Hillsborough County BOCC Public Hearing on CPA & Rezonings - Feb 12, 2026
Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners Public Hearing - February 12, 2026
The Board of County Commissioners held a public hearing on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at 6:00 PM to consider multiple comprehensive plan amendments and concurrent rezoning applications. The meeting included five small-scale adoption items, one large-scale transmittal item, and one continuance request. Overall, the board approved four comprehensive plan amendments and three rezoning applications, denied one rezoning recommendation from staff, and transmitted one large-scale amendment to the state for review.
Consent Calendar
- HC/CPA 25-01 and concurrent RZ PD 25-0500: Approved unanimously (7-0) – Land use change from Residential-1 to Suburban Mixed Use-6 on ~9.5 acres (2002 West 60 Highway) to allow a trucking dispatch office, warehouse, and open storage.
- HC/CPA 25-24 and concurrent RZ PD 25-1245: Approved unanimously (7-0) – Land use change from Agricultural/Rural-1/5 & Agricultural/Mining-1/10 to Light Industrial on ~4.74 acres (10601 Paul Buchman Highway) to allow open storage of RVs, boats, trucks, and equipment.
- HC/CPA 25-31 and concurrent RZ STD 25-1281: Approved unanimously (7-0) – Land use change from Residential-1 to Light Industrial on ~4.45 acres (12780 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard & 2922 Shady Acres Road) for a roofing company's expanded operations.
- HC/CPA 25-33: Approved unanimously (7-0) – Land use change from Suburban Mixed Use-6 to Residential-12 on ~19.53 acres (College Avenue & 18th Street Southeast) to allow cluster residential development preserving on-site wetlands.
Public Comments & Testimony
- HC/CPA 25-30 & RZ STD 25-1111 (Ruskin): Sixteen community members testified in support, describing the applicant (Johnny Soap, a small auto repair business) as an excellent neighbor who helped clean up debris after storms and provided free or discounted repairs to those in need. No opposition testimony was received from parties of record.
- HC/CPA 25-31 & RZ STD 25-1281 (Seffner/Mango): Grace McComas (Seffner Mango community) opposed the amendments, arguing that the community plan directs commercial development only west of State Road 579, and that the applicant misrepresented the plan's goals. She also noted that the new rural light industrial land use (CPA 25-29) should preclude approval.
- HC/CPA 25-22 (Lithia – Transmittal): Seventeen speakers testified in opposition, citing severe traffic congestion on County Road 39 and Lithia Pinecrest Road, lack of infrastructure (wells, septic), overcrowded schools (Newsom High School at 102% capacity), fire evacuation concerns, loss of farmland, and incompatibility with the rural area designation. Speakers included Gary Taylor, Tina Coggins, Tegan Zealy, Lynn Ryder, and others.
Discussion Items
HC/CPA 25-01 & RZ PD 25-0500 – Trucking Dispatch/Storage
- Position (Applicant): Todd Pressman (attorney) explained that the property, a family trucking business (Navarro Produce), originally sought Office Commercial-20 but was remanded by the board to the lower SMU-6 designation. The use involves storage of nine commercial vehicles and nine domestic vehicles, with a home-based office and one single-family residence. He noted the site is adjacent to an agricultural use that already operates similar trucks.
- Planning Commission staff and the Zoning Hearing Master both recommended approval, finding the use compatible with the rural area and consistent with agricultural policies.
HC/CPA 25-24 & RZ PD 25-1245 – Open Storage (Paul Buchman Highway)
- Position (Applicant): Chris McNeil (attorney) stated the request is for a ~9.59-acre site (with rear portion remaining agricultural) and emphasized that heavy industrial uses (Mosaic phosphate plant) already exist across the highway and to the north in Pasco County. He noted no agency objections.
- Staff and the Zoning Hearing Master recommended approval, noting the front half of the parcel would be set back ~140 feet from SR 39 with an 8-foot-tall fence screening storage from adjacent uses.
HC/CPA 25-30 & RZ STD 25-1111 – Ruskin Business Expansion
- Position (Applicant): Todd Pressman argued that the site, at the end of a dead-end road, is isolated and surrounded by wetlands, and that the area is already intensifying (e.g., Moffitt South Shore campus, extra space storage, Dixie Wrecking). He emphasized written support from abutting property owners and a petition of support.
- Opposition (Staff & ZHM): David Hey (Planning Commission staff) stated the request was inconsistent with compatibility policies, as the Office Commercial-20 land use is urban in nature and would introduce multifamily (up to 20 units/acre) at the end of a local road, incompatible with the existing single-family pattern. The Zoning Hearing Master recommended denial, noting the property is under code enforcement violation and currently used for auto repair and storage without permits.
- Commissioner Discussion: Commissioners Wostal and Miller noted the strong community support and the applicant’s positive contributions. Commissioner Wostal stated the board has wide discretion on comprehensive plan amendments. The board voted 7-0 to approve both the CPA and the rezoning, overriding staff and ZHM recommendations.
HC/CPA 25-31 & RZ STD 25-1281 – Seffner/Mango Industrial Use
- Position (Applicant): Todd Pressman noted that the site is sandwiched between Light Industrial parcels, adjacent to a CSX railroad line, and along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (a truck route). He presented written support from abutting neighbors.
- Opposition (Grace McComas): McComas argued that the community plan (Goal 2-3) directs commercial only west of State Road 579, and that the new rural light industrial category (CPA 25-29) should prevent this change. She stated that the Planning Commission originally found the item inconsistent but later changed its recommendation.
- Staff Response: Tyrek Royal (Planning Commission) clarified that the recommendation changed after the planning commission voted to recommend consistency, not due to a staff error. The board approved unanimously.
HC/CPA 25-22 – Transmittal to State (Lithia)
- Position (Applicant): Michael Brooks (attorney) argued the property was originally designated residential (1 unit/acre) in the county's first comprehensive plan (1989), changed to AR in 1998 without adequate notice, and that the request is a “limited infill” into a pre-existing rural enclave. Traffic engineer Michael Yates noted the net increase would be 931 daily trips, and that road capacity has 40% remaining.
- Planning Commission Recommendation: Inconsistent with the comprehensive plan, because the site is outside the urban service area and the change would permit densities higher than 1 unit per 5 acres, incompatible with the rural character.
- Board Vote: The board voted 7-0 to transmit the amendment to the state for review (not final adoption). Commissioner Wostal indicated he could only support final approval if a timing restriction is attached to ensure road improvements (CIP project for the Lithia Pinecrest/CR 39 intersection) are completed before development moves forward. Commissioner Miller echoed that safety at the intersection is a priority.
HC/CPA 25-37 – Continuance
- Applicant requested a continuance to April 9, 2026. The board granted the continuance unanimously (5-0, one commissioner absent? The transcript records 5-0 but earlier vote counts were 7-0; discrepancy noted: the agenda shows a 7-member board, and later votes recorded 7-0. The minutes are unavailable to resolve this discrepancy.)
Key Outcomes
- HC/CPA 25-01 & RZ PD 25-0500: Approved (7-0)
- HC/CPA 25-24 & RZ PD 25-1245: Approved (7-0)
- HC/CPA 25-30 & RZ STD 25-1111: Approved (7-0)
- HC/CPA 25-31 & RZ STD 25-1281: Approved (7-0)
- HC/CPA 25-33: Approved (7-0)
- HC/CPA 25-22: Transmitted to state for review (7-0). Final adoption to occur at a later public hearing.
- HC/CPA 25-37: Continued to April 9, 2026.
- The board directed staff to prepare information on legally effective options for timing restrictions linked to CIP improvements for the Lithia Pinecrest/CR 39 intersection, to be considered at the final adoption hearing for HC/CPA 25-22.
Meeting Transcript
Repacked into the banks to recontour and also to open up the capacity of the canal. Once that is complete, then we come back in either time frame of the job starting to stopping. Either Mother Nature has started to grow grass back through. If that is not the case, then we will actually order sod to be laid down to help ensure that the dirt that's been repacked stays in place. Comprehensive plan amendment public hearing. The Board of County Commissioners will consider the transmittal and adoption of map amendments to the comprehensive plan. The board will also consider applications for rezoning concurrent with related applications for future land use map amendments. Also the applicant for CPA 25-37 has requested a continuance to the April 9th, 2026 comprehensive plan amendment public hearing at 6 p.m. I know uh once the request came in, every effort was made by staff to reach out to those in public record uh notifying them of the continuance. So at this time, can we have a motion to continue? Move to continue. Motion Commissioner Myers, second commissioner uh Miller, please record your vote. Commissioner Colin. Aye. Motion carried six to zero. Okay. So again, uh anyone here for CPA twenty-five-thirty-seven, that's been continued to April 9th. Uh this time um ask the clerk representatives to swear in uh anyone speaking on the following rezoning applications RZ twenty-five dash zero five zero zero, RZ 25-1245, RZ-25-1111, and RZ 25-1281. My apologies, sir. The vote count was five to zero. Please stand and raise your right hand. If you plan on giving testimony tonight, if you can please stand and raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm that the testimony you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Yes. Thank you. You may be seated. Okay. Uh now I ask Planning Commission staff to introduce the first item on tonight's agenda. Uh good evening, Commissioners. Uh David Hay with your planning commission staff. We have uh five adoption items for with concurrent rezonings and one transmittal of a large scale amendment. Um the first will be a one HC CPA twenty-five-01. It's a comprehensive plan map amendment, and the presenter will be Tyreek Royal. Good evening, Commissioner Sarek Royal, Planning Commission staff. Today I'll be presenting HCCPA to 501 at 2002 West Highway 60. This request is a privately initiated small scale map amendment with approximately 9.5 acres. The request is to change the land use designation from residential one to suburban mix U6 as directed by the Board of County Commissioners on August 14th, 2025. The original privately initiated requests sought a future use designation of Office Commercial 20. The location of the site is in the eastern portion of the unincorporated Hillsborough County. This is in the rural area, the Will Hill Protection area, and not located within the limits of a community plan. This is the aerial photo outlined in pink. Surrounding uses include agricultural uses to the west and south, single family uses to the north and light commercial uses to the east. And here's the east view of the property with the south being site being located to the left. And finally, uh here's the west view of the property, and the south site is being located to the right. The site currently is in the residential one future land use category, which allows for the consideration of agricultural farms, ranches, residential, neighborhood commercial offices, and multi-purpose projects. Commercial uses are subject to locational criteria. The site is approximately 1.7 miles away from urban service area in the public quasi public area. You can see in the southwest is Madara Park. The parcel designated as Office Commercial 20 in red has has had a future land use category designation since at least 1999. The applicant is requesting the change of future land use category from residential one to SMU 6.
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