Planning for Hillsborough County’s Future with FSU’s planning students

FSU DURP students and Plan Hillsborough staff pose after a training charette

Published
December 17, 2024

Contact
Planner – [email protected] – 813-272-5940

Last updated
December 19, 2024

The Mark & Marianne Barnebey Planning & Development Lab, part of Florida State University’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP), is nationally recognized for its innovative approach to sustainable growth. The lab connects academic expertise with public and private partners to support Florida communities through research and technical assistance. This year, students from the DURP program assisted Plan Hillsborough staff in identifying areas in need of potential update to the land use category on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) for unincorporated Hillsborough County.

Key Deliverables:

  1. Innovative Planning Approaches Report
    • Highlights adaptive strategies and best practices in housing, mobility, mixed-use development, sustainability, and form-based planning.
  2. Proposed Alternative Futures
    • Focuses on four urban study areas: University Area, Causeway Boulevard, Brandon Crossings, and Port of Tampa/East Bay.
    • Recommendations presented through an interactive Story Map for public accessibility.
  3. Stakeholder Engagement
    • Engages experts and the community through workshops, charrettes, and surveys to shape future land use changes.
  4. Recommendations Memoranda
    • Data-driven proposals for land use amendments aligned with Florida statutes, supported by detailed maps and analysis.

The land use changes recommended prioritize improved housing availability, mobility and connectivity, while promoting sustainable and inclusive development. Planning Commission staff will be using these recommendations to make proactive amendments to the County Future Land Use Map in the coming year as resources permit.

Accessibility

Persons needing assistance reading or interpreting items in this document, free of charge, are encouraged to contact the ADA Coordinator at (813) 272-5940 or [email protected]. Plan Hillsborough (the Planning Commission, the Hillsborough TPO, and the Hillsborough River Board) cannot ensure accessibility for items produced by other agencies or organizations.

Nondiscrimination

Plan Hillsborough (the Planning Commission, Hillsborough TPO, and Hillsborough River Board) assures that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, income, religion, familial status, or disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination or retaliation under any agency activity or program. Learn more about our commitment to nondiscrimination and diversity. For more information contact our Civil Rights Officer at (813) 946-5334 or [email protected].

Privacy

Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone at (813) 272-5940. Please note that our phone system can capture a voicemail as a recording, which if emailed may also be subject to a public-records request.

Plan Hillsborough 2026