Urban Design

Tools used by the Urban Design Staff are design standards for design overlays. 

Design Overlays:

Overlays encourage development to occur that is compatible with the existing scale and pattern of surrounding properties; the goal of which is to maintain and/or develop unique characteristics of the area.

Currently there are ten overlay districts in the City of Tampa:

• Central Business District
• Channel District
• East Tampa Overlay District
• Kennedy Boulevard Corridor District
• New Tampa Commercial Overlay District
• Parkland Estates Overlay District
• Seminole Heights Residential Overlay District
• South Howard Commercial Overlay District
• Westshore Commercial Overlay District
• West Tampa Overlay District

Go to www.municode.com to view the code for the overlay districts.

Any resident of the city, and owner of property in the city or any organization in the city may request the Tampa City Council to consider the designation of a residential overlay district.  City council may direct the department of business and housing development to analyze the request and make a recommendation.  Please review Chapter 27, Article XX. Overlay Districts Section 27-488 for further details.

Urban Design and the Zoning Administrator are responsible for ensuring that development within the designated areas comply with the designated regulations for each district.