Pasco County was one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida in recent years, according to an Axios analysis of census data.

Why it matters: With more growth comes a larger tax base and more industry but also issues like traffic and overdevelopment.

By the numbers: Pasco's population grew by about 15.3%, increasing from a five-year average of about 510,600 in 2014-2018 to about 588,800 in 2019-2023, per U.S. Census Bureau figures.

• St. Johns County, just south of Jacksonville, emerged as the fastest-growing county, with a whopping 24.1% population increase over the same period.
• Polk County, home to booming Lakeland, came in just under Pasco at 13.8%.

The big picture: Pasco benefited from mass migration into Florida and Tampa Bay driven by lower taxes, better quality of life and the COVID-19 pandemic.

State of play: The county's identity as a bedroom community for residents who work in Pinellas and Hillsborough has started to shift, according to county leaders who spoke with Axios.

• Population growth makes an area more attractive to consumer-facing businesses looking for talent and ways to grow their customer base, Pasco Economic Development Council president and CEO Bill Cronin said.
• And county leaders have incentivized commercial and industrial development so residents can work where they live, rather than commuting to jobs elsewhere, per Pasco County Commission chair Kathryn Starkey.

Zoom in: Drive around the county and the growth is tangible.

• Where forests or cattle ranches once stood are construction sites for master-planned communities or developments like Moffitt Cancer Center's 775-acre Speros campus.
• As of Thursday, there were 669 ongoing construction projects and an additional 200 applications under review, per the county's project pipeline.

Yes, but: With growth comes growing pains. Among them: traffic and affordable housing, Starkey said.

• Those issues have pushed commissioners to add more east-west road capacity, prioritize bike and walking trails, and look into easing restrictions on alternative dwelling units (ADUs), such as garage apartments and mother-in-law suites.

Between the lines: Starkey emphasized that, despite all the growth, more than a third of county land is preserved from development. Green space is part of what makes it a desirable place to live, she said.

What's next: For Cronin, the big concern is ensuring that job growth keeps up with residential development.

• "If you miss the job piece of it, then we still have people getting on the road every day and driving downtown or driving to St. Pete and places like that," he said. "It kind of defeats the purpose."

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👋 Kathryn here. I'll let y'all in on a little secret: When I met up with some friends last month for brunch at St. Pete's new French Moroccan restaurant, Cybel, I was nursing a gnarly hangover.

• A night out at The Bends will do that.

Why it matters: I was at the perfect place for my, erm, condition.

Dig in: The Historic Kenwood eatery that opened late last year is known for its French tacos ($17), a tortilla filled with French fries and your choice of protein, sauce and toppings.

• At the recommendation of our server, I went for chicken shawarma and all six sauces, and reader: It both cured my hangover and became one of my favorite dishes of 2024.
• My non-hungover friend loved hers, too, so you really can't go wrong.

Other best bites: The un peu de tout starter ($23) offered a great sampling of falafel, labneh, hummus, Moroccan ratatouille and tabbouleh. The falafel was so perfectly crispy that we ordered more to have with our entrees.

• The tagine shakshuka ($18) also got rave reviews.

Plus: The brunch menu includes coffee, and the Thai tea latte ($8) was a standout.

Of note: While there's no alcohol on the menu, guests can bring their own.

The bottom line: Whether you've imbibed the night before or not, do yourself a favor and go here.

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🚫 Gasparilla Music Festival has been postponed "due to the ongoing financial strain caused by two consecutive years of extreme weather and unforeseen circumstances," organizers said. (Instagram)

• No new dates were announced for the festival, which had been scheduled for Feb. 14-16.

🪪 The DeSantis administration canceled the driver's license of a transgender activist who posted on TikTok about getting the gender on their ID changed from male to female. (Tampa Bay Times)

🌊 Tampa is considering payouts to residents of Forest Hills, a neighborhood that flooded when a city pump failed after Hurricane Milton. (WFTS)

🚧 ICYMI: Sundial part-owner Mike Connor sees big things ahead for the downtown St. Pete property after a $5-million courtyard renovation. (TBBJ)

• Connor hopes family-friendly activities like a Sunday market, live music and watch parties will reenergize the retail plaza.

The next time you're stuck in traffic misery on I-275, take a moment to be grateful you're not driving through Chicago or Philly.

*Driving the news: It took an average of just over 13 minutes to drive six miles in Tampa in 2024, per TomTom's annual Traffic Index.

• That's the 33rd-longest such commute among U.S. cities and third-worst in Florida, behind Cape Coral and Miami.

Depressing stat: Rush-hour drivers lost about 49 hours last year stuck in congestion, per the report — tied for 11th most in the country.

*pun intended

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