HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY — The Board of County Commissioners voted 7‑0 on Jan. 13 to approve a major modification to a planned development in Apollo Beach that removes a previously entitled 103‑room hotel and instead allows two residential options and a maximum building height increase from 50 feet to 60 feet.

The applicant’s representative, Isabel Albert of Stearns Weaver Miller, told the board the modification retains the project’s original intent while adding enhanced pedestrian access and updated landscape conditions. Planning staff and the zoning hearing master recommended approval after the applicant agreed to increase side‑yard setbacks by 10 feet and provide additional buffering to adjacent parcels.

Opponents urged the commission to preserve a 50‑foot guideline in the Apollo Beach community plan. Resident Craig Major told commissioners the requested change would "dwarf" nearby buildings and said, "we are faced with yet another request to build something taller, an eyesore, at the end of Apollo Beach Boulevard." Expert witness Carl Lianos submitted a report arguing the proposal was inconsistent with the community plan and noted a discrepancy between the applicant’s narrative and the site plan; he said the plan showed a maximum building height of up to 72 feet in places.

In rebuttal, applicant representative William Malloy argued that the Apollo Beach livable community policy "discourages" buildings over 50 feet but does not prohibit them and noted the site is entitled for a 103‑room hotel under current approvals. Planning commission staff summarized that the property carries an OC‑20 future land use designation, a more intensive category that supports higher intensity development, and confirmed the applicant’s revised proposal meets setback and compatibility requirements.

The board’s discussion touched on whether the Apollo Beach policy language applies to this small OC‑20 strip. Commissioner comments noted the parcel is already entitled for nonresidential uses and that something would be built on the site whether the commission approved condos or a hotel. After brief deliberation the motion to approve passed 7‑0.

The approval includes the revised PD conditions discussed in the hearing record, among them the increased setbacks and clarified landscaping conditions; the applicant said a major transit stop tied to the project will be provided by Dec. 31, 2027, or at the next applicable redevelopment threshold. The vote concludes the land‑use decision; any subsequent permitting and site engineering — including stormwater and final elevations — will be addressed through the county’s development review and permitting process.