Tag: North Tampa Bay Chamber

Local Business Community Begins Investigating The Possibility Of Incorporation; Feasibility & Boundaries Will Be Determined By Studies 

The last time we posted a map of Wesley Chapel on our front cover, back in Oct. of 2023, it was pretty obvious that a lot of people didn’t know what the boundaries of the fastest-growing community in the state of Florida actually were. 

And, even though a small group of local business leaders is now talking about incorporating Wesley Chapel as its own municipality again, where to draw the boundaries of the proposed new city is still a work in progress. 

What is clear, however, at least according to Jamie Hess (at right in photo), the owner of the Computer Emergency Room locations on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in Wesley Chapel and on County Line Rd. in Lutz, is that the time for Wesley Chapel to become a city is now. 

“We already have almost everything we need here, other than maybe a true city center and a post office,” Hess told me during an exclusive interview at the North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) office, along with NTBC president and chief executive officer Hope Kennedy (left in photo). Hess has been an NTBC Board member for several years and he and his fellow Board members gave Kennedy the O.K. to at least look into what an incorporated Wesley Chapel would look like, and what areas it would include. For right now, the group is using the zip codes currently called “Wesley Chapel” — 33543, 33544 and 33545 — as the boundaries, but Hess and Kennedy acknowledge that “fixing” those boundaries is a long way off. 

With her Board’s directive in place, Kennedy already has a proposal from a company in Texas to conduct two studies that she says would both have to have favorable results before the subject of incorporation can gather any real momentum. 

How It All Began 

But speaking of momentum, Hess said that the catalyst for the NTBC Board to begin seriously considering the possibility began with a seemingly innocent comment made at an NTBC Coffee event in Oct. of 2024, where District 20 State Senator Danny Burgess, himself at one time the youngest-ever Mayor of Zephyrhills, said that the one goal he had before he retired from government service was, “For Wesley Chapel to become its own city.” 

That got the wheels turning for Hess, who was sitting in the front row (with yours truly) that day. “I kept asking myself, ‘Why not? Why can’t we?,’” Hess told me. “Wesley Chapel is basically a cash machine for Pasco County, so it would be great for us to keep our tax dollars right here.” Kennedy added, “Right after that meeting, our Board came together and said to me, ‘Make it happen.’” 

The Op-Ed Piece 

Right before sitting down with me, the following Op-Ed piece by Hess appeared in the Tampa Bay Business Journal on March 7: 

The Time is Now: Why Wesley Chapel Must Take Control Of Its Future 

Wesley Chapel is no longer just a suburb — it’s a thriving economic powerhouse. Yet, despite our rapid growth, we remain unincorporated, with no direct control over how our tax dollars are spent. We generate millions in revenue, yet much of it is allocated to projects outside our community. It’s time to consider incorporation to ensure our tax dollars are reinvested where they belong — right here in Wesley Chapel. 

Once a rural town, Wesley Chapel has evolved into one of Florida’s fastest-growing areas. We have top-tier healthcare, strong schools, and a booming business community, yet we lack a local government to advocate for our needs. 

Currently, all decisions affecting our growth — zoning, infrastructure, business regulations — are made at the county level. Incorporation would allow us to shape policies that align with our community’s unique needs and priorities. Incorporation would allow us to establish a true city center — a place where businesses thrive, government services are easily accessible, and residents can engage with their local leaders. A true city center would create a hub for commerce, government services, and civic engagement. A dedicated city hall would bring the government closer to the people, offering a place for public meetings, business licensing, municipal planning, and other vital functions. A local post office would provide more convenient service, rather than relying on locations serving multiple communities. Wesley Chapel is large enough to sustain these services, it’s time we took ownership of them. 

For businesses, incorporation means stability and efficiency. Permitting, zoning, and economic incentives would be handled locally, reducing delays and creating a business-friendly environment. With direct control over tax revenue, we could fund infrastructure improvements, support local businesses, and attract new industries. Instead of waiting for county-wide initiatives, we could take immediate action to enhance our economic future. 

Traffic congestion on S.R. 54 and I-75 is a growing issue, yet local infrastructure projects often take a backseat to county-wide priorities. As an incorporated city, we could direct funding toward much-needed road improvements and explore expanded transit options. Public safety is another pressing concern. Wesley Chapel relies on county services spread thin across a vast area. Incorporation would allow us to create a dedicated police and fire department, ensuring faster response times and better community-focused safety measures. 

Before moving forward, we need a comprehensive economic impact study to assess the feasibility of incorporation. This study will provide critical data on how incorporation would affect residents, businesses, and public services. With clear financial insights, we can make informed decisions about our community’s future. 

Wesley Chapel has outgrown its unincorporated status. Our businesses and residents deserve a government that prioritizes local needs, reinvests tax dollars into our own infrastructure, and fosters economic growth. The time has come to take control of our destiny and build a Wesley Chapel that works for us. 

The future is ours—let’s take the next step. — Reprinted from the Tampa Bay Business Journal 

The Game Plan 

Hess and Kennedy assured me that the process currently being undertaken has been a “very thoughtful one,” according to Kennedy. “It’s going to be very much data-driven.” 

“We’re starting by raising money for an economic impact study,” Hess added. “That’s the first step.” 

At our press time, the NTBC Board had not yet ratified the decision to officially retain a neutral third party — Austin, TX-based Angelou Economics — to conduct the economic impact study, at a cost of $75,000. But, Hess was confident that the Board would approve Kennedy’s recommendation at the Board meeting on Mar. 11. 

“My initial conversation with [Angelou] was so extraordinary,” Kennedy said. “They said, ‘This situation (the possibility of incorporating Wesley Chapel) is incredible.” 

If and when that economic impact study comes back with a positive result, as Hess and Kennedy expect, another $75,000 would be needed to fund a second study — an actual incorporation feasibility study — that also would be conducted by Angelou. 

“Right now, we only need $75,000,” Hess said. “If the economic impact study doesn’t come back favorable, we’re probably not going to need that other $75,000. There would be no need to raise money for a feasibility study. But, we’re confident that both studies are going to end up giving us the green light to move forward.” 

Kennedy added, “We’re actually planning to try to raise a total of $200,000, because we estimate that we’re also going to need about $50,000 for community engagement and marketing. But, we believe that doing it incrementally is a good idea. Angelou isn’t going to require us to pay for the second study until the first one comes back positive. This way, we won’t be on the hook for the whole $200,000. Yes, we are currently raising capital, but we haven’t made an official ‘ask’ yet and we’re not ready to announce any major donors at this time.” 

Hess added, however, “That a lot of people have already told us they want to help, but until enough people actually write a check, we’ll still be in fund-raising mode.” He noted that even small amounts contributing to the fund-raising campaign, as a couple of local business owners have offered, “will definitely be accepted.” 

Hess and Kennedy said they are thankful to former Florida House Speaker (and Wesley Chapel resident) Will Weatherford, who got legislation passed before he left the house in 2014 that said a community wanting to incorporate did not need to get permission from the county in which it is located. “It will be a referendum for those impacted,” Kennedy said, “and we believe that 50% + 1 vote of the registered voters who show up to the polls for the referendum from the area proposing incorporation will have to vote in favor of it for it to pass.” 

Kennedy also acknowledged that this is not the first time incorporating Wesley Chapel has been considered. “But, the last time, around 2016 or so, a group of Wesley Chapel residents came to the Chamber and said, ‘We want to incorporate,’ which gave us quite a lift, but it fell apart for two main reasons — arguing over what the boundaries should be and the lack of involvement from the business community.” 

Of course, there are dozens more large-scale businesses located within what could become the City of Wesley Chapel now than there were ten (or even five) years ago, and. Kennedy said, “Because we’re starting with the business community and the studies, we feel confident there will be more momentum for it this time around.” 

She also noted, however, that the Chamber has its own 501(c)(3) foundation that the funds for the studies could flow through, “because it’s in our Foundation bylaws that we can use Foundation funds for ‘Studies of Community Impact.’ So, any donations to this cause would be tax deductible because you’d be funding a study.” 

Igniting The Spark 

“Senator Danny Burgess (photo left, with Kennedy) essentially lit this idea on fire,” Kennedy said of the Oct. 2024 Chamber Coffee event. “Our Board came back to me after that meeting and said, ‘Go ahead. Make it happen.’ And, I’ve been working on this ever since.” 

One of the first things Kennedy and Hess had to look into was law enforcement. 

“We approached (Pasco) Sheriff Chris Nocco’s office about establishing a police presence in Wesley Chapel,” Kennedy said. “They have told us that, ‘[PCSO’s] official position is that we will support whatever the citizens of Wesley Chapel decide for their future.” 

That could mean hiring additional Pasco Sheriff’s deputies just for Wesley Chapel or establishing a municipal police force (as in the cities of Dade City and Zephyrhills). Either way, police protection would be paid by the residents of the new City of Wesley Chapel. 

“The only thing we have out here in terms of services that’s doing O.K. is fire,” Hess added. “The fire [and emergency medical] services are pretty good, but police is way behind. Plus, we can’t seem to get a post office and we have no municipal buildings of any kind.” 

So, the fund raising is beginning in earnest now and Hess is quick to point out that the group is not looking for one or two sweetheart donors to fund the whole $75,000 starting cost. 

“We’re looking for local business people and residents who want to donate anything from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars to get the ball rolling,” he said. “We don’t want anyone thinking that because they funded most or all of it, that they have control over how we proceed.” 

Kennedy also has made an initial inquiry with Pasco supervisor of elections Brian Corley, who said he would have to look into how it would work to set up an initial municipal election and how potential voters would be notified. 

“Brian said, I’ve never done this before, so I will have to get back to you. But this is exciting!” 

Thankfully, Hess noted, “There are a lot of examples over the last 10 years or so of communities in Florida incorporating, so at least we have some examples to study.” 

The most recent such example is Westlake, which became the 411th municipality in Florida on June 22, 2016. Of course, the master-planned unit development known as Westlake only had about 900 residents when it incorporated (it’s up to about 6,000 today), vs. anywhere from about 60,000 to more than 100,000 residents of what would be the City of Wesley Chapel, depending upon whose population estimates you use and where the boundaries would be set. 

“As far as places our size in Florida, there’s only a handful that aren’t incorporated,” Hess said. “We would definitely be a city, because of the size, not an incorporated town or village.” 

Kennedy and Hess also discussed the type of municipal government that might be set up in the City of Wesley Chapel. 

The current cities in Pasco County — Dade City, Zephyrhills, San Antonio, New Port Richey and Port Richey (St. Leo is an incorporated town)— are all run by City Councils, with mayors selected from the Council members. 

But, Kennedy said that because Wesley Chapel is so much bigger, the government could be set up as a strong mayoral form of government, with City Council members representing the districts in which they live. “All of that needs to be figured out in the future,” she said. 

They both said that if the studies come back favorable, the goal is to get the proposed city charter written in time for consideration by the 2026 State Legislative session. If approved, the governor could then select a charter mayor, and there could be municipal elections sometime during the following election cycle. As for who might be interested in serving as (or running for) the Mayor of Wesley Chapel, neither of them wanted to speculate. “It’s just so early in the process,” Hess said. 

So, What About Those Boundaries? 

As mentioned above, for now, the “working” boundaries for the proposed city are the three Wesley Chapel zip codes (33543, 33544 & 33545 on the map), but that could change. 

As we reported in Oct. 2023, Kennedy would prefer to use the Census Designated Places (CDP) map, which uses natural boundaries for CDP boundaries, which would move the boundary of Wesley Chapel well west of I-75, to Cypress Creek. This would allow Wesley Chapel to also include the Tampa Premium Outlets, but using the CDP map also would mean that places like Watergrass, the northern half of Epperson and other parts of the so-called “Connected City” would not be included in the city limits. 

No matter which boundaries end up being used, the City of Wesley Chapel would include all three local hospitals, plus Pasco Fire Rescue Station Nos. 13 (on Old Pasco Rd.) and 26 (in Meadow Pointe) and could include No. 38 in Watergrass. 

Hess said that until the economic impact study comes back, there’s no reason to try to set the boundaries. 

“The main thing for me,” he said, “is that if our taxes would have to go up significantly to make this happen, I couldn’t support it.” 

For more info about the City of Wesley Chapel, email Jamie Hess at jamie.hess@computeremergencyroom.com.