Hillsborough County Land Use Hearing Officer Hearing - June 15, 2026

The Land Use Hearing Officer (LUHO) held a public hearing on June 15, 2026, at 9:00 AM at the County Center in Tampa, Florida, presided by Hearing Officer Susan Finch. The hearing addressed withdrawals, continuances, one sign variance, ten site development variances, and five special use applications. All decisions are to be filed by July 8, 2026.

Consent Calendar

• Item A.1 (SU-SCH 24-1238, Todd Pressman): Withdrawn by applicant.
• Item A.2 (SU-SCH 24-1335, David Wright / TSP Companies): Withdrawn by zoning administrator.
• Item A.3 (SU-SCH 26-0219, Pressman Todd): Continued to July 13, 2026, by applicant.
• Item A.4 (VAR 26-0493, Charquez Clayton): Withdrawn by applicant.
• Item A.5 (VAR 26-0707, Vulcan Industries): Withdrawn by applicant.
• Item A.6 (VAR 26-0832, Housh Ghovaee): Withdrawn by applicant.
• Item A.7 (VAR 26-0833, Pablo & Ever M. Lam): Continued to July 13, 2026, out of order.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Sign Variance (VAR 26-0856): No public testimony for or against.
• Variance (VAR 26-0584, Eric Langston): No public testimony.
• Variance (VAR 26-0704, Angelos Florida Properties): No public testimony.
• Variance (VAR 26-0710, Jon & Susana Mueller): No public testimony.
• Variance (VAR 26-0724, Ice Dreammm Shop LLC): No public testimony.
• Variance (VAR 26-0763, Oscar Romero Amat): No public testimony.
• Variance (VAR 26-0770, David Wright): No public testimony.
• Variance (VAR 26-0774, Glen Ottley): No public testimony.
• Variance (VAR 26-0793, Susan Chandra): No public testimony.
• Variance (VAR 26-0809, Mayra Lira): No public testimony.
• Variance (VAR 26-0845, Miladys Guevara Lorente): Opponent Milo Page testified that the property had been converted to a four-unit Airbnb rental, raising concerns about neighborhood character. The applicant’s representative stated the owner would stop short-term rentals and comply with code.
• Special Use (SU-SCH 26-0430, Naidip Foundation Inc.): Multiple opponents testified: attorney Jane Graham representing neighbor Demelsa Hayes and Preserve Rural Lutz; planner Eric Houston (online) argued the school’s scale (135,000 sq ft campus) and traffic (4,000+ daily trips) conflict with rural policies; Demelsa Hayes cited safety and access issues on narrow Holly Lane; Micah Seal (Watermelon Swim) highlighted traffic and emergency access concerns; Jennifer Miranda described a medical emergency delayed by congestion; retired fire captain Julio Moran emphasized life safety risks. The applicant and its experts (transportation engineer Steve Henry, planner Russell Ottenberg) presented evidence of compliance with all code criteria, including a design exception for Holly Lane and a signalization plan for Dale Mabry Highway.
• Special Use (SU-SCH 26-0538, Templo Filadelfia Inc.): No public testimony.
• Special Use (SU-AB 26-0699, Juan Camilo Mejia): No public testimony.
• Special Use (SU-AB 26-0859, La Cecilia Restaurant LLC): No public testimony.
• Special Use (SU-AB 26-0863, Cristobal Pimentel): No public testimony.

Discussion Items

• Sign Variance (VAR 26-0856, Addie Mentry for HCA Healthcare): Requested three variances to allow a new monument sign for a freestanding ER: reduction of front setback from 19 ft to 8.5 ft; increase in allowable number of signs from two to three; reduction of sign separation from 150 ft to 90 ft. Staff and applicant testified that the site’s constraints (existing development, prior variance) and the need for emergency service visibility justify the variances. The hearing officer noted an existing sign encroaching on FDOT right-of-way; the applicant stated FDOT is aware and will address it during future road work.
• Variance (VAR 26-0584, Eric Langston): Requested a 2-ft variance to allow a 6-ft fence in the front yard on a corner lot with high traffic. Applicant cited safety for children and pets. Staff confirmed proper notice. No opposition.
• Variance (VAR 26-0704, Angelos Florida Properties): Requested elimination of a required 6-ft wall within a 30-ft buffer for a proposed warehouse, relying on an existing 8-ft wall on adjacent multifamily property. Applicant noted the wall would impair office views. No opposition.
• Variance (VAR 26-0710, Jon & Susana Mueller): Requested a 2-ft variance to allow an 8-ft rear fence for privacy and noise mitigation from a neighbor’s frequent large gatherings. HOA and neighbors support. No opposition.
• Variance (VAR 26-0724, Ice Dreammm Shop LLC): Sought ten variances to the Lutz Rural Area Development Standards for an existing building (built 1974) being converted to an ice cream shop. Variances covered architectural features, fencing, signs, setbacks, dumpster, and buffers. The applicant argued the site cannot meet current standards due to its pre-existing layout. No opposition.
• Variance (VAR 26-0763, Oscar Romero Amat): Requested a 0.75-acre reduction in minimum upland lot size (from 1 acre to 0.25 acre) in the Wellhead Protection Area to subdivide a 0.51-acre lot served by a new septic system. The applicant’s representative argued financial hardship, as the cost to connect to sewer ($125,000) was not anticipated. The county attorney noted that financial hardship alone is generally insufficient for a variance. No public opposition.
• Variance (VAR 26-0770, David Wright): Requested a 40-ft variance to allow a 10-ft front setback for an accessory structure (garage) on a lot with existing house built in the 1970s. The owner cited changed setback lines since the house was built. No opposition.
• Variance (VAR 26-0774, Glen Ottley): Requested an 8-ft variance to allow a 7-ft side yard setback for a three-car attached garage. The applicant appeared virtually late; testimony described the garage as matching the house aesthetics and supporting the owner’s home-based business and recreational vehicles. No opposition.
• Variance (VAR 26-0793, Susan Chandra): Requested a 2-ft variance to allow a 6-ft front wall on a historic landmark property. The Historic Resources Review Board approved a certificate of appropriateness conditioned on this variance. The applicant cited increased traffic noise from Lake Magdalene Boulevard. No opposition.
• Variance (VAR 26-0809, Mayra Lira): Requested a 60-sq-ft variance to designate an existing mobile home as an accessory dwelling (up to 960 sq ft) while building a new principal dwelling. The property is 43,571 sq ft. No opposition.
• Variance (VAR 26-0845, Miladys Guevara Lorente): Requested a 1-ft side yard setback variance (to 4 ft) and a 10-ft front yard setback variance (to 10 ft) for an existing home and addition. An opponent testified the property had been used as a short-term rental. The applicant’s representative confirmed the owner will cease such rentals. No other opposition.
• Special Use (SU-SCH 26-0430, Naidip Foundation Inc. – Apex Academy): Proposed a K-8 private school for up to 1,000 students on 24.52 acres at the SE corner of Dale Mabry Highway and Holly Lane in Lutz. The applicant presented expert testimony on transportation improvements (signalization, Holly Lane widening, on-site queuing exceeding code), preservation of a 4-acre tree farm, no lighting of athletic fields, and compliance with all special use criteria. Staff from Development Services and Planning Commission recommended approval, finding the school compatible and consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and Lutz Community Plan. Opponents argued the school’s scale (135,000 sq ft) and traffic (4,000+ daily trips) are incompatible with the rural area, that Holly Lane is a narrow road, and that the traffic study is flawed. The hearing officer closed the case after testimony.
• Special Use (SU-SCH 26-0538, Templo Filadelfia Inc.): Proposed a new 15,279 sq ft, 354-seat church sanctuary at 5700 block of SR 674 in Wimauma. The applicant requested a waiver to access the site via local roads (4th and 5th streets) instead of a principal arterial, due to the Wimauma Downtown Overlay District requirements and the presence of a historic resource. Staff found the waiver acceptable and the plan consistent with the overlay. No opposition.
• Special Use (SU-AB 26-0699, Juan Camilo Mejia): Requested a 2-COP alcoholic beverage permit (beer and wine) for a Latin food restaurant (1,579.5 sq ft) at 14614 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. The applicant sought a waiver from the distance separation requirement for being within 1,000 ft of three or more alcohol permits. Staff noted the highly commercialized area and recommended approval. No opposition.
• Special Use (SU-AB 26-0859, La Cecilia Restaurant LLC): Requested a 4-COP-RX permit (beer, wine, liquor) for a restaurant at 210 E. Fowler Ave. The applicant sought a waiver from the 150-ft separation from residential zoning (actual distance 20 ft). Staff cited physical buffers (wall, landscape, orientation) and recommended approval. No opposition.
• Special Use (SU-AB 26-0863, Cristobal Pimentel): Requested a 2-COP permit (beer and wine) for an existing coffee shop (2,199 sq ft) at 702 Railroad St in Wimauma. The applicant sought a waiver from the distance to residential property. Staff recommended approval, noting the small scale and commercial context. No opposition.

Key Outcomes

• Withdrawn/Continued: Items A.1, A.2, A.4, A.5, A.6 were withdrawn; A.3 and A.7 were continued to the July 13, 2026 hearing.
• All other items (G.1, H.1–H.10, I.1–I.5) were heard. The hearing officer will file a recommendation or final decision for each application by July 8, 2026. For appeals of administrative decisions, the hearing officer’s decision is final; for variances, the decision may be appealed to the Land Use Appeals Board within 30 days.
• Key Detail: The sign variance case (VAR 26-0856) raised an issue of an existing sign in the FDOT right-of-way; the applicant stated FDOT is aware and will address it during future construction.
• Key Detail: In the variance case VAR 26-0763, the county attorney noted that financial hardship alone is not a sufficient ground for granting a variance, though the hearing officer may consider it.
• Key Detail: The school special use (SU-SCH 26-0430) drew significant opposition focused on traffic, scale, and rural character; the applicant relied on staff recommendations and expert testimony to argue compliance with all criteria.