Gowers Corner, one of Pasco County's key intersections at the intersection of U.S. Routes 41 and 52, is experiencing, and will soon accelerate, a development transformation similar to other parts of the fast-growing county. There is likely to be.
Pasco County commissioners this week unanimously approved the Tibbetts Land development in Gowers Corner, which combines 400 apartments and up to 300,000 square feet of commercial space on 49 acres.
In an unrelated action at the same meeting, they also voted to protect the ability to someday acquire a large tract of land southeast of the same intersection for future conservation or passive recreational uses.
Commissioners supported the plans submitted by the Tibbets Land applicant.
According to the minutes of the meeting, the mixed-use development “prioritizes job creation along the frontage of SR 52 and Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, and creates well-connected city streets and trails with a mix of uses. It was designed for the purpose of establishing a network. Note. “This project is envisioned to be walkable and interconnected with 8-foot-wide sidewalks and 5-foot-wide sidewalks.”–Wide sidewalks are required throughout the development. ”
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/54AB45WWGZAPVHUAHULN52KAOY.png "The Tibbetts at Gowers Corner project will include 400 apartments with up to 300,000 square feet of business space. Commercial spaces will be grouped near the intersection of Route 41 and Route 52.")
Commissioner Jack Mariano suggested he would be happy if the developer wanted to build more commercial buildings than requested.
“We want to have flexibility for the future,” he said.
Existing land-use rules would have allowed for more intense development, county officials said. The rules would have allowed up to 1.28 million square feet of commercial buildings and 1,175 apartments on the site. Clark Hobby, representing the applicant, agreed to use more commercials, but ultimately did not seek them because such changes would delay approval of the project. He said he chose to do so.
The commission's discussion on preserving other nearby lands west of Route 41 for future recreational use began Tuesday with Commissioner Seth Weightman. The property includes multiple parcels totaling more than 1,000 acres owned by Old Florida Ranch LLC, according to Real Estate Appraiser's Office records. Located just north of the county complex that includes the Pasco County Detention Center.
The Environmental Land Acquisition Selection Committee, which makes recommendations on environmentally sensitive land the county should consider for future purchase, had recommended that the land not be included on the list.
Mariano said he didn't feel it made sense for the county to purchase it because part of the property is already protected as a mitigation bank. That would take money away from other projects that need to be sustained, he said.Mitigation Banking is Sensitive Land It should be preserved to offset environmental damage elsewhere.owner A portion of the preserved land will be compensated by the developer, who will purchase a portion of the bank.
But Weightman said he is concerned that large tracts of land in the county are being lost to development. Not being on the purchase list means the county cannot even consider purchasing the property for future public park or recreation purposes, said Keith Wiley, director of the county's Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department. said. He said listing the site does not obligate the county to purchase it.
“Maybe we could consider public use,” he says.
Commissioner Kathryn Starkey made a motion to put the site on the county's list of potential buyers.
“There's nothing wrong with putting it on the list,” Weightman said.
Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of the addition.
