During a special work session on Wednesday night, New Port Richey’s City Council members discussed the purchase of a property on the very southern end of Congress Street in order to add a pedestrian access to the City’s Grey Preserve.

According to Mayor Rob Marlowe, there are two parcels that are being reviewed. The first is a property owned by Francine and Carmen Passarella of Pasco County, and is the largest of the two properties. In the image above, this property is labeled “1.” The property is listed with an appraisal of $34,000.

The second property, labeled “2,” is owned by the Florida Wildlife Federation and could feasibly be added to the park should the purchase of the other properties go through.

The last property is an island located in the middle of the Pithlachascotee (Cotee) River, and is owned by Denise Bruckler of New Port Richey. The assessed value of that island property is about $1,200.

Council members voted in favor of giving authorization to City Manager Debbie Manns to proceed with negotiations with the interested parties to purchase the properties. With the potential pricing of the properties and the combination of the Florida Wildlife property, it would seem that the addition of these properties to the Grey Preserve and the potential purchase is a no-brainer.

The City has also recently negotiated with Pasco County to take over ownership of Plathe Road West of Rowan Road. The City has expressed interest in paving the road, and County officials have reportedly offered to handle engineering costs related to improving the road. The paving of Plathe Road would make access to Grey Preserve significantly easier for the public. The road is currently dirt and well-worn with large potholes that make access difficult.

by Jon Tietz