Board adopts Land Development Code amendment easing stairway encroachment rules in flood hazard yards

Hillsborough County commissioners on March 11 adopted final amendments to the Land Development Code (LDC amendment 205348) to allow limited encroachments for stairways and permit up to a 10% increase in footprint for replacement structures in special flood hazard areas, providing more flexibility when elevating homes.

Development Services presented the second public hearing for the amendment and said the change adds flexibility for stairways and allows a modest footprint increase to accommodate elevated structures in split special flood hazard areas; Planning Commission had found the amendment consistent with the comprehensive plan at its February 20 meeting. Displaced homeowners who have been elevating or reconstructing homes after Hurricane Idalia addressed the board in support.

Allison Roberts, who said she is displaced from Dana Shores, told the board the amendment responds to community needs because older homes often have wing walls, detached sheds and garages that make rebuilding on the identical footprint impractical. "The change today to allow for the reconstructed home to be modified from the existing footprint makes a lot of sense," Roberts said, and she thanked county staff for their responsiveness. Another Dana Shores resident said the amendment could shorten the permitting process by about three months and encourage more homeowners to mitigate flood risk by elevating.

Commissioner Wessel moved to adopt the amendment, seconded by Commissioner Cohen; the board voted 7–0 to adopt the LDC change. The amendments are intended to reduce barriers to elevating homes in flood‑prone neighborhoods while maintaining overall floodplain protections; final implementation will occur through Development Services procedures and permitting.