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Executive director flags concurrent rezoning/process changes and illegal accessory‑dwelling enforcement challenges
Summary
Executive Director Melissa Zornita told the Planning Commission that county staff are working on Land Development Code changes to address concurrent rezoning/process technical issues and are discussing enforcement and regulatory options to address illegal accessory dwelling units in parts of unincorporated Hillsborough County.
Melissa Zornita, executive director of Plan Hillsborough, briefed the commission on ongoing process and policy matters, including work on concurrent plan amendment/rezone procedures and enforcement challenges tied to accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in unincorporated areas.
Zornita said the Board of County Commissioners has authorized staff to pursue Land Development Code changes to better handle concurrent rezonings and plan amendments, noting that the county’s rezoning procedures do not always account for items that proceed together. She said planning commission procedures may not change but the county commission has asked staff to streamline technical hearing administration to allow concurrent items to move forward together.
On accessory dwelling units, Zornita said the county has observed enforcement challenges in specific neighborhoods (Town 'n' Country and Palm River were cited in staff discussions) where illegal ADUs and informal conversions of single‑family homes into multiple occupancy units have been reported. Staff met with Development Services, Code Enforcement and the County Attorney’s Office and concluded the problems are chiefly enforcement and regulatory‑tool issues rather than comprehensive plan policy gaps. Zornita said options under discussion include changes to regulations and to code‑enforcement approaches to improve documentation and follow‑up on illegal conversions.
Zornita also briefly noted other ongoing items: continuing the Fowler Vision Plan technical advisory committee (with county, Tampa and Temple Terrace participation), assisting Temple Terrace with its 2026 comprehensive‑plan update, starting Plant City’s plan update in 2025, and moving ahead with the urban service area expansion public process. She said staff met with county communications on outreach for the urban service area public hearings and that staff expect a public hearing schedule later in February and March for related items.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about ADU concentrations and enforcement, and Zornita explained that some conversions involve backyard structures or RVs repurposed as living units and that code enforcement has had difficulty documenting violations on private property. She said the county is exploring regulatory and enforcement adjustments rather than changes to comprehensive plan policies.
Zornita also reported on internal outreach and staff engagement activities and noted a recent reappointment of a Temple Terrace planning commissioner who will be sworn in at a later hearing.
