WESLEY CHAPEL — Hundreds packed a nighttime meeting in St. Leo earlier this month to oppose a 620-home development on the town’s golf course. It was a turnout so striking that Pasco County commissioners are now reconsidering whether some county hearings should also be held after work hours.
More than 50 people spoke during the nearly three-hour Saint Leo hearing, while another 150 residents signed a petition distributed outside the Saint Leo Abbey Carpenter’s Shop, where the meeting was held.
By the end of the night, residents had secured a unanimous 4-0 vote from town commissioners rejecting the proposal.
“We’ve been heard,” one woman told a small group that was exiting afterwards. “Thanks for being here.”
One of the most common complaints surrounding Pasco County government is that Board of County Commissioners meetings are typically held during weekday mornings or afternoons, making it difficult for working residents and parents to attend.
The meeting at St. Leo began at 7 p.m.
The late start no doubt helped in drawing the unusually large crowd, even allowing supporters from New Port Richey, Hudson and Wesley Chapel to show up as well.
Pasco County District 2 commissioner Seth Weightman was among those in attendance. Because St. Leo operates independently from the county government, Weightman said he was curious to see firsthand whether public opposition to the project extended beyond online comments and petitions.
What he saw surprised him.
“I was curious to see what the turnout would actually be or if it was just online chatter, but people showed up by the hundreds,” Weightman said. “Folks took the time because of the time of day to get there…their doctor appointments were done, work was done, their kids were out of school, people brought their kids, it just was a meaningful public input process.”
The experience prompted Weightman to suggest the county explore shifting some major public hearings to later in the day, in the hopes of encouraging broader participation.
Under the current setup, commissioners often see a discrepancy where a petition may have hundreds of signatures or an online post may have hundreds of comments, but only a handful of people can afford to take time off work to speak at a morning or afternoon hearing.
Weightman said that by accommodating the typical schedules of working families the County Commission could improve the public process as well as the projects themselves.
“If the folks have the ability to come out and truly share their thoughts on the matter, it can lead to better quality projects,” he said.
Board chairman Jack Mariano agreed.
He said that he wasn’t a fan when years ago the county shifted meetings to the daytime, because it left people feeling left out of the process.
“I think that input would make us a better, stronger commission and be able to make, I think, stronger, better decisions,” said Mariano, adding that hearings expected to draw significant public interest could potentially be scheduled later in the evening.
County attorney Jeff Steinsnyder cautioned commissioners that evening land-use hearings, which generally draw the most public interest, can sometimes stretch late into the night.
When he worked in Manatee County, Steinsnyder said sometimes those meetings lasted until 2 a.m.
“I don’t want that,” said commissioner Kathryn Starkey.
County Administrator Mike Carabella said staff will explore “carving out (scheduling) options” and review how neighboring counties handle major public hearings.
Weightman said he believes the St. Leo meeting showed that residents are more willing to participate when meetings are scheduled at a time when the public is actually available to attend.
“It was really a sight to be seen,” Weightman said. “It was clear that their voices were heard.”
“I’ve been involved in government a long time, and I’ve never seen a turnout like that,” Weightman said. “It was clear that their voices were heard.”