A long-standing land-use split at the Museum of Science and Industry site could move closer to being erased Monday as the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission considers a future land-use change for the publicly owned Fowler Avenue property.
The Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 9 on a proposed amendment to redesignate the entire MOSI parcel as Public and Semi-Public, aligning the site’s land-use map with how the property has functioned for decades.
The amendment covers roughly 11.25 acres at 4615 and 4801 East Fowler Avenue in Tampa’s University area.
What the amendment would change
Today, the MOSI site carries two future land-use designations.
About 6.17 acres are classified as Light Industrial, a category that allows manufacturing, research, office and similar uses but prohibits residential development.
The remaining 5.08 acres already carry a Public and Semi-Public designation tied to MOSI’s institutional role.
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The proposed change is intended to formally recognize the site’s public ownership and long-established institutional function, according to staff.
Planning Commission staff found the request consistent with the Tampa Comprehensive Plan and recommended approval in a draft staff report.
Why the change is being proposed now
Staff analysis traces the split designation to the way Hillsborough County acquired the property in phases during the 1970s and 1980s, rather than to any shift in how the site operates.
MOSI has occupied the property as a public-serving cultural and educational institution since 1982. County records show the portion now labeled Light Industrial was purchased for future MOSI expansion and never developed for industrial use.
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The proposed change would formally recognize the site’s public ownership and long-established institutional function, according to staff.
How future development would be guided
Unlike many land-use categories, Public and Semi-Public does not set specific limits on density or floor area.
Instead, any future development would be evaluated based on its compatibility with surrounding uses and the area’s character.
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Planning staff emphasized that the designation does not prevent public serving research, education or innovation uses and does not automatically trigger redevelopment.
Any specific project would still require separate zoning and development approvals.
The site sits within the Tampa Green Tech Corridor and the University Planning District, an area the Comprehensive Plan identifies as a regional center for education, research, medicine and employment.
What happens next
The Planning Commission will take public comment Monday and vote on whether to find the amendment consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
If approved, the recommendation will move to Tampa City Council for final consideration later this year.
The hearing comes as the Planning Commission is also handling Tampa’s 2026 redistricting cycle and other growth-related planning items ahead of the March 2027 municipal election.
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