BOCC approves multiple land‑use applications, adopts planning‑procedures update

Hillsborough County commissioners approved a series of land‑use items on Jan. 7, 2025, including site‑plan modifications, rezonings, a vacate petition and DRI/PD amendments. The board also adopted changes to the county’s comprehensive plan amendment procedures manual. Most votes were unanimous (6‑0).

Highlights - Vacate petition C1 (v24‑0011): The board approved a petition by Jared and Bethany Daufino to vacate approximately 1,795 square feet (0.04 acres) of platted utility easement and about 50 square feet of a platted guying easement to cure a pool encroachment and remove an obsolete guying easement. County staff reported no objections from reviewing departments and recommended approval. Motion carried 6‑0.

- PRS/PD minor modifications E1–E4 (PRS 25‑0077, 25‑0091, 25‑0092, 25‑0104): The board approved four site‑plan modification requests across the county. Staff recommended approval for each; applicants described no increases in entitlements and said the requests addressed internal layout or stormwater/pod reconfiguration needs. Motions for approval carried 6‑0 on each item.

- Major PD modification trade/DRI amendments G1A/G1B (Apollo Beach): The board approved a major modification to a 49‑acre portion of an Apollo Beach plan development and associated DRI amendment to reconfigure approved entitlements, remove a private yacht club entitlement, and replace the option to allow attached units with large‑lot single‑family lots; staff said estimated traffic trips would be reduced with the reconfiguration. Approval was unanimous, 6‑0.

- PD minor modification and DRI amendment G2A/G2B (Brandon area; TGH/USF workforce housing): The board approved a PD modification to increase the maximum density on a 5.2‑acre parcel to permit up to 170 multifamily units and the related DRI development‑order amendment to allow the necessary entitlement trade‑offs; applicants said the project supports workforce housing for Tampa General Hospital and USF Health employees. Motion carried 6‑0.

- Rezoning F2 (RZ Standard 24‑1142; Seffner‑Mango): The board rezoned a 1.56‑acre parcel from RSC‑2 (with mobile‑home overlay) to Commercial General Restricted (CGR) limited to a contractor’s office with enclosed storage only. Development Services and the hearing officer recommended approval; planning commission staff recommended denial. The board voted 6‑0 to approve the rezoning with the restriction.

- Rezoning F3 (RZ Standard 24‑1204; Gunn Highway/Keystone Odessa): The board rezoned two lots totaling 1.22 acres so that both parcels could be developed under AS‑1 zoning (mobile home); planning commission staff and the hearing officer recommended approval. The motion passed 6‑0.

- Planning procedures manual (Comprehensive Plan amendment procedures): The planning commission had approved proposed updates to the county’s comprehensive plan amendment procedures manual on Dec. 9, 2024. County staff presented the draft changes and the board approved them for use beginning with the January 2025 amendment cycle, including changing the applicant submittal deadline from 30 to 45 days before planning commission public hearings and removing some preliminary procedural steps. Motion carried 6‑0.

Administrative and status items - I1 monthly status report on live development projects: No new applications were reported since the December land‑use meeting.

Votes at a glance [C1] Vacate petition v24‑0011 — Motion: Approve vacation of utility and guying easements; mover: Commissioner Myers; second: Commissioner Cohen; outcome: Approved 6‑0. [E1] PRS 25‑0077 — Motion: Approve site‑plan modification for an 11.3‑acre PD at Fishhawk Boulevard and Belle Schulz Road (no increase in entitlements); outcome: Approved 6‑0. [E2] PRS 25‑0091 — Motion: Approve minor modification to 80.9‑acre PD in Ruskin for driveway/façade flexibility (no increase in entitlements); outcome: Approved 6‑0. [E3] PRS 25‑0092 — Motion: Approve site‑plan modification on a 4.7‑acre parcel on Big Bend Road; outcome: Approved 6‑0. [E4] PRS 25‑0104 — Motion: Approve site reconfiguration and stormwater pond relocation on ~137.09‑acre parcel; outcome: Approved 6‑0. [G1A/G1B] Apollo Beach PD major modification and DRI amendment — Motion: Approve reconfiguration removing yacht club and removing attached‑unit option, add buffering; outcome: Approved 6‑0. [G2A/G2B] Brandon PD modification and DRI amendment (TGH/USF workforce housing) — Motion: Approve PD modification to permit up to 170 multifamily units and related DRI change for entitlement tradeoffs; outcome: Approved 6‑0. [F2] Rezoning 24‑1142 (Seffner‑Mango) — Motion: Rezone 1.56 acres to CGR limited to contractor’s office with enclosed storage; outcome: Approved 6‑0. [F3] Rezoning 24‑1204 (Gunn Highway/Keystone Odessa) — Motion: Approve rezoning to unify AS‑1 across two parcels to allow mobile home use; outcome: Approved 6‑0.

Why it matters: The approvals together permit a range of housing, commercial and site‑configuration changes across multiple community planning areas. Several items involved contested planning or compatibility findings at the planning commission level but were approved by the board. The planning‑procedures manual change alters the timeline and process for plan amendment submittals going forward.

What’s next: Staff will prepare and record final documents for each approved item and implement conditions; the county will hold a second public hearing on proposed land‑development code amendments on Feb. 11, 2025.