DAYBREAK MUG AWARDS voting has closed. Results will be in next week’s issue. Thank you everyone for participating. I loved reading all your comments. Till next year.

Rays Playoffs begin: Who's taking it all?

The Division Series is best-of-five. All games air on TBS, truTV, and HBO Max.

Game times; check raysbaseball.com.

Saturday is stacked: Rays Game 1, the Lightning home opener at 7 p.m., and USF vs. Temple all fall on the same day. Plan your traffic accordingly.

Update:

Back in August, we told you about plans for up to 228 apartments on an 11.66-acre piece of property along Sheldon Road, just south of Citrus Park Drive. At the time, it was still moving through the county's zoning process. Now, the project has reached its next major step.

The developer, Velair Development Company, is proposing a four-story apartment community with up to 228 units, along with leasing space and resident amenities. The county's zoning process has moved ahead, and the project went before the Hillsborough County Commission on September 22.

One thing that could still affect the final size of the project is the property's wetlands. Depending on how the site ultimately gets developed, the number of apartments could be reduced from the proposed 228 units to around 186.

Here’s the kicker. If the full 228-unit project moves forward, county transportation analysis estimates it could generate roughly 1,020 vehicle trips per day. That's a pretty significant jump from what the property could generate under its current zoning. And if you live, work or drive through the Citrus Park/Sheldon Road area, you already know traffic can be an issue.

So this isn't just about how many apartments might get built. It's also about what another 200+ households could mean for the roads, businesses and services around Citrus Park.

Even though the project has made progress through the zoning process, there are still additional steps before this turns into an actual apartment complex.

We'll be watching for:

Adding potentially 228 new households to the area will have an impact on everything from traffic and restaurants to shopping and local services.

And, of course, whether the project ultimately moves forward as proposed.

Business Opening Update

Citrus Park has been seeing a lot of changes lately. We've already been following the redevelopment at Plaza at Citrus Park, including Nordstrom Rack, HomeGoods (Open) and Total Wine & More. We've got Cook Out open in the old Boston Market location on Dale Mabry. And there are other residential and commercial projects moving through the pipeline.

The watering restrictions did NOT end

Two things about your water change starting today. One affects your lawn, the other affects your bill.

The one-day-a-week watering rules were set to expire today, October 1. They didn't. The Southwest Florida Water Management District voted to extend its Modified Phase III "Extreme" Water Shortage order through March 31, 2027.

Here's what that means if you're in unincorporated Hillsborough, which includes Carrollwood, Citrus Park, Westchase, Lutz, and the Hillsborough side of Odessa:

Why it's this serious: The region is running a 15.4-inch rainfall deficit over the past 12 months after two below-average rainy seasons in a row. As of Sept. 20, Tampa Bay Water's C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir was at about half its capacity.

Enforcement is real. In nearby Temple Terrace, watering at the wrong time can cost you $100. The city even held a special hearing just to work through the growing list of cases.

Your to-do: Double-check your sprinkler timer. Look up your assigned day on Hillsborough County's Find My Watering Days page. City of Tampa residents follow the city's own schedule.

New Hillsborough County Water Resources rates take effect today. The County Commission approved a 5% rate increase plus a 2.91% price index increase for the new fiscal year.

Note: This applies to Hillsborough County Water Resources customers. Some addresses in our area are served by the City of Tampa Water Department instead. Your bill will tell you which one you have.

See the full rate breakdown →

Saturday, Oct. 3: Lightning Home Opener. The Bolts open the season Thursday at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers, then come home Saturday to host the Washington Capitals at Benchmark International Arena. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. Keep an eye on defenseman John Carlson, who spent most of his career in Washington before signing with Tampa Bay this offseason. It's also the first season of the NHL's new 84-game schedule.

Rays and Yankees….Let's Go Rays! 6:30 pm on TBS

Sunday, Oct. 4: Bucs vs. Packers, 1 p.m. (FOX). The Bucs are 0-3 after last Sunday's 23-16 loss to Minnesota, and Baker Mayfield dislocated the thumb on his throwing hand late in that game. That could mean undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels makes his first NFL start. Green Bay comes in 1-2.

Heading to the game? Stadium parking opens at 9:30 a.m. and gates open at 11:30 a.m. Bucs Beach in the South Plaza opens 3.5 hours before kickoff and is free, no game ticket needed. Rideshare pickup and drop-off is at Steinbrenner Field.

Coming Soon

New restaurant going in? Something being built on your street? Just reply to this email. I I read every one. See us on Facebook. Click below on the Facebook icon.

See you next Thursday,
Citrus Park & Carrollwood Weekly