Medical Weight Loss in Wesley Chapel, FL

Wesley Chapel, FL – As the New Year approaches, residents of Wesley Chapel are eagerly preparing for festivities, including the use of fireworks. However, understanding the legal intricacies surrounding this celebratory activity is crucial, particularly when it comes to the roles of Homeowners' Associations (HOAs) and Community Development Districts (CDDs).

Historical Context: It's noteworthy that, prior to the recent law change, the use of fireworks in Florida was largely illegal, except for specific agricultural or industrial purposes. However, this law was infrequently enforced, leading to a widespread, albeit technically unlawful, use of fireworks during major celebrations.

Under a newly revised Florida law, specifically Chapter 791 of the Florida Statutes, fireworks are now legal on designated holidays, including New Year's Eve. This law may have implications for both HOAs and CDDs in their governance of community rules regarding fireworks.

Are fireworks actually dangerous like my community says they are? Contrary to popular belief, when used responsibly, fireworks are not the neighborhood menace they are sometimes made out to be. Data suggests that fireworks, under careful use, rarely cause permanent damage to structures. In fact, the injury rate from fireworks is relatively low compared to other common activities. For instance, a 2021 report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission noted that fireworks-related injuries accounted for a small fraction of emergency room visits compared to sports and recreational activities.

CDDs and Their Limited Authority: In the case of CDDs, their legal authority to regulate fireworks is quite limited under Florida law. Primarily, CDDs can enforce rules on properties under their jurisdiction, such as community parks or facilities. If an individual were to use fireworks on CDD property in violation of posted rules, the CDD's recourse would typically involve contacting law enforcement. The likely outcome in such a scenario would be a request for the individual to cease the activity or leave the property. It's a subtle distinction but an important one, as CDDs do not have the same regulatory reach as HOAs.

HOAs and Regulatory Authority: On the other hand, HOAs do possess a broader scope of regulatory authority. HOAs are known for establishing and enforcing community rules, which can include guidelines on the use of fireworks. However, the key question here is whether HOAs can enforce restrictions against firework usage on private property owned by the resident, especially on legally sanctioned days like New Year's Eve.

Legal and Community Consensus: Most legal experts concur that, under the amended law, residents can indeed use fireworks in a safe and lawful manner from their properties. However, they should also be aware of the regulations set forth by their HOAs, while understanding that these rules from the HOA might face legal challenges when it comes to enforcement on designated holidays.

Residents' Responsibility: Despite these complexities, the overarching message to Wesley Chapel residents is clear: safety and consideration should be paramount in any fireworks activity. Celebrate responsibly. Ensure that your festive activities don't pose a risk to yourself or your neighbors. Adhering to safety protocols is non-negotiable. Residents are also advised to respect their neighbors. This includes being considerate about the timing of fireworks displays and their potential impact on the community. While the law permits the use of fireworks, maintaining good neighborly relations is equally important.

In summary, while residents of Wesley Chapel are legally allowed under Florida Law to use fireworks on New Year's Eve, they must navigate the nuances of CDD and HOA regulations. CDDs have limited authority, primarily enforceable through law enforcement on their properties. HOAs, while more influential, face legal ambiguities regarding the enforcement of firework restrictions on private property during these specific holidays.

As the community prepares to ring in the New Year with fireworks, it's hoped that a harmonious balance can be struck between lawful celebration and adherence to community standards.

Once known as just a commuter town, ongoing development and even a man-made lagoon have brought people from all over.

WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — It's no secret Pasco County is growing, along with various parts of Tampa Bay.

Wesley Chapel has attracted more families throughout the country in recent years for its suburban living mixed with resort-like amenities.

A man-made lagoon fit for families, a popular sports campus, shipping containers turned into restaurants, retail and entertainment — on top of road and housing construction — have contributed to its influx.

“I don't know how to describe it. It's just crazy,” said Diana Marshall, a longtime neighbor and realtor.

Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

An estimated 81,390 people call the area home, according to the American Community Survey's 2022 one-year estimate report. That's compared to 44,092 people counted in the 2010 U.S. Census.

Marshall remembers the area more than 30 years ago differently: One grocery store, no shopping, with more greenery and orange groves.

“You really just, you worked in Tampa,” Marshall said. “Then you come home.”

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Marshall said good schools, lower taxes, and safety contributed to buyers looking into the market. Like much of Tampa Bay, the area saw unprecedented growth over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

From one bay to another, Celia Gouveia made the move from the San Francisco Bay Area to Wesley Chapel in June.

A few online searches kept putting Wesley Chapel at the top of the list. Two months later, she moved into her new home with her two daughters.

“It's much easier to meet people, it's much easier to explore,” Gouveia said. “You don't need to be in retirement to live in one of these, which is what I traditionally thought and having all these amenities right at my fingertips."

The ability to work remotely, along with safety, education, traffic, weather and nearby family in Orlando contributed to her decision.

“The lagoon and the up-and-coming safe community with good schools sealed the deal for me," she said.

Credit: MetroLagoons

However, Gouveia said she’s also mindful of the growing pains that come with the influx in growth.

Community members are navigating the rapidly changing landscape of Wesley Chapel from increased congestion, overcrowding concerns in schools, along with response times from first responders.

The increased traffic is driving more traffic to the Angel of God Equine Sanctuary in Wesley Chapel.

Life here is rural and quiet. Since the area’s growth in popularity, executive director Dr. Judith Horvath is responding to more clients, which include anyone from veterans being treated for PTSD, children with special needs, along those wanting to host birthday parties.

“From a positive perspective, the growth is helping our organization in getting volunteers to come out here and help support with the horses because we're [a] 100% volunteer organization, 100% nonprofit,” Horvath said.

However, Horvath said she has long-term concerns about all sorts of development around. For instance, the louder environment could disrupt the quiet haven horses thrive on. Too much near what used to be just open land around her could have an impact on her nonprofit's livelihood, she said.

Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

Dr. Judith Horvath interacts with one of the horses at her equine therapy farm.

“We've actually been approached by several developers,” she said. “There's concern. Do I lose sleep about it? Not yet. I think as it gets closer, I may.”

David Engel, Pasco County’s economic growth director, said a balance of growth and preserving the area's character is essential.

Engel said the county is working to find ways to have a balanced lifestyle.

For instance, increasing the number of local jobs and construction of mixed-use projects aim to not only build revenue but disperse the amount of traffic happening within the area. Right now, Engel said about 43% of residents in Wesley Chapel head out of the county for work.

“We're giving the people that live locally, the opportunity to work locally,” Engel said.

Residents have also been able to weigh in through the Pasco 2050 initiative, which aims to serve as a roadmap for the county’s vision between 2025 and 2025.

“I realize that many residents may be a little overwhelmed with the rapid changes because the economy just exploded and we had that in-migration of people outside the state wanting to be part of the lifestyle of Florida, but realizing that there is a backdrop, there are responsible professionals and plans in place to catch up and address a lot of the problems that are experiencing today,” Engel said.

Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus draws athletes and people from all over.

More development is coming to the area with housing, jobs and retail.

Ongoing work is happening at Wiregrass Ranch. There's also the upcoming Avalon Park and changes to come to the well-known Saddlebrook Resort.

These days, families can be found at the Epperson Lagoon or the Mirada Lagoon in nearby San Antonio. The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus draws athletes from all over. Retail therapy no longer takes a drive south to Tampa with outlets sprawling throughout the suburb.

With Wesley Chapel and nearby communities transforming in the years to come, officials and community members are constantly maneuvering how to make the most of the opportunities without exacerbating the growing pains.

WESLEY CHAPEL — Last week, it was the Lotte Plaza Market, opening in New Tampa after months of anticipation and to huge crowds that continued throughout the entire weekend.

This week, cheers to Cooper’s Hawk, an upscale chain restaurant with an emphasis on its own produced wine, ready to make a highly anticipated big splash in Wiregrass Ranch when it debuts on Nov. 20.

The 57th location of the popular restaurant will be located at 28963 State Road 56, east of the Shops of Wiregrass.

The Wiregrass Ranch location, according to a press release, has been built with a nod towards Florida’s history, “evoking the Florida cracker style with a take on the Georgian four-square hip-roof in the entry tower.”

The new restaurant will seat 416 people, with 48 of those seats on its outdoor patio.

If you’re wondering what the fuss is all about, wine is one of the restaurant’s big selling points.

Its wines are made at company’s main winery in Illinois, where the restaurant was founded in 2005 in Illinois by chief executive Tim McEnery. The wines are then distributed to its locations nationwide. Many of its wines have won multiple awards — its Pinot Noir has won 42 awards, the Malbec has won 35 awards and the Barbera has won 34, to name a few.

Since open¬ing in 2005, the restaurant/winery has received over 500 wine awards from a variety of local, nation¬al, and inter-na¬tion¬al wine competitions, according to its website.

“We are excited to be a part of this vibrant community and look forward to introducing our unique dining and wine experience to the residents and visitors of Wesley Chapel,” said McEnery in a press release.

The restaurant will feature a full bar and a “Napa-style” wine tasting room, which is often the highlight for guests.

Cooper’s Hawk also boasts a popular wine club with roughly 600,000 members, where members are offered exclusive wines and other special offers.

The menu includes high-end dishes that are paired with a wine that’s labeled on the menu.

An artisanal retail market sells wines, foods and fine chocolates, among other items.

For more information, visit CHWinery.com/locations/florida/wesley-chapel-fl.

WESLEY CHAPEL — Wesley Chapel is getting a fourth hospital, and it won’t be just any hospital.

According to officials, plans to build a Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital north of State Road 54 as part of a larger project are working their way through the county’s planning ecosystem, with the Planning Commission recently voting in favor of a special zoning.

Some minor steps remained after the meeting, but the rezoning likely clears the way for the County Commission to vote on the project.

All Children’s Hospital has not officially announced the new project and was referred to as only a “specialty hospital” at a recent Planning Commission meeting.

But county commissioners have referenced Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital at recent board meetings, as have others in the business community.

Johns Hopkins All Children’s spokesperson Danielle Caci did not confirm the new hospital, saying in a written response “as a top pediatric health system in the Southeast, we continuously look for opportunities to make our services more accessible in order to provide high quality care to children across our region.”

Commissioner Seth Weightman, who represents a large portion of Wesley Chapel in his district, said the addition of a hospital with the reputation and services of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital was a big win for Wesley Chapel, and the entire county in general.

“Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital pediatric care coming to Pasco County, and look at St. Luke's (Cataract & Laser Institute on State Road 56 in Lutz) just opening, we are checking the boxes, and are so fortunate to have all levels of care for all stages of life,” Weightman said. “I just couldn't be more proud.”

The proposed 356,000-square-foot hospital is part of the Wildcat-Bailes development, which is in the connected city special planning zone at the northeast corner of McKendree and Overpass roads, east of I-75.

The developer of the 176-acre property was represented by Clarke Hobby at the Planning Commission meeting last month. Hobby didn’t mention the hospital by name but said there was only one other like it in central Florida and “it's a very reputable specialty hospital that I believe will be a tremendous asset to our community. … You will probably be hearing in the days to come who it is and everybody I think will be very excited about the opportunity.”

The hospital would be in the south innovation zone of the connected city, and the project also includes 1,275 multifamily residences, 155,000 square feet of retail, 250,000 square feet of medical office space and 250 hotel rooms.

The hospital is likely to have an attached tower for families to stay while their patients are being treated, Hobby said, and a helipad for air-flighted patients as well.

It was briefly suggested that a fourth hospital — all within roughly 10 miles of each other — could saturate the market, but Planning Commission member Peter Hanzel said he remembers the days of having to be transported all the way to Zephyrhills or Tampa 20 years ago for serious injuries.

“So I’m happier than a hog in slop to see hospitals come to this area; I’m going to defend hospitals,” he said.

If Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, which is affiliated with John Hopkins School of Medicine and the USF Morsani College of Medicine, is approved as expected, it would be the latest entry in a crowded field.

AdventHealth Wesley Chapel opened 11 years ago, BayCare Hospital opened earlier this year and Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch is building a 300-room, multistory hospital expected to be completed sometime in late 2024.

None of those, however, offer the advanced children’s services that John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital does.

The Wesley Chapel location would be only the second other John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital location, joining the 259-bed St. Petersburg location.

While AdventHealth Wesley Chapel (then Florida Hospital) did adopt clinical protocols from Johns Hopkins All Children’s standards of care as part of a partnership, Weightman is hopeful of the prospects of a hospital dedicated primarily to pediatric care.

“I've sat on hospital boards for a long time, various hospitals, and I've always advocated for some level, especially as Pasco County has grown, for pediatric opportunities and care for our kids,” he said.

Weightman added that the location of the hospital will also be ideal for families in Hillsborough County to the south and Hernando, Citrus and Sumter counties to the north.

A popular wine and restaurant chain will soon spread its wings further across the Tampa Bay area.

Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant opens its second Tampa Bay location at 28963 SR-56 in Wesley Chapel on Monday, Nov. 20.

The concept is a destination for both foodies and wine-lovers alike, complete with a fine dining experience, wine tasting room, full-service bar and artisanal retail market.

Its upcoming Wesley Chapel location can seat a whopping 416 patrons between the indoor dining room, tasting area and outdoor patio. The "modern artisanal" style building draws inspiration from the Sunshine State’s architectural heritage, “evoking the Florida cracker style with a take on the Georgian four-square hip-roof in the entry tower,” according to a press release.

In addition to the concept’s wide variety of wines which range from chardonnays and pinot noirs to merlots and moscato, Cooper's Hawk's restaurant also offers a spread of classic high-end fare including entrees like surf and turf, pan-roasted mahi mahi, braised short rib risotto and gnocchi carbonara.

Its wine, food and cocktail menus can be browsed on chwinery.com.

CEO Tim McEnery launched the first Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant in 2005 and the company now boasts over 50 locations across the country. The winery and restaurant also offers a wine club where participants pay a subscription fee in exchange for monthly bottles of wine delivered right to their doorstep, among other benefits.

There are several locations of Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant in every corner of the state in cities like Jacksonville, Fort Myers and Miami, although Wesley Chapel’s upcoming concept is Tampa Bay’s second location of the nationwide franchise.

If Wesley Chapel’s Cooper’s Hawk boasts the same operating hours as its Tampa counterpart, it will be open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

For the latest updates on Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant's second location in Wesley Chapel, head to its Facebook at @chtampafl or Instagram at @chwinery. Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters. Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter