Board approves rezoning and comprehensive-plan amendment for Seffner site to allow limited light industrial uses

Planning staff presented HCCPA 25-10, a privately initiated small-scale map amendment for about 15.3–15.64 acres at 6544 County Road 579 in Seffner, requesting a change from Residential 1/4 future land-use categories to Light Industrial Plan (LIP). Staff described surrounding single-family residential uses to the northwest and south, existing LIP uses to the east, and noted concerns from planning commission staff about compatibility with adjacent residential areas.

Gina Grimes, counsel for Provident Partners Real Estate, told the Board the applicant’s companion planned development (PD) will limit uses and incorporate compatibility measures. Grimes said the proposal calls for roughly 190,000 square feet of limited light-industrial development (warehouse/wholesale distribution/manufacturing) and that the PD would require compatibility measures — large setbacks (60–200 feet), enhanced buffers (two rows of 10-foot trees), a 6-foot masonry wall, and limits on open-storage heights — to mitigate impacts on adjacent residences. Applicant representatives also said they will dedicate about a half acre of right-of-way to support county-funded intersection improvements at Mango Road and Pruitt Road and will build a multipurpose trail along Mango and Pruitt.

Development services and zoning hearing staff recommended approval of the rezoning subject to conditions, and the zoning hearing master and planning commission both recommended approval. The Board approved the comprehensive-plan amendment (HCCPA 25-10) and the rezoning (RZ25-0703 PD) in separate votes, each recorded 7–0.

Staff noted the proposed floor area ratio (FAR) and proposed square footage are well within the maximum allowed under the LIP category. Conditions include a 2.22-acre retention pond, 50-foot buffers on certain boundaries (exceeding the code-required 30 feet), a 6-foot masonry wall with double-row evergreen screening, and a condition limiting temporary open-storage height to 20 feet. Zoning staff said two administrative variances and design exceptions had been requested and the county engineer found the design exceptions approvable.

The approvals permit the applicant to proceed to the companion PD process and subsequent site-plan and permitting steps subject to conditions of approval and any required administrative variances.