An Ordinance By The Pasco County Board Of County Commissioners Establishing A Temporary Moratorium (180 Days) On The Submission And Acceptance Of Applications For Conditional Uses, Rezonings, And Comprehensive Plan Amendments Proposing To Increase Multi-Family Entitlements Within The Moratorium Area; Providing For Authority; Legislative Findings Of Fact; Definitions; Moratorium Area; Temporary Moratorium Imposed; Duration Of Temporary Moratorium; And Severability.
What the county recorded
Staff recommendation
Approve
DispositionAdopted
Approved to adopt by a roll call vote.
The source document
The county’s agenda for Board of County Commissioners, May 4, 2021
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
The county’s minutes for Board of County Commissioners, May 4, 2021
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
This case, across meetings
PDD-21-0316 in full →PDD-21-0316 was taken up 3 times between Apr 1, 2021 and May 4, 2021 — this is appearance 3.
- Apr 1, 2021PlanningPC6▶No disposition in the minutes
- Apr 20, 2021BoardP45▶No action
- May 4, 2021BoardP45▶Adoptedthis item
What was said
Machine transcription of 1h 10m of recording, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 61% of 205 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.
P forty five approof.
Item P forty five was published in the Tampa Times March twenty first, twenty twenty one.
P forty five is PDD 210316, an ordinance by the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners establishing a temporary moratorium 180 days on the submission and acceptance of applications for conditional uses, rezoning, and comprehensive plan amendments proposing to increase multifamily entitlements within the moratorium area, providing for an authority, legislative findings of fact, definitions, moratorium area. Temporary moratorium imposed, duration duration of temporary moratorium and severability. This item, um, this
is the adoption hearing on this item. So we're asking you to ex to accept public comment and adopt the proposed ordinance by roll call vote. This went to the local planning agency who found it consistent with the comprehensive plan and recommended approval to the Board of County Commissioners, and a full presentation was done to the Board of County Commissioners on April twentieth, twenty one.
Okay. Uh do we have anyone signed up on WebEx?
Yes. Uh Mr. Chair, we have three individuals on WebEx.
Let's
start with
that.
Okay. We first have John Tomsu.
If you could please state your name and address for the record, please.
John Thompsu, [address removed].
Sir, can you please uh repeat um it didn't cut in and uh can you didn't come in until um halfway through.
John Tomsu, [address removed].
Thank you, sir. You may proceed.
Good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to speak. Uh I urge you to vote in favor of the moratorium ordin ordinance. Data driven decisions are usually the best ones, as is common practice in the scientific and business industries. Taking 180 days to collect the needed data is essential to the board making decisions that have a direct and long-lasting impact on our community. The members of the Seven Oaks Resident Council. Spread the word via social media and Boots on the ground to educate the citizens around the proposed ordinance. We gathered one hundred and twenty eight signatures in
person from residents in Seven Oaks and while engaging Pasco County residents at the Wesley Chapel, Walmart, and Land O' Lakes publics. not one person that we spoke to was against the ordinance. These letters were submitted to the admin and asked not to be read into record, in order to respect your time. Please recognize the voice of the community we are we were able to capture. the topics of population density and observed Oversaturation of multifamily units is a common theme we encounter when just Discussing life in Pasco County with our friends, families and neighbors. As
a Pasco County resident. In the proposed designated moratorium area, I have witnessed the increase of traffic and related accidents. The continued over capacity schools like Seven Oaks Elementary and Wiregrass Ranch High School. A perfect example of infrastructure racing to catch up to our residential needs is the Diverging Diamond Interchange Road Project. this frequently delayed project and others like it play a role, a large role. in the quality of life of Pasco residents and it's one of the many variables that must be considered when evaluating rezoning and conditional uses. Our infrastructure
needs to catch up. With the current master plans. in place, before making any further changes, in the generally well thought out design of Pasco County. Existing unused parcels already zoned to accommodate multifamily dwellings should be taken into account before rezoning or allowing conditional use. I'm also asking the board to do a better job of understanding the data presented to them when deciding on conditional uses and rezoning. Sources of data can be biased. In the board's recent approval of the conditional use permit
allowing multiple family dwellings in a C2 general commercial district north of Seven Oaks. The data was misleading in terms of traffic and school capacity. Quotes from Chris Williams, Director of Planning Services Pasco County Schools, indicated Seven Oaks Elementary was currently slightly over capacity, but the data sheets provided by the developer showed under capacity. Additionally, relocatables, also known as portables, are a clear illustration that school infrastructure is not on par with the needs of a community. The units are disconnected from the main campus, provide no cover and
rainstorms, and kids are moved to the media center or similar areas during thunderstorms. As noted by Bill Cronin, President and CEO of Pasco Economic Development Council, There are still too many people living here and working somewhere else. Our county is not the overflow housing department for Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. We have our own growth strategies and creating more local jobs for our residents is a priority. And it's difficult to do that if we zone C2s into multi-use all the time. Please vote to approve the moratorium ordin ordinance, support data driven decisions, and allow
the county enough time to collect the information needed. Thank you for your time and God bless.
Thank you for your comments. Next.
So um we did have Mark Doyle on WebEx. He has dropped off. So I'm going to move to the next um individual and see if Mr. Doyle will um come back on. So the next person is Eric Garduno.
Yeah, I think. Name and address for the record. Thank you.
Certainly. Eric Arduño with the Bay Area Apartment Association, P.O. Box 151958, Tampa, Florida. Thirty three six eight four.
Thank you, sir. You may proceed.
Thank you. Good afternoon, Commissioners. Thank you for this opportunity to speak. Shortly you'll be discussing a moratorium related to apartment development in a portion of the county. The underlying question at root of this moratorium is whether or not there is an oversaturation of apartments. For the ordinance, the BOCC will direct county staff. To look at some key data points. These include the number of multifamily units already there, existing entitlements, and acreage zone for multifamily. While these questions can help
determine how many apartments there are today and potentially the maximum number of apartments that could be built in the future, they alone don't speak to oversaturation. While these quit um Uh oversaturation. Can and does occur. It happens when there are more units than there is demand. As a result, When oversaturation does occur, vacancy rates skyrocket. Units stay empty and developers lose their shirts. Based on the
information we have available to us, they alone We we don't see anything like that happening in Pasco County. That said, if the board moves forward with the moratorium, we do ask that you consider adding additional demand and supply factors. for the county staff to research that are relevant to the question. Of oversaturation. We're grateful that the Planning Commission already added vacancy rates to the ordinance, which is a key indicator of demand. Our data on this point indicates that
vacancy rates in Pasco County are at 5.8%. And that's near historic lows. We're pretty confident that the information gathered on this point will demonstrate strong demand for apartments. Because there is particular demand, or I'm sorry, particular interest in recently built apartment communities, an important demand indicator is leaseups. So every apartment community starts with 100% vacancy. And lease up is the period between
when leasing starts and the community is full. Typically this lasts eight to twelve months. after the apartment community is open. So another important data point to gather is how long are these taking? On the supply side, it's also important to examine what realistically can be built. For instance, the supply of labor and the supply of raw materials are real constraints on building new apartment communities. At its peak, the most apartments that the county was
able to build in any given year is about 1,500. Looking at how many were built recently will give us an eye into how many can be built into the future. Ultimately. We're seeing substantial changes in the county. Recent growth rates for the county are at 30% or looking at 30% increase in population in the next 20 years. These people are going to need places to live and a lot of them are going to want to live in apartments. We
hope the supply will be there when they come.
Thank you for your comments.
Thank you.
Mr. Chairman Mariano has not rejoined the WebEx, so I have no other individuals on WebEx for this item.
We have um
I guess do we have anybody at the kicks? Yeah. Is anybody at the kiocks?
There's no one at the kiosk.
All right. Thank you. All right, we'll go into The emails and I believe you told me you had fifty one.
Um yes, Mr. Chair. Total of sixty-three were submitted. Um actually fifty emails were asked to be read on record. I have one letter from our sheriff asked to also be read in the record as he's not able to make it today. All right. Um, and since there are so many emails to read, I asked um Donnelly Schmidt, my operation supervisor, to help me with it. So um I'll get halfway through and then she'll help me with some of this. All right.
Okay.
All right, so I'll start with the letter from uh Chris Nacko, our Pasco County Sheriff. Address 8700 Citizens Drive, New Port Richey, Florida, 34654. Dear Commissioners, I'm ready today to express my support for the moratorium imposed by the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners 60 days prior regarding multifamily developments as well as the proposed ordinance related to conditional use on commercially zoned properties. As the Board of County Commissioners knows well, the
Pasco Sheriff's Office has long championed a well-thought-out approach to growth and development in our county. While available housing, including multifamily developments, is a critical component of our county's fut of our county's future, ensuring that infrastructure and resources keep up with the growing demand development is equally imperative. Similar to what I hear about your county services, the Sheriff's Office has a difficult job keeping up with the current demand for services that our current citizens ask for and deserve. Quickly approving
multifamily developments only exacerbates the problem. Additionally, if we continue to focus on being a bedroom community, focusing on sending workers to businesses to the south, we will continue to increase traffic issues at key and limited intersections that will intensify traffic issues that in turn create public safety issues. With multifamily homes, our population will quickly increase to eventually complete to eventually compete with the overall population of Pinellas and inch closer to Hillsborough. However,
without the tax base provided by the economic engines of these two counties, our collective ability to serve our citizens is hindered to demonstrate as it stands currently. The Pasco Sheriff's Office receives barely half of the funding per citizen that our neighbors in Hillsboro County receive per citizen served, and only 35% of the funding per citizen served that our neighbors in Pinellas County receive. The Board of County Commissioners has a strong commitment to funding public safety as
the sheriff of the as as the Sheriff's Office receives 50% of new revenue each year, and the Board's commitment to pay increases, which has stemmed to flow, which has stemmed a flow of members having for better pay in surrounding counties, for which the Pasco Sheriff is grateful. However, there is still work to be done as demonstrated by this funding disparity per citizen served. There are uh three uh graphs. One graph is population served by Sheriff's Office 2019, Pasco
is 484,249, Hillsborough is 988,250, Penellas is 399. Three hundred ninety nine thousand four hundred and eighty eight. Next chart, budget of the Sheriff's Office in 2019. Pasco, 142 billion, one. I'm sorry, one hundred forty two million one hundred and sixty nine thousand one hundred and eighty eight. Um Hillsborough four hundred and sixty three
thousand four hundred and forty nine thousand Um I'm sorry, six through Four hundred and four sixty three four four four four four four four nine six six zero. Pinellas County, 315-458-040. And then cost per citizen served in Sheriff's Office in 2019. Pasco, 294. Hillsboro, 469, and Pinellas, 790. With
these limited resources, the Pasco Sheriff's Office is committed to responsibly through innovation addressing the concerns of citizens of Pasco County. This has included a commitment to going upstream to address issues before they become law enforcement concerns through the creation of our behavioral health intervention team and partnerships throughout our community. Unfortunately, recent research by our behavioral health intervention team found that Pasco County desperately needs more mental health resources as well. While examining mental health providers
per citizen, Pasco County has one mental health provider for every 1,460 citizens, while the state average is one mental health provider for every 700 citizens. We must allow resources to catch up to the population growth we have already seen. It is for this reason as well that the Pasco Sheriff's Office requested and was provided a seat at the table in the pre-application review process. We believe the seat at the table It will assist the county as these developments continue. It is critical for law enforcement
to be included as each development brings in additional people and additional traffic concerns that will ultimately become law enforcement issues. It is important to remember that each multifamily development is essentially adding a small city, and as such, we must allow resources to catch up to this potential influx. Any development, multifamily or not, is law enforcement intensive. This is what allows our neighbors in Hillsborough and Pinellas to have more resources available as they balance residential growth with commercial and industrial. We
will we with focus we must focus on job creation and infrastructure. With this, the Pasco Sheriff's Office. would support an extension of the moratorium to allow the Sheriff's Office to be in engaged moving forward. We are now included in the pre-application review process and believe that the moratorium should be continued to allow for our input in these projects as they move forward. Thank you for your time and attention to to this important matter. Sincerely, Chris Knock, Sheriff.
All right, the um first email to read be read in through the record is from Antonio Ponzi.
Address is uh [address removed].
Dear uh County uh dear Pasco County Planning Commission, I request the following to be read into the record. I would like to voice my support for a moratorium on apartment development. For background, I live in Crosswinds, which is a single family detached home subdivision in Seven Oaks. My wife and I specifically chose to purchase in this in that area in 2016 after we moved from out of after we moved from out of state because of its level of safety. The relative peacefulness in the well-renowned elementary school, given where we were ready
to and have started a family. Given the school is already very close to capacity and the apartment complex north of Seven Oaks has already uh was already approved, adding this many potential students would easily push the school even further over capacity. Crosswinds has a large number of residents with close to or already um or already elementary school aged children and I plan to on notifying them as well regarding this proposal so that they may also address their support for this proposed moratorium. Besides
school capacity, traffic would increase dramatically throughout Seven Oaks, which also has an impact on safety. Entrances to Seven Oaks are already heavily congested, and I can't imagine how much worse additional apartment complexes would make it, especially during rush hour. Please don't add to the traffic at least until additional infrastructure is in place, such as additional schools and road improvements. Overpass Road, I-75 Ramp, Diamond at 65 and 75, etc. So I ask you to please consider the safety of Seven Oaks residents
and the quality of education for the children of Seven Oaks when making your final decisions because they are our future. I am proud to be a Pasco County resident and have told numerous people looking to leave their current towns that this is the county to be in because Pasco County seems to really care about its residents. Please allow me to continue having that pride so I may continue encouraging people to consider Pasco County for raising their families. Next email is from Joe and Michelle Stanzani. Stanzani.
Ad uh address is [address removed]. Castle County Commissioner, good afternoon. As a twelve year resident of Wesley Chapel, we have witnessed extreme growth and expansion. At this time, I would like to voice my concerns about the continu about the continue of apart car apartment complexes approval and rezoning and urge a moratorium. I would like the statement read um and to be on the record.
The next email is from Laura Binney.
Hello, my name is Laura Benny and I reside at [address removed]. I'm reaching out to oppose the building of more apartment buildings in Pasco County, specifically the apartments being proposed near Sam's Club off of Ancient Oaks Boulevard in Highway 56. The building of a complex here will cause undue stress to our already overpopulated road systems and our very overpopulated. Populated school system. Please consider the current residents that voted you in to this position and vote no
to more apartments. As I drive down Highway 454 to work each morning, there are already no less than four complexes being built, which will overburden that road. We are already dealing with that corridor being turned into another Highway 19 with all the traffic, lights, and access. Please do not make it worse that it than it already is. Please make sure that my opposition is read into the record. Thank you for your time.
The next email is from Uh Shiraz Irani.
Hello, my name is Shiraz Irani, and I reside at [address removed]. I'm reaching out to oppose the building of more apartment buildings in Pasco County, specifically the apartments being proposed near Sam's Club off of Ancient Oaks Boulevard and Highway 56. The building of the complex here will cause undue stress to our already overpopulated road systems and our very overpopulated. Populated school system. Please consider the current residents that voted you in to this position and vote no on more apartments.
As I drive down Highway 54 to work each morning, there are already no less than four complexes being built, which will overburden the road and it causes excessive traffic noise. We all we are already dealing with that corridor being turned into another US High, a US, another Highway 19 with all the traffic. Lights and accidents. Please do not make it worse than it already is. Please make sure that my opposition is read into the record. Thank you for your time, Shiraz Irani. Next is from Kathleen Sierra.
Address [address removed]. I would like for this to be read into the record. I would like to communicate with you about how displeased myself and my entire family are with the oversaturation that is happening in Pasco County, especially Wesley Chapel. Let me be very clear, I am not opposed to rental properties. They are a necessity. At one point or another, we all probably have and will live in an apartment. However, the oversaturation of our area cannot handle any additional apartment building. Here
are a few major reasons why I'm opposed. Our roads are overcrowded. Traffic has become somewhat of a nightmare. I can't even imagine how much additional traffic will be added to our roads if additional apartment buildings are approved. Specifically Route fifty six, Route fifty four, and Bruceby Downs. The roads are currently hazardous and dangerous as it is right now. Our schools are already overcrowded. Again, how will this be addressed if additional apartment buildings are? Hoping you start to realize that the majority of the residents are very frightened of how bad this uh oversaturation will become.
Thank you. The next email is from uh Ross Andell.
Address is uh [address removed]. to whom it may concern, I want to voice my vehement opposition to this proposed to this proposal, and I ask the Board to vote yes on the one hundred and eighty day moratorium. The plan would put new apartments in an area which is already oversaturated with development without proper infrastructure. Why rezone commercial land for more multifamily units when there is sufficient land zoned for that some
for that same purpose in the same area? While adding housing to Pasco County is reasonable, this proposal would clearly put an excessive strain on an area that cannot sustain more growth. The result is likely to be serious overcrowding of a relatively small area, more car accidents, as well as additional stress and lower quality of life for all residents involved. In sum, this is a move in the wrong direction for Pasco County. Thank you for your attention to this email. The next email is from Aaron McGee.
Address is [address removed]. Good afternoon. The following emails should be read into the record regarding P45, an ordinance by the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners, establishing a temporary moratorium 180 days on the submission and acceptance of applications for conditional uses, rezoning, and comprehensive plan amendments proposing to increase multifamily entitlements within the moratorium area, providing for authority, legislative findings of facts, definitions, moratorium area, temporary moratorium. moratorium imposed,
duration of temporary moratorium and severe inseparability. File number PDD two one-three one six, commissioner district. My husband, Tim McGee and I, Aaron McGee, live in Seven Oaks at the address of [address removed] four. We are asking to vote yes on a moratorium regarding and uh any building new or in the future of apartments having this huge influx of residents in the schools will cause further crowding, could lead to
more rezoning, not to mention the deterioration of our property values. Thank you for your time. Next email is from Tim Hutton.
Address is [address removed]. I'm writing this email as a concerned resident of the West Chapel area. Our area is being threatened by yet another apartment multifamily complex. I live in Seven Oaks. We currently have three apartment complexes within a mile from my house, with a fourth on the way. Over the last few years, we have dealt with multiple school rezoning, increased traffic, and the lack of new jobs creating commercial space. Apartments will only bring more people per square foot and limit potential. potential
commercial space for better parks or better parks for our current residents. I'm not in favor of more apartments in the Wesley Chapel area and would like my opposition to be put into the record. Thank you. Next email is Robin Ngarita.
Address is [address removed]. Seven Oaks residents, I'm reaching out to support moratorium for the area of 56 near the entrance of Seven Oaks. Our roads are already overpopulated and so are schools. There are many housing developments already in the area, and building more homes, apartments, or attractions in this area will only increase traffic congestion congestion. Please make sure that my opposition is read into the record. Thank you for your time. Next email is
from Christopher Baker.
Address is [address removed]. Hello, I'm writing uh to ask the Pasco County representatives to vote approve the moratorium on rezoning in Pasco County. I'm a resident in the Seven Oaks community in Wesley Chapel and we are being inundated with new apartment buildings. I feel we need to reconsider a few items and then the moratorium would allow for adequate time to do so. Please note as a community we are not happy with what is
happening around us. Thank you. Next email is from Ann uh Gritman.
Address is two seven six one fine two I'm sorry. [address removed]. Please read this email into the official record at the meeting of Board of County Commissioners. As a resident and voter of Pasco County, I support the moratorium on building additional apartments in Pasco County.
Next email is from Larry Gertman.
Address uh [address removed]. Please read this email into the official record at the next meeting for County Commissioners. I'm a registered voter and a Pasco County resident. I strongly support the moratorium on construction of additional apartments in Pasco County. Next email, Justin Hodnet.
Address [address removed]. To whom it may concern, my name is Justin Hodnett. I reside at [address removed]. And I'm writing this in support of the moratorium to delay the rezoning of properties to multifamily units. Please stop making decisions about the data needed to verify without the data needed to verify the direct and long-term impacts to the residents of Pasco County. I'm
not opposed to um MFUs or rentals, but the residents of Pasco would be better served by utilizing the designated zoning of those per properties as they were intended, work on incentivizing companies and new commercial development of the properties in question, rather than going um after a quick use for them by allowing the construction of MFU's Hillsborough and Pinellas see Pasco County as a bedroom community where residents live in Pasco but have to commute to Hillsborough or Pinellas for employment. As it stands
now, there are plans to build four story apartments Um almost directly at the entrance of my community of Seven Oaks. I oppose this with every ounce of my being. The peaceful entrance will be overshadowed by an apartment complex and the increased traffic will have a negative impact on the area. I specifically bought into this neighborhood so that my children can attend Seven Oaks Elementary as it is one of the best schools in the area. The children living at this apartment complex would be zoned for SOE, which is already
having capacity issues. When I was renting a house in Meadow Meadow Point, we saw the direct impact of new housing development in Wiregress Elementary. There was plenty of incentive to allow more neighborhoods, but no amount of money. Went to schools to allow them to prepare for an increased class size. Please stop making this mistake. Next email is from Amanda Mihan.
My name is Amanda Meehan and I reside at [address removed]. I'm reaching out to oppose the building of more apartment buildings. in Pasco County, the building of more complexes will cause undue stress to our already overpopulated road and our overpopulated school systems. Please consider the oversaturation already affecting the current traffic situation that has contributed to oh and to an over abundance of accidents in addition to delayed trap travel times on a daily basis. In addition, I'm
opposed to the building of new apartments that would also attribute to the oversaturation of schools, which is a who's huge part of why many chose to live in Pasco County originally. The highly sought after schools will no longer will no longer will be no longer desirable once overcrowded. The well-being and safety of the current residents should be taken into consideration. Please make sure that my opposition is read into the record. Next email is from Ronnie Beckwith.
Address is [address removed]. Whom it may concern, please read into public record. Vote yes for the moratorium. Wesley Chapel does not need more overcrowding by rezoning commercial properties to multifamily housing, aka apartments, when there's plenty of land already zoned for multifamily housing in the area. For the past seven years, Seven Oaks, as well as several other communities in Wesley Chapel, have been in uncertainty with three different school rezoning proposals.
Proposals. The developer admits that the addition of these apartments puts Seven Oaks Elementary at 101% capacity. This means that there is not enough seats for our students and where they will be placed into portables. With the continued development leading to ongoing school capacity issues, not only do the kids get shuffled around, but the teachers and the administrators do as well. Our students are bus nine miles to middle school, middle, and high school with high school kids. Getting on the bus at six twenty eight A. M. In addition, the roads to get to the new school, Cypress Creek. are
dangerous to travel, especially for inexperienced teenage drivers. and now the construction causes additional challenges and backups. This area is projected to encounter further growth and could expedite additional rezoning. Please review the purpose for the current zoning code and intent for the community. Why change it? Why not use land already zoned for apartments to build apartments? Consider how the area will develop and look at un at undeveloped land already zoned for multifamily housing before approving already zoned land to be rezoned
to multifamily housing. Are there are there already options available for multifamily housing? Yes, plenty. Has a developer considered the lands all the has a developer considered lands that's already zoned for multifamily housing? Traffic has uh traffic will be diverted into and through Seven Oaks, increasing the traffic which impacts the safety of kids and the community. The willingness to put our children in overcrowded schools for financial gain is unacceptable. The developer admits it puts our schools at one hundred and
one percent capacity with coming. We must not turn a blind eye to this ongoing capacity issue with schools. This will make our entire area an undesirable place to live. Our County Commissioner's main purpose is to protect the residents. I urge you to vote yes for the moratorium. Thank you.
Oh we're gonna shear. I will. We're gonna get to number twenty. Then we're gonna break. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Um next email is Ernie Beckwith. Address is [address removed]. Uh to whom it may concern, please read and read into public record. Vote yes for the moratorium. Wesley Chapel does not need more overcrowding by rezoning commercial properties to multifamily housing, aka apartments when there's plenty of land already zoned
for multifamily housing in the area. Please stop rezoning without looking at valid data. Require the currently zoned multifamily land to be developed for rezoning um other land. Our County Commissioner's main purpose is to protect residents. I urge you to vote yes for the moratorium. Thank you. The next email is from Andrea Marcellus.
My name is Andrea Marcellus and I live at [address removed]. I'm emailed emailing today to have my voice heard regarding the upcoming temporary moratorium vote, and I want my email to be read into the record. I implore the board to vote in favor of a temporary moratorium. that the PDD can study the proposed moratorium boundary and determine how many existing multifamily dwelling units lie within the boundary and how many existing parcels are already zoned for multifamily dwellings. This will allow
more informed decisions to be made regarding rezoning process So or similar use to multifamily use. It makes no sense to continue to rezone commercial properties to multifamily if they're already an adequate Amount of multifamily parcels available. This can only be determined by voting yes for a temporary moratorium and studying the proposed moratorium boundary. I am not against multifamily units, but I am against rezoning commercial parcels to multifamily. They were initially zoned commercial for a reason, and this continue and this continual
rezoning is going to result in the perpetual overcrowding of our schools, a further strain on our already congested roadways, and further cement Pasco County's reputation as a bedroom community. We need to maintain our proposed commercial parcels so that they are available to businesses that want to make Pasco their home. I thank you for your time and it is my hope that the board vote yes for the temporary moratorium. Regards. Next email is from Karen Rogers.
Address [address removed]. Please vote yes on moratorium. Have this read into the record. Next email is from Cynthia Kinneman.
Address is [address removed]. Tom it may concern, please read into the records that I support a moratorium on any further apartments construction in Pasco County. Our roads, emergency services, and schools will suffer with further development. Next email is from Barbara Foss.
This email is to be read into the record. We are writing to support Mike Moore's initiative for a moratorium on multifamily housing to enable the commissioners time to better plan for the development of Pasco County's future. We live in a highly congested area between State Road 54, State Road 56, and Bruce Bowns, and are concerned about additional congestion of traffic, the safety of our neighborhoods, and the well-being of our community. Many apartments, rental properties, and townhomes exist in our area or are already planned for development. Thank you to Mike Moore for understanding this the
problem in this area and thank you for asking for an additional time to reevaluate the impact of multifamily housing on our area. All right.
You ready? Listen, please. The next email is from Kenneth Sierra. His address is [address removed]. to whom it may concern, please note that I would like to have this email read into the record. I fully support the Board's decision to place a temporary moratorium ordinance for activities that would increase the number of multifamily tenants in the defined region stated in the
memorandum. I also want the Board to understand the reasons for my support of this ordinance. Throughout my life I have lived in rental units and apartment housing in various regions throughout the world, and can appreciate and understand the need for such housing in any residential area. I am s I also support and appreciate the rental units and apartments in our own community. However, I'm concerned with the safety of our citizens due to the potential impact of traffic congestion,
overcrowding in our schools, and the general risk to a community that comes with a drastic increase in population density in a concentrated area. also wanted to add that many of the citizens in the counties surrounding Pasco, such as Pinellas and Hillsboro, have labeled Pasco as a bedroom community, where people live here but have to work elsewhere. I believe that this perception is a reality in that we have a sufficient number of MTUs and feel
that the moratorium would allow us to take a step back Study the traffic safely. and the educational impact on our schools so that we can make an informed decision as to how to move forward. I want to thank the board for raising this moratorium and let you know that you have my full support as a concerned citizen. Respectfully yours, Kenneth Sierra. The next email is from Gary Pike. His address is [address removed]
[address removed].
Please read these words into record referencing agenda item number 45. As Port Ritchie property owners for nearly four years, we have been regularly driving across Pasco County from East Hillsboro and have witnessed the accelerated sprawl of multi-unit developments now thickly spread throughout many areas of this county. The heavy development is concerning, as it is very reminiscent of the oversaturation of apartments and multifamily complexes in the greater
Brandon and Riverview areas of Hillsborough County. A temporary moratorium, as this proposal is, is not elitist. The ask is temporary and specific. This proposal is simply good leadership that will help ensure all citizens a better community for quality of life, not just for walls and a roof, which all too often is overlooked, as the push for building for all becomes all consuming. Thank you, Commission, for your sincere
consideration in this temporary proposal that will eventually have long term negative effect if common sense leadership is not applied. Sincerely, Gary Elpike.
The next email is from Mary Joles. The address is [address removed].
Dear Pasco County Commissioners, I fully support the moratorium to be read into record. P45, an ordinance by the Board of County Commissioners establishing a temporary moratorium, 180 days, on the submission and acceptance of applications for conditional uses, rezoning, and comprehensive plan amendments proposing to increase multifamily entitlements within the moratorium area, providing for authority, legislative finding of fact, Definitions,
moratorium area, temporary moratorium imposed, duration of temporary moratorium, and severability, file number PDD, 21-0316, Commission District 2. Mar Marie Crema Dose.
The next item is from Anne Laley. Our address is [address removed].
I am submitting this email to declare my support of the multifamily housing moratorium, particularly with regard to apartments being considered on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and Ancient Oaks Boulevard. I would like this to be read into record. Thank you, Anne M. Laley. The next email is from Duffy Hawes. The address is [address removed].
Dear Sirs, I'm a ten-year resident of Pasco County, residing at [address removed], in the Lexington Oak Subdivision. Although I support growth in our area and am pleased with the overall progression from rural to suburban living, I think it's necessary to pause and take stock from time to time in order to ensure that we do not overbuild any single type of enterprise. It is for this reason that I'm writing
in support of agenda item PDD 21-0316, the proposed moratorium on issuance of new multifamily housing permits. Please ensure my comments are added to and become part of the public record for this agenda item. Duffy Hawes.
The next email is from Kristen Tucker. Her address is [address removed].
Please read this email comment into record for the meeting and topic described below. My husband and I are strongly in support of the temporary moratorium ordinance on multifamily housing units that is being voted on during the referenced meeting. Please consider the plea of the current residents and help to keep our community sound. Date slash topic, May 4th, 2021, slash PDD 21-0316, temporary moratorium ordinance. Thank
you again for your cooperation or your consideration.
The next email is from Courtney Lithian. Her address is [address removed].
Name Courtney Blithian, address [address removed], agenda item number or agenda item title, PDD 21-0316, an ordinance by the Board of County Commissioners establishing a temporary moratorium, 180 days on the submission and acceptance of applications for conditional uses, rezoning, and comprehensive plan amendments. proposing to increase
multifamily entitlements within the moratorium area. Providing for authority, legislative findings of fact, definitions, moratorium area, temporary moratorium imposed, duration of temporary moratorium and severability. Please vote yes on the moratorium. It makes no sense to continue to rezone commercial and similar property to multifamily units when there's already sufficient property zoned for MFUs. And the only way to know if this is a
fact is to stop and take account of the current residency of Pasco County, the defined region. Please read this into the record.
The next email is from Hua Jack He.
The address is [address removed]. Dear Pasco County, dear Pasco Board of County Commissioners, I am a resident of Pasco County. I support the proposed temporary moratorium ordinance scheduled for a vote on May 4th, on the May 4th agenda. Pasco County is growing rapidly, which I am proud of. But there comes with negative side effects such as schools
become overcrowded and traffic congestion problem is getting worse and our streets become less safe. School rezoning a couple years back that forced students moving out from zone school. Wireless High Slash John Long Middle School left a lot of residents in my community, Seven Oaks, bittered and lingering feelings of unfairness. Please vote in favor of the moratorium. I would like my comments to be read into record. Sincerely, Hua Jack He.
The next email is from David and Donna. Mazurski. The address is [address removed].
I would like to have this email letter read out loud at the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners meeting on May 4th, 2021. Dear Pasco County Board of County Commissioners. Our names are David and Devi, Mazurski and we reside at [address removed]. We are writing to express our support for and asking you to vote yes on continuing the moratorium currently in place on
applications. to change the zoning or usage of land to add even more multifamily housing permits within the moratorium area. We moved to Pasco County in 2014 and have seen the growth in East Pasco over the past seven years firsthand. The 54 slash 56 corridor currently has existing multifamily complexes and new ones being built to meet the needs of the anticipated growth for this type of housing. From
what we see and read in the data, there doesn't appear to be sufficient data that would point to changing existing zoning from commercial to multifamily housing as an urgent need at this time. We as voters who elect commissioners to consider represent the view of those of us who live in this area of Pasco County, who would like this moratorium to be extended until there is sufficient occupancy in the current multifamily units and more data on growth
needs. We would like to see more emphasis on expanding infrastructure, schools, and safer roads before changing existing zoning to accommodate developers' interests in expanding multifamily housing in the 5456 corridor in East Pasco. Thank you for your consideration, Donna and David Mazerski. The next email is from William and Mary Hughes.
The address is [address removed].
Dear Commissioners, I just want you to know that my husband and I support the 180-day 180 temporary moratorium to allow for research on the number of apartment complexes being proposed in the Wesley Chapel area and the rezoning of current commercially zoned parcels being rezoned to allow for apartments. We do not want the parcel adjacent to Sam's Club to be rezoned. We live in Seven Oak and feel it would put undue stress on our roads, schools, and amenities.
It is the perfect place for a commercial enterprise. We would like this correspondence to be read into the record at your meetings. Sincerely, Mary Hughes and William Hughes.
The next one is from Alfred and Shirley Clark.
Um, I cannot read their address, but it's in Wesley Chapel, Florida, 335-44-7776.
Please read the following into record. We herewith support the 180-day moratorium on the construction of multifamily units, MFU, in Pasco County, Alfred Thomas Clark and Shirley S. Clark.
The next email is from Philip Ten.
The address is [address removed].
Dear Pasco County Commissioners, my name is Philip Tenn and I am a resident of Estancia, a community in Wesley Chapel. I'm requesting that my email be read into record. I am a registered and active voter. My wife and I vote in all elections, especially ones with local impact, and am in active communications with other residents in my community, as well as neighboring communities of Seven Oaks and Meadow Point. I'm writing to voice my support for the moratorium. forty five.
An ordinance by the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners, establishing a temporary moratorium, one hundred and eighty days on the submission and acceptance of applications for conditional uses, rezoning, and comprehensive plan amendments. Proposing to increase multifamily entitlements within the moratorium area, providing for authority, legislative findings of fact, definitions, moratorium area, temporary moratorium. imposed definition duration of temporary
moratorium and severability. Commission District two, file number PD D. two one dash zero 316 date 54 2021. I feel the county should not continue rezoning commercial parcels to multifamily units without sufficient data or research. Thank you, Philip Tim. The next email is from Nicholas Cummings. The address is [address removed].
May 2nd, 2021. Dear Pasco County Board of County Commissioners, I am writing in reference to item 4445 on the agenda for the May 4th, 2021 meeting. I request that you read the following into record. I'm Nicholas Cummings, Pasco County resident, am writing to support Agenda Item 45, the moratorium for activities that will increase while
Appropriate planning and any changes to zonings deserve thoughtful consideration. Pasco County has significant property zone for multifamily units, and any proposition to change zoning to MFU should demonstrate need. This issue is important due to the existing burden to infrastructure by the current residents. Unnecessarily increasing the population density will place an undue burden on infrastructure like the Bruce B. Downs and I-75 interchange that
is already operating over capacity. Thank you, Nicholas Cummings.
The next email is from Linda Teifel.
Her address is [address removed].
I am a new resident of Seven Oaks. I can tell you that my husband and I have lived in many apartment buildings during our life. We are not against apartments. However, in our opinion, this area is already oversaturated. Traffic is a nightmare. The schools will become way overcrowded. This is a safety issue for our community. Please read my comments into record. Thank you, Linda Tufield. Yeah, I have a voice
over there.
I'm getting there. Mm.
The next email is Kendra Haas. Her address is [address removed].
Hi, please vote no on potential apartments near the Seven Oak Subdivision. Please, please, please, residents here. Do not want more buildings built near us. There is already the hospital being built. Please leave the beautiful land alone so we can enjoy its beauty. That's why we love our neighborhood. Please read this into record for the upcoming meeting. Thank you, Kendra Haas.
The next email is from Roger Mahmoud. The address is [address removed].
to whom it may concern. I am a resident of Seven Oaks and I am asking this to be read into the record. I am asking you to vote yes on the moratorium for rezoning of multifamily units. I currently live at [address removed] in the Seven Oaks community. Thank you for your times during consideration of my request. Roger Mahmoud. The next email, um I just have a first name
from Tony. And they did not list their address.
Please read this into the record. There should not be any rezoning of properties in Seven Oaks or near our community. This rezoning will have a negative impact to our community in regards to traffic and our schools. This overcrowding can possibly cause our children's schools to be rezoned once again. Our town's infrastructure cannot keep up with your rezoning tendencies. Please keep our community the way it is. Can we please stop trying to fit 10 pounds of stuff into a
five-pound bag?
The next email is from Sharon Banyard. Her address is [address removed].
My name is Sharon Banyard and I live at [address removed]. I support the moratorium in the Wesley Chapel area. We moved here in 2016 and love the fact that there are many grassy fields and open spaces. Since two tausent sixteen. We have watched the many buildings, houses, and hospitals added to the landscape. At some point you have to stop and ask, when is it going getting overcrowded? by
building more apartment buildings not only adds more people, but many more cars. The roads have become three lanes on each side, and traffic is backed up at lights, with some waiting for three lights to get to m move to the next light. Did you know that in nineteen ninety seven? and later the road at the north end of Bruceby Downs was a dirt road. Now it is a three-lane highway heading east and three heading west. Please think before it is too late. Think before we overbuild
this beautiful beautiful area. Thank you. The next email is from Legrand Jones. The address is [address removed]. Dear Pasco County Commissioners, it is my understanding that the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners is currently seeking to establish a moratorium on the submission and acceptance of applications for multifamily dwelling units entitlements. during
the time of the hundred and eighty day temporary moratorium. the Planning and Development Department will, among other actions, research the following to determine the potential for oversaturation of multifamily dwelling units within the moratorium area. the current quantity of multifamily dwelling unit entitlements. the current acreage of land zoned for multifamily dwelling unit uses, including that acreage having the potential for multifamily dwelling units upon approval of a conditional
use. the potential number of multifamily dwelling units available through existing land use equivalent. equivalency matrices. Please be advised that I support the subject moratorium. I request that the fact that I support the moratorium be read into the record. I thank you. Kind regards. And that's LaGrand Jones, resident of Seven Oaks neighborhood in Pasco County.
Thank you, Ms Donnelly. I'm gonna um I have the last ten to read. Um this one is from uh Ileana. Laura, address [address removed]. Pasco County Commissioner's meeting, May 4th, 2021. Agenda item, public hearing, P45. Comment. Board members, please vote yes and approve the moratorium.
Next email is from Antonio Gonzalez. Um let's see his y address is Uh [address removed], Pasco County Commission meeting, May 4th, 2021. Agenda item public hearing P45. Comment board members please vote yes and approve the moratorium.
Next email is from Brandon Kelly.
I'm a res and I am emailing regarding ordinance P D twenty one dash zero three one six, which is put Which is to put a moratorium on multifamily housing units in the area as a resident of the area at [address removed]. I support the moratorium and would like it read into the record. As I have concerns about the following effects, the additional of the addition of more multifamily units could have on the immediate area. Traffic patterns on Bruce B. Downs, one of the areas proposed for multifamily.
Multifamily housing units are between Chauncey Road and State Road 54 on Bruceby Downs. There are no traffic lights between these two. This has led to it being a high-speed straight uh straight section of road. For several businesses and roads on the western side of this road, this means that if you want to head north, they have they have no choice but to right turn and go down to the traffic light at Chauncey Road to make a U turn in order to head north. By placing a large number of residents in this area, it will only exasperate the problem. Two, schools
at capacity. Our schools in the area are already at capacity and there are still community building build communities building new homes as it is. Multifamily units will overload the local schools. The school system cannot currently keep up with the rate of growth in the area and that it will just uh and that it will address growth growth from fam single family homes. Brandon Kelly.
Next email is from Rob Campbell.
Address is [address removed].
For the agenda item and ordinance by the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners establishing a temporary moratorium 180 days. on the submission and acceptance of applications for conditional use, rezoning, and comprehensive plan amendments proposing to increase multifamily entitlements within the moratorium area, providing for authority, legislative findings of facts, definitions, moratorium area, temporary moratorium imposed, duration of temporary moratorium and severability. I support a moratorium on conditional use and rezoning. Let's plan
for the future of Pasco. That's ultimately the point of zoning. Right. Planning to present to prevent new development. from interfering with existing uses and to preserve the character of a community, it is worth the time and effort to pause and take a moratorium from rezoning. Pasco is worth it. In Wesley Chapel specifically. Our schools are overcrowded currently. Do we know the projected occupancy numbers for 2024 and beyond? Are we appropriately reconsidering the number every time we
rezone land to housing? The traffic is bottlenecked in major congestion points that have not appropriately improved to match the inflow of housing units. This is dangerous, frustrating, and increases insurance rates. The decreases This decreases the quality of life in Wesley Chapel. No one wants to sit in traffic. Commercial zone land is job creating land. Jobs are the backbone of Florida communities. And these jobs occur in commercially zoned land. Residential zone land is necessarily
is necessary also, and having a balance of these creates a strong, vibrant community. There must be a balance between the two, and the and that balance is skewed every time we rezone a property away from the commercial. to housing. Let's plan for the future of Pasco. Thank you for your time and sincere appreciate and we sincerely appreciate the time commissioners take to listen to us.
Next email is from Sandra Kinnem Kinneman.
Dear commissioners. I'm not sure. Address is [address removed] four. Dear Commissioners, please read uh please read this into the record. I, Sandra Kinneman, fully support a hundred and eighty-day temporary moratorium on activities that would increase multifamily units, MFUs, within the moratorium area. Such an action will allow the Planning and Development Department, PDD, the necessary time and ability to accurately research and calculate the current quality of
uh quantity of multifamily dwelling units and entitlements. the current acreage of land zone for multifamily dwelling units uses, including that acreage having the potential for multifamily dwelling units upon approval of conditional use and the potential number of multifamily dwelling units available through existing land use equivalency matrices within the moratorium area. I am not Again, I am not not against MFUs. However, it makes no sense not to continue to rezone commercial or similar
property to allow additional MFUs when there are already sufficient property zoned for this type of development. Oversaturating the area with these types of dwellings to a near urban density is not in the best interest for current or future residents. Doing so will make Wesley Chapel a less desirable area. Area for families and individuals due to overcrowded schools, insufficient infrastructure, and greater safety concerns. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Mm.
Next um email is from Michael and Amber Foss.
Address is [address removed]. Dear Pasco County Commissioners, it is my understanding that the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners is currently seeking to establish a moratorium on the submission. and acceptance of applications for multifamily dwelling units entitlements. During the time of the 180-day temporary moratorium, the Planning and Development Department will, among other actions, research the following to determine the potential for oversaturation of multifamily dwelling units within the moratorium area. The current
quantity of multifamily dwelling unit entitlements, the current acreage of land zone for multifamily dwelling units uses. including the acreage having the potential for multifamily dwelling units upon pro approval of a conditional use, the potential number of multifamily dwellings units available through existing land use equivalency matrices. We are writing to support Mike Moore's initiatives for a moratorium on multifamily housing to enable the Commissioner's time to better plan for the development of Pasco County's future. We live in a highly
congested area on State Road 56. Many apartments, rental properties, and townhomes exist in our area or already planned for development. Thank you to Mike Moore for understanding the problem in this area and thank you for asking for additional time to reevaluate the impact of multifamily housing in our area. This email is to be read into the record. Next email is from Mark McBride.
His address um is n was not provided. Please read into the record. Dear commissioners, I will be brief. I support the moratorium of apartments proposed by Commissioner Moore. Given the recent actions altering use, this is a res responsible decision, sincerely. Next email is from Alan Liu. Louis.
Address is [address removed]. To whom it may concern, please vote yes for the moratorium. Agenda item number 45. Board should stop making decisions that have a direct and long term impact on Pasco residents before enough data is gathered and analyzed to justify rezoning a property. The current a property is zoned the way it is for a reason and should be there a signific and there should be a significant need justification passed
by review to warrant the change coming before the board. Please read this into the record. Thank you. Paul Bates is the next email. Address is uh [address removed]. I'm a resident of Pasco County. Um can it be read into the record that I support a hundred and eighty-day moratorium to construct on construction of multifamily units? I'm amazed at the amount of development in the Wesley Chapel area and I'm concerned that adequate infrastructure
is in place to handle all the existing and proposed. Additionally, I am concerned that proposed road improvements at the I-75 and SR 54, along uh with proposed MFU construction. um could have a negative impact on the amount of traffic passing through the Seven Oaks community. Thank you. Next email is from Lauren O'Donnell.
Address is [address removed]. We are in favor of the moratorium for apartments. The traffic is becoming overwhelming and the infrastructure isn't supporting the growth. The schools where the growth is occurring are already at a capacity that are no longer opening for school choice option, and Cypress Creek will be added to that list as soon as the development surrounding the area that are currently underway are completed. I've included a photo of typical traffic along State Road 54
and I-75 and Bruceby Downs. Um, it takes m multiple light changes to get through the area and back roads or workarounds aren't options since there are few ways to get across I seventy five. It's I d as ideal as this location seems to be, the roads are turning into a real nightmare. This is without the apartment just approved to be built in the area. We urge you to move forward with the moratorium. Thank you. Um last email is from C. Jean Dana.
Please read this into the record. My name is C Jean Data and I Dana and I reside at [address removed]. I am writing to ask you to put a moratorium on the building of new apartments and multifamily dwellings. The current infrastructure needs to catch up before we can build more. Let everything already approved and in the pipeline finish and then revisit new applications. Last, the more you build and take away the greens uh the open green spaces and conservation land, the less people
want to move here. Want to move here too. People choose this area partially because of the spaciousness. Thank you for your time. Regards.
Mr. Chairman's all the emails I have on this item.
Okay.
Thank you.
Nothing else? All right, Mr. Moore.
Thank you, Mr Chairman M and thank you to the clerk's office. Wow. You're gonna need some lozenger. I know there was claps in the audience. You're gonna need some lozenges after after this. But you'll probably be happy when we start having people in in inside again, right? Excited. Which will be coming up soon. And thank you to thank you to the my fellow commissioners for um allowing this to be brought forward today. Um I feel today is a very important day. It's something that's been talked about for not only uh a number of weeks, a number of months, but
a number of years. Um we do need to analyze and look very closely at the impacts um multifamily can have. In that area, when it comes to economic development, when it comes to public safety, as the sheriff, and thank you to the sheriff for um writing a letter as well. Um Traffic, schools. You know, infrastructure, like I mentioned before, um, these all have to be considered can take into consideration. But this gives us the time to do it. So now we have an opportunity. To sit back Let
the team do their job. And really, really dig in and see what impact these are going to continue to have. Because we can't just think about today. We have to think about five years from now. We have to think about 10 years from now. We have to think about 20 years from now, the impact these continue and will have on the on our area. I don't need to be a dead horse. Again, talked about this for a number of years. With that, I'll make a motion for approval.
Okay. Just roll call or not. It is? Okay. My roll call vote, I have motion and a second.
District two, Commissioner Moore. Aye. District three, Commissioner Starkey. Aye. Oakley. Aye. Mr. Five, Commissioner Oakley. Aye. Mr. One, sorry.
Aye. Motion passes five zero.