Pasco planners approve Kenton Road MPUD after residents raise traffic and drainage concerns

The Pasco County Planning Commission on Tuesday recommended approval of a rezoning and master plan for a commercial node and hotel at the northwest corner of Kenton Road and Elam Road, approving conditions that add a property owners association and further restrict certain uses.

Staff presented PDE267872 as a rezoning from AC (agricultural) to MPUD to allow roughly 110,000 square feet of nonresidential development and a 120‑room hotel in the Connected City community hub. "The proposal is a rezoning request from AC agricultural to an MPUD master plan unit development district," Planning staff said during the presentation.

The applicant and project team described design standards intended to focus commercial activity around a pedestrian social‑gathering area, limit freestanding drive‑thrus and require first‑floor retail where self‑storage is allowed. Applicant representative Barbara Wilhite told the commission the client agreed to provide the missing Kenton segment and to enter a development agreement for intersection improvements and signalization reimbursement. "We won't start construction until north this the North Of Elam improvement is done," Wilhite said while outlining timing and reimbursement terms. She also confirmed the MPUD's maximum height is five stories.

Residents who live on the existing, largely unpaved Kenton Road told the commission they fear traffic, runoff and a loss of buffer between commercial parcels and long‑standing 10‑acre lots. Philip Singletary said the proposed development would increase impervious surfaces and "it's just gonna devastate everybody that lives down the road." Michael Poltoric and other speakers pressed the commission for stronger protections, saying hotels and storage units do not belong adjacent to single‑family lots in the community hub.

Engineers for the project addressed drainage concerns. Bruce Landis of Landis Evans and Partners said the subject property drains to the northwest and that the development will meet county and state permitting standards. "So we'll not be contributing, any additional, runoff in the post development situation," Landis said, citing compliance with Pasco County requirements and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

During deliberations the applicant withdrew a requested LDC variation and agreed on the record to form a property owners association to manage common areas; the commission added a condition to make the social‑gathering area a common area of the POA and to prohibit pawnshops among other uses. A motion to approve the project with the deletions and additions carried by voice vote.

The commission’s approval was a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners; the developer must still complete required development agreements, submit engineering plans, and obtain county and state permits before construction can begin.