Planning commission continues Tampa future‑land‑use overhaul after debate over coastal high‑hazard rules and bonus system

The Hillsborough County Planning Commission on April 7 reviewed TACPA 24‑04, the City of Tampa future land use section update that is part of the Live, Grow, Thrive 2045 comprehensive plan rewrite. After more than two hours of staff presentation, public comment and commissioner discussion, the commission declined to find the draft consistent with the comprehensive plan and instead voted to continue the item for further revisions and review; a motion to continue the public hearing to May 12, 2025 passed 7–0.

Planning commission staff described TACPA 24‑04 as a comprehensive reorganization of Tampa’s future land use policies, reducing goals, introducing a place‑type map and a bonus structure intended to direct growth to regional activity centers and transit‑ready corridors, and creating a new category for context‑sensitive neighborhoods. Melissa Dickens, planning commission staff, said the future land use section is the largest part of the update and that the update aims to streamline policies, incorporate outreach feedback, and provide incentives for growth in the “right places.” "This presentation is probably going to be a little bit longer than a normal plan amendment presentation," Dickens said, describing the multi‑year, iterative process and outreach that produced the draft.

Jennifer Malone, planning commission staff, walked commissioners through key policy…