Special And Conditional Land Uses Allowed In Zoning Districts Within Hillsborough County

By: Susan Mariner, Senior Planner

The Hillsborough County Land Development Code (LDC) Section 2.01.02 lists 51 zoning districts within the County, ranging from agricultural, residential, office, commercial, industrial, special purpose to planned developments, that can include a range of uses. Each of the zoning districts has specific development standards. 

Special and Conditional uses are specific uses that support communities and neighborhoods by serving daily needs, like child care centers/schools and churches or by providing public services we take for granted, like cell towers and hospitals.  The use may be allowed in some zoning districts, but not others.  Special and Conditional uses have conformance and design standards in addition to the zoning district regulations.   The Special and Conditional uses in Hillsborough County are listed in LDC Part 6.11.00.
 
Conformance and design standards are specific design characteristics that have developed over the years to make the use less obtrusive in the areas where they are located, while still recognizing the necessity or desirability of the use.  Because of the nature of certain uses, the number of uses that can occur within a geographical area may be limited.  Uses can range from farm worker housing to outdoor paintball fields, or from community residential homes to recyclable metal recovery facilities. 
    
Special Uses are defined by the LDC as “a use which would not be appropriate generally or without special study throughout the zoning district but which, if controlled as to number, size, location or relation to the neighborhood, would promote the public health, safety, and general welfare.”  They are processed and reviewed subject to LDC Section 10.02.00 procedures, and are normally heard by a Land Use Hearing Officer during a public hearing.  The hearing officer makes the final decision to approve or deny a Special Use request.

Conditional Uses “have been determined to require additional design standards to ensure compatibility with adjacent uses and the surrounding neighborhood.”   These standards are supplemental to all other LDC regulations and, if met during an administrative or development review, will not require other review processes.  No public hearing is required unless otherwise stated in the applicable standards in LDC, Article VI, Part 6.11.00.

Section 2.02.02 of the LDC, Allowable Uses in Zoning Districts (Table of Allowable Uses in Zoning Districts), shows an “S” to indicate a Special Use and a “C” to indicate a Conditional Use.  There are exceptions from the public hearing process for certain Special Uses, such as churches.  For example, if the church can meet the design and conformance standards and these standards can be verified during the Site Development review process, a separate Special Use Permit is not required.  Also, if no waivers to any of the conformance standards are required, certain uses can be permitted administratively, such as Alcoholic Beverage Development Permits.  A link to the Special Use Permit application that requires a public hearing is included for your information. 

For additional information on Special and Conditional Uses, call (813) 277-1630 or visit PGM’s Zoning & Counseling Information online.