Public comment on agenda items
What the county recorded
This item is not from the published agenda
It is a stretch of the recording that this archive identified as a separate matter — a call to order, a recess, or something taken up that the agenda does not list. There is no official title, no staff recommendation and no disposition, because the county never recorded one. Everything below is inferred.
The source document
The county’s agenda for Board of County Commissioners, Jan 14, 2025
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
The county’s minutes for Board of County Commissioners, Jan 14, 2025
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
What was said
Machine transcription of 25m of recording, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 76% of 103 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.
Thank you. Um Okay, so at uh now is the time for public comment. Citizens are given an opportunity to comment on any current or future agenda item coming before the board and on other business under the board's purview. Today's public comment will be handled as follows. First we will take public comment from those who are here in person. Then we will take public comment from those who have pre-registered for a WebEx link and are currently on queue. We request that we request that when
you address the board, comments are not directed personally against the Commissioner Oakley, but rather directed at the issues. This provides mutual respect between board members and the public. After stating your name and address for the clerk, a three-minute timer will be activated. After two minutes a single beep will indicate You have one minute left, and when your time is up, two beeps will sound and you should close your comments. Webex participants will be disconnected automatically when their time is up. And Madam Clerk, do we have anyone
signed up for public comment?
Yes, Madam Chair, we do. I have three individuals signed up. We'll start with Nancy Hazelwood. Followed by Aja Moore, followed by Lisa Moretti.
No approval. Second.
All in favor?
Aye.
Nancy Hazelwood, 34110, a nice place state city. You know, I'm all about the Northeast Protected Area Plan. that says we are supposed to have well and septic out there that helps to keep us rural. And it's if you haven't read the comp plan on it I would appreciate it if you'd read what it says on the Northeast Row area plan so you're familiar with it. Uh in your packet on the well field you should have one By Michael
and Roberta Stark. They both have backgrounds in water management and Swiss Mud. And I wasn't sure, so that's what I'm passing out to you. I highlighted a couple of places. I've got a bunch of talking points. Uh the R49 is the test well field study for Northeast Rural. And uh some of this might not be covered in your presentation. I wanted to make sure you're aware of it. Tampe Bay Waters w website does not include This that
the site is in the protected area plan. Or that it's near the Green Swamp, which supplies three counties with water. I don't know whether Tampa they were, just didn't think it was important enough or what, but they missed it. Uh and also Tampa Bay Waters website also indicates water is for growth and Pasco Pent County. This state makes statement makes me wonder why the well site is so far north of the county, if
the majority of growth is to the south, The protected area. in the comp plan has very reduced growth and we are all in on well inseptic. So is this project to bring growth to Northeast Pasco? Putting a well this far away from the growth in Pasco County will make the project more expensive. Pikes going from that far north end of the county to the South Pasco will not be cheap. Tampa Bay Water
only looked in the northeast protected area for this well site. When it's for the growth of other sites of the county, why not look why look just in the protected area? Tampa Dade Bay. Water does not supply water to Zephyrhills and Dade City. So it's not for them. If there are problems with Tampa Bay Waters Well field supply Uh they said they'd help the people with
water, but that does not include their livestock and maybe their livelihood if you're in another business that needs water. A question at the public meeting and about the Wellfield area was, Will there be a wastewater treatment plant? The answer was, it's under consideration. Uh my understanding is the test field for this site is not large enough for the accurate uh detail for a test well that you
need to expand it to a l much larger area. And you'll read that in that letter I presented. My off.
Uh go ahead thirty thirty seconds more Nancy.
Okay, my understanding is the test field for this site is not large enough and the county is also renting this site for ten dollars. I was wondering if you got any more sites we can rent for ten dollars and maybe run over with large trucks. My conclusion is this project's major goal is not to supply the rest of the county with water, but to open up the northeast. Rural protected area. To development. Thank you. Please take this under consideration
with your eleven o'clock meeting with Tampa Bay Water. Thank you. Thank you. Next.
Asha Moore.
It is Asia more. Asia, thank you. Oh, your guys' microphone does not move. So we need your name and address for the record, please. Gotcha. My name is Asia Moore. I'm actually a resident in [address removed], but I am now vice president of a Florida not-for-profit based out of Pasco County called Florida Uniting Manatee Awareness. I'm coming before you guys today to give you a moment of education. I recently watched one of your guys' workshop videos and my jaw was on the floor and my stomach was a knots. I spent fifteen minutes puking after I heard Jack
Mariano make a statement that he didn't know what the nature coast was. Excuse me, we're not
gonna say disparaging things about any commissioners.
I didn't. I just said he didn't know what the nature coast was, which is public record. Please go back and watch your meeting. I'm not also addressing him directly, I'm just making a statement in general on what I heard and who I heard it from. So, for what for those of you that don't know what the Florida Nature Coast is, it covers nine counties from Pasco County to Wakula County. It's a 980,000-acre stretch known as Florida's Nature Coast. It's a sanctuary to 19 endangered species and Native American archaeological sites.
It's also home to over 50 of Florida Springs. If you don't know about Florida Springs, please learn about them. Nature Coast needs protection now more than ever, as every county in these nine counties has done nothing but overdevelop and put huge strains on our coastal lines. We've allowed people to chop down our softened coastlines to make them harden, and there's been no plans, especially in Pasco County, to do anything about softening. While I'll agree with you guys, you guys do need to be able to dredge the existing canals. I will disagree that Leisure Beach needs to be connected to Hudson.
I was a Pasco County resident and the last time I stood before you guys was about ten years ago when you guys were doing some stuff on Sun West that I didn't agree with and well it stopped. It stopped right there with my Push on that. The only thing out of that meeting that was true is that Pasco County is the sports coast, but it's not a sport and an activity where people get together and play with balls and sticks. It's the sport of destroying every part of wild Florida and wild nature and not giving two cares about any of the animals
that call our coastline home. We have a huge water pollution problem. We have a red tide problem. I don't know if you guys know, but Pasco County scallop season gets closed down all the time. Thus why Pasco County was included in the aquatic preserve because you guys are failing to take care of it. I understand that you guys don't see what we see on a regular daily basis. That's why I invite each and every one of you to. take off your hats if I'm a politician and join us in the real world. I'm gladly willing to take you guys out on a paddle and show you what makes your nature coast special and beautiful
and why you need to spend more time protecting it rather than destroying it. Let's talk about Shady Hills Road. As a Hernando County resident and previous Pasco County resident, Shady Hills Road is used by everyone. I don't know whose road studies you're using, but on my way here, as you can see, I'm still shaking because I had a semi-truck almost take me out. I'll be sending you guys the dash cam footage for those of you that don't believe me, because I have one now because of an accident that happened in Pasco County. You guys do nothing to take care of that road. It is treacherous to travel at most times of the day, and all it takes is sitting
there for one hour to see just how bad it really is. I invite all of you to sit on Shady Hills Road and see how it is, and then ask yourself, if you move to a rural community with two acre minimums, would you want that in your backyard? If not. Do something. Thank you.
Lisa Mari.
Lisa Maretti, [address removed]. I'm actually here to talk about a larger issue that I see developing and that is Today. Yes yesterday afternoon, Tall Timber shows up on the agenda. And I realize that it's for continuance. But we as residents have no opportunity. What if we wanted to object to that continuance? We didn't we can't get on the WebEx. We have to come here. We didn't even know about it. We have to change our schedules. And
I wish I could say that that was unusual and that that was an anomaly, but I see us developing a habit of Bad. Sharing of information. The last Planning Commission meeting, the agendas weren't available until 48 hours before the meeting. And then the commissioners didn't get the maps regarding tall timbers until ten o'clock that morning. This is ridiculous. How do you have open and transparent government? that involves citizens and seeks civic engagement
if we can't get our hands on the information that we need to know when we need to be there. If you had experts that you were paying to come in and then all of a sudden it's continuance. In our land use code it says that you have to request a continuance five days prior to that event. We aren't ad we aren't adhering to that. So I'm wondering why we have rules if we don't follow them. And I'd like to encourage the Commission to encourage all of its departments and the County Administrator.
Just step up. and do things the way that we've all agreed they should be done. and give residents a fair seat at the table. Thank you.
Madam Chairman that's all that I had signed up. I do have one person logged in online and I believe there is someone who didn't sign up that would like to speak.
Okay, first we'll take uh inside here if there's anyone else who wishes to speak, uh please uh line up. Thank you. Could come on.
Good morning. My name is Ann Marie Winter with the Area Agency on Aging. I actually did sign up, so I'm not sure why my name isn't there, but Um I want to thank you. I I want to thank Pasco County for their partnership with the Area Agency on Aging and the thousands of seniors that we serve together. I want to thank Commissioner Weightman for serving on our board for the last year and for um the guidance that he provided for those meetings he was able to attend. And we look forward to having Commissioner Yeager serve as the Pasco County
County Commissioner seat on the Area Agency on Aging Board. I also wanted to take this moment, and this was the primary reason I came today, was to thank Commissioner Oakley, who made a very generous private donation of $5,000 to our agency for our unmet needs fund. It was the largest donation that we received as part of our year-end appeal. And it suggests not only his professional but his personal commitment to the seniors of Pasco County. And I just want to
assure him that 100% of his donation will go back out into the community to serve the seniors that we serve. Um no pressure on anybody else, um, but I do want to thank Commissioner Oakley for his generosity and I look forward to working with Pasco County to continue to provide meals to seniors at home. Um and at congregate dining sites for transportation to doctor's appointments and for utility payments as well as the case management program that you undertook
in 2023. So thank you very much. Um Happy New Year and God bless. Thank you. Can I ask you a question before you go?
Certainly. We used to have a congregate dining center on in a holiday now.
Do we still have one over in the holiday area? Do you know?
I know that we're opening w I know that you guys are opening one in L first. Uh Okay, that's
where it's moving to. Okay.
It's already opened.
Okay. That's all I needed. Madam Clerk?
Yes.
I know it's unusual during public comment to speak back to a person.
Anne Marie, I certainly appreciate all that you're doing for the aging and and the residents in Pasco County and Pineales County. Your work is greatly needed and and you do a great job in what you do for our aging.
It's a team effort. We couldn't do it without everybody involved, but thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Have a great day. You too. Come on in.
Name
and address please. Daphne Says [address removed]. I'm here today to discuss the significant challenges that have I've been facing since construction started. with the Kreeless Saints. I was informed that portion of my thirty five in foot ingress egress for utilities was deeded to CRELAS dates. My deed indicates otherwise. Then I called code enforcement due to the work going on day and night. Code enforcement stated it was up for
grabs, that it's a public road. This raises serious legal concerns for me. Um, they raise my ingress egress for utilities at least seven feet with no permit. uh per the building department. My home is the lowest on the street and is increasing the risk of flu uh flooding. My driveway has already been washed out when they redid the road for Mary G. They have also put a three sided retention pond in my buffer in my backyard. Um they came in
and it and just started tearing everything out on the Ingress egress, all the way up to my fence. They didn't leave one tree, one bush. um anything in my buffer uh on the rear the s uh the rear of my house or the side of the property. I have no fence and areas of the ingress egress due to the load loads of dirt washing down into my yard. This has compromised our privacy as well as security. My dogs have gone up there due to them
destroying our property and having no fence Yeah. the constant construction noise occurring seven days a week, sometimes in the middle of the night, which I will say has stopped. um as well as Thanksgiving Day. um has caused s significant stress physical, mentally and emotionally for me. I'm still responsible for paying my property taxes, which includes thirty five feet of the ingress egress for utilities. These people have just been able to do as
they please. If I wanted to sell my home I w I wouldn't be able to at this point. Um Kreela estates took it upon themselves or the county has let them use my ingress egress for utilities without my permission, effectively landlocking their development. on purpose when their entrance and exit was to be on Shady Hills Road. Given these circumstances, I'm requesting compensation for the damages to my property as well for
the use of my ingress egress. I believe the county's actions or lack of have contributed to the situation. I feel the county is responsible whether it's permitting construction without proper oversight or the lack of addressing my previous complaints. Um I have met uh with several people um in regards to this and sent emails and I haven't heard from anybody. Mm This hasn't been
addressed and they're it's going full seam ahead.
Up. Madam Chairman Mariano. Okay. I was gonna have the attorney address it but goes.
I was gonna s recommend that one of the attorneys, either David or Jeff, talk with them. I would like JP Murphy's been out on site. Uh I don't know if JP's here. But uh I think David Allen should get fully briefed on this. And I think uh even a site visit David to take a look at it.
County Attorney. My understanding is that you're represented by counsel.
No.
You were represented by council?
I had a consultation and he wrote a letter. But I'm not represented, no.
Because our office contacted your lawyer and explained the position the county's position to him. At that point he said he was your lawyer. If you n if you no longer have a r a relationship with them, we can we can speak to you, but we can't speak to you if you've got
Honest to God, I have no counsel.
Then we can we can have our real estate lawyer. Contact contact the the woman. Um but this is a private legal matter between the two property owners.
I'm gonna say I think you should look at it very intensely and that's why I want David Allen to look at it with our attorney because I think it's more than that. We have looked at it very intensely. Well then I've like a discussion with you after that.
Okay. All right. So some
m I I just need her name for the record, please. We didn't catch it.
I didn't think so. What what's your can you say your name a little more clearly please? Daphne Sace.
Thank you. We just needed it for the record, I appreciate
it.
Okay, thank
you.
Okay, so um someone from the county will be getting in touch with you.
Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you, Dad.
All right, and we have someone online.
Yes, uh we now have uh uh two individuals online. The first one is Ava Russo. We are going to elevate you.
Is she ready? And Miss Russo, you're ready if you want to state your name, address, and then you can begin your comments.
Yeah.
Okay. So I'll go to the next individual uh for public comment. It's Julia Bartonek. Just hold on a moment while we Elevate you.
Ms. Barkneck, you should be good to go. State your name, address, and then you can begin your comments.
Uh Julia Bartanid, [address removed]. Good morning. I want to say that uh Nurpur, the northeast rural Pasco area, is an area of outstanding beauty. Agricultural significance and environmental importance, being that it is a carbon
I understand that a feasibility study
Come see it for
For Wellfield. What is that study going to be for? Some of us hope not for new development What we need now in Pasco County It's a moratorium. a new development. There are many that have not been able to get back into their homes yet. Or just have recently got into their homes. From the hurricanes. We
need right now to focus on helping build our resiliency. and sustainability because we are only five months away. from yet another Hurricane. season Thank you.
Thank you.
Okay. At this time if no one else is coming. Oh, we've got one more. All right, come on up.
Hi, my name is Krista Howell Larkin and I'm here regarding Can we get your address
too, please?
[address removed]. Um we've been displaced from the hurricane. Continue to be displaced. When we're gonna return to the home is unknown at this time. You know, we're paying out of pocket $3,000 a month. I'm here just trying to find out where the county is at improving the infrastructure, in particular the Zephyrhills, Silver Oaks area, and where that process is because as the person before me said, We're five months away from the hurricane season. I've spoken
to a few people at the city and basically I'm getting nowhere. They're saying that they're working with the county, but I've feel it's just uh kind of pushing aside the they're just basically just not answering the questions. and where we're gonna be at because We have to make a lot of decisions before we go back into our home if the county's not going to fix the problem. I understand prior to the storm And several years ago there was money that was allocated to fix the problem, in particular the Silver Oaks area,
and that money was in turn. move to other projects in the county. And in the meantime, you know, we're told that houses are being and these developments are being built at standards. However, when Silver Oaks in particular my personal investment, when that was built, that was at standards. So because standards change doesn't mean that the communities that are already established should be flooded out or should be impacted because of these new regulations. And I'm not
sure how many people here have been affected where we've lost a whole storm. And by situation, my father passed away last year. My mother's home. They've lived here for their whole life. She's lost everything. In addition to that, the restoration team that came in to demo our team stole over $20,000 worth of things. This is an outside c uh outside agency. We're also meeting with them today to find out what they're gonna do to resolve this problem. So it's not just the development,
it's the impact on people's actual lives.
You still you still have another point. Go ahead.
Okay. It's the pa impact on people's lives. And you know you hear these continued developments, continued developments. Simon's wrote, in particular the the tennis courts. I mean there's money aside. They've already started phase two of that. The tennis courts look like it's gonna be a two-story tennis court. Where is that gonna run? That's gonna run straight over to where we are. Nothing is being done to update this infrastructure. It is really frustrating because it seems like nobody cares. And nobody is doing anything except saying, We're working on
it, we're working on it. Well that's not helping the people that lives that are affected. You know, my mother is eighty-six years old. She doesn't need to start over. Her and my dad worked their entire lives. And she has lost everything. And it is not okay to sit here and talk about development. and do nothing, and have no plan. for what you all are going to do. And I know it's not just you guys, it's at the state level. There's someone at the state that finances one point something million dollars
to the in to the second phase of this t tennis development.
So thank you very much and I'm so sorry for your loss and losses. I haven't been back into my home since September thirteenth, so I understand. Um I um sure I am sure that there will be some kind of meeting for the community over here to give 'em an update on on what's going on. And I mean the
FEMA and insurance it's just a battle between the two of 'em. No money's being issued. If you have insurance, you know, I
I I can tell you that I I have flood insurance. I applied right after the hurricane and I have yet to h hear my number. So it they are very backed up. Um Um but we will try and address some of your questions at and and the community's questions. We This this county's been through a lot and we we do want to help all our citizens. So I just
thank you.