Tampa Convention Center at night

Components and Partners

Purpose

The purpose of this page is to facilitate easy navigation of the City Planning page by understanding the key components of our work and the agencies with which we collaborate. By providing definitions, this will provide the public with a key understanding of why we do the work we do.

Components

  • Comprehensive Plan: Required by state law, the Comprehensive Plan establishes a community's policies and priorities regarding future development. The Comprehensive Plan serves as a guide for community development and preservation decisions across a wide range of topics, including land use, mobility, and public services, aimed at enhancing the community's quality of life. The Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission, a division of Plan Hillsborough, is the lead organization in developing the City of Tampa's Comprehensive Plan, with assistance from the City of Tampa.
  • Future Land Use: Housed within the Tampa Comprehensive Plan, the Future Land Use map lays out the plan for the long-term vision that guides decisions regarding where homes, businesses, parks, and other community spaces are located. This section has been updated to reflect the community's vision and the city's priorities for growth and development. The Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission, a division of Plan Hillsborough, is the lead organization in developing the City of Tampa's Future Land Use, with assistance from the City of Tampa.
  • Zoning: Focused on the current use of the land, zoning is a color-coded map that divides the city into zones to regulate the buildings and activities within those areas.
  • Land Development Code: Constructed by City of Tampa staff, the Land Development Code contains the rules and regulations that govern how to use and develop the land, such as design standards, landscaping, signs, etc.
  • Land Development Code Amendments: Reviewed by City staff and approved by City Council, Land Development Code Amendments are a formal change or update to the Land Development Code to adjust zoning, design standards, or technical requirements to implement the Comprehensive Plan, fix issues, address new needs, or allow for a specific project to be developed.

Partners

The City Planning Department collaborates closely with other City departments, as well as key local and regional agencies and planning organizations, to plan for the future. Each of our partner agencies and planning organizations has a unique role in shaping the future of the City of Tampa and the Tampa Bay region.

  • Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission: The Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission, a division of Plan Hillsborough, is the official planning agency for all jurisdictions in Hillsborough County regarding smart growth and development. They promote, coordinate, collaborate with, and facilitate the involvement of all people in the long-range planning and vision for our community, aiming to improve economic development, quality of life, and provide value-added services. The City of Tampa planning staff coordinates on the Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use.
  • Hillsborough County Transportation Planning Organization: The Hillsborough County Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), a division of Plan Hillsborough, is a transportation policy-making board mandated by federal and state law. The TPO is responsible for ensuring that federal and state dollars are spent on existing and future transportation projects, based on a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation planning process. The City of Tampa planning staff coordinates on special projects with the TPO.
  • Hillsborough Transit Authority: The Hillsborough Transit Authority (HART) provides convenient, affordable public transportation options tailored to contemporary lifestyles. The City of Tampa's planning staff coordinates projects to enhance transportation within the city.
  • Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners: In 1834, the U.S. Legislative Council for the territory of Florida approved Hillsborough as Florida's 19th county. The City of Tampa collaborates with various departments to ensure comprehensive planning processes throughout the city's service area.
  • Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council: One of 10 regional planning councils in Florida, the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (TBRPC) serves citizens and member governments by providing a forum to foster communication, coordination, and collaboration in identifying and addressing issues and needs regionally. Member governments consist of six counties and 23 municipalities. The City of Tampa is a member and coordinates on regional issues with the City Council and staff through meetings and projects.
  • Tampa Downtown Partnership: The Tampa Downtown Partnership is a not-for-profit organization that fosters Tampa's vibrant and diverse multi-use neighborhoods and plays a key role in creating a 24-hour urban center where people can live, work, and play. They are the administrators for the Special Services Districts (SSD) program, contracted by the city, and provide services to enhance cleaning, safety, beautification, and development in the downtown core. The City of Tampa's Planning Department works to plan the future of the downtown core.
  • University of South Florida: Founded in 1956, the University of South Florida (USF) conducts innovative scholarship, creative activity, and basic and translational research, and delivers a world-class educational experience promoting the success of its students. The City of Tampa and USF have a Campus Development Agreement, established by the Florida Legislature, which establishes special provisions for campus planning and concurrency in Section 1013.30. The agreement shall determine the impacts of proposed campus development on public facilities and services and identify any deficiency in public facilities and services. The City of Tampa provides input on the USF Campus Master Plan and collaborates on city projects.