WESLEY CHAPEL — The idea of turning Wesley Chapel into its own city has lingered for decades, like a fine wine aging in a cellar — occasionally uncorked for discussion, then sealed away again.

But now, Hope Kennedy and the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce say it’s time to pour a glass and see if the idea is finally ready to be served.

Under Kennedy’s leadership, the chamber announced this month that it is taking a major step forward in exploring incorporation. The chamber has launched a campaign to raise funds for an economic study that will determine whether Wesley Chapel as a city makes financial sense.

While Kennedy insists that the chamber board is neither for nor against incorporation, she says it is in prime position to facilitate the study. The chamber board voted unanimously to at least pursue the idea, which will begin with an economic impact analysis followed by a more in-depth feasibility study.

And potentially, a vote by Wesley Chapel residents to settle the age-old debate.

“It’s going to be done in phases, so that the citizens and residents of Wesley Chapel will know the benefits and or the challenges, quite frankly, with becoming its own city,” she said. “The issue has been percolating and percolating, and now we have to look at the future.”

The chamber has already engaged AngelouEconomics, a nonpartisan economic development consulting firm based in Austin, Texas, to conduct the study. But first, it needs to raise $75,000 to fund the research.

The chamber will try to raise the money through its foundation, a 501(c)(3) that serves as its philanthropic arm.

That means no tax dollars or member dollars will be used — just money that is raised and earmarked for the study.

“If we don’t raise the funds, we don’t move forward,” she said.

The idea of incorporation has been raised before, most notably in 2003 when a group of Wesley Chapel residents explored the possibility of turning their community into a city.

Their concerns were familiar — residents wanted more bang for their tax bucks, and more fire stations, police, libraries, sports fields and infrastructure, and they argued that Pasco County’s government wasn’t meeting their needs.

Opponents, however, pointed out the downsides: higher taxes and another layer of government.

That is likely to drive any opposition again.

“Obviously the No. 1 question is, ‘Are my taxes going to go up?’” Kennedy said. “That is, you know, a concern.”

Eventually, the 2003 effort never attracted the full support of the Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (which later evolved into the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce), and most of the area’s largest landowners stayed out of the debate.

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The attempt to incorporate Wesley Chapel failed when the group failed to complete the necessary paperwork for the 2004 ballot.

Two decades later, many of those same concerns remain, even though Wesley Chapel has changed dramatically due to its rapid development and growth.

Like Land O’ Lakes, Hudson and Trinity, to name a few, Wesley Chapel remains part of the 90% of Pasco County that is unincorporated.

The county has six incorporated cities — Dade City, Zephyrhills, San Antonio, St. Leo, Port Richey and New Port Richey — home to combined population of roughly 55,000. Wesley Chapel alone had a population of 64,866 in the 2020 Census, and estimates today suggest that number is now well over 80,000.

If Wesley Chapel were to incorporate, it would instantly become the largest and wealthiest city in Pasco County. The local business community seems to think it’s ready to take on that responsibility.

“This is the farthest we’ve gone, but the chamber has had this conversation at least three other times,” Kennedy said.

This latest effort was fueled by state Sen. Danny Burgess, who stoked the flames in October when he spoke at a chamber event.

“The first words out of his mouth were, why is Wesley Chapel not a city?” Kennedy said. After the meeting, some of the chamber’s board members and others had the same question. And they asked what needed to be done to make it happen.

The economic study is just the first step. If the results are favorable, a feasibility study will follow, outlining governance structure, services and financial projections.

The studies could then lead to the chamber submitting the necessary paperwork to the Florida Legislature in time for next year’s session — before Gov. Ron DeSantis leaves office, which Kennedy feels is paramount if any effort is to succeed.

“It could be on the ballot (as a referendum) in 18 months,” she said.

That is a lofty goal, but an attainable one if the forces behind the effort really want to see Wesley Chapel incorporated.

“Ultimately it will be the decision of the residents,” Kennedy said. “And our goal is to have the data needed to ensure the residents can make an informed decision.”

Proponents argue that county services are stretched thin. There are endless complaints about the need for more roads and infrastructure, and maybe less development and some preservation of green space. A post office in Wesley Chapel would be nice, they say, maybe a city hall, too, and the kind of municipal services not currently available.

All factors that have pushed the conversation forward once again.