Good evening, welcome to the July 16, 2026 Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners Comprehensive Plan Amendment Public Hearing.

Before we get started this evening, I want to read into the record from Commissioner Miller.

Please be advised that due to previously planned travel to manage county business in New Orleans at the NACO annual conference.

I'll not be able to attend the July 16th current planning meeting.

If you have any questions regarding this, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly.

This evening, the board will consider the adoption of a large scale amendment of the comprehensive plan.

Additionally, the board will consider the adoption of small scale amendments to the future land use map of the plan as well as a related application for rezoning, which will be considered concurrently.

So this time would planning commission like to introduce the first item.

Good evening.

This is Gillian Massey with Planning Commission staff.

This slide just shows a slightly more zoomed-in look on that interchange.

You can see that it intersects with the proposed Fort Hamner Road, which again is currently not constructed.

Do you have a couple of agency review comments related to staff analysis that I'd like to go through briefly?

We have the TPO's Access 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan or LRTP.

This interchange is in the LRTP within the unfunded needs.

I'd also like to note that the proposed interchange received a $7.5 million legislative yearmark in 2025 for a study to determine its alignment with final approval from the Florida Department of Transportation.

That study is separate and distinct from this plan amendment, which adds the interchange to the court of preservation plan map for the county's setback and right of way planning needs.

There are wetlands near the general location of the proposed interchange.

EPC's comments noted that a wetland delineation survey is necessary to verify the avoidance of wetland impacts for the proposed interchange.

This must be approved prior to any permitting or construction.

Protecting, enhancing and mitigating environmental impacts are important considerations that are noted throughout the comprehensive plan.

The EPC's comments and the plan's policies do not directly prohibit interchange construction in this area.

Final engineering and approval of the construction and alignment of the proposed interchange would occur outside of the comprehensive plan amendment process.

This slide shows that there is also significant wildlife habitat near the proposed interchange.

The comprehensive plan states to minimize adverse impacts to environmentally sensitive land and to wildlife habitats.

Again, these issues would best be addressed through the roadway engineering and design process outside of the comprehensive plan amendment process.

When staff review for consistency with the comprehensive plan, we review the entire plan.

So we have a couple of policies that I'd like to point out to you here.

The environmental sustainability section as well as the intergovernmental coordination section lists policies that relate to the previous comments provided by the EPC for wetland impacts and they require coordination with the EPC.

The mobility section policies here speak to environmental considerations.

Finally, the Little Manatee South community plan policies here support minimizing impacts on natural areas and encourage preservation of natural areas and creeks.

In terms of consistency, the amendment is consistent with the objectives and policies of the comprehensive plan that are listed here.

For the capital improvement section and the future land use section, the plan supports the provision of infrastructure needed for growth and development.

Looking at the mobility section, the proposed Fort Heimer Interchange is within the long-range transportation plan, as I noted previously.

And the comp plan directs the quarter preservation plan map and the LRTP to be in alignment.

Additionally, one of the policies within the mobility section encourages infrastructure planning for UEA specifically.

Finally, within the Little Manatee South Community Plan, that community plan has a vision statement that specifically supports regional connectivity to a potential future I-75 interchange.

While an objective of the community plan is to maintain conservation areas, it also anticipates growth through urban service expansion.

And this is a unique consideration that differentiates it from other rural community plans.

Finally, this community plan recognizes the importance of enhancing infrastructure.

With that, the planning commission found HCCPA 2611 consistent with the unincorporated Hillsborough County Comprehensive Plan.

This item was transmitted to the state for a state and regional agency review.

They had no objections to this amendment, and this item is for your consideration for adoption this evening.

I'm happy to answer any questions that you may have along with staff from community and infrastructure planning.

Thank you.

Thank you for the presentation.

We'll go into the public hearing.

Each person will be given three minutes.

The first three speakers this evening are Amanda Brown, followed by Aaron Morrison, and then Samantha Rhimes, who's virtual.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Amanda Brown.

Unfortunately, this item did not include any of those availabilities to us.

This is a frightening item, and frankly, it is a slap in the face to those of us who have taken the time to participate in the ongoing little manatee study.

This is a study that we're being told gives us the opportunity to weigh in on how this area will look.

The study won't be complete until the end of the year.

So what is so urgent that this item could not wait until that study was finished so that we have an opportunity to have real true public engagement?

Why did this have to be a publicly initiated item?

Why did our county staff have to be the one to apply for this text amendment when we do not own the land immediately adjacent to it?

And thirdly, why did the county not engage the public for an item regarding such a massive project as this will be?