Ask a Planner: How do Future Land Use and Zoning work together?

Ever wondered why certain buildings are allowed in some areas, but not in others? That’s where Future Land Use (FLU) and zoning come into play! These tools are used by local governments to map out what types of developments can go where, creating the framework for how our cities and neighborhoods safely and sustainably grow.

The Future Land Use categories are part of the Comprehensive Plan adopted by cities and counties, designed to reflect both what’s already built and what the community will need in the future. Think of it as sorting land into big buckets like residential, commercial, industrial, or mixed-use zones. There are even categories for environmental preservation and public lands! These distinctions help make sure different types of development can coexist. Each FLU category is assigned a unique color and plotted on a Future Land Use Map (FLUM), a visual blueprint that guides future growth. The Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission and staff fits in the process at this stage, reviewing FLU amendment requests and providing recommendations to the jurisdictions’ elected officials.

Once the FLU category is set, zoning adds the finer details. Zoning specifies exactly what can be built on a property. For example, within an industrial FLU category, zoning would list whether the land can be used for manufacturing, warehouses, or other specific activities. It also includes rules about how structures can be placed, how tall they can be, and other regulations that make sure new development fits in well with its surroundings. In the case of Hillsborough County, these rules are laid out in each jurisdiction’s Land Development Code and are shown visually on its zoning map, so you can see exactly how an area is planned to evolve.

Together, Future Land Use and zoning ensure that as our communities grow, everything works in harmony. They help balance the needs of different developments while addressing potential impacts, so our neighborhoods can thrive now and in the future.