PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Tensions are rising among Pasco County residents as criticism of the Connected City project intensifies. During a recent public meeting, residents like Michael Pultorak and David Terino expressed outrage over the project’s perceived failures, including traffic issues, environmental impacts, and deviations from the original master plan.
The Connected City project, introduced in 2015, was intended to create a community emphasizing sustainability, recreation, and quality of life. However, residents contend that the project has become synonymous with overdevelopment, inadequate infrastructure, and broken promises.
Pasco resident David Terino lambasted the planning commission for neglecting infrastructure needs while pushing ahead with high-density development.
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“Traffic’s terrible coming down Elam Road,” Terino said. “You turn on Kenton, and you’re taking a chance of getting killed because people are going 60 miles an hour down a 30-mile-per-hour road. Now you’re talking about putting all these apartments in? All these were supposed to be single-family homes.”
Terino also voiced concerns about flooding caused by recent developments. “My property has been flooded ever since they started developing the land. They’re dumping all the water onto my land,” he said. “I used to only flood during hurricanes. Now, I can’t even dig a hole anymore without it filling up.”
He accused developers of prioritizing profit over community well-being. “The developers told [the county representative] to shut his mouth when he came to help,” Terino claimed. “You’re killing us.”
Pultorak echoed similar sentiments, detailing how the project’s lack of proper planning has led to severe infrastructure and environmental issues. Roads such as Kenton remain insufficient for the traffic the development is expected to bring, while wetlands and floodplains vital for natural drainage have been overlooked in site plans.
“The Watershed starts on this parcel. If this land is overdeveloped, all that water is going to end up in nearby communities like Lakeside Estates,” Pultorak warned. He also pointed out discrepancies in the project’s promises for parks and recreational spaces, saying they had been shifted to other areas, leaving Connected City without accessible amenities.
Terino also criticized the lack of accessible parks in the project, saying, “They sold parks as part of Epperson Ranch, but they’re not there for us. I’m older—I shouldn’t have to go way down to another area for a park. We need parks in our community.”
The lack of transparency has led many residents to feel misled. “I was okay with single-family homes,” Terino added. “But now you’re overdoing it.”
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County officials acknowledged the concerns, with some admitting that earlier decisions on funding and zoning might have contributed to the disconnect. They suggested potential amendments to the comprehensive plan to better align the project’s trajectory with residents’ expectations. However, such changes would require significant time and resources, and no immediate solutions were proposed.
Meanwhile, residents like Terino and Pultorak continue to push for accountability, demanding that the county deliver on its promises. “We need to fix this,” Pultorak said. “This community deserves the parks, open spaces, and thoughtful planning they were promised—not excuses.”
The debate surrounding Connected City reflects broader challenges in balancing growth with sustainability. With the community increasingly voicing dissatisfaction, the future of the project—and the trust between residents and local government—remains uncertain.
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