Staff outlines Tampa Heights map and inventory update; boundary realignment could follow rezoning
January 21, 2026 | Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida
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Elaine Lund, historic preservation staff, presented a map and inventory update for the Tampa Heights Historic District and said staff identified several parcels where the current local district boundary does not align with property parcels. Lund said the local district covers about 200 acres with more than 500 buildings and that roughly 60% of structures were previously classified as contributing to the district.
Lund told the commission that one active rezoning application—at 3101 North Florida Avenue—proposes a plan-development zoning that would place a building footprint about 10 feet into the district and therefore create a project that would be partly subject to review by the Architectural Review Commission for the area within the historic district.
"So scaled out, this is about 10 feet of the eastern side of this affected parcel," Lund said, describing the overlap and staff's intent to study whether a boundary adjustment or other approach would better align district lines with parcel lines and development review.
Dennis Fernandez said a change to district boundaries is a larger undertaking: staff would prepare a draft map, the commission would consider it in a noticed public hearing, Planning Commission staff would review consistency with the Tampa comprehensive plan, and City Council would hold two public hearings before adopting any legal change. Lund and Fernandez said staff will document building presence in the field, photograph affected properties and perform community outreach if boundary changes are pursued.
Commissioners asked whether map updates also revisited contributing/noncontributing classifications and whether properties built after 1945 might now be eligible because of the 50-year threshold. Fernandez said staff compares current inventory to original district documentation, and that converting a property from noncontributing to contributing is possible if owners have restored historic character.
No formal action was taken at the meeting; staff said it will return with recommendations and outreach plans if it pursues boundary changes.
Lund told the commission that one active rezoning application—at 3101 North Florida Avenue—proposes a plan-development zoning that would place a building footprint about 10 feet into the district and therefore create a project that would be partly subject to review by the Architectural Review Commission for the area within the historic district.
"So scaled out, this is about 10 feet of the eastern side of this affected parcel," Lund said, describing the overlap and staff's intent to study whether a boundary adjustment or other approach would better align district lines with parcel lines and development review.
Dennis Fernandez said a change to district boundaries is a larger undertaking: staff would prepare a draft map, the commission would consider it in a noticed public hearing, Planning Commission staff would review consistency with the Tampa comprehensive plan, and City Council would hold two public hearings before adopting any legal change. Lund and Fernandez said staff will document building presence in the field, photograph affected properties and perform community outreach if boundary changes are pursued.
Commissioners asked whether map updates also revisited contributing/noncontributing classifications and whether properties built after 1945 might now be eligible because of the 50-year threshold. Fernandez said staff compares current inventory to original district documentation, and that converting a property from noncontributing to contributing is possible if owners have restored historic character.
No formal action was taken at the meeting; staff said it will return with recommendations and outreach plans if it pursues boundary changes.
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