Ruskin Community Plan
Ruskin Community Plan Wins Award
The Ruskin Community Plan in now an award-winning project after taking top honors in the development category at the annual Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council awards.
The award goes to the volunteer committee and the County's Planning and Growth Management Department. Both groups worked together to develop the plan.
The Planning and Growth Management Department nominated the plan, a long-term design for the future development of Ruskin.
The plan provides guidance for growth while preserving a small-town character and unique history. A major component is revitalizing the downtown area along the Ruskin Inlet.
NEW
Click here to view the adopted Town Center Development Regulations Effective 2-01-07
NEW
Click here to view the Ruskin Town Center Street Cross Section 8-24-06
Project Information
The Ruskin community is situated on the shores of Tampa Bay, the Little Manatee River and the Ruskin Inlet, approximately 16 miles southeast of Tampa. It is approximately 21 square miles including 1,148 acres designated as Natural Preservation with significant land along the Little Manatee River. In 2000 the Ruskin Community Plan Area had 5,632 dwelling units and a population of 9,518 people. By the year 2025, over 9,000 homes will be in the area with an expected population in excess of 22,000 effectively doubling the number of people in the community. Anticipating growth and effectively planning for the future of Ruskin is an example for the larger Tampa Bay Region.
The Ruskin Community plan was developed by dedicated and enthusiastic individuals who volunteered their time for the future of their community. The plan was developed under the County�s Community-Based Planning program which was formed to empower citizens to better understand and participate in planning for their neighborhoods and communities by providing them with access and involvement in the growth management process.
The number one goal focuses on revitalizing an older Downtown area promoting mixed commercial and residential uses that respects and places emphasis on its waterfront access. The plan calls for a town square for strolling, sitting, music concerts, art shows and pedestrian walkways that interconnect with boardwalks and greenways along the Ruskin Inlet waterfront. Other goals outline appropriate locations for a diversity of housing types and provide guidelines for building successful neighborhoods with integrated schools and parks.
On August 8, 2005, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved adopting the plan into the County�s Comprehensive Plan.
There are many attractive homes on the highway and scattered along the river and inlet are comfortable, homey places, inhabited by a people who spend the greater part of the year, or all of it in Ruskin.
The town is quaint because the planted things have been allowed in many instances to have their own way in growing. Fields look like fairy dells, with the ferns and tropical growth and in some of the gardens are fountains and stone seats. One can see the productivity of the soil by looking at the gardens where everything has been gardened by Nature.
Some of the fields have been cultivated and tomatoes, cabbages, onions and other crops are being raised. There is a nursery established for ornamentals on a favorable site, and in all probability it will become a pretentious place. Thousands of palms are ready for the demand of the markets and streets are being graded in certain portions of the town that lie off the highway....The social life of the town is commendable. The women have organized four or five clubs, ranging from the Woman�s Twentieth Century Club of the League of Women Voters. A new school is being erected, as well as a church. Every attention is given to the education and social life of the residents. As the town was originally the site of a college, the atmosphere of a college community has never been lost, and the appreciation of the people for the finer things of life is shown in the existence of the Literary Club started many years ago.
Ruskin is inviting. It attracts the man who wants to live quietly and at the same time in close proximity to much activity and life.
In 1930 Ruskin�s population reached 709, consisting of 395 males and 314 females. Despite the deed restrictions against African Americans owning or leasing property, 140 Blacks resided in Ruskin. The rest of the population was White, of whom 514 were native and 52 were foreign born. Three companies operated in Ruskin in 1935 despite the Depression and a drop to 600 residents: Florida Power & Light Company; Ruskin Telephone, Electric Light and Power Company, Inc.; and Ruskin Trailer Company. Prominent local families had a controlling interest in the Ruskin Telephone, Electric Light and Power Company where Mrs. A.D. Miller served as president, Paul Dickman (discussed below) as treasurer, and Mrs. Frances Powell as secretary. According to a 1930s description of Ruskin, because of its agricultural roots, the town weathered the depression:
The soil of Ruskin farms is especially adapted to growing tomatoes. There is a large area of muck land under-laid with marl in this region. The marl base allows irrigation of crops without loss of fertilizer, as the marl prevents the fertilizer from washing too deep into the soil. Irrigation is no problem for Ruskin is favored with numerous artesian wells.
Due to the rapid growth of tomato culture and a cooperative arrangement among Ruskin farmers, the town has taken a new lease on life and again is a thriving community. It has a canning plant which employs 65 workers, a community hall and a modern schoolhouse.
As part of an attempt to attract visitors to Ruskin and to celebrate the area�s agricultural richness, the community instituted the annual springtime Ruskin Tomato Festival in 1935 where vegetables were displayed and the community�s most popular woman was voted as queen. This event continued through to the 1950s. By 1960 it was changed to Ruskin Days, focusing more upon the Ruskin community and less upon the Ruskin produce. It appears that the festival and the agricultural business were a success. In 1945 Ruskin�s population tripled to 1975, consisting of 1692 Whites and 283 Blacks. With many Ruskin residents working in Tampa during World War II, Tampans began hearing of the benefits of the rural community. Shortly after the war, Ruskin slowly became more and more suburban as people not related to the agricultural business moved into the community.
Much of the area�s post Ruskin College success is attributed to one person, Paul Dickman. As the land boom peaked and crashed in the late 1920s, Paul Dickman, son of Albert Dickman, returned to the agricultural community. He would eventually place Ruskin on the map as �America�s Salad Bowl.� Like many of Ruskin�s youth, Paul Dickman attended Ruskin College. Just a few credits shy of graduating with a degree in engineering, he was drafted into the Army during World War I. Due to his college experience, the Army placed Paul Dickman into artillery officers� training school. However, the war ended and Paul Dickman returned home. While working with his father in the family owned sawmill business, Paul Dickman finished his college degree. Paul Dickman, however, moved on to bigger prospects in 1924, selling real estate in Tampa. When the bottom fell out of the market, he lost everything but the 2300 acres he owned in Ruskin. Returning to his former home, he set out to farm his property in 1928, beginning with an acre and a half planted in tomatoes and pepper.
Plan Status
The Ruskin Plan was launched in June 16, 2003 with the establishment of a working committee of citizens representing residents, property owners, business owners, community leaders and community organizations.
Together over a one and a half year period, they identified issues in their community, developed a vision statement for their future and established goals and strategies to achieve their vision.
On August 8, 2005, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved adopting the plan into the County�s Comprehensive Plan.
The result of the communities work is a foldout poster. The poster serves as a guide that provides guidelines that may be used to achieve the realization of the community�s vision with illustrations that include a Preferred Elements map, a Downtown Concept Site Plan and a long-term strategic plan for growth in a format that invites the reader to learn more about the plan and to get involved. It outlines the overall plan vision, each of its ten supporting goals and implementing strategies.
The vision, goals and strategies are intended to improve the community�s quality of life by recognizing Ruskin�s civic life and natural beauty of its environment.
In 2006, staff of the Hillsborough County Planning and Growth Management Department conducted a series of meetings with citizens in the Ruskin community regarding the future of the Ruskin Town Center and implementation of the adopted Ruskin Community Plan. Based upon that effort, Planning and Growth Management staff developed the Ruskin Town Center Development Regulations document that was presented to and approved by the Board of County Commissioners on November 2, 2006. The Land Development Code Text Amendment Part 3.17.00, Ruskin Town Center Development Regulations became effective on February 1, 2007.
On January 10, 2007, Hillsborough County Staff filed petition (RZ 07-0517) for Rezoning the Ruskin Town Center. The general location is along US 301 between 3rd Street NE (eastern boundary), 1st Street NW (western boundary, 8th Ave. NW (northern boundary) and 2nd Ave SE (southern boundary). The request is to rezone from CG, CN, RDC-12 and RMC-12 to Ruskin Town Center-1 (RTC-1) and Ruskin Town Center-2 (RTC-2).
On May 8, 2007, the Board of County Commissioners approved the Ruskin Town Center rezoning.
Status: Adopted
(what does this mean?)Contact Information
- Name: Lisa K. Silva
- Email: silval@plancom.org
- Phone: 813 273-3774
- Extension: 329
