The Shields Painting Difference: Perfection with Every Brush Stroke
Many painting companies in Florida rely on flashy marketing and big promises to try and attract new clients. But when it comes time to work, they fall short of their promises. This is often due to a lack of experience, qualified painters, and a drive to overachieve. At Shields Painting, we do things a little differently than other painting companies in Citrus County. We believe that a professional paint job should be as close to perfect as possible. Our goal is to leave you 100% satisfied, whether we're touching up an old residential paint job or performing a complex commercial project. It might sound simple, but we achieve that goal through honesty, hard work, beautiful results, and reasonable pricing.
As a family-owned and operated painting company in North Weeki Wachee, FL, we strive to provide personalized, professional, and friendly service. Shields Painting has been in business since 1968 for a good reason. Whenever possible, we go the extra mile to make sure our customers are happy. Unlike some of our competition, we want to know all about your house or business painting project: your vision, your preferences, your challenges, and your goals. When we understand your needs, we can present you with a fantastic final product - one that you're proud to show off to friends and neighbors.
At Shields Painting, we combine our extensive experience with time-tested, meticulous painting processes, resulting in the highest quality painting results around. As a painting contractor in Citrus County, we can take on a variety of residential, commercial, and industrial projects in Florida.
A few of our most popular painting services include:
- Interior Painting
- Exterior Painting
- Residential Painting
- Commercial Painting
- Cabinet Painting
- Ceiling Painting
- Fence Painting
- Sign Painting
- MUCH More!
Our commercial, industrial, and residential painting contractors take the proper steps to protect your property and belongings while we work. Our team will clean up after ourselves, so your property is left clean and free of debris when we're done. After all, we think there's only one way to do a job, and that's the right way.
Painting Services
Eco-friendly & clean work area.
PDCA Certified Member.
Your Go-To House Painting Company in North Weeki Wachee, FL
Your home is a haven of relaxation and solitude. It is uniquely you - a place where you can express who you are through style and design. Whether you need interior touch-ups for your crown molding or a new exterior coat of paint, hiring a reliable painting contractor is the best way to get quality results.
At Shields Painting, we know how important it is to have a home that highlights your tastes and personality. That's why we offer an extensive array of residential painting services in Citrus County. As tempting as it might be to try a DIY paint job, without the proper skills and experience, there is a good chance that the results will turn out less than satisfactory.
High-quality painting requires skill, experience, and patience. If you're a homeowner who needs residential painting services but doesn't have the time, patience, or skills to handle the job, look no further than Shields Painting. We offer accuracy, precision, and longevity with each paint job we perform. Our customers choose Shields Painting for their home because they receive:
- Free Quotes with Detailed Project Breakdowns
- Affordable Pricing
- Expert Painting Contractors
- High-Quality Paint Products
- Combo of Traditional and Modern Techniques
- Well-Maintained Tools
- Unmatched Craftsmanship
- Friendly, Personalized Service
- Good Old-Fashioned Hard Work!
The majority of our house painting services come in two forms: interior and exterior.
Interior Residential Painting
As an interior painting contractor with decades of experience, our expert technicians have developed an interior painting process that maximizes quality and emphasizes customer satisfaction. We understand that interior painting goes beyond aesthetics. It protects your ceilings and walls and helps you sustain a healthier place to live for your family. When only the finest craftsmanship will do inside your home, Shields Painting is here for you.
Our seasoned team of painting experts and craftsmen is dedicated to respecting your space and providing you with the look and feel you're craving inside your home. Whether you bought a new house and want to make it your own or need minor touch-ups but have no time, Shields Painting is ready to tackle the job, no matter how small or large.
Unlike some painting companies, our interior house painters take the time to get the details right, every time. For instance, color is only one aspect of your interior paint job. The paint sheen or finish is just as important. Certain finishes are better for living rooms and bedrooms than in kitchens and bathrooms. We'll help you find the right finish and paint colors for your home, so you don't have to worry about touch-ups or repainting.
Some of our most popular interior house painting services include:
- Ceiling Painting
- Popcorn Ceiling Removal
- Living Room Painting
- Bathroom Painting
- Basement Painting
- Color Consultations
- More
Cabinet Painting
Citrus County cabinet painting deserves its own section on this page because it requires more time, skill, and quality paint than most sections of your home. If your home's cabinets are built into its woodwork, replacing them can be obnoxiously expensive. Compared to the cost of installing new cabinets, painting your kitchen cabinets is much more affordable.
At Shields Painting, we specialize in transforming old cabinets into new, gorgeous features that are just as usable as they are beautiful. Each step of our cabinet painting process is meticulous and thorough. And we'll take care of the entire job, from cleaning, prep, and sanding to priming, painting, and reassembly. This unique service lets you enjoy a brand-new look in your kitchen without having to go into debt by replacing your cabinets.
Whether your cabinets are new, but you want to change their color or you'd like to transition wood cabinets to a painted finish, Shields Painting has the expertise and experience to give you a new look you'll love.
Exterior Residential Painting
Your home - it's a place that not only keeps your belongings safe. It protects your family and loved ones, too. It's one of your largest investments, and like anything else of value, it should be protected. However, Florida weather can take a toll on your home's structure and paint, lowering your home's value and even putting your family at risk.
While it's true that a beautiful exterior affects your house's value, it shouldn't take thousands of remodeling dollars to make a positive change to your home. There's a fine line between reasonable pricing and top-quality painting, and that sweet spot is what Shields Painting aims for. If you want to transform how your friends and neighbors see your home, never underestimate the power of a professional paint job.
Our exterior residential painting services are designed to boost curb appeal, give your home a fresh look, and help it stand up to Florida's unique weather. But we provide more than that. When you hire Shields Painting for your outdoor painting project, you will enjoy peace of mind in knowing that your home is in truly capable hands. Our goal is to exceed your expectations and help bring out the best in your property, whether you need to re-stain your deck or remove old, peeling paint from your siding.
If you're on the hunt for the very best exterior painting contractor in North Weeki Wachee, FL, look no further than Shields Painting.
Some of our most popular exterior house painting services include:
- Vinyl Siding Painting
- Deck Painting and Staining
- Stucco Exterior Painting
- Wood Exterior Painting
- Porch Painting and Staining
- Soffit Painting
- Fascia Painting
- Window Painting
- Front Door Painting
- Thorough Painting Prep
- More
The Premier Commercial Painting Company in North Weeki Wachee, FL
When it comes to first impressions, your businesses' appearance plays an important role. Your commercial property's paint job factors into its overall aesthetics. A great-looking, well-maintained paint job can mean the difference between a customer walking in your storefront and passing by. Conversely, an old, worn-out commercial paint job can send the wrong message to prospective customers. If you can't take the time to keep up your property's appearance, why would a customer spend their hard-earned money on your products?
The same goes for your businesses' interior paint. Would you want to do business with a company that has peeling paint or unsightly crown molding? At Shield's Painting, our goal is to create a beautiful environment that your customers and employees will love inside and out. When you work with our business painters, you can rest easy knowing we treat your business like it were our own. We always clean up after ourselves and know that operations cannot come to a halt just because we're painting. As such, we'll work with your busy schedule to ensure the job gets done right the first time without disrupting your day-to-day commitments.
With decades of commercial painting experience, we know the demands of a commercial painting project necessitate a disciplined and focused approach from the start. Our team of business painters is committed to delivering quality, on-time results on every project, every time - no excuses
We offer professional business painting services to a variety of building types, including:
01
Industrial Painting
A high level of care and finesse are required to effectively paint an industrial property. At Shields Painting, we know that industrial paint jobs involve much more than aesthetics. That's why our industrial services are customized to your specifications, using industrial-grade materials that stand up to heavy-duty operations.
02
Retail Store Painting
Our commercial painters apply effective, yet appealing interior and exterior paint that stand up to the daily rigors of busy retail environments.
03
Small Business Painting
Do you own a restaurant franchise? Have a small "mom and pop" location that needs a fresh coat of paint? Shields Painting has the resources and reliability to efficiently get the job done the first time. That way, you can focus on serving your customers, not having your business repainted.
04
Healthcare Location Painting
From walk-in clinics to long-term care facilities, Shields Painting is sensitive to your patients' needs. We know you must protect your patient's privacy while maintaining productivity. Our approach to healthcare location painting centers around your schedule to avoid disruptions in care.
05
Apartment Complex Painting
Erase signs of wear and make your apartment complex or multi-family building a more desirable place to live with a stunning, professional paint job.
Florida's Most Trusted Painting Contractor
Shields Painting has been in the business since 1968. In a world where so much has changed, we are proud to uphold the ideals that make us successful: hard, honest work, getting the job done right, and excellent customer service. Providing you with trustworthy, quality work will always take priority over rushing through a project to serve the next customer. That is just not the way we choose to do business.
As professionals dedicated to perfection, we strive to provide a unique painting experience for every customer - one that focuses on their needs and desires instead of our own. Whether you need residential painting for your home or commercial painting for your business, we encourage you to reach out today to speak with our customer service team. Whether you have big ideas about a new paint project or need our expertise and guidance, we look forward to hearing from you soon.
352-212-1533Free Consultation
Latest News in North Weeki Wachee, FL
Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in Tampa metro area
Stackerhttps://www.wfla.com/news/local-news/cities-with-the-fastest-growing-home-prices-in-tampa-metro-area-2/
It goes without saying that the coronavirus pandemic sparked a wave of uncertainty across myriad industries, and no other market has quite felt its impact like that of real estate.The pandemic became a driving force behind the continued real estate boom, with high demand for vacation homes and a limited supply of housing that prompted buyers and investors to bid up prices for affordable properties, causing home prices to skyrocket. Since then, increasing mortgage rates have slowed growth. But many areas are still seeing price jumps....
It goes without saying that the coronavirus pandemic sparked a wave of uncertainty across myriad industries, and no other market has quite felt its impact like that of real estate.
The pandemic became a driving force behind the continued real estate boom, with high demand for vacation homes and a limited supply of housing that prompted buyers and investors to bid up prices for affordable properties, causing home prices to skyrocket. Since then, increasing mortgage rates have slowed growth. But many areas are still seeing price jumps.
Stacker compiled a list of cities with the fastest-growing home prices in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro area using data from Zillow. Cities are ranked by 1-year price change as of February 2023. The typical home value in the United States increased over the last year by 4.4% to $328,604. Data was available for 74 cities and towns in Tampa.
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Stacker
#30. Tampa, FL
– 1-year price change: +$30,641 (+9.0%)– 5-year price change: +$160,472 (+76.1%)– Typical home value: $371,253 (#36 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#29. North Weeki Wachee, FL
– 1-year price change: +$30,649 (+9.5%)– 5-year price change: +$156,121 (+78.9%)– Typical home value: $354,095 (#42 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#28. High Point, FL
– 1-year price change: +$30,981 (+14.3%)– 5-year price change: +$119,800 (+93.6%)– Typical home value: $247,858 (#69 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#27. Kenneth City, FL
– 1-year price change: +$31,344 (+13.3%)– 5-year price change: +$131,020 (+96.7%)– Typical home value: $266,515 (#66 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#26. Westchase, FL
– 1-year price change: +$31,374 (+6.2%)– 5-year price change: +$175,625 (+48.3%)– Typical home value: $539,057 (#15 most expensive city in metro)
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Stacker
#25. Belleair Bluffs, FL
– 1-year price change: +$31,766 (+9.4%)– 5-year price change: +$161,069 (+76.8%)– Typical home value: $370,713 (#37 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#24. Weeki Wachee Gardens, FL
– 1-year price change: +$32,261 (+8.8%)– 5-year price change: +$194,994 (+96.3%)– Typical home value: $397,558 (#29 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#23. Lutz, FL
– 1-year price change: +$32,681 (+7.7%)– 5-year price change: +$177,201 (+63.2%)– Typical home value: $457,498 (#19 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#22. Safety Harbor, FL
– 1-year price change: +$33,311 (+7.6%)– 5-year price change: +$191,248 (+68.3%)– Typical home value: $471,451 (#18 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#21. Saint Petersburg, FL
– 1-year price change: +$34,515 (+11.2%)– 5-year price change: +$159,334 (+87.3%)– Typical home value: $341,825 (#46 most expensive city in metro)
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Stacker
#20. Gulfport, FL
– 1-year price change: +$35,776 (+10.9%)– 5-year price change: +$178,755 (+96.2%)– Typical home value: $364,603 (#39 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#19. South Pasadena, FL
– 1-year price change: +$35,778 (+11.2%)– 5-year price change: +$149,334 (+72.4%)– Typical home value: $355,459 (#41 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#18. Thonotosassa, FL
– 1-year price change: +$35,935 (+10.2%)– 5-year price change: +$166,257 (+74.9%)– Typical home value: $388,292 (#31 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#17. Wimauma, FL
– 1-year price change: +$36,035 (+10.3%)– 5-year price change: +$151,084 (+64.1%)– Typical home value: $386,660 (#32 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#16. Apollo Beach, FL
– 1-year price change: +$40,826 (+9.4%)– 5-year price change: +$197,519 (+71.1%)– Typical home value: $475,391 (#17 most expensive city in metro)
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Stacker
#15. Brooksville, FL
– 1-year price change: +$42,389 (+16.2%)– 5-year price change: +$147,333 (+94.5%)– Typical home value: $303,275 (#57 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#14. Harbor Bluffs, FL
– 1-year price change: +$42,526 (+7.3%)– 5-year price change: +$236,346 (+61.1%)– Typical home value: $623,039 (#13 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#13. Redington Shores, FL
– 1-year price change: +$42,932 (+5.8%)– 5-year price change: +$293,949 (+60.0%)– Typical home value: $783,872 (#6 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#12. Saint Leo, FL
– 1-year price change: +$43,629 (+8.5%)– 5-year price change: +$205,294 (+58.8%)– Typical home value: $554,137 (#14 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#11. Treasure Island, FL
– 1-year price change: +$45,703 (+7.9%)– 5-year price change: +$279,616 (+81.2%)– Typical home value: $624,025 (#12 most expensive city in metro)
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Stacker
#10. Hernando Beach, FL
– 1-year price change: +$46,723 (+9.7%)– 5-year price change: +$244,104 (+85.2%)– Typical home value: $530,702 (#16 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#9. Indian Shores, FL
– 1-year price change: +$50,116 (+7.6%)– 5-year price change: +$283,810 (+66.1%)– Typical home value: $713,336 (#8 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#8. Saint Pete Beach, FL
– 1-year price change: +$50,475 (+8.0%)– 5-year price change: +$266,101 (+64.2%)– Typical home value: $680,701 (#9 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#7. Odessa, FL
– 1-year price change: +$50,488 (+8.5%)– 5-year price change: +$253,190 (+64.9%)– Typical home value: $643,446 (#10 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#6. Belleair, FL
– 1-year price change: +$53,830 (+9.2%)– 5-year price change: +$259,312 (+68.0%)– Typical home value: $640,570 (#11 most expensive city in metro)
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Stacker
#5. Belleair Beach, FL
– 1-year price change: +$62,290 (+7.5%)– 5-year price change: +$326,245 (+57.6%)– Typical home value: $892,432 (#1 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#4. Redington Beach, FL
– 1-year price change: +$62,954 (+7.9%)– 5-year price change: +$364,581 (+73.3%)– Typical home value: $861,881 (#2 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#3. Madeira Beach, FL
– 1-year price change: +$67,634 (+9.9%)– 5-year price change: +$323,252 (+76.1%)– Typical home value: $747,962 (#7 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#2. Indian Rocks Beach, FL
– 1-year price change: +$68,163 (+8.8%)– 5-year price change: +$358,418 (+74.2%)– Typical home value: $841,490 (#3 most expensive city in metro)
Stacker
#1. Tierra Verde, FL
– 1-year price change: +$77,696 (+10.2%)– 5-year price change: +$364,708 (+77.0%)– Typical home value: $838,335 (#4 most expensive city in metro)
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Swiftmud expands Weeki Wachee Preserve by nearly 600 acres
NICK STUBBShttps://www.suncoastnews.com/news/swiftmud-expands-weeki-wachee-preserve-by-nearly-600-acres/article_3a2e5aca-62a4-11ec-9aee-d32c11ab7c41.html
The large voids between sections of the Weeki Wachee Preserve in southwest Hernando County have long been like missing puzzle pieces in the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s goal of preserving sensitive coastal lands in the region.The district’s recent announcement approving the purchase 589 acres of woodland and marshy wetlands off Osowaw Boulevard in north Aripeka known as the Southworth Tract will go a long way toward completing the picture.The new tract encompasses Indian Creek, which empties into th...
The large voids between sections of the Weeki Wachee Preserve in southwest Hernando County have long been like missing puzzle pieces in the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s goal of preserving sensitive coastal lands in the region.
The district’s recent announcement approving the purchase 589 acres of woodland and marshy wetlands off Osowaw Boulevard in north Aripeka known as the Southworth Tract will go a long way toward completing the picture.
The new tract encompasses Indian Creek, which empties into the Gulf at Indian Bay, and acreage northeast of it. The two sections together eliminate large gaps and connect seven existing parcels to expand the preserve significantly.
Aripeka artist Leslie Neumann, one of several people who began work to help secure the Southworth Tract beginning in 1991, said seeing the dream finally realized is “absolutely thrilling.”
Neumann said that over the years, politics, funding and other obstacles got in the way of securing the land, causing efforts to stall about 10 years ago. Since the announcement of the purchase Dec. 14, she and others long involved in preservation have been celebrating, exchanging emails and cheering the deal.
“To finally get 600 acres all at once is really remarkable,” Neumann said. “It’s a great feat.”
Neumann said much credit should go to a champion of the effort to obtain the Southworth Tract, Steven Blaschka, a land acquisition manager with the water management district, nicknamed Swiftmud based on its acronym.
“He’s one of the people we owe a lot to,” said Neumann
The addition of the tract furthers the goal of protecting the water supply, water quality, flood control and natural systems — four areas of responsibility within Swiftmud’s purview.
"This property purchase is part of the long-term, overall conservation picture of Florida," said John Mitten, a Swiftmud governing board member. "The opportunity to link this property with the others we already manage fits the strategy and is the missing piece in the puzzle."
The new land joins 13,000 acres accumulated by the state since 1991 to form the preserve. The goal is to “protect estuarine marshes and lowlands; preserve and/or restore natural ecosystems and their functions; maintain and/or improve water quality; improve water conveyance; protect habitats and associated wildlife resources; prevent encroachment onto the floodplain; and preserve the aesthetic value of the lands within the project,” according to Swiftmud’s mandate.
"This is a significant acquisition that will not only conserve 589 acres of land in the Weeki Wachee Springshed but will also help protect and maintain good water quality across the nearshore coastal waters of the Springs Coast, which is home to one of the largest seagrass habitats in the world," said Brian Armstrong, the district's executive director.
Significantly, the purchase makes all of Indian Creek, which is fed by a freshwater spring and empties into the Gulf, part of the preserve, a goal that according to Swiftmud “completes the conservation and protection of the Indian Creek watershed, which is an important local source of fresh water to the coastal estuary.”
While the southwest portion of the tract is mostly wetlands within a “springs protection area,” the section to the northwest is higher and drier and supports pine forests.
The Southworth Tract falls within the Florida Wildlife Corridor and its acquisition helps the state meet the goals of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, which preserves habitat and natural avenues of travel for native Florida wildlife. The act was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in July.
The expansion of the preserve is good news for conservation groups.
“This is a great purchase of a highly significant coastal wildlife corridor property,” said Charles Lee, director of advocacy of Audubon Florida. “Because of its location just west of U.S. 19 in a rapidly developing area of Hernando County, this tract was destined for development had the district not acted quickly.
“It is a great relief to know it will now be preserved.”
The purchase of the Southworth Tract is being funded by the Florida Forever Trust Fund, the largest land acquisition program of its kind in the U.S.
3 To Do: Weeki Wachee redux
Marco Island Floridahttps://www.marconews.com/story/entertainment/2017/07/06/3-do-weeki-wachee-redux/452248001/
Marco Eagle1. Tuesday: Weeki Wachee reduxThe intense rain storms of a few weeks ago did more than saturate the Island. They also forced the cancellation of Dr. Lucinda Vickers’s much anticipated lecture about Weeki Wachee Springs, the City of Mermaids, one of Florida’s oldest and most beloved roadside attractions.Dr. Vickers’s lecture has been rescheduled, this time for 7 p.m., July 11, in Rose History Auditorium, Marco Island.Located about 45 miles north of Tampa, Weeki Wachee i...
Marco Eagle
1. Tuesday: Weeki Wachee redux
The intense rain storms of a few weeks ago did more than saturate the Island. They also forced the cancellation of Dr. Lucinda Vickers’s much anticipated lecture about Weeki Wachee Springs, the City of Mermaids, one of Florida’s oldest and most beloved roadside attractions.
Dr. Vickers’s lecture has been rescheduled, this time for 7 p.m., July 11, in Rose History Auditorium, Marco Island.
Located about 45 miles north of Tampa, Weeki Wachee is a natural spring so deep that the bottom has never been found. In the late ‘40s, stunt swimmer and attraction promoter Newt Perry built a theater into the Spring’s bedrock with viewing windows under the surface of the water and a system of air hoses and airlocks to enable highly trained swimmers to stage underwater performances without having to surface for air.
Dr. Lucinda Vickers earned a doctorate in creative writing from Florida State University and is currently a professor in the literature department at Tallahassee Community College. Dr. Vickers’s lecture is free to Marco Island Historical members and $10 for nonmembers; all are invited to attend. Rose History Auditorium is located at 180 S. Heathwood Drive, across from the library.
Information: 239-389-6447 or theMIHS.org.
2. Starts Monday: Boating safety course
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCG Aux), Flotilla 95, Marco Island announces a summer session of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) approved Boating Skills and Seamanship (BS&S) the most comprehensive basic boating instruction offered.
The class begins on Monday, July 10 and is taught over four weeks, on Mondays and Thursdays from 7 until 9:30 p.m., and includes a section on Florida specific boating laws and regulations.
Upon satisfactory completion of the course, the student will qualify to receive a Florida issued Boater Safety Identification Card (FBSIC). Classes are taught at the USCG Aux Station, Caxambas Park, 905 Collier Court, Marco Island.
Information: 239-394-5911 or USCGAuxMarco.org.
3. J.Robert Florida Songwriter Showcase continues
The J.Robert Florida Songwriter Showcase is on stage every Monday, from 7 until 10 p.m., now through Aug. 28 at The Marco Players Theater, Marco Town Center Mall, 1089 N. Collier Blvd., Marco Island. Advance tickets are $30 each for reserved seating and $35 at the door. Buy individual tickets or a package at TheMarcoPlayers.com or call the box office at 239-642-7270.
Each show includes a performance, intermission, Q & A with the musician, and jam session. During the shows, the musicians will share personal stories about Florida heritage that inspired their songwriting and their musical talents.
Performers are Roy Schneider (July 10), Nate Martin (July 17), Ray Cerbone (July 24), Captn Jac (July 31), Pete Gallagher and Pat Barmore (Aug. 7), Andy Wahlberg (Aug. 14), “Sawgrass” Cindy Hackney (Aug. 21) and Joerey Ortiz (Aug. 28).
Residents say pines sprouting in fairways at Dunes are out of bounds
Times Staff Writerhttps://www.tampabay.com/news/growth/residents-say-pines-sprouting-in-fairways-at-dunes-are-out-of-bounds/2271402/
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WEEKI WACHEE
For a decade, Hans "Pete" Moschinger had easy access to a famously scenic and tough golf course, and a view from his house of the not-so-tough fifth hole.
"It was an easy hole," said Moschinger, 74. "It was a pretty open hole. You could easily get a birdie or a par."
The vista from Moschinger's back yard is no longer a manicured and expansive fairway, but a freshly plowed field supporting ankle-high weeds and pine seedlings.
In a declining market for golf, the closing of courses — even acclaimed ones such as the Dunes, north of Weeki Wachee — is not unusual. Neither is the action of Dunes owner Nachum Kalka: converting land approved for development to agriculture for the right to claim a deep cut in property taxes.
But the combination of the two is rare, leading neighbors to question why the county cannot prevent a land use that they say has devalued their property and their quality of life.
"I know I've lost 30 percent" of his home's value, Moschinger said. "But that is not what bothers me. What bothers me is that we especially moved here to play golf and enjoy the rest of our lives, and then this happens."
The Dunes, previously called Seville, opened to rave reviews in 1987. The golf writer for the Times called it "nothing short of breathtaking." It was designed by famed golf course architect Arthur Hill, the story continued, and "lies on 150 acres of the most diverse and unspoiled land in Florida."
And after a renovation in 2007, said Brooksville lawyer Bruce Snow, an avid golfer, "it was as good a layout as there was in the county, including World Woods," referring to a club with two courses regularly rated among the country's top 100.
But if the remote location, just south of the Citrus County line, gave the course its natural beauty, it hindered the development of the surrounding community, which retains the Seville name and was intended to supply the course with golfers.
It has passed through several owners, including a previous company controlled by Kalka that in 2005 sold the development for $45 million to a company that got approval to build 3,811 homes on the property.
So far, only 23 homes have been built, and Kalka's current company, New Seville 2011 Development LLC, bought the land back in 2010.
The sluggish development and the declining popularity of golf led to the Dunes' temporary closure in 2013. Though it reopened late that year, it ceased operation again in June 2015, Moschinger said.
Kalka, who lives in Citrus County, did not respond to a request for comment. But Seville landowners say the sudden appearance of a pine-planting crew a month ago seems a sure sign the closing is permanent.
"You wake up in the morning, with absolutely no notification, and all of a sudden you see a tree farm," Frank Chiapperino told the County Commission on March 8.
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Chiapperino and several other property owners showed up at the commission's meeting to complain about Kalka's action and what they said was the county's reluctance to stop it.
Assistant county administrator for planning and development Ron Pianta and assistant county attorney Joe DiNovo said at the meeting and in later interviews that the county is prevented from acting by the state's "right to farm" act.
That law says local governments cannot block farming "on land classified as agricultural."
The golf course is designated by the county as part of a planned development project, with allowed uses that include residential and recreation, Pianta said.
But Kalka, who has already received an agricultural classification for most of Seville's 1,033 acres, has applied for the same greenbelt designation on the 180 acres of the Dunes course.
That would likely reduce the annual property tax bill on the course from $21,000 to $500, according to the county Property Appraiser's Office.
Kalka has also submitted a forestry plan to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Either the tax designation or regulation by the state would impede the county's ability to regulate the property's use, DiNovo said.
Also, counties historically have had little luck preventing property owners from receiving the deep greenbelt tax discount on land that has been approved for development, DiNovo said.
But Moschinger's neighbor, Bruce Tobin, noted that the landowners near such properties usually don't face the same steep declines in property values as Seville residents.
Tobin says the loss of the fairway view is partly to blame for his inability, so far, to sell his 2,200-square-foot home for the $204,900 asking price.
Also, he pointed out that neither of the actions the county says prevent it from challenging Kalka — the greenbelt designation or the acceptance of the forestry plan — have been finalized.
"Isn't it unusual," he asked, "that you go ahead and plow it up before you get approval?"
Contact Dan DeWitt at ddewitt@tampabay.com. Follow @ddewitttimes.
Hernando a red-hot destination for homebuyers
NICK STUBBShttps://www.suncoastnews.com/news/hernando-a-red-hot-destination-for-homebuyers/article_b6e29b88-4529-11eb-bb66-cfba7aee86e1.html
In the year of COVID-19 and with so many new residents fleeing big cities to take up residence in sunny Florida, Hernando County is proving itself a winner among the state’s 67 counties.While places like Tampa, St. Petersburg, Miami and Orlando get most of the attention when people think of Florida, crowding, traffic, and higher home prices and higher property taxes are making those places a little too much like the crowded, pricey cities around the country many are trying to get away from.Comparatively, land is more affo...
In the year of COVID-19 and with so many new residents fleeing big cities to take up residence in sunny Florida, Hernando County is proving itself a winner among the state’s 67 counties.
While places like Tampa, St. Petersburg, Miami and Orlando get most of the attention when people think of Florida, crowding, traffic, and higher home prices and higher property taxes are making those places a little too much like the crowded, pricey cities around the country many are trying to get away from.
Comparatively, land is more affordable in Hernando. Impact fees for new homes and taxes are lower. Traffic snarls common in Pinellas and Hillsborough, and even neighboring Pasco County, are virtually non-existent. In a red-hot real estate market where everything listed sells in short order, it’s selling even faster in Hernando and builders are struggling to keep up.
But they’re doing what they can, as fast as they can and builders and real estate pros predict big things for Hernando in the way of larger residential development.
“They’re already here,” said Walter “Buddy” Selph, broker/owner of Brooksville-based Tommie Dawson Realty, referring to national builders like D.R. Horton, M/I Homes, Adams Homes and Lennar Homes. “We’re going to see more builders leaving places like Hillsborough (County) to come to Hernando.”
There are a “combination of reasons” Hernando is becoming so attractive to buyers and builders, said Selph, but price is the biggest among them.
“The same house at State Road 54 in Pasco is $100,000 more than the exact same house in Brooksville,” said Selph. “It (building) just keeps marching north for lower costs.”
Selph said large Hernando residential projects in the offing include a 200-acre parcel under contract near the Hernando County Fairgrounds. Another is 65 acres just off Commercial Way north of Weeki Wachee near Centralia. Nearby is Lake Hideaway, an 850-acre residential community zoned under a Development of Regional Impact designation 3.5 miles north of Cortez fronting Commercial Way at Royal Highlands.
It’s lower land and impact fees that allow builders to offer homes for less, said Bob Eaton, owner and founder of Artistic Homes, which has been building in Hernando for four decades. At a time when the available home inventory is at a record low in the region, he and other builders are working hard to keep up with demand.
Areas of the county with the most potential for home building include Royal Highlands, said Eaton, who’s built several homes there.
“There are literally thousands of lots there,” he said. Residents there approved having road paving added to their annual property tax bills, which has made the mostly undeveloped area more attractive as lime rock roads are replaced with fresh blacktop.
There’s plenty of room to grow in Ridge Manor, east of Brooksville, said Eaton. It also has a number of unpaved roads and a paving plan like the one implemented in Royal Highlands is all that’s needed to “make it take off.”
One of the more ambitious projects on the drawing boards is a proposed master-planned community designated Spring Center. If it happens, a 450-acre tract of woodlands extending north from Northcliffe Boulevard and bounded on the east by Mariner and the west by Deltona boulevards would bring 3,000 new homes to Spring Hill. A unique feature would be a “downtown” area with shops and restaurants. Traffic studies, compliance with environmental regulations and compliance agreements between developers and the county will be needed, according the county planning department.
Selph said much depends on how hot the housing market will remain going into 2021. But with inventory of homes so low, he suspects builders are going to be busy for some time.
“We normally have six months of inventory on hand but now it’s only a month,” he said, adding there’s a lot of catching up to do to meet demand.