3. RECOMMENDATIONS
A. Introduction As part of the PLAT study framework, the different approaches to development laid out in the Strip Commercial and Mixed Use Development in Hillsborough County Study were examined, specifically the compact urban, connected suburban, and modern suburban forms. A compact urban form is one in which commercial development uses the classic urban pattern of rows of pedestrian-scaled stores along important streets, and has a pattern of interconnected public streets and traditional city blocks. The connected suburban form contains commercial development near corners, in shopping centers or individual buildings with shared access, and larger blocks with public streets that connect at quarter-mile intervals. The modern suburban form contains commercial development in freestanding shopping centers and office parks, and features large master- planned developments separated by suburban arterials. 1 Outside of industrial uses on the western end of the corridor, green space in the central part of the corridor, and institutional uses on the east end of the corridor, which fall outside the definitions mentioned above, most of the project corridor would fall into a compact urban form category, with areas of connected suburban form on the perimeter. The general areas of development patterns can be seen in Figure 3-1 . The E. 131 st Avenue area is showing signs of transitioning to a connected suburban form. The connected suburban formis a less compatibleand healthy built form for current residents due to 1 Dover, Kohl & Partners and Spikowski Planning Associates for Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission, “Strip Commercial and Mixed Use Development in Hillsborough County” (September, 2014)
the high percentages of zero vehicle households, high transit ridership and prevalence of electric wheelchair users. A connected suburban form would add further impediments to the mobility of these populations, as well as make their journey more dangerous. In addition, the area may start to further build out as E. 131 st Avenue is the confluence point of the University Mall redevelopment project, possible future growth at the James A. Haley Veterans Administration Hospital, and a growing University of South Florida. The recommendations in this section aim to better shape that development into a preferable urban form and support that growth with appropriate transportation options. These recommendations will adhere to the requirements laid out in Hillsborough County’s Framework for Preliminary Land-use Assessment and Transportation (PLAT). The framework seeks to develop land use scenarios that would optimize benefits to the community, traffic impacts, and regional needs that are based on a hierarchy of future nodes. The development scenarios must account for future trends in land use and market conditions, and include potential regulatory changes and incentives required to achieve the recommended development form. 2 To better understand the recommendations, the corridor has been broken down by context. From west to east these zones include the Robbins Zone (a collection of industrial and commercial properties fromN. Nebraska Avenue to Key Largo Road mostly owned by Robbins Real Estate Inc.), the Neighborhood Zone (Key Largo Road to west of N. 22 nd Street), the Downtown Zone (west of N. 22 nd Street to Livingston Avenue) and the V.A. Hospital zone (Livingston Avenue to Bruce B Downs Boulevard). 2 Hillsborough County, “Framework for Preliminary Land Use and Transportation Assessment,” (January 10, 2019)
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E. 131 ST AVENUE PLAT STUDY PRELIMINARY LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION STUDY
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