Hillsborough County considers buffer, lot‑size and fence variances and a packaged‑liquor special use; one case continued

The Nov. 17 Land Use Hearing Officer session covered a range of non‑sign land‑use petitions, including landscaping and buffering relief for an existing auto repair site, a lot‑size variance to allow septic on two constrained lots, a fence‑height replacement for a townhome complex, and a special‑use request to permit sealed‑container alcohol sales (a 3PS) at a Brandon shopping center.

Chris Granlund (Development Services) summarized a landscaping and buffering variance (25‑1414) for a commercial auto repair business located on US‑41 in Lutz, noting the site’s long‑standing configuration stems from a 1994 FDOT right‑of‑way taking. Todd Pressman, representing the applicant, said the taking constrained the building and parking such that the required 8‑foot and 6‑foot buffers would impair vehicle circulation for large trucks and service vehicles. He submitted a letter of support from a local civic association and cited a prior, similar variance to the south.

On a residential matter (25‑1355), a contractor and applicant Andrea Purcell described a carport extension on a very rural, ~8‑acre property where the lot’s unusual geometry creates a "special yard" configuration; the contractor said they removed a prior violating structure and that the request would not injure neighboring rights.

Orlando Boras explained a variance (25‑1447) to minimum lot size tied to available utilities for two parcels where the code requires a half‑acre minimum for septic use but the applicant proposed roughly 0.16 acres per lot. The applicant’s representative, Umak Asravi, said the owner met with utility staff who stated public sewer was not available, and that the parcels’ dual frontage and historic subdivision geometry justify the variance. Neighbors raised safety concerns about large, decaying trees on the parent parcel that could pose hazards if not pruned or removed during future development.

For Valley View Townhomes (variance 25‑1450), Sierra James presented staff findings for an 8‑foot fence variance. The applicant representative, Lisa Guertin, said the existing 8‑foot chain‑link fence—damaged by Hurricane Milton—should be replaced for safety and to deter trespass, citing a crime‑prevention assessment. A nearby property representative, Michael Bishop, objected to an 8‑foot chain‑link fence adjacent to a 6‑foot vinyl fence and raised encroachment and aesthetic concerns, noting many elderly tenants live adjacent to the property.

In a special‑use presentation (AB25‑1440), Todd Pressman sought a 3PS package‑sales alcohol permit for an ABC Fine Wine & Spirits tenant at a Brandon shopping center, requesting separation waivers from nearby community uses. Pressman said the site has dense vegetation, a substantial screening wall at the rear, and is oriented toward State Route 60, which separates it from some community uses; staff found the effective separations were sufficient to conclude no significant impacts would result from the wet zoning request.

Earlier in the hearing staff reported they were unable to reach the applicant for variance 25‑1340 (an accessory‑structure variance for Laritza Lopez) and the officer continued that matter to January 12, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in the same chambers. The hearing adjourned after the last item.