Although the Wesley Chapel area already has three Pasco Fire Rescue (PFR) stations in operation — Station No. 13 on Old Pasco Rd. in the Quail Hollow area, No. 26 on Aronwood Blvd. in Meadow Pointe and Station No. 38 on Overpass Rd. in Watergrass — there’s no doubt that the explosive growth of Wesley Chapel has created a desperate need for additional stations in and around zip codes 33543, 33544 and 33545.
Pasco County has had a sign announcing that PFR Station No. 2 is planned on a piece of property on S.R. 54 less than a mile east of the new AdventHealth Meadow Pointe Emergency Room (as we reported about last issue) for several years, but now, construction has begun on Station No. 2, and the official groundbreaking for the new, state-of-the art fire station was held at the site at 32134 S.R. 54 on May 13.
Pasco Fire Chief Ryan Guynn, who only got the job as chief six months ago but has had a 25-year career with PFR, was clearly thrilled to be able to talk about the official beginning of construction on the new station (which actually had been under construction for several weeks before the actual groundbreaking event).
“This is something monumental, something that’s been a long time coming for the people in this area,” Guynn said before introducing Tim Sewell, the regional director for Florida of Ajax Building Company, which is doing the actual construction of the new fire station.
Ajax is excited to be part of this fire station and this is the second of the package that we have coming out that we’re constructing (for PFR Station No. 19 in New Port Richey), so having our people tied into the community here and really working to build this facility for the county is extra special.”
Chief Guynn also thanked Fleischman Garcia Maslowski, the architectural firm that designed the new station (as well as the new Mary W. Sierra Family YMCA in Wesley Chapel), and PFR’s own facilities team “for all of your hard work putting this together.”
Next up was District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman, since the new station is located in his district.
Weightman said, “The hard work for this station was done back in 2019, and the credit really goes to the voters who passed the GO (general obligation) bonds back then to help fund these stations. So, it’s a tremendous honor to be on the board and see one of the last remaining GO bond projects come out of the ground.
He added, “Station 2 has been desperately needed and longed for by the residents of Wesley Chapel for many years and I’m just excited and happy to be in office as this is coming to life.”
Comm. Weightman (above right) also introduced Dist. 5 Commissioner Jack Mariano, who told a little bit about the evolution of PFR during his 21-year tenure on the Board.
“When I first started,” Mariano said, “there were a bunch of things that needed to get improved on and I think from my inception of getting on the Board, every board has supported the fire and EMS (emergency medical services) team that we have in this county and we appreciate the team getting these things coming out of the ground. And, the word out there on the street, is that Pasco County safest and best place to work [for fire and EMS personnel].”
Chief Guynn (above left) admitted that he can’t take too much credit for the new station, “because a lot of the work done on this was way before my time. A lot of the deputy chiefs here had a lot more input into this station than I did, so thank you. I have to give you credit as well. The health and safety of our men and women has always been at the forefront. And your commitment to that [safety] and our commissioners commitment to bring that to fruition is always evident and we’re never going to forget that.”
Truly State-Of-The Art!
Following the ceremony, Chief Guynn gave more information about the new Fire Station No. 2 (the site plan for it is shown below) itself.
Site plan source: Pasco County
“We have what we call our Hot, Warm and Cold zones, which are isolated areas inside the building, where you need to help separate some of the carcinogens from our living quarters, which helps keep our employees healthier and cancer free. That’s not a new concept and we certainly didn’t invent it, but we’re taking it to the next level, and our commissioners have gotten behind us. We take our employees’ health and wellness very serious, so just being able to provide them with a living quarters and a fire station workout of that design, keep them healthy, is a big deal.”
Chief Guynn also noted that the new Station No. 2 will have, “our typical fire truck and ambulance package, but we’re looking at moving in some aerial apparatus as well. We have some specialized equipment that we like to keep close to the interstate. But, you know, a lot of those decisions will be made in the near future because, you know, by the time this station is built, we’ll have operational needs that are going to change as well.”
The 13,840-sq.-ft. Station 2, which is expected to be open by the winter of 2026, also will be a three-bay station, which Chief Guynn called “medium-sized, but it will give us plenty of room to grow. We’ll be able to add additional units inside of here and we’ll, be able to house dozens of employees, especially during hurricanes and natural disasters.”
And, those additional units — and additional fire stations in the area between Morris Bridge Rd. and Meadow Pointe Blvd. (Station No. 31), and just south of the Harley Davidson dealership on Wesley Chapel Blvd. in Land O’Lakes (No. 5) — are already needed and will continue to be even more needed as more homes are built in our area and traffic continues to increase. Even so, Chief Guynn said that response times in the Wesley Chapel area, “are currently within the acceptable range,” but added that the new station will definitely improve those times, especially for the Avalon Park/New River community and Meadow Pointe Areas III & IV.
Editor’s Note – Unfortunately, the groundbreaking for this new fire station in Wesley Chapel was held the week after we went to press with our May 13 issue, so this news is almost a month old as this issue is reaching you, but I felt it was still too important to not include it in this issue. I apologize for any inconvenience that the delay in getting this info to you may have caused. — GN
The Name Of Wesley Chapel’s $35-Million, 49,319-Sq.-Ft. YMCA Was Unveiled At A Groundbreaking Ceremony On May 28!
Seemingly the entire Sierra family participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Mary W. Sierra Family YMCA next to BayCare Wesley Chapel Hospital. (Photos by Charmaine George)
“This is much more than just the beginning of a construction project,” said Tampa Metropolitan YMCA president & CEO Matt Mitchell. “This is a beginning of a new chapter for the YMCA, and it’s the beginning of a new commitment on behalf of our YMCA to this Wesley Chapel community, because we’re here to break ground on what soon will become an impactful community resource and a vibrant hub for health and wellness.”
Tampa Metro YMCA president & CEO Matt Mitchell hosted the groundbreaking ceremony for the new YMCA on May 28.
Mitchell was speaking to a group of about 100 people gathered to celebrate the official groundbreaking of the new Mary W. Sierra YMCA (more on the name below) on land provided by BayCare Wesley Chapel Hospital located just south of the 86-bed hospital itself.
“This will be a place for day camps and new sports and drowning prevention programs for our children,” Mitchell continued. “There will be programs for our families that come together, and connect programs for cancer survivors, both adults and children. Programs that help prevent chronic disease. And programs for our seniors not just to exercise, but to have a place to come and socialize and be a part of an engaging community that helps them thrive. Programs like that, and much, much more, will be right here beneath our feet in the summer of 2026, and it’s gonna be something special.”
Mitchell then acknowledged that, “Wesley Chapel is already a very special community, but this YMCA will be a new place where families and neighbors come to connect and build valuable friendships, all supporting this venue where every individual who lives in this community can come and live their healthiest and most fulfilled life in Pasco County and beyond.”
As to how the Tampa YMCA came to be able to build this $35-million, 49,319-sq.-ft. YMCA on BayCare’s property, Mitchell said, “We’ve got a lot of good partners, sponsors, funders and friends. And just to name a few — BayCare made this land very available and affordable to the YMCA long term, plain and simple. Without BayCare, there is no YMCA here. Thank you so much for the partnership.”
Mitchell also thanked Fleischman Garcia Maslowski Architects and the firm’s co-founder Sol Fleischman, who was on-hand at the event. “Thank you so much for the inspiration and the great design of the great spaces for kids and families that thrive in our buildings,” Mitchell said. “We appreciate you so much for being part of this project.”
Next, Mitchell thanked Joshua Bornstein, the president and CEO of Creative Contractors, LLC, for “building this project. Josh has built [several] buildings for us and they’ve all have been tremendous, quality projects. There’s a lot of comfort knowing that Josh and his team are on this project as well.”
He also thanked project engineer Dan Bergin, and the Seven Oaks Property Owners Association. “When we do a project like this, we like to engage with our local neighbors sooner than later and just see how they’re feeling and talking to them about our project. And, the Seven Oaks POA now made our immediate neighbors very accessible to us. So, thank you for the conversation, and for engaging us. We are going to do our best to be good neighbors.”
Mitchell also thanked a few of the key donors, since, “This is a $35-million project, and a project like this does not come out of the ground unless you have some great lead donors,” including the Sierra family — “Bob and Mary, Hi and Lisa and Michael — who have all been such great friends of the YMCA,” including securing the naming rights to the Bob Sierra YMCA in Northdale.
In addition, Mitchell thanked Joanne Spurlino of the Spurlino Foundation, who won, with her late husband Cy, the Tampa YMCA’s Red Triangle Award in 2021 as the organization’s top volunteers the year before Cy passed away. Mitchell said, “You’ve shown up for us in so many different ways throughout the years on so many different projects. During Covid, Joanne, Cy and I were sitting in my truck in the middle of this field, just imagining the possibilities. And we’re here, Joanne. Thank you so much for everything. You’ve been such a great friend.”
Mitchell also gave thanks to Congresswoman Laurel Lee, “who couldn’t be here today to speak with us because she got bucked off a horse yesterday, so she’s a little sore this morning. She’ll be here for the ribbon-cutting. But, if you see her, thank her, because she really advocated for this community, for this YMCA, and secured some great funding through the federal government to help build this YMCA.”
Mitchell also thanked lead donors David and Liz Kenney and the YMCA’s new bank, Valley Bank, which is providing the funding for the project.
He then turned the mic over to Larry Bevis (left) the chairman of the Board of Directors for the Tampa Metro YMCA. Bevis said, “Today is really beginning of something truly transformational. This new YMCA represents a shared vision that provides opportunities for a healthier and more connected community here in Wesley Chapel. And this project is the result of years of careful planning, true collaboration and the incredible generosity of so many of our neighbors — BayCare Hospital, our elected officials, civic leaders and, of course, our friends from the surrounding communities, many of whom are with us here today. Your belief in this mission and your unwavering support have made this possible. From the bottom of our hearts., we thank you.”
A rendering of the future Mary W. Sierra Family YMCA outdoor aquatics center (all renderings provided by the Tampa Metro YMCA)
Bevis added, “We’re obviously very excited about this new YMCA. The two, story building will encompass, nearly 50,000 sq. ft., with an additional 36,000-sq.-ft. outdoor aquatic center.” (Note-That aquatic center will be home to three pools — a covered 25-yard, 8-lane, 4,465-sq.-ft. competition pool, a 1,229 -sq.-ft. therapy pool, and a 2,625-sq.-ft. main pool with interactive water features and slide structure, pool equipment area and pool deck with shade coverings.)
“Just imagine the laughter and energy of children playing on multiple acres of sports fields,” Bevis said. It will be an epicenter for families to connect and have fun. But, it’s certainly not just about square footage. It’s about the lives it will touch.”
A rendering of the basketball gym
He also mentioned that 27,000 people, “live within a twelve minute drive from here. This YMCA will become a hub for those young people — a place to learn, grow and build lifelong friendships. And, it’s not just for the young. Nearly 20,000 seniors also live in this area. And this Y will be a gathering place for them, offering programs and a supportive community.”
Bevis closed with, “As we turn the soil today, we’re not just starting construction. We’re turning towards the future, a future where this YMCA stands as cornerstone of strength and belonging, an opportunity for generations to come. A future where the Wesley Chapel community grows stronger together. Personally, what inspires me most about the Y is our unwavering commitment to serving all. Everyone is welcome. No one is ever turned away because of an inability to pay. That means families, children and seniors, regardless of their financial situation, will always have access to life-changing programs and support right here at this new YMCA. And, like all YMCAs, this is more than just a building. It’s a promise to our community. And together we’re making that promise a reality.”
Another Personal Connection
Next up was District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman (right), who shared his own personal connection to the Y.
“The YMCA has played an incredible role in my life, and in a whole lot of people’s lives around this county. I spent summers in my youth working through college at the East Pasco YMCA and down to the Tampa Y. And it had a tremendous impact on my life. It’s where I started to understand, at an early age, about service to others and to our youth, our community and to seniors. And, just being a part of something bigger than yourself.”
He added, “We’ve all been watching this beautiful piece of land here in Wesley Chapel for a while, wondering what might go on it. I think it was the best-kept non-secret around town. And I’ve got to say, this is truly worth the wait, because today we’re breaking ground on something that’s gonna make a real difference in our families, our kids, our entire community with this brand new YMCA. Here in Seven Oaks is a place where kids can play their first team sport and seniors can stay active and socialize.”
Comm. Weightman also gave, “a huge shout-out to BayCare. You know, without BayCare, making this possible with such a generous land lease or I don’t think this would ever have happened. And the opportunity that BayCare has provided to the Y shows real vision for the health and care of Pasco County. This project is a win-win for us, for wellness, and for our economic development, too. Over 300 new jobs will be created here at this facility. Many of our local teams will have their very first taste of working right here at this YMCA. And, I can tell you that if you’re going to go into the workforce, there is no better job than working at the YMCA.”
Weightman then read a couple of letters he received from the parents of kids when he was a camp counselor at the East Pasco YMCA in Zephyrhills.
“I guess I kept them because of the feelings I got from these at the time. It just showed the special relationships that you build and the impact and what it means to the people, to parents, especially as they’re going to work, and they’re dropping their kids off at summer camp, and here they are entrusting you with their kids.”
One of the notes from a parent said, “Mr. Seth, I just wanted to let you know that you’ve made an impact on my son Brandon this summer. He often talks about the things you tell him, and also that you have taken the extra minute when he needed you. Brandon looks up to you, and it’s been a positive experience for him all summer long. Thanks for making a difference in my child’s life.”
Weightman closed with, “I’m very passionate about this organization and just incredibly excited that they’re building right here in Pasco County and Wesley Chapel. So, thank you all. I’m excited to see what the future has in store.”
The final speaker was BayCare Wesley Chapel Hospital president Nanette Wilcox (right), who said, “This project has truly been a community effort. I’d especially like to recognize YMCA President Matt Mitchell for his leadership and our BayCare Wesley Chapel Board members for their continued work during this journey. BayCare and the YMCA have had a long-standing collaboration. Both organizations share a common goal of improving the health and wellness of those we serve and providing high-quality care. With a Y, that means care for the community by providing a safe wellness space for families, care that is accessible and focused on the needs of the residents. For BayCare, it’s providing safe health care options in our community and excellent services.”
Speaking of those services, Wilcox added, “We recently opened our BayCare Medical Group offices in this hospital, where patients can get imaging and lab services, primary and specialty care, such as orthopedics [in one place]. With the opening of the new YMCA next door, the patients will have a new space to continue their wellness journey. This extends to our hospital team members as well, many of whom have been looking forward to taking advantage of the amenities and services offered by the new YMCA that they’ve been hearing about.”
She added, “As we all know, the Wesley Chapel area is rapidly expanding, with our population expected to grow by 40% over the next 20 years. This gives us a tremendous opportunity to reach so many people and strengthen our community through our commitment to health and wellness. I can’t think of a more reliable partner to join us in meeting the community’s needs than the YMCA.”
A Very Special Dedication
A rendering of the future Mary W. Sierra Family YMCA
Before turning the dirt for the groundbreaking ceremony, Mitchell said, “As you know, we take immense pride in our work to help strengthen our communities and really enable everybody to be the best version of themselves. But, but there’s been people along the way that have enabled us and propelled us into being the impactful organization that we are today.
“Back in 1985, we had the pleasure of opening up the Bob Sierra Family YMCA. And, that Y, for the past 40 years, has really served as a pillar for potential and promise as people pursue their health and wellness together. Over the last four decades, there’ve been hundreds of thousands of people who’ve gone in and out of the doors of that YMCA. Kids, families, seniors, all engaging with their neighbors to really pursue health and well being. Today, our Bob Sierra Family YMCA has nearly 12,000 members, and that’s not including all the kids who come there for day camp and new sports and things of that nature. Each and every year, that Y sees almost 400,000 individual visits. That YMCA has been such a gem in that Carrollwood/Lake Magdalene/Northdale area. It’s just truly amazing. We thank Bob for his great vision back then to provide that resource to so many families.
A Rendering of The indoor fitness facility
“Bob and Mary really wanted to make sure that this Wesley Chapel YMCA was a reality for this community. So, Bob and Mary have agreed to fund the naming rights for this YMCA.
“So I’m really happy to share that this Wesley Chapel YMCA will be known as the Mary W. Sierra Family YMCA.”
For more information about the Wesley Chapel/Mary W. Sierra Family YMCA, visit TampaYMCA.org.
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.
Will The County Commission Follow Suit? Commissioner Weightman Says He’s Been Asking For Connected City Details Since Nov. 2023
I watched the Jan. 9 Pasco County Planning Commission meeting online and was surprised to find the Planning Commission Board agreeing with residents like Michael Pultorak and David Terino, who came to the meeting to oppose a rezoning request for the Tall Timbers Master Planned Unit Development (MPUD), the last 38-acre piece of the so-called “Connected City” (see map).
My surprise came when Planning Commission Board member Jon Moody, P.E., agreed with the residents’ claim that the Connected City has not lived up to what was expected when the state first approved the Connected City in 2015, as a partnership between Pasco County and Metro Development Group, which is developing both Epperson in Wesley Chapel and Mirada in San Antonio, both of which are located within the boundaries of the Connected City (see map).
“The residents were promised that the Connected City would not be the same as every other suburban subdivision in the county,” Moody said, noting that it was supposed to have cultural and recreational facilities, which were supposed to be more than just another playground at another apartment complex that, as Pultorak pointed out, would not be used by anyone except the residents of each apartment complex. To that end, the Planning Commission ultimately voted 4-3 for the moratorium at the Jan. 9 meeting.
Of course, the Planning Commission is only an advisory board that makes recommendations to the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BOC), which has the final say over all rezonings and plan amendments for the county.
District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman says that rather than a moratorium, what he would like to see — which he says he first started asking for back in Nov. 2023 — “is for the county staff to provide us (the BOC) with an overlay of what the Connected City was supposed to be when it was approved, with all of the changes to the plan that have now been approved. I wasn’t on the BOC when this was approved and I think it would be helpful for all of us — my fellow commissioners, residents and staff — to see where that project stands today.”
Weightman also says that a moratorium should only be considered as “a last resort” and that he is “disappointed” that the county staff still has not provided the commissioners with the overlay he requested, “more than a year ago. I’m a visual person. I need to see the differences between what the project was supposed to look like and what it looks like today.”
Speaking of visual learning, as we reported back in November, Pultorak has been a regular at Planning Commission and BOC meetings and he always brings a variety of photos, charts and other graphics with him when it’s his turn to speak at those meetings. He also has organized the Pasco Connected City Residents Group on Facebook, which today has more than 1,100 members.
“This community deserves the parks, open spaces and thoughtful planning they were promised,” Pultorak said on Jan. 9.
The Connected City moratorium recommendation is expected to be heard as an agenda item at a future BOC meeting, but at our press time, we hadn’t heard of such an agenda item being set. Comm. Weightman told me that he doesn’t believe that a Connected City moratorium agenda item will be set before February or even later.
How It All Came About
As mentioned above, the Planning Commission’s Connected City moratorium discussion came out of the agenda item about the Tall Timbers MPUD, which is a 38-acre parcel that sits in the so-called “Community Hub” Special Planning Area (or SPA) Zone, one of five such zones in the Connected City. (Note-The others are the Business Core, the North Innovation Zone, the South Innovation Zone and the Urban Core; see graphic, right).
As shown in the graphic above, the rezoning request for the Tall Timbers MPUD would allow the parcel, which currently is zoned as “AC Agricultural District” to a “CC-MPUD” (Connected City Master Planned Unit Development District) within the Community Hub Zone. If approved by the BOC, the rezoning would allow for 380 multi-family dwelling units (apartments) and 180,000 sq. ft. of non-residential uses.
Following the presentation by the county staff and attorney Shelly Johnson representing the developer, Xtreme Team 41, LLC, Moody and chief assistant county attorney David Goldstein both questioned how every MPUD approved for the Connected City bypassed all of the parks and cultural requirements outlined in the Connected City development plan.
In fact, the Community Hub Zone, of which the Tall Timbers MPUD is part, is supposed to have a “Large District Park,” but Goldstein noted that although the District Park and the funding for it have already been moved to the planned “Superpark” in the Villages of Pasadena Hills, which is located to the east of the Connected City, there is still a requirement for a large district park in the Connected City itself, and he asked Nectarios Pittos, the county’s director of planning services, to look into why that district park requirement was still included in the Connected City documents.
Meanwhile, Pultorak raised multiple questions about the neighborhood parks, which are required to be in each of the Connected City’s SPA zones.
“Every Connected City rezoning project so far has turned into another subdivision with a playset for the people that live in it and no amenities,” Pultorak said. “The two fancy swimming pools (meaning the Metro Lagoons in Epperson and Mirada) have turned into pay-to-play operations where the developer is making the money from them. They are not amenities. We (local residents) can’t use them. There is not a single park, not a single recreation area, not a single amenity that’s in the Connected City that’s accessible to the Community Hub.”
Pultorak also noted, “We have concluded that the county never etched out, in the Connected City, in the Community Hub, a location for the parks and recreation area. A neighborhood swing set at a townhouse community is not ‘parks.’ That is for individuals in those townhouses.”
The main reason the Community Hub was supposed to have the large district park, Pultorak said, is because it is where King Lake, a 213-acre lake, is located (it’s the large area in blue inside the orange area on the map above).
“But, what happens when we take slices of grass around retention ponds & call them parks?,” Pultorak asked. “What happens is the CDD has to, for liability reasons, put signs up that say ‘No Fishing’ and ‘No Swimming,’ so you don’t get eaten by alligators. The problem is when the boys try to get out in these neighborhoods and try to go put a line in the water and catch a bass, or do something away from technology, the HOA will go out there and say, ‘This is private property, you can’t fish here.’ You’ve gotta have some space in the community for the kids.”
Among Pultorak’s biggest concerns about the Tall Timbers rezoning request is, “this site plan itself. The access and egress to this is going to be based on the Aprile and Kenton MPUDs, with Kenton Rd. coming in from the south, and you have a two-lane dirt road from McKendree Rd., so everybody traveling west to the interstate, all of the service vehicles coming in or out to the distribution center or the ‘Eatertainment’ district will be traveling on a two-lane dirt road. And, everybody traveling to the east to come through San Antonio to Dade City will be traveling a two-lane dirt road. This road can not handle it, even though Kenton Rd. will be the access and egress to this project.”
He also talked about natural resources and conservation, two more cornerstones of the original Connected City development plan.
“Natural resources serve as a significant asset to a community,” he said. “Wetlands serve as a natural flood control resource and house a diverse ecosystem for animal and plant life. When I left on Monday morning to meet with staff, I drove past this property and there was a bald eagle in a tree. That told me we’re fighting the right fight. This site plan does not have any wetlands listed in it — no wetlands that are protected.”
Pultorak also mentioned flooding concerns, especially considering that most of the parcel remained flooded a month or more after Hurricane Milton came through in October.
“The bottom line is that the Community Hub is not designed for apartments. It is not designed for vertical integration (apartments that are situated above ground-floor retail businesses, as in Downtown Avalon Park). The Community Hub is the center point of the entire Connected City. It’s supposed to have parks, recreation and a place where people want to live.”
Moody said, “What I see is a special planning area (referring to Connected City) that got done on a piece-by-piece basis, rather than as a regional planning exercise, and in the overall scheme of things, I think the mark was missed.”
Despite that, and all of the evidence Pultorak presented, Moody said, “Even with all that being said, I don’t think you can punish the [current] applicant for the sins of the past…So, I don’t think that denying this project is going to solve the overall, large-scale problems of Connected City. And I don’t know how you fix those.”
He then moved to approve the Tall Timbers rezoning, which passed 4-3, with Planning Commission members John Girardi, Matthew Muniz and chairman Charles Grey voting “Nay.”
Moody them moved to recommend to the BOC to impose a moratorium on all development in Connected City for one year, “while we figure out how to implement land development regulations that better achieve the goals of the Connected City.”
When asked by Goldstein if he was only talking about a moratorium on rezonings, Moody said, “No. I want to change the land development code, so that would be a moratorium on land development, including all site plan approvals, building permits, everything.” That motion passed 6-1, with only Girardi voting nay.
“I think the public has legitimate concerns regarding this whole issue of cultural facilities, district parks and whether there are trails,” Moody said. “I just know it needs to be fixed.”
Goldstein said, “I don’t know how to best convey that to the BOC because I’m not sure it’s best to tie it to this particular application. It should be presented as a regular discussion item for the Board.”
(01/18/2023) ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL – USA – AdventHealth. AdventHealth Executive Leadership. Matt Rainey/AdventHealth
AdventHealth has certainly been busy the last couple of weeks. On Nov. 8, the new freestanding Emergency Room on S.R. 54 at Meadow Pointe Blvd. had a beam-signing event that you can read about below. Then, just last week, the nonprofit health care giant announced that Erik Wangsness, who has been the president & CEO of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel (AHWC) since Sept. 2019, will assume the same position at AdventHealth Tampa, effective December 15. Taking over from Wangsness as the president & CEO at AHWC, as of Dec. 29, will be Ryan Quattlebaum, who previously held the same titles at AdventHealth North Pinellas in Tarpon Springs.
For more details about these two latest moves, check out the full stories in the December 10 edition of New Tampa Neighborhood News and the December 24 edition of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News.
AdventHealth Meadow Pointe ER Beam Signed!
Pasco County Comm. Seth Weightman (3rd from left) & the executive team for the new AdventHealth ER in Meadow Pointe sign the beam. (Photos by Charmaine George)
George Butler, the construction superintendent for Robins & Morton, the firm building the freestanding AdventHealth emergency room (ER) in Meadow Pointe (AHMP), told the crowd of nearly 100 people in attendance on Nov. 8 that, “Today is a major milestone for this project. The next major milestone will be the Grand Opening.”
The milestone in question that day was the signing and raising of a beam that will be above the sliding door main entrance to the ER located at the corner of S.R. 54 and Meadow Pointe Blvd.
“Every time you go through that sliding door, you will all think of this beam that you signed,” Butler said.
AdventHealth Zephyrhills president & CEO Mike Murrill thanked all of the people & companies that made the project happen. (Photos by Charmaine George)
Butler was introduced by William Villegas, the chief operating officer of AdventHealth Zephyrhills (AHZ), who then said that, “You’re here with us today because you were part of the process of getting this building off the ground…and by signing this beam, you are acknowledging all of the hard work of the crew that is sitting here. And, each and every one of you has played a role in it, whether as a support member, an executive or an engineer with Robins Morton.”
Villegas added that, “So far, this building has endured two storms, and it’s still standing. On April 29, 2025, when we open this building, we will be providing 32,000 square feet of capacity with 12 beds, two triage rooms and advanced lab and imaging services that will provide freestanding emergency room services to the Pasco community. As we expand our reach, build facilities, touch more lives and care for more patients in Pasco County, we fulfill our mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ. And, that’s what we’re here for, to serve our communities and provide the highest quality of care for our patients. None of this would be possible without everyone here today..”
Villegas, the executive sponsor for the AHMP ER, then introduced Mike Murrill, the president and CEO of AHZ.
“I want to thank William Villegas for guiding this team the last several months,” Murrill said. “He just joined our team six months ago and hit the ground running by connecting our community partners and the construction team and it’s exciting to get to this point in the journey.”
Murrill added, “I would just like to take this moment to thank several of our partners who are here this morning — our Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman, Arash Kamangar of Hunton Brady Architects, George (Butler) and our Robins & Morton construction team, all of the subcontractors who have contributed to this project, ans well as our Division Team. We thank you all for your collaborative spirit, your work with each other and what it means to have something new in this community.”
Villegas then said a short prayer to thank God and to pray that “the patients who end up at this new ER find healing.”
For more information about the new AHMP ER, visit AdventHealth.com.— GN
