The Hillsborough County Planning Commission voted unanimously June 11 to find amended and reinstated plans for three Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) districts — Downtown, Central Park and Tampa Heights Riverfront — consistent with the goals, objectives and policies of the Tampa comprehensive plan and to forward them for City Council consideration.

Planning Commission staff recommended consistency findings after reviews that identified priorities and goals for each CRA. Emily Phelan, Planning Commission staff, said the Downtown CRA update “promotes density supportive of transit, a mixture of uses” and emphasizes safer pedestrian and bicycle crossings and utilization of vacant or underused land. Quinn Steele, Planning Commission staff, presented Central Park and Tampa Heights Riverfront updates and said staff found the plans consistent with the comprehensive plan but requested specific edits to remove language that declared a plan “fully consistent,” and to remove a referenced Table 2 so the commission’s legal interpretation remains in the record.

Bryce Feringer, Tampa CRA staff, described the agency’s objectives for the districts — attainable housing, connectivity, economic advancement and improvements to the public realm — and said CRA staff will work with legal counsel to edit plan text as requested by Planning Commission staff. Courtney Orr, development manager for the Downtown/Tampa Heights CRA districts, told commissioners that the CRA sets aside money for affordable housing programs and that “we put aside 30% of the total TIF revenue every fiscal year to implement the programs we have established for affordable housing.”

Commissioner Buza moved consistency findings for the Central Park and Tampa Heights Riverfront plans; Commissioner Bowden seconded the Downtown CRA motion. All three motions carried unanimously.

The Planning Commission’s actions were procedural consistency findings required under Florida statutes; staff noted the Downtown CRA update is the first comprehensive update since 1988 and the CRA aims to update plans on a five‑year cycle. Tampa CRA staff identified strategic actions including mixed‑use infill, transit‑supportive density and public realm investments such as street upgrades, open‑space enhancements and public art.

Staff and CRA representatives said they will revise the CRA documents to address the commission’s requested edits before the City Council public hearings. No public speakers had signed up on these items at the Planning Commission meeting.

The Planning Commission’s consistency findings mean the commission determined the CRA plan updates do not conflict with the Tampa comprehensive plan; final adoption requires the Tampa City Council and any subsequent statutorily required steps.