Planning commission backs Tampa future land-use rewrite, adds Rocky Point to coastal development area

The Tampa Planning Commission voted to find TACPA 24-04, a wholesale update to the future land-use section of the Tampa Comprehensive Plan, consistent with the comprehensive plan and forward the recommendation to Tampa City Council, and amended the motion to include Rocky Point in the city's coastal development areas map. The amended motion passed 6-2.

The update is a broad rewrite that staff said aims to direct growth to 'place types' such as regional activity centers, transit-supportive areas and transit-ready corridors, simplify mixed-use categories, and add stacked density bonuses for affordable housing, transit proximity and green-building measures.

Jennifer Malone, planning commission staff, told commissioners the draft is the product of a visioning process that began in 2022, stakeholder outreach and consultant analysis. "We are back after April 7 where we received some direction from this board," Malone said, and described changes including new place-type guidance, a new industrial-preservation map and a missing-middle proposal to allow townhomes and duplexes in selected Residential 10 parcels that meet locational and compatibility criteria.

Melissa Dickens, planning commission staff, said staff revised the draft after additional stakeholder meetings. She said some numerical definitions for vertically integrated mixed use were moved to the Land Development Code (LDC), the prohibition on plan amendments in parts of the CHHA was removed so applicants can apply, and Westshore was established as a coastal development area.

The draft retains a limit on increasing density inside the CHHA: "no plan amendments for parcels within the CHHA should increase the maximum residential density or intensity beyond what is currently allowed by the FLU category," Malone said, while noting limited exceptions where staff said a public benefit or a funding mechanism exists.

Public commenters expressed a wide range of views. Carol Ann Bennett urged the commission to find the draft inconsistent, saying South Tampa "does not need increased capacity," while representatives of the development community, including Michael Marino of Western Alliance and Eric Garduno of the Bay Area Apartment Association, urged approval and noted the draft's incentives for resilience and housing production. Several neighborhood residents, including Lindy Ellet and Bill Bertolino, raised concerns about traffic, missing sidewalks and a lack of individualized notice to some property owners.

Multiple commenters sought clarity on how the proposed policies would be translated into regulations. Planning staff and the city's planning representative, Evan Johnson, said the comprehensive-plan text sets policy direction and that the implementing LDC amendments are planned to follow; staff said many details 'including criteria for FAR use and the exact composition of mixed-use ground-floor requirements 'are to be refined in the LDC.

Commissioner comments focused on balancing housing production, neighborhood protection and resilience. Several commissioners asked staff to return with more defined code language; others supported the draft's overall direction. Commissioner Lauck asked that Rocky Point be added to the coastal development areas; Commissioner Buzza amended his motion to include Rocky Point and Commissioner Kona seconded. The amended motion passed with six votes in favor and two opposed.

Staff recommended the commission find TACPA 24-04 consistent and forward it to City Council. The commission's action sends the text amendments and the commission's recorded concerns and direction to council for its review.

What happens next: the Planning Commission's recommendation will be transmitted to Tampa City Council, and staff indicated it will pursue concurrent LDC amendments to implement many of the draft policies. The council will consider the recommendation as part of the public hearing process.

Speakers

- Jennifer Malone, Planning Commission staff (government) - Melissa Dickens, Planning Commission staff (government) - Evan Johnson, City of Tampa planning (government) - Tracy/Clerk (staff member) - Commissioner Joseph, Chair (government) - Commissioner Bowden (government) - Commissioner Buzza/Buzzard (government) - Commissioner Kona (government) - Commissioner Lauck (government) - Commissioner Seben (government) - Commissioner Linkus/Lankus (government) - Commissioner Steven (government) - Carol Ann Bennett (resident) - Stephanie Pointer (resident) - Lindy Ellet (resident) - Steve Michelini (resident/public commenter) - Michael Marino, Western Alliance (business) - Jake Kramer (attorney, private applicant/consultant) - Elvin Martinez Jr. (resident/advocate) - Gordon Schiff (resident/advocate) - Tyler Hudson, attorney for applicant (business) - Melissa Strassner, land entitlement manager, David Weekley Homes, Tampa Division (business) - Susan Swift (certified planner / resident) - Eric Garduno, Government Affairs Director, Bay Area Apartment Association (business) - Annie Barnes (planner, private firm) - Bill Bertolino (resident) - Diego Duran (architect) - Gail and Evan Winston/Evison (residents)

Authorities

- {"type":"policy","name":"Tampa Comprehensive Plan (existing and proposed text)","referenced_by":["Jennifer Malone","Melissa Dickens","Evan Johnson"]} - {"type":"bylaw","name":"City of Tampa Land Development Code (LDC)","referenced_by":["Melissa Dickens","Evan Johnson"]} - {"type":"policy","name":"Coastal High Hazard Area (CHHA) provision in adopted plan","referenced_by":["Melissa Dickens","Jennifer Malone"]}

Actions

- {"kind":"resolution","motion":"Find TACPA 24-04 consistent with the Tampa comprehensive plan and forward to Tampa City Council (as amended to add Rocky Point to coastal development areas)","mover":"Commissioner Buzza (Buzzard)","second":"Commissioner Kona","vote_record":[{"member":"Commissioner Bowden","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Commissioner Cardenas","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Commissioner Buzza (Buzzard)","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Commissioner Kona","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Commissioner Lauck","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Commissioner Steven","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Commissioner Linkus","vote":"no"},{"member":"Chair Joseph","vote":"no"}],"tally":{"yes":6,"no":2},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Motion amended on the floor to include Rocky Point as a coastal development area; commissioners voiced concerns about resiliency, notice, and implementation via the Land Development Code."}

Discussion vs. Decision

- Discussion: staff presentations, extensive public comment on neighborhood impacts, CHHA, mixed-use ground-floor requirements and the need for implementing LDC text. - Direction: commissioners requested staff pursue implementing LDC amendments and return with clarifications on FAR/mixed-use criteria; commissioners asked for more outreach and detail on Rocky Point and selected corridors. - Decision: planning commission found the text amendment consistent and forwarded it to City Council with an amendment adding Rocky Point to coastal development areas (approved 6-2).

Clarifying details

- "round up" density example: a 0.56-acre parcel in R-10 could round up from 5 to 6 units if criteria are met and not in the CHHA (explained by Jennifer Malone). - CHHA: staff retained no round-up provision and no bonuses in CHHA except limited carved-out coastal development areas and narrowly defined exceptions. - LDC implementation: staff and city planning said bonus criteria and ground-floor mixed-use percentages will be determined in the Land Development Code update (timing: staff indicated code cycles intended to align with comp-plan adoption; exact dates not specified).

Proper_names

[{"name":"Tampa","type":"location"},{"name":"Westshore Business District","type":"location"},{"name":"Rocky Point","type":"location"},{"name":"Water Street","type":"location"},{"name":"Bay Area Apartment Association","type":"organization"},{"name":"David Weekley Homes","type":"business"},{"name":"Channel District","type":"location"},{"name":"Coastal High Hazard Area","type":"other"}]

Community_relevance

- geographies: ["South Tampa","Westshore","Rocky Point","Channel District"] - impact_groups: ["residents of single-family neighborhoods","developers","affordable housing seekers","commuters"]

Searchable_tags

["future land use","comprehensive plan","coastal high hazard area","density bonus","Rocky Point","Westshore"]

Provenance

{"transcript_segments":[{"block_id":"block_757.98004","local_start":0,"local_end":147,"evidence_excerpt":"So jumping back to our first item of business is 2 a, t a c p a 24 dash o 4 comprehensive plan text amendment, Tampa future land use section and update.","reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"block_6723.6997","local_start":0,"local_end":60,"evidence_excerpt":"Motion carries 6 to do. Commissioners Linkus and Chair Joseph voted no.","reason_code":"topicfinish"}]},

"topics":[{"name":"comprehensive-plan","justification":"Direct match: planning commission considered and forwarded a comprehensive plan future land use text amendment","scoring":{"topic_relevance":1.00,"depth_score":0.92,"opinionatedness":0.05,"controversy":0.70,"civic_salience":0.95,"impactfulness":0.90,"geo_relevance":1.00}}], "topic_primary":"comprehensive-plan","sections":{"lede":"The Tampa Planning Commission voted to find a major rewrite of the city's future land-use policies consistent with the comprehensive plan and forwarded the draft to City Council, amending the motion to add Rocky Point to the coastal development areas. The amendment passed 6-2.","nut_graf":"Staff described TACPA 24-04 as a wholesale update that introduces place types, a missing-middle pathway for select Residential 10 parcels, stacked density bonuses and an industrial preservation map; public commenters and commissioners debated density in the Coastal High Hazard Area, neighborhood impacts and the need for implementing Land Development Code rules.","ending":"The commission's recommendation and the recorded concerns will be transmitted to Tampa City Council; staff said implementing LDC revisions are planned to follow the plan adoption."}}, {