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Zephyrhills CRA adopts 10‑year master plan focusing on downtown safety, housing and Main Street expansion
Summary
The Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency approved a broad 10‑year master plan that prioritizes downtown infill, pedestrian and stormwater improvements, and catalytic redevelopment sites; commissioners asked staff to prioritize near‑term actions and fold the plan into annual budgets.
The Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency on April 27 adopted a 10‑year master plan that lays out a vision to support downtown revitalization, reduce flooding risk and attract new businesses and housing.
Consultant Gail Gale Vanderberg presented the plan’s goals and “big moves,” including expanding Fifth Avenue/Main Street, creating gateway treatments, supporting Zephr Creek restoration as a regional stormwater asset, improving sidewalks and alleys, and encouraging denser infill and mixed‑use development. Vanderberg said the plan sets a flexible framework so projects can be pursued when market conditions permit: “If things go south in Tallahassee as far as CRAs are concerned, we’ll regroup and come up with a plan and move forward,” she said.
Commissioners probed specific items. Rodney Corville, the principal planner, said staff is petitioning Pasco County to include CRA census tracts in opportunity‑zone designations, and Vanderberg said the industrial corridor and a census tract near the hospital are priorities if the state’s zone map is adjusted. Commissioners also asked for clear, short‑term deliverables: Commissioner Lance Smith asked staff to identify five priority actions for the next six to 12 months that can be included in the budget.
The plan includes community feedback gathered in public workshops and online comment periods. Staff reported that participants most valued the downtown parks, Main Street businesses and the mural program; areas flagged for improvement included pedestrian crossings across U.S. 301, alley safety, stormwater/flooding, and more varied downtown events.
Board members approved the plan by voice vote and directed staff to use it as the basis for annual CRA budgeting and project selection. Miss Hamilton, the CRA director, told the board the plan is intentionally broad so projects and incentives can be adapted as opportunities emerge. The board also discussed adding potential district expansions and noted the CRA can amend the plan if members wish to pursue boundary changes.
Next steps: staff will integrate the plan’s priorities into the city and CRA budget process, pursue opportunity‑zone inclusion with Pasco County, and return with implementation priorities tied to available funding.
