Zephyrhills schedules March 17 workshop to shape parks and CRA master plans; staff outlines park signage program

Zephyrhills City staff told the City Council and CRA board on Jan. 27 that a joint workshop to gather public input on the Parks and Recreation master plan and the Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) master plan will be held at 5 p.m. on March 17.

The announcement came as Ms. Hamilton, a city staff presenter on parks and CRA work, summarized phase 2 of the Parks and Recreation master plan. She said the consultant team is mapping service-level gaps (for example, the number of pickleball courts available to the public) and will return with recommendations and a scope for community meetings. Hamilton said the March 17 session will include both the parks and CRA master-plan updates and that staff anticipates each topic taking roughly an hour.

Why it matters: the workshop is the scheduled chance for residents and property owners to review draft visions and guiding principles, and for the CRA board to identify projects that would be eligible for CRA investment.

During the meeting Hamilton also presented a coordinated parks-signage program that targets Depot Park, Ellis Harrell Park, Gunnar Paw (Gunner Paugh) Park, Cruisin Park, Shepherd’s Park, Transplant (Transplant) Park and Veterans Memorial Park. The program distinguishes “large” monument signs (examples shown included a 20-foot sign type used at Hercules Park) and smaller column signs for pocket parks. Hamilton said the city will return with final images and cost estimates and told the board that funding for signage is budgeted in the current fiscal year.

Hamilton noted that Hercules Park and Zephyr Park are in active construction and design and will have their signage incorporated separately during construction. She told the board that the city is coordinating with Pasco County on sites where county parks may affect planning for the north side.

Other park items discussed included a proposal to add bulletin-board functionality to the Transplant Park sign so residents can post community notices, a request to explore electrical service or solar for signs and park lighting, and the idea of partnering with veterans’ organizations to expand programming or small site improvements at Veterans Memorial Park.

Next steps: staff will publish the March 17 workshop notice and follow up with detailed signage renderings and cost estimates for council review. The CRA master-plan presentation and the parks master-plan workshop will be held on the same evening to take public input in a single session.