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Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Land O Lakes, Zephyrhills

Wesley Chapel Says “Not So Fast” to Townhomes But “Yes” to Helping Teens

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🏘️ Townhome Showdown

You know what Wesley Chapel doesn’t need more of? Traffic. You know what it might be getting more of anyway? Townhomes. Specifically, 150 of them on a 17-acre patch near Old Pasco Road and Dayflower Blvd.

The development proposal, pitched by Lennar Homes, includes townhomes squeezed together with 25-foot setbacks, private roads, and no public amenities. The pitch? It's “low-impact.” The reaction? Not so much.

Neighbors aren’t buying it, figuratively or literally. Many packed a recent Hillsborough County zoning hearing to raise concerns about traffic, overcrowded schools, and the disappearing sense of community that made Wesley Chapel so appealing in the first place. One resident even compared the proposed layout to “a concrete jungle.” Yikes.

The county's zoning board didn’t approve or deny the request outright. Instead, they asked Lennar to revisit their plans and meet with the community. Translation: back to the drawing board.

So what happens next? The developers will have to come up with a revised proposal, and hopefully something that doesn’t look like a game of SimCity gone rogue.

We'll keep you posted as the plans unfold. In the meantime, let us know what you think. Should Wesley Chapel keep growing? Or are we reaching our max occupancy?

Around The Town

How RAP House Is Changing Lives One Teen at a Time

Let’s be honest, being a teenager is hard enough without adding chaos at home. And when life takes a turn for the worse, most kids don’t have a safe place to land.

But some do now, thanks to a remarkable place just north of us called the RAP House (Runaway Alternatives Project), a shelter that’s been quietly doing the work in Pasco County since 1982. No glitz. No spotlight. Just a roof, a warm bed, and someone who genuinely gives a damn.

The RAP House is a 24-hour crisis shelter for kids ages 10 to 17 who are facing everything from abuse and neglect to simply having nowhere to go. Some stay for a night. Some stay for weeks. But all leave with something they didn’t have before: stability.

And here’s the kicker, it’s not just about survival. It’s about support. RAP House offers counseling, goal planning, life skills, and a full-time staff that’s more mentor than monitor. One teen said it was the first place they felt “safe and heard.” That shouldn’t be rare. But it is. And that’s why the RAP House matters.

Wesley Chapel may be booming with new development, but stories like this remind us of what real growth looks like, communities stepping up for their most vulnerable.

So next time you’re looking for a cause to support, consider this: The RAP House doesn’t just give kids a place to stay. It gives them a reason to hope.

What’s Up This Week

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That’s it for this week.

Keep showing up, keep cheering each other on, and we’ll keep letting you know What’s Up Wesley Chapel! 💛

The Folks Behind The Curtain

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