which already exists in many sections, including S.R. 56 through Wesley Chapel.

The first meeting of Phase One was held on Sept. 24. In addition to Task Force members, Pasco Transportation Manager Jim Edwards, chief assistant county attorney David Goldstein, transportation engineer Ali Atefi and other members of the MPO and county staff also were in attendance.

54:56WEB“We’re not reinventing the wheel,” Edwards told the Task Force. “There is a litany of alternatives out there, probably about 19, and we’ll be narrowing those down.”

Edwards said that he hoped the Task Force would be visionaries and report what the citizenry thinks should be done

As Edwards and staff went through a presentation of many of the alternatives that already have been identified—including raised express lanes, overpasses, express bus lanes, light rail and other options, Atefi said that Pasco’s population is expected to grow to 905,000 by 2040 (an increase of more than 446,000), with 135,000 people moving into the S.R. 54/56 corridor.

“That’s 35-percent of the county’s growth,” Atefi said. “Imagine if development moves faster.”

Executive planner Matt Armstrong also addressed the Task Force, encouraging members to take the job seriously and try to really look ahead.

“We can’t go backwards in development,” Armstrong said. “We have to make these decisions now. (Pasco is) not urban yet, but (it) will be. As urban planners, we try to look at the crystal ball and be ready.”

Phase Two will evaluate the alternatives submitted in Phase One and gather more public input about the alternatives. The Task Force will then select a preferred alternative and develop an implementation plan to present to the MPO.

“The first meeting was primarily an educational session to give everyone background on the challenges already addressed on the corridor and some previously proposed solutions,” Allen says. “I learned a lot and the county has done a lot of work to prepare for the future of that corridor.”

Allen explains that she and her fellow Task Force members have been armed with a lot of information to review about previous proposed projects, possible solutions and corridor studies. She says that a much more in-depth conversation about the alternatives and possible solutions will take place at the next meeting, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 1, again at Rasmussen College in Land O’Lakes. The public is welcome to attend and provide input to the Task Force.

For more info, please visit Vision54-56.com.

If you need someone to Clean-it, you know who to call

CleanitWEB3Since 2013, Celly de Freitas has operated Clean-it (sic), a family-owned cleaning service based in Wesley Chapel and serving the surrounding areas, including New Tampa, Lutz and Land O’Lakes. The company is unlike many, in that Celly herself meets with each client to get specific instructions and room-by-room requests and then returns, in person, to do (or supervised) the job herself each time.

Celly says other cleaning services don’t usually offer the consistency she does. Large companies hire a lot of people, she says, so you don’t always get the same crew working in your home. She says this is a recipe for miscommunication, and also considerably slows down the cleaning process.

“For all of my clients,” explains Celly, “I personally clean their house, or I check it after my crew is done. Every house, every time.”

She says she currently has four crew members who clean homes with her, and they are all family members and friends. “I only have people working for me who I know and trust,” Celly says. “I’m not going to allow someone into my clients’ homes if I don’t know them.”

Clean-it provides general cleaning services, including dusting, wiping down and disinfecting window ledges, baseboards, interior glass doors, countertops, the facings of all appliances, sinks, faucets, exterior cabinets, blinds and ceiling fans, as well as floor vacuuming and mopping. If you need something done that isn’t on this list, Celly says all you have to do is ask, as she is happy to accommodate special requests.

“I do whatever the client asks, and I always accomplish what I promise,” Celly explains. “My clients (have to be) always happy with my services, or I go back and make it right.”

She says this is another contrast to large cleaning companies, where a cleaning crew may have so many homes scheduled that they are in a rush at every home they visit.

CleanitWEB2“This isn’t a quick clean,” says Celly. “We’re not paid by the hour, so we don’t have to look at our watches while we’re cleaning, to be sure we get in and out quickly.”

She stresses that, in her business, the needs and desires of her clients are of the utmost importance. “We just do whatever it takes to make sure your house looks good every time we leave.”

Celly insists that each time she cleans your home, it will be as clean as the first time. She says her reputation has been built on satisfied customers who know she does a thorough and detailed cleaning each and every time.

Celly has now worked in the cleaning industry for 19 years, the last two as the owner and operator of Clean-it. She moved to Florida 18 years ago from Brazil and her family settled in Seven Oaks in Wesley Chapel more than 12 years ago. With her roots in this community, she has many long-term relationships with clients.

“I want people to know they can trust me,” she says. “I have houses I’ve cleaned for 15 years. I provide references and I welcome new clients to call my current clients and see what they have to say about me.”

Julie is one of those clients who is happy to talk about how much she appreciates Clean-it’s cleaning services. She first met Celly in 2006 when she was looking for someone to clean her home and a neighbor referred her. “Celly is incredibly reliable, neat, prompt and honest,” Julie says. “She does a good job, and she’s careful with delicate things.”

Julie adds, “I have a lot of plantation shutters, and Celly is obsessed with keeping them dusted and clean, even more than me,” says Julie. “And that’s a big job! I’m very happy with her.”

Celly says Julie is just one of her many satisfied customers. She believes they stay that way because she dedicates her time to each one of her clients and puts her personal stamp of approval on each cleaning job. “Homeowners like the fact that they know me and my crew,” says Julie. “If I don’t come to your house one day, but send a crew instead, it’s still going to be someone you know who has cleaned your house before.”

And, Celly will still stop by to make sure it’s been done properly.

It’s also important to Celly to use environmentally friendly products, she says. She chooses products that are efficient, ones that, “work well but are not harmful,” she says.

“If you have kids and pets, we know they sometimes come into contact with cleaning products, whether that’s from licking the floor or just having their hands on the floor,” Celly explains. “So, we use products that will not be harmful to their health.” If a client wants their own, personal products to be used for cleaning instead, Celly says she is happy to oblige.

Clean-it offers a 10 percent discount to Neighborhood News readers. Be sure to see her ad on page 40 of this issue. Like it says, if you choose to give her a try, “You’ll see the difference.”

For a free estimate, call Celly at 505-0431. You can learn more about Clean-it online at Facebook.com/CleanIt.Services.  The business is licensed and insured. Appointments are available Mon.-Fri., with special request appointments available on Sat. Clean-it is accepting new residential and business clients for regular weekly, bi-weekly and monthly cleanings, as well as one-time services for moving in out.