Construction projects near Pasco County schools must now schedule around student drop-off and pickup times under a new county ordinance that took effect Oct. 21.

Ordinance 26-41 requires any project within one mile of an operating elementary, middle or high school to coordinate with the school's administration. The one-mile distance is measured from the nearest project boundary to the nearest school site boundary.

The Pasco County Board of County Commissioners adopted the ordinance Oct. 20 with a quorum present. Chairman Jack Mariano signed it. The exact vote tally does not appear in the filed ordinance.

The rule goes beyond school zones. Projects with access to more than one nonlocal road must use the route that does not interfere with school access. Developers cannot reroute construction trucks onto local or residential roads to avoid a school located on a collector or arterial road.

For projects that do not fall near a school, the ordinance still requires a construction traffic plan approved by the county administrator. Those plans must show the route from the project site to the closest arterial or collector roadway.

The county's business impact estimate, published in July, states the amendments will "protect existing neighborhoods from construction traffic and damage to existing infrastructure." Developers will bear the cost of creating and submitting traffic plans, repairing any road damage and sweeping or watering haul routes daily.

Enforcement carries teeth. Before work begins, the county will perform a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) assessment, and the developer must provide photo or video documentation of the route. Before final inspection, the developer must restore the road to its original condition or better.

Local roads on the haul route must be swept daily to remove dirt and debris. Dirt and limestone roads must be watered daily instead.

If a developer uses an unapproved route, the county administrator can require signage at those routes. Continued violations can trigger a stop work order or force the developer to hire an off-duty law enforcement officer to direct traffic.

The Local Planning Agency held a public hearing Aug. 6 and found the amendments consistent with the Pasco County Comprehensive Plan. The commission held public hearings Sept. 22 and Oct. 20 before final adoption. The ordinance was filed with the Florida Department of State on Oct. 21, the date it took effect.

The county estimated that the number of businesses affected is unknown because the volume of new developments needing access on existing local roads cannot be predicted. Developers may also face a new plan review fee, though the ordinance does not specify the amount.