Hillsborough County Planning Commission Public Hearings – March 9, 2026
Hillsborough County Planning Commission Public Hearings – March 9, 2026\n\nThe Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission conducted three public hearings on the evening of March 9, 2026, covering proposed comprehensive plan amendments for Plant City and unincorporated Hillsborough County, as well as the adoption of new city council district boundaries for Tampa. All agenda items were approved by unanimous votes.\n\n### Plant City Comprehensive Plan Amendment (PC/CPA 25-08)\n- Staff Presentation (Yanika Mills): Proposed changing the future land use designation of 9.86 acres at 2502–2600 East Sam Allen Road from Hillsborough County Residential One to Plant City Commercial. The site lies within the Northeast Plant City Area Master Plan and Economic Opportunity Overlay. Staff found consistency with policies supporting commercial uses along collectors (Sam Allen Road is a collector), the hospital as a major employment center, and the adopted vision map. The school board noted that Marshall Middle and Plant City High are projected over capacity, but no formal objections were received.\n- Applicant Presentation (Catherine Coyle, Boggs Engineering): Representing Abacus Retail South Shore LLC. She emphasized the need for commercial services in the area due to the new South Florida Hospital and surrounding residential growth. The change would increase density from 1 unit/acre to an effective 3 units/acre (due to a 20% residential cap) and allow 0.35 FAR. She noted that the Northeast Master Plan designates the site as commercial and that community surveys identified a lack of nearby shopping.\n- Public Comment: None.\n- Motion and Vote: Commissioner Jemison moved to find the amendment consistent; Commissioner Bowden seconded. Unanimous approval.\n\n### Hillsborough County Comprehensive Plan Amendments (HC/CPA 25-27 & HC/CPA 25-28)\n- Staff Presentation (Lillian Linehan): Two related publicly initiated amendments for 19.94 acres at 5008–5044 Saffold Road. HC/CPA 25-27 requests an Urban Service Area (USA) expansion; HC/CPA 25-28 requests a future land use change from Agricultural Rural 1-5 to Residential 4. The site is adjacent to parcels recently approved for the same changes. Staff found consistency with policies directing growth to the USA, compatibility with surrounding low-density residential, and support for the Wimauma Village Community Plan’s goal of diverse housing. No formal objections were received.\n- Public Comment: None.\n- Commissioner Questions: Staff clarified that the land is privately owned but the amendment is publicly initiated to fill a gap in the USA boundary. Commissioner Orton noted that Morgan High School is at 53% capacity and that school sites are being planned nearby. Commissioner Lauck discussed the pros (more development options) and noted that property appraisals are based on zoning, not future land use, and that small subdivisions (up to three lots) may not require immediate utility connections.\n- Motions and Votes: For HC/CPA 25-27 (USA expansion): Motion by Commissioner Kona to find consistent, seconded by Commissioner Linkos. Unanimous. For HC/CPA 25-28 (land use change): Motion by Commissioner Kona to find consistent, seconded by Commissioner Linkos. Unanimous.\n\n### City of Tampa Redistricting (Second and Final Public Hearing)\n- Staff Presentation (Mr. Gonzalez): Presented four alternative maps to reduce population deviation among Tampa’s four geographic council districts from 8.36% to under 5%, as required every four years before the March 2027 election. Alternative 2 was recommended, moving only one precinct (345) from District 7 to District 5, affecting the fewest people (about 5,000) and achieving a 3.97% range. Staff conducted extensive outreach including six open houses, over 3,000 targeted emails, social media ads, and received 170 completed preference forms; Alternative 2 was the most preferred.\n- Public Comments:\n - Michael Randolph (West Tampa CDC): Supported Alternative 2, stating it protects Black political power, makes minimal changes, does not split the Beulah Baptist community, and keeps voting blocks together.\n - Rashima McCoy (Sulphur Springs Action League): Expressed favor for Alternative 2.\n - Fran Tate (Jackson Heights Neighborhood Association): Supported Alternative 2 after community deliberation, prioritizing preservation of voting power in East and West Tampa and noting the community wanted to welcome precinct 345.\n - Delphine Jones (West Tampa CAC, West Riverfront Crime Watch): Supported Alternative 2 to prevent diminishing Black votes in East and West Tampa.\n- Commissioner Discussion: Commissioner Lauck complimented staff on the extensive outreach and clear presentation. Commissioner Bowden noted community comfort with Alternative 2 due to minimal disruption.\n- Motion and Vote: Commissioner Kona moved to approve Alternative 2 as the official redistricting map; Commissioner Lauck seconded. Unanimous approval.\n\n### Key Outcomes\n- PC/CPA 25-08 (Plant City commercial map amendment): Found consistent with the comprehensive plan. (Unanimous)\n- HC/CPA 25-27 (Saffold Road USA expansion): Found consistent. (Unanimous)\n- HC/CPA 25-28 (Saffold Road land use change to Residential 4): Found consistent. (Unanimous)\n- City of Tampa Redistricting: Approved Alternative 2, moving precinct 345 from Council District 7 to District 5. (Unanimous)
Meeting Transcript
Welcome to a meeting of your planning commission, the official local planning agency for the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace, Plan City, and Unincorporated Hillsborough County. For more information about the Planning Commission, please call eight one three, two seven two five nine four zero. Follow us on social media or visit our website at PlanHillsboro.org. Welcome everybody to the March 9th, 2026 public hearing of the Planning Commission on City of Plant City Comprehensive Plan Amendments. We thank you for attending this meeting. Your comments and participation are encouraged. For those attending in person and wishing to speak on any agenda item, please sign the register at the rear of the room and turn off any devices that may be a distraction. To minimize feedback in the audio, all online participants in the meeting will be muted until it is their opportunity to speak. Planning commissioners should unmute themselves to indicate that they would like to speak. Please be sure to state your name at the beginning of your remarks for the benefit of the clerk. There will be an opportunity for members of the public to provide comments when your name is called.org. For those of you who are not familiar with our process, the meeting will be conducted as follows. The agenda item will be introduced. Staff will give their presentation with a 15-minute time limit. The applicant will be given the opportunity to make a presentation with a 15-minute time limit. Following presentations, members of the public may address the planning commission when recognized by the chairman. Public comment will be heard for three minutes per person. The applicant will be afforded a three-minute period for rebuttal or response. Planning commissioners will then ask questions. Public comment will be closed, then upon a motion, a second and discussion of what will be taken. To all participants, please note that tonight's hearing concerns proposed changes to the comprehensive plan. Presentation should not include matters related to zoning applications and site plans that are not before the commission. Zoning conditions are not relevant to plan amendments and may not be considered by the planning commission. The planning commission's purview in making a recommendation is limited to consistency or inconsistency with the comprehensive plan. With that, I'd ask the clerk to please call roll. Cardines. Lincas. Here. Lauk. Here. Here. Orton. Here. Mary? Here. Joseph? Here. You have a quorum, sir. Thank you. All right. Our first and only agenda item is 2A, PCCPA 25 08. Comprehensive plan map amendment 2502 2508-2600 East Sam Allen Road. And the presenter is Yanika Mills. Good evening, Yanika Mills Planning Commission staff. I'm here to present PCCPA 2508, located at 2502-2508 and 2600 East Sam Allen Road. This is a privately initiated uh plan amendment, small and scales, a little over nine acres, and the applicant is requesting to change their future land use designation from Hillsborough County Residential One to Plant City Commercial. Here is a uh general location map. Um, the subject site is located within the northeastern portion of Plant City along Sam Allen Road. It's also located within the Northeast Plant City area master planning area as well as the economic opportunity overlay. Here is an aerial of the site.
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