Heritage Pines residents press Pasco County for permanent fix to trespassing and late-night disturbances

More than a dozen residents of Heritage Pines urged Pasco County officials on Jan. 20 to move beyond temporary enforcement and find a lasting solution to repeated trespassing, off-road vehicle use, loud parties and gunfire that neighbors say have disrupted sleep and depressed home values.

"We have had a relatively peaceful couple of weeks," said Chase Daniels of the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, who described stepped-up efforts including special enforcement details, daily patrols when calls allow, unmanned aerial systems and electronic sign boards at entry points. "People reported being able to sleep through the weekend," Daniels said, adding the property owner had cooperated under a trespassing agreement.

Andrew Bloom, a board member of Tall Pines Village in Heritage Pines, told commissioners the disturbances, sometimes lasting until 4 a.m., have persisted for months and have created stress and potential long-term losses in property value. "We are here to ask that a lasting permanent solution be found to these problems," Bloom said.

Herb Hurley, general manager of Heritage Pines and a property owner representative, said he had paid for off-duty officers, purchased signage and worked closely with the sheriff's office but that the parcel's size and the aggressiveness of trespassers make fencing impractical. "These nuisance conditions continue despite enforcement efforts," Hurley said, asking the commission to remain engaged and to identify additional measures.

Commissioners thanked the sheriff's office for recent operations and said staff would continue coordinating with property owners and law enforcement to pursue longer-term options. Chair Jack Mariano said the county is "on it" and will pursue additional steps to bring peace to the neighborhood.

Next steps noted during the meeting included continued enforcement patrols, coordination with the property owner and staff follow-up to explore protection strategies, including potential preservation nominations for environmentally sensitive parcels and further county assistance to affected residents.