Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Zephyrhills council transmits updated housing element with 'missing‑middle' focus
Summary
Council transmitted evaluation and appraisal‑based amendments replacing the housing and intergovernmental coordination elements, adding a 10‑ and 20‑year planning horizon and strategies to preserve naturally‑occurring affordable housing, encourage missing‑middle housing and coordinate with county and regional partners.
The Zephyrhills City Council unanimously approved transmittal on April 13 of evaluation and appraisal‑based (E&A) amendments that repeal and replace the city’s housing element and its intergovernmental coordination element.
Consultant Tammy Vrana and staff presented a new housing goal emphasizing a diverse, affordable and resilient housing supply for residents of all incomes and ages, and nine supporting objectives covering supply, housing quality, special‑needs housing, fair‑housing practices and displacement protections. The E&A package also establishes required planning periods — a 10‑year horizon (through 2036) and a 20‑plus‑year horizon (through 2050) — to align the plan with recent state requirements.
Vrana highlighted local data: a current population of roughly 19,600, about 47% single‑family detached housing, 29% mobile homes and 19% multifamily; the plan projects demand for roughly 4,300 new households by 2036 (about 400–430 units per year). She said key strategies include preserving naturally occurring affordable housing, expanding housing types (the ‘missing middle’ such as duplexes, triplexes, cottage courts and small multifamily), removing regulatory barriers (parking, lot standards) and partnering with public and nonprofit providers.
Council members and several speakers from the public discussed implementation tools: pre‑approved small‑builder house plans, incentives for infill and CRA areas, technical assistance for small developers, and coordination with county grants. Council staff said implementation will include zoning reforms and potential incentives to facilitate small‑scale infill and affordable units.
The planning commission had recommended transmittal; council authorized staff to transmit the amendment package to state agencies for review and to prepare zoning and implementation recommendations for future council deliberations.
