PGM STORE: Online Zoning Documents for Public Viewing

Betty Robinson,
Community Planner,
Planning / Zoning Division

Have you seen one of the yellow hearing notice signs that indicate a property near you is being considered for rezoning? If so, did you wonder what the owner wanted to change and why, but you didn’t want the hassle of going to a County office or calling during your work day? Finding out is now as quick as getting on the Internet.

The PGM STORE is a collection of electronic copies of documents that have been submitted for various planning activities such as zoning, site development, natural resources, building permits, and agendas for the Land Use Hearing Officer public hearings. The electronic copies can be viewed and printed by the public from any computer with sufficient capabilities to connect to the Internet. If you do not have access to these, contact the Hillsborough County Public Library system at (813) 273 3652 for information about using public access library computers.

Minimum specifications required for computers to access the PGM STORE include:

• Windows XP
• Internet Explorer 6 or greater (browser);
• 256 mb of RAM;
• Pentium 800 MHz Class or higher processor; and
• Java Script (this can be downloaded for free from www.java.com)
• Be sure to also disable the pop-up blockers on the computer.

With the above requirements met, you can have access to PGM STORE 24 hours a day, seven days a week by going to the Planning & Growth Management Department website and looking on the left side of the screen under RESOURCES. Before entering the PGM STORE you can view an online tutorial that will show you how to use it.

Once you have logged into the PGM STORE (user name: public; password: public), you can search for documents in the Archived Data (zoning documents older than 2004), the Document Repository (zoning documents from 2004 and newer), Development Review Submittals, Sign Permitting, and Zoning Master Hearing Agendas. The Archived Data and the Document Repository holds such zoning documents as: rezoning and zoning modification applications, variance applications, special use applications, conditional use applications, zoning verification requests, zoning interpretation requests, vested rights requests, Development of Regional Impact (DRI) and Community Development District (CDD) documents.

Searches within the PGM STORE are much quicker if you have the zoning application number or the property tax folio number for the subject property. Zoning application numbers are listed on the yellow signs posted on the property. Otherwise, if you do not have the property tax folio number, but you do have the street address or property owner’s name, you may search for the property tax folio number on the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser’s Office website.

Fast Fact:  

People in need of assistance with zoning issues may contact the department’s Ombudsman. The Ombudsman’s responsibilities include providing assistance to citizens and citizens’ groups to facilitate the flow of information between the zoning or permit applicants, interested or affected parties, and county zoning, permitting and management staff. The PGM Ombudsman may be contacted
at (813) 272-5920 or via e-mail at contactpgm@hillsboroughcounty.org.

Investigation and conflict resolution of citizens’ complaints is an integral and critical part of the Ombudsman's responsibilities. The Ombudsman responds to inquiries and facilitates resolutions to zoning and permitting issues.

Another part of the Ombudsman’s job is to assist applicants and community groups in the process of rezoning, permitting, public hearings and meeting procedures.

Frequently Asked Question:

Where can I find zoning applications online? Can they be submitted online?

Zoning applications are available online as PDF files that can be printed or downloaded to personal computers.

Please note that at this time the applications cannot be submitted online nor in an electronic format, but in person. The application packets include checklists that must be completed before the packets can be submitted. All zoning applications must be submitted as packets of paper documents. A scheduled appointment is required for submitting a zoning application. Contact the Zoning Counseling Center to schedule an application in-take appointment by calling: (813) 277-1630
or by sending an e-mail to contactpgm@hillsboroughcounty.org.

Upcoming Event:

Public Meeting On Proposed Land Development Code Amendments

The department is holding a bi-annual public meeting to discuss the second round of proposed amendments to the Land Development Code for 2009. The amendments in this round include proposed regulations for a cottage housing district, minimum densities, additional open space, recreational use, minor subdivision and several others. Additionally, there is a privately-initiated amendment proposing changes to the Conservation Subdivision regulations. These amendments are scheduled to be considered for approval by the County Commission this fall.

Date and Time: Tuesday, September 1, 6-8 p.m.
Place: County Center, 26th Floor Conference Room B, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., downtown Tampa.

For a complete list of the amendments and background information, visit the County Commission’s agenda webpage. On that page, click on the “Agenda for the Aug. 12 LDC Text Amendments Workshop.” These will be the same items that will be discussed at this public meeting on Sept. 1.

For more information, please contact Joe Moreda, Planning Growth Management, at (813) 276-8379 or moredaj@hillsboroughcounty.org.