Pasco County Commission Considers Evening Meetings to Give Working Residents a Greater Voice
WESLEY CHAPEL / PASCO COUNTY, FL — Pasco County commissioners haven't landed on a plan yet, but they're taking a real look at making their meetings easier for working residents to attend. As Commissioner Seth Weightman put it, at least the conversation is airborne.
Where This Started
The push traces back to a nighttime town meeting in St. Leo in May, where an unusually large crowd turned out to oppose a 620-home development proposal. More than 50 people spoke during the nearly three-hour hearing, and another 150 signed a petition outside. By the end of the night, residents had secured a unanimous vote against the proposal from town commissioners. The size and energy of that crowd caught county commissioners' attention, since Pasco's own Board of County Commissioners meetings are typically held weekday mornings or afternoons — a schedule that makes it difficult for working residents and parents to attend.
What Options Are on the Table
County staff studied meeting schedules in six surrounding counties and returned with five possibilities:
Starting meetings at 9 a.m. instead of the current time
Moving some public meetings to after 5 p.m.
Adding a third monthly meeting devoted specifically to land-use matters, which typically draw the largest crowds
Having one of Pasco's two monthly meetings extend into the evening
Continuing to better publicize the virtual attendance option residents already have
What's Holding It Back
Evening meetings aren't a simple switch to flip. County Clerk Nikki Alvarez-Sowles noted that evening meetings would require overtime pay that isn't currently budgeted. County Attorney Jeff Steinsnyder also cautioned commissioners that evening land-use hearings, which draw the most public interest, can run very late — he recalled meetings in Manatee County stretching until 2 a.m. Commissioner Weightman said he's experienced that firsthand, with past night meetings running past midnight.
Weightman has also defended the county's current practice of alternating meeting locations between East and West Pasco, arguing it saves residents from long drives across the county, even as the schedule itself remains a sticking point.
Where Things Stand Now
For now, commissioners didn't commit to any of the five options. Instead, they agreed to better publicize that residents already have the ability to attend meetings virtually — a smaller, immediate step while the bigger scheduling questions stay open.
Why It Matters for Wesley Chapel
Wesley Chapel residents turned out among the crowd at the original St. Leo meeting that kicked off this conversation, and Commissioner Weightman represents the district. As growth-related land-use hearings continue to shape development across Wesley Chapel, whether the county eventually shifts to evening meetings could directly affect how many residents are able to show up and weigh in on the next major project proposed in their neighborhood.
📍 Pasco County Board of County Commissioners
🌐 Reporting from Tampa Bay Beacons
