Planning commission finds Plant City map amendment consistent for Sam Allen Road parcels

Plant City planning commission staff presented PC/CPA 25‑08 on March 9, 2026, asking the commission to find consistent a privately initiated small‑scale future‑land‑use map amendment for three parcels at 2502, 2508 and 2600 East Sam Allen Road. Planning staffer YeneKa Mills said the roughly 9.86‑acre site is inside the Northeast Plant City master planning area and the Economic Opportunity overlay, and recommended a consistency finding with the Plant City Comprehensive Plan.

The recommendation centers on shifting the parcels from Hillsborough County Residential 1 to Plant City Commercial to better align with the adopted vision map and nearby development. Mills said the current Hillsborough County RES‑1 designation would allow about one dwelling unit per acre or roughly 107,000 square feet of commercial uses, while the staff presentation noted the proposed commercial designation could be considered for up to 31 dwelling units; the presentation slides also cited an increase in potential commercial floor area (the transcript text reads "over 150 square feet of commercial," which appears to be a transcription or slide error and is flagged as not specified in clarifying details below).

Catherine Coyle, director of planning for Abacus and the applicant representative, told commissioners the parcels were annexed in 2022 and argued a commercial/mixed‑use transition would support the new South Florida Hospital to the south by providing nearby retail and services, reduce local vehicle travel, and follow the Northeast Master Plan vision. Coyle also discussed site conditions, noting a majority of the property lies in flood zone X/A.E. per staff reports and surveys but that the property line sits south of a small floodway shown on maps.

The school district provided a comment that Marshall Middle and Plant City High are projected to be over capacity, which staff noted in its report but said the request still met multiple plan policies — including locating commercial uses along collectors and supporting major employment centers. No members of the public signed up to speak on the item.

Commissioner Jemison moved to find PC/CPA 25‑08 consistent with the comprehensive plan; Commissioner Bowden seconded. The commission voted unanimously to carry the motion.

The transcript does not record a subsequent city or county adoption action in this hearing. The commission’s consistency finding is a recommendation step; the record does not specify the next legislative or final adoption date.