Pasco County Rising

08/11/2026

One of the latest additions is Harmony Ridge at Pasadena Hills, a single-family neighborhood by M/I Homes just south of SR-52 in the Pasadena Hills area near Dade City and Zephyrhills.
This community will feature modern Landmark Collection homes ranging from about 1,740 to 4,790 SF with up to five bedrooms on 50- and 60-foot homesites. Pricing currently starts in the mid-$400,000s and climbs into the low-$700,000s depending on the plan and options.

The community includes two amenity centers with resort-style pools and cabanas, pickleball courts, walking trails, a playground, an event lawn, and a community meeting room.

A new K–8 school is also planned for the area, adding to the existing Pasco County schools.

Harmony Ridge sits within the larger Villages of Pasadena Hills growth corridor, where thousands of additional homes are on the way. Nearby projects include Pasadena Ridge (Homes by WestBay along with Casa Fresca Homes and Mattamy Homes), Vida’s Way by Pulte, Twinflowers and Acacia Fields by Lennar, Chapel Manor by KB Home, and other planned developments.

Road improvements, commercial spaces, parks, and more schools are expected to support the expanding population.

08/11/2026

📢 Pasco BOCC Public Hearing is tomorrow (Tuesday, August 11)!

The Board of County Commissioners will hold its Public Hearings portion starting at 1:30 p.m. at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City. Here’s what’s on the agenda:

Proposed Ordinances
• Text amendments to the Comprehensive Plan for Two Rivers (FLU 7.1.11) and Palmetto Ridge (FLU 7.1.34)
• Broad Land Development Code updates (notice requirements, variances, agricultural/residential districts, community residential homes, and more)
• Future Land Use Map change from RES-9 to RES-24 on ~15 acres at U.S. 301/Gall Blvd. & Chancey Road
Zoning Amendments
• Large-scale modifications to the Two Rivers MPUD (~3,400 acres – thousands of homes, commercial, industrial, hotel, water park)
• New MPUD for 96 townhomes near Chancey Road & Gall Blvd.
• Palmetto Ridge MPUD update (2,800 homes + commercial on ~3,500 acres)
• Rezoning of ~41 acres to high-density residential near Kent Grove Drive
• Commercial rezoning at SR 54 & Wesley Chapel Blvd.
• MPUD for 300 multi-family units + commercial at Chancey & Gall
• Small agricultural-residential cleanup near U.S. 98

***Several of the bigger items (Two Rivers, Palmetto Ridge, the townhome project, and the high-density rezoning) are marked “Continuance Requested.” That means staff or the applicant is asking the Board to postpone the hearing and decision to a later date—usually so more information can be provided, plans can be revised, or outstanding issues can be resolved. The Board will vote on whether to grant those continuances.

Public comment is allowed on each item.

📍 Historic Pasco County Courthouse
Boardroom, 2nd floor
37918 Meridian Ave
Dade City, FL 33525

Stay informed, Pasconians!

08/10/2026

It’s local business spotlight Monday!! 🌟

Sam’s Beach Bar is a longtime waterfront restaurant and bar right on the Gulf.

It’s a family-run spot that began when the Marisi family bought a small “igloo-like” snack bar selling hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, and snacks on Hudson Beach in 1981.

What makes Sam’s stand out is its prime location on the water’s edge with outdoor seating offering front-row (and often described as nearly 360°) views of dramatic Gulf Coast sunsets, channel markers stretching into the distance, and boat traffic. It features a casual tiki-bar vibe with live music most weekends (typically Friday and Saturday evenings, plus Sunday afternoons), fresh locally sourced seafood, and a menu that includes steam buckets, shrimp, grouper, mahi tacos, lobster rolls, oysters, fish and chips, burgers, and more, alongside drinks and a relaxed atmosphere for families, locals, and visitors.

In 2024, Hurricane Helene pushed roughly three and a half feet of storm surge into the building, wrecking kitchen equipment, electrical systems, and they bounced back!

Have you been?

08/09/2026

Happy Sunday, Pasconians! ☀️

What a beautiful day out here in Pasco County.
Where are y’all headed for Sunday brunch today? Drop your favorite local spot below.

08/09/2026

As most of Florida gears up for the first day of school next week, Pasco County families can enjoy a little longer stretch of summer. Classes for Pasco County Schools don’t begin until Thursday, August 13 — making it one of the latest starts in the entire state.

Florida law sets August 10 as the earliest possible date districts can open. The majority of the state’s 67 school districts are sticking close to that mark, with many kicking off on Monday the 10th or Tuesday the 11th. In the Tampa Bay area, Hillsborough students head back on the 10th, while Pinellas and Hernando start on the 11th.

Pasco isn’t the only district taking the later option. Miami-Dade and Calhoun counties are also opening their doors on August 13. That puts the three of them together at the tail end of the statewide calendar.

08/08/2026

Pasco County is set for continued strong growth!
Population projections (BEBR official):

• 2030 medium: ~715,000 (+~10% / +66,500 residents)
• Range: ~671,000 (low) to ~759,000 (high)

It’s one of the faster-growing counties in the Tampa Bay region and Florida overall.

What else is coming:
• Significant new housing demand (tens of thousands of units needed)
• Roughly 33,000 net new jobs projected as needed by 2030
• More mixed-use developments, employment centers, and infrastructure planning underway
Growth is driven by in-migration and suburban expansion. Projections can shift with housing supply, economy, and migration trends.

Sources: University of Florida BEBR (2026), Pasco 2050 plans, regional reports.

08/06/2026

Check out some exciting events happening throughout Pasco County this weekend!

08/06/2026

This is happening right now! Listen in!

WATCH LIVE ON YOUTUBE, TODAY at 1:30 p.m. Today's August 6, 2026 Planning Commission Meeting will be streamed online and broadcast live. Visit http://MyPasco.net for more information.

08/06/2026

Do you agree with this?

August is Water Quality Month!
At , we’re proud to deliver high quality drinking water that meets or exceeds all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations for public water systems. These standards help protect public health by limiting contaminants and ensuring safe, reliable drinking water for our community.

Check out our most recent Water Quality Reports here: mypas.co/WaterQualityReports

08/06/2026

Team rolling hills (Dade City) or team riverfront (New Port Richey)?