City of Tampa leaders are taking additional steps to protect cemeteries.
The Tampa City Council, working closely with the Castor administration, has approved adding new policies to the Tampa Comprehensive Plan to recognize cemetery sites, protect them from future development, and support preservation efforts. The City of Tampa has completed the process of amending land use designations on all city-owned cemeteries to restrict future development. Future land use map amendments have been completed for Jackson Heights Cemetery, Marti-Colon Cemetery, Oaklawn Cemetery, and Woodlawn Cemetery (including the Centro Asturiano located within).
“As we update the Comprehensive Plan, we want to take this opportunity to memorialize our city’s rich history and heritage,” said Mayor Jane Castor. “Now and into the future, we want to ensure our city government has a strong layer of protection for all cemeteries and unmarked burial sites.”
This amendment addresses both publicly-owned cemeteries and privately-owned cemeteries, as well as lands that have yet to be discovered. The new policies also bolster the City’s ability to seek historic designations and compete for preservation grants. These changes are in line with the recommendations provided by the State Task Force on Abandoned African American Cemeteries.
“This is an important step in ensuring that the cemeteries that are under the City of Tampa’s control are protected in perpetuity, even as the City grows and changes around them,” said Council Chairman Joseph Citro.
The City of Tampa owns five cemeteries: Woodlawn, Oaklawn, Jackson Heights, Marti-Colon, and the Centro Asturiano section of Woodlawn. It also maintains East Tampa's historic Memorial Cemetery, which was abandoned following the death of its last owner.