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Business Outlook 2006

Growth stays on the drawing boards

Port Richey and New Port Richey anticipate a continuance of the development seen in 2005 as the new year begins.

By PHIL DAVIS
Published February 19, 2006

PORT RICHEY - The drawers in building official Ed Winch's office are packed with blueprints, design proposals and outlines of the city's proposed future.

"We're going to grow, fast and furious," Winch said. "We're going to double (our population). There is no way that's not going to happen."

U.S. Home construction crews already broke ground on Cotee River Townhomes and Avila Bay, two developments that will bring more than 300 new homes to the city. Winch is reviewing several more proposals for retail and commercial projects.

Across the river in New Port Richey, the story is similar. The city spent 2005 busily annexing about 50 acres of undeveloped land.

It won't stay that way for long.

The City Council gave preliminary approval for development plans including a massive complex of six 9-story buildings with 500 condos on 28 acres near Gulf Harbors and 72 townhomes on about 9 acres now occupied by the Deep Lagoon Mobile Home Park on Green Key Road.

The city's Community Redevelopment Agency approved a set of grants to encourage developers to build new single-family homes on run-down blocks in the Schwettman Oaks neighborhood near Gulf High School.

On the commercial front, crews broke ground on Main Street Landing, a $30-million residential and retail complex that the city hopes will breathe retail life into its historic downtown.

Port Richey approved a revamped land development code in December that clarifies zoning rules. Winch said several businesses were waiting for the code to pass so they could submit proposals to set up shop in the city.

The fast-paced growth is creating big headaches.

Port Richey and a developer are battling in court over the size of a coastal development called Rocky Creek Estates. The developer wanted to build 43 homes; the city said it could build 13. The case has been in court for more than a year.

The legal fight isn't stopping the developer from proposing more development in the same area.

One of three sets of plans submitted by Altamonte G&M Inc. calls for an 8-story hotel and restaurant complex that would tower 85 feet over the mangrove-lined estuaries of Cotee Point. Forty boat slips would provide access to the Gulf of Mexico. Other plans call for condominiums and townhomes or only condos.

"I think they are just trying to feel it out a little bit," Winch said, "to see which plan will meet the least resistance."

In New Port Richey, council member Marilynn deChant voted against Southern California's Ryland Homes' proposed 9-story condo towers, citing concerns about crowding, insurance rates and hurricane evacuation safety.

"I'm not sure this is the way our city wants to go," deChant told the council in December.

Other members disagreed and approved the development's preliminary site plan.

Winch is blunt about the traffic impact of west Pasco's growth spurt: "It's going to overload (U.S.) 19, everyone knows that."

[Last modified February 19, 2006, 01:09:21]