Pasco County, FL - Urban Land Institute

Along the Route 19 corridor
in the Port Richey
and New Port Richey
area, a substantial housing
market developed in
the post–World War II
era. While most of these
neighborhoods consist
of solid and well-built
single-family homes,
some areas have begun
to deteriorate as the
home owners transition
from older retirees to
younger families and
minorities. This area still
represents the bulk of
the county’s existing
population.
to reposition the tax burden from the residential
sector and redistribute it to business use.
The Panel’s Assignment
ULI was invited to Pasco County by the Pasco
County Board of County Commissioners and the
Pasco Economic Development Council (PEDC)
and was asked to help identify the concerns the
county faces from the recent period of high growth.
ULI was asked to help Pasco determine what industries
to target in order to create employment
opportunities that will add value to the county.
The county also asked the panel to assist in analyzing
the structure of its land development
code in order to define and address desirable market-based
housing and commercial development
strategies over the next decade.
The sponsor additionally asked ULI to suggest
alternative organizational structures and processes
that would make the development process
more efficient, resulting in the county’s ability to
attract and retain desired business and economic
development opportunities. Further, the sponsor
asked the panel to address the county’s infrastructure
and the challenges that are inherent in
a county changing its nature from rural to urban.
Lastly, the panel was tasked with determining
how to maintain the high quality of life that Pasco
residents desire, while at the same time allowing
for and promoting sustainable and responsible
growth.
Summary of Recommendations
The panel’s recommendations fall into two broad
areas: 1) economic development and land use and
2) county organization. The panel believes that the
successful and appropriate execution of the first is
dependent on the implementation of the second.
Economic Development and Land Use
The residents and businesses already in the county
must realize that growth, in the form of housing
and employment, is coming to Pasco County.
The county needs to establish a vision for specific
areas that will allow it to grow in a beneficial and
sustainable manner. In general, the county should
be divided into five subareas, each with its own
Pasco County, Florida, April 20–25, 2008 9