SouthShore Areawide Systems Plan
The Planning Commission administered a program to ensure that the diverse communities represented in South Hillsborough are involved in the process of community-based planning for their neighborhoods. The communities that were discussed as candidates for community-based planning are Apollo Beach, Gibsonton, Riverview, Ruskin, Sun City Center and Wimauma. The nature of these communities and the expectations of their residents are quite diverse and will require separate planning processes and Plans for each community. An overview of greater South Hillsborough has been developed, emphasizing three components: 1) transportation; 2) natural systems and 3) cultural and historical resources. This overview created an overall framework for South Hillsborough and its respective communities.
Project Information
The SouthShore Planning initiative is projected to be a five-year project that will build upon those characteristics that are distinctive and unique about the communities of South County, while fostering balanced growth and responsible development. There are two distinct parts of this effort: a SouthShore Areawide Systems Plan and separate community plans for six communities of South Hillsborough County. As the planning team and community progresses in developing the Areawide Plan, residents from individual communities with guidance from planning staff will move forward to develop a vision for each community. The foundation of those community plans will be guided by distinct goals and objectives acknowledged from the Areawide Plan.
The SouthShore Areawide Systems Plan will be developed by Spring 2003, and will include:
An environmental component considering greenways, waterways, parks, trails, etc.;
A cultural component considering historic sites, cemeteries, religious worship sites, etc.; and
A transportation component considering present and future roadway corridors, transit, bicycle lanes, and other mobility options.
Later, the initiative will focus on the six communities of Apollo Beach, Wimauma, Ruskin, Riverview, Gibsonton and Sun City Center.
Plan Status
Open house meetings were held in November and December 2000, the purpose of which was to inform the public about the community-based planning program and to obtain input on issues and concerns of the various South County areas.
An open house meeting held on March 21, 2002 was a co-operative effort between many county departments and the Planning Commission. Approximately 300 interested parties from all areas of south Hillsborough were in attendance at the two-hour meeting, which was facilitated by Jim Stansbury.
The Community met at East Bay High School on May 14, 2002. The meeting focused on three elements contained within the greater Areawide Plan concept: 1) past and present planning efforts; 2) an introduction to the Areawide Plan concept; and 3) continued citizen participation, including opportunities for citizens to volunteer as an Advisory Committee member.
Advisory Committee Workshop #1 at East Bay High School, on June 4, 2002 focused on:
Areawide Systems Roles and Responsibilities;
Process and Work Plan content; and
Study Area Discussion , which (1) presented the staff version of the study area boundary map (2) explained that it was based on quantitative data regarding TAZ’s for the transportation component of the Areawide Systems Plan, and (3) solicited comments.
Advisory Committee Workshop #2 at East Bay High School, on June 26, 2002 focused on:
Planning Commission staff presentation on planning basics. The planning basics presentation covered the role of the Planning Commission and Zoning in Hillsborough County.
A SPOT (Strengths, Problems, Opportunities and Threats) Analysis exercise was conducted with the Advisory Committee breaking into three distinct groups to represent the three components of the Areawide Systems Plan - Transportation, Cultural Resources, and Environmental Resources. The analysis consisted of:(1)Identifying internal Strengths and Problems; (2)Identifying external Opportunities and Threats; (3)Compiling similar responses into main Themes; and (4)Reporting back the results from the individual breakouts to the entire group.
Advisory July 17 Workshop 3 – Guest Speakers on Plans & Context
The meeting began with a presentation by Planning and Growth Management Department staff on Greenways in South Hillsborough County by Ms. Charner Reese. The presentation covered the establishment of the Greenways program and Greenways Committee by the County Commissioners in 1995 to implement the Hillsborough Greenways Master Plan. A second presentation was spearheaded by Mr. Jim Hosler of the Planning Commission staff on census data for the designated Areawide Study Area boundary. Theresa Maio of the Planning and Growth Management Department presented the Brandon Main Street project. Lorraine Duffy of the Planning Commission presented the Keystone–Odessa Community Plan.
August 6 Workshop 4 – Guest Speakers and GIS Data & Processes
The meeting began with a presentation by Mr. Craig Mahlman Of the Development Services Department. The next presentation by Planning Commission GIS staff was a 3-D tour of South Hillsborough County. The last presentation was prepared by Richard Clarendon of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Staff and focused on the Transportation Corridor Study.
August 27 Workshop 5 – Committee Visioning
The meeting began with a discussion by Dan Santos on stakeholder representation. Facilitator Jim Stansbury reviewed the systems plan, reviewing what’s already been accomplished and what is planned for future activities. A visioning exercise was conducted that consisted of three groups discussing a component of the plan: cultural, transportation and environmental. Each group gave a summary of their work to the larger group. The larger group was then given the opportunity to add or comment on their results.
September 17 Workshop 6 – Preliminary Proposal Ideas
August 27 responses were examined by staff, along with the SPOT responses, for common themes and core topics. These were presented as a theme summary handout, preliminary proposals related to themes. These will guide recommendations for policy revisions.
October 8 Open House
The meeting focused on committee generated themes, policies and ideas, likes and dislikes, specific to the Transportation, Environmental and Cultural/ Historic components of the Areawide Plan, as well as the South Hillsborough 2025 Vision prepared by the Advisory Committee.
Status: Adopted
(what does this mean?)Contact Information
- Name: Lisa K. Silva
- Email: silval@plancom.org
- Phone: 813 273-3774
- Extension: 329
