Katrina Corcoran caught the planning bug in college at the University of South Florida.
Studying economics as an undergraduate, she took a research assistant job with one of her professors at USF’s Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR). Working at CUTR opened Corcoran’s eyes to the broader role of planning in the community. It inspired her to pursue a master’s in urban planning at USF.
Today, Corcoran’s work as a principal planner with Plan Hillsborough, the planning agency for local governments in Hillsborough County, has earned the attention and accolades of her peers. The American Planning Association Florida Chapter recognized Corcoran’s work on the Mobility Section of the City of Tampa’s Comprehensive Plan with an Award of Excellence. This summer in Orlando, Corcoran presented at the Florida Association of Counties annual conference about her work on the “Centers and Connections” development density bonus program proposed in the update of the Future Land Use Section of the Comprehensive Plan for unincorporated Hillsborough County. That update goes to the Hillsborough County Commission at 6 p.m. Thursday, August 8th.
Corcoran says both projects show the importance of community planning in a growing region.
“Planning is all-encompassing in so many topics – transportation, land use, recreation, even areas like health and art,” she says in an email. “It’s vital that we plan not only for the next few years but have long-range vision to ensure that community needs are met as the area grows. Plan Hillsborough plans with long-range needs in mind, ultimately helping to shape the future of the cities and county.”
Centers & Connections
The Centers and Connections proposal encourages growth and redevelopment in specific centers located at major intersections or identified for redevelopment in community plans and along specific roadway corridors within the county’s urban service area, where utilities, public services and infrastructure are already in place and urban development is encouraged. The proposal creates a voluntary program allowing developers to build more units per acre if they voluntarily follow certain design criteria, add sidewalk connections and other improvements enhancing walkability and bikability, or provide landscaping, green space, open space, or another public benefit.
“Overall, the goal of this approach is to expand housing opportunities, improve walkability and encourage a sense of place,” Corcoran says. “It’s intended to incentivize growth in areas the community wants to see it and that has existing infrastructure, while maintaining the variety of choices Hillsborough County enjoys today, such as urban, suburban and rural lifestyles.”
She says the proposal comes with Hillsborough County projected to add 350,000 more residents and 107,000 more jobs by 2045.
“This is a way for us to be proactive in managing growth as it happens in the county,” she says. “It’s something we have to prepare for and something that we, as long-range planners, have to plan well for.”
A map of the Centers and Connections proposal includes the USF area, East Lake-Orient Park and some areas of Brandon. Corcoran says the proposal received community support from the USF and East Lake-Orient Park areas and more mixed to negative reactions from Brandon and south Hillsborough County.
Tampa Comp Plan Mobility Section
The update to the Mobility Section of the City of Tampa’s Comprehensive Plan, which the City Council approved earlier this year, focuses on a multimodal transportation network that includes investments in the pedestrian, bicycle and transit networks. In line with the city’s Vision Zero plan, there’s a focus on reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries. The Mobility Section prioritizes transportation investments that improve the community’s health, resilience and sustainability outcomes. It seeks to minimize the impact of road-widening projects on environmentally sensitive, residential and commercial areas. Reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality are other goals. The plan also seeks an equitable transportation planning process that includes input from historically underserved communities.
Corcoran says Plan Hillsborough staff worked on the comp plan update while Tampa city staff worked on the Tampa M.O.V.E.S. Mobility Plan, which focuses on project implementation.
“It was a very collaborative effort,” she says. “We were able to work with them on the timing and make sure the language was in concert with what they were doing on that mobility plan.”
For more information, go to Tampa Comp Plan and Hillsborough County Future Land Use
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.