Planning questions? Call 813-415-4952 or Email okl@wadetrim.com 

The Planning Department administers the Town's Land Development Code. This work includes processing planning project applications for all development activities, such as creating new residential subdivisions, commercial site planning, and seeking zoning variances. The Town Planner is the person responsible for all activities of the department. They provide staff recommendations to the Appearance Review Board, the Planning and Zoning Board, and the Town Commission as these bodies consider applications that require actions by public bodies. The Town’s Comprehensive Plan guides the department to retain our small-town, quaint environment, and preserve that identity.

The department is staffed by contract employees provided by the consulting firm of Wade Trim in Tampa. There is no local staff for drop-in service. To contact Brad Cornelius, the Town Planner, you can call him at 813-415-4952 or email him at okl@wadetrim.com. He is your point of contact for zoning variances, code interpretations, development advisory opinions, and other activities associated with development of residential and commercial properties in Oakland. The formal application process begins with the submission of the Town's standard application:

Uniform Planning Project Application

Resolution 2023-02 Development Application Review Fee Schedule
 
The Town Planner and his staff also provide zoning reviews that may be required as a first step to securing a building permit. Those reviews are initiated after the building permit is submitted. More information on applying for a building permit is available here.

Coming Soon: A new online portal for creating, submitting, and monitoring planning project applications.