Pasco County, FL - Urban Land Institute

• Proximity to the Green Swamp and open agricultural
lands is an asset and a destination attraction
for the East Market Area.
Since the East Market Area is more mature and
established in development pattern, the panel recommends
retaining the two incorporated area’s
identities and patterns, but encouraging expansion
of recreational and employment opportunities
while maintaining quality of housing stock.
East Market Area Strategies to Preserve the
Two Cities’ Distinct Identities
The following strategies are recommended to preserve
the identities of Dade City and Zephyrhills
in the East Market Area development process.
Urban service/development boundary. Similar to
the Central Market Area, the panel recommends
focusing development within the incorporated areas
or limiting expansion to areas that can be serviced
with the minimum of additions to water and
sewer extensions.
Focus development on existing transportation corridors.
Similar to the Coastal Market Area, the East
Market Area should capitalize on the single main
north-south transportation spine. Development
and redevelopment should be located at higher
densities in apartments and townhouses. This
would allow for consideration of transit options
over time and more housing choice, increased
proximity to retail and jobs with fewer trips and
reduced vehicle miles traveled.
Fill out established land use pattern. While much of
the area is already developed in the incorporated
areas, some vacant or obsolete development could
be razed and assembled for new, larger scale projects.
These should be consistent with existing land
use patterns and the needs of current residents.
Job growth around the general aviation airport
has particular potential to expand the local employment
base. General aviation supply companies
should be a focus for employment growth.
East Market Area Strategies to Expand Existing
Land Uses and Opportunities
The following strategies are recommended to expand
the existing land uses and opportunities in
the East Market Area development process.
Focus economic development. Heavy industrial
uses should be channeled into this area. The area
is already serviced by rail and the business incubator
at the old juice plant provides some of the
most available and competitively priced industrial
space in the county. Given these locational advantages,
the county and PEDC should focus recruitment
efforts on these areas. It is consistent with
the maturity of the employment markets and the
type of expansions and relocations coming into
this market.
Improve recreational opportunities. Proximity to
the conservation area to the east and the national
reputation for skydiving are only two of the most
obvious attractions for recreation in this part of
the county. The trail system into the conservation
area should be optimized for the local residents;
the exotic air sports can be promoted to appeal to
an even broader audience.
Promote general aviation and complementary uses.
The general aviation airport is the only one in the
county and should be exploited.
Improve housing stock to reflect the forecast profile.
Given the age and composition of the housing
stock, some areas need code enforcement and rehabilitation.
Many parts of the East Market Area
provide workforce housing for other parts of the
county. Given the high cost of new construction
and the elimination of mobile home construction,
this area provides necessary diversity to the county’s
housing stock.
South Market Area
The South Market Area is immediately adjacent
to Hillsborough County and is linked to the Tampa
International Airport via the Suncoast Parkway
and I-75. Promoted as only a 20-minute drive
to the airport, this area represents the new Pasco:
a family lifestyle in a high-quality environment
with opportunities for a high-paying job within
minutes of home. This area has the cache of being
close to the culture and vibe of Tampa without
suffering from the negatives associated with actually
living and working in the more urban setting
of Tampa itself.
Pasco County, Florida, April 20–25, 2008 29