Palma Ceia - Land Uses

Land Use/Land Cover is a description of how land is being used. The Florida Department of Transportation developed a classification system called the Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System. These classifications include nine broad categories of use.

• Urban and Built Up: "areas of intensive use with much of the land occupied by man-made structures."
• Agriculture: "those lands which are cultivated to produce food crops and livestock."
• Rangeland: "land where the potential natural vegetation is predominantly grasses, grass like plants, forbs or shrubs and is capable of being grazed."
• Upland Forests: "upland areas which support a tree canopy closure of ten (10) percent or more."
• Water: "all areas within the land mass of the United States that are predominantly or persistently water covered provided that, if linear, they are at least 1/8 mile (660 feet or 200 meters) wide or, if extended, cover at least 40 acres (16 hectares)…Those portions of a water body having emergent vegetation or observable submerged vegetation are placed in the Wetlands category."
• Wetlands: "those areas where the water table is at, near or above the land surface for a significant portion of most years."
• Barren Land: "very little or no vegetation and limited potential to support vegetative communities."
• Transportation, Communication and Utilities: "Transportation facilities are used for the movement of people and goods; therefore, they are major influences on land and many land use boundaries are outlined by them."
• Other: A category to be used for specific topics.

The more specific classifications associated with "Urban and Built Up" are also presented:

• Residential Low Density: "Less than two dwelling units per acre."
• Residential Medium Density: "Two-five dwelling units per acre."
• Residential High Density: "Six or more dwelling units per acre (Fixed Single Family Units and Mobile Home Units); Multiple Dwelling Units, Low Rise (Two stories or less); Multiple Dwelling Units, High Rise (Three stories or more); Mixed Units (Fixed and Mobile Home Units - One, Two, or Three Stories)."
• Commercial and Services: Retail Sales and Services, Wholesale Sales and Services , Professional Services, Cultural and Entertainment, Tourist Services, Oil and Gas Storage , Mixed Commercial and Services, Cemeteries, Commercial and Services Under Construction.
• Industrial: Food Processing, Timber Processing, Mineral Processing, Oil and Gas Processing, Other Light Industrial, Other Heavy Industrial, Industrial Under Construction.
• Extractive: Strip Mines, Sand and Gravel Pits, Rock Quarries, Oil and Gas Fields, Reclaimed Land, Holding Ponds.
• Institutional: Educational Facilities, Religious, Military, Medical and Health Care, Governmental, Correctional, Other Institutional, Commercial Child Care, Institutional Under Construction.
• Recreational: Swimming Beach, Golf Courses, Race Tracks, Marinas and Fish Camps, Parks and Zoos, Community Recreational Facilities, Stadiums , Historical Sites, Other Recreational.
• Open Land: Undeveloped Land within Urban Areas, Inactive Land with street pattern but without structures, Urban Land in transition without positive, indicators of intended activity, Other Open Land.

Source: Data analysis completed by the Florida Center for Community Design + Research, School of Architecture and Community Design, University of South Florida , Hillsborough Community Atlas; Southwest Florida Water Management District (original data source)