[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6689509,"mediaKeyId","2134573-447c72d523a7c19e0b069f623bdc1ecf","parentId",2134573,"title","Commissioners approve multiple infrastructure, parks and utilities contracts; contract for behavioral health services authorized","audioSeconds",870,"startMs",1648000,"endMs",2518000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2134573-447c72d523a7c19e0b069f623bdc1ecf&start=1648&end=2518","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2134573-447c72d523a7c19e0b069f623bdc1ecf/thumbnail_1648000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6689509/Polk-County/Florida/Commissioners-approve-multiple-infrastructure-parks-and-utilities-contracts-contract-for-behavioral-health-services-authorized","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6689509-cebec2caa778a5e2afa40f4cd0178d01/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171630&Signature=hHfkam5XhtAgm2G6Z1Ys-AExxEobRIoOlsOXVXRd8yuJq9TBJi34c0tJy7bfvptQrU~W0UPVjKc6YX-5P3ZKCo5WFKZaS25xJqjsKFKuodLS6onNH1tWPB10yPCcCngrrvMBfp3MAxJH3QUuoh~kcw6STzZNjrDQO6M1sQ7kf3lgydeD6GvzQLvmvAaEEsYdwJe3~ba6tG0Kh522NOOXumesM4JttmZU2otdOT3PPq-f29n~00Bxqta9s7dnzng3jh8qemAYP0wlIR~wHTUWGf~froCGnf3jAPtByTqIrDtyas3W~Qj~aaQvUAAAK3KMnuIqPEcvbPPYec681yM~Jw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Polk County","date","2025-01-21T08:26:00Z","article","Polk County commissioners voted Jan. 21 to approve multiple contracts and infrastructure agreements covering roadwork, parks equipment, utilities and behavioral health services, and they also completed several land‑use hearings.

Key board approvals

- Thompson Nursery Road infrastructure agreement (Agenda item H‑1): The board approved an infrastructure agreement with the Peace Creek Crossing Community Development District covering Phase 2, Segment 5 roadway improvements on Thompson Nursery Road. Manager's office materials described a total capital investment of $5,916,393.91, with the community development district contributing $1,187,326.75 and Polk County's construction reimbursement not to exceed $4,729,067.16. The board approved the agreement.

- Park and playground equipment piggyback agreements (H‑2): Commissioners approved piggyback procurement agreements with Rep Services, Inc. and Bliss Products and Services, Inc. to purchase and install inclusive park and playground equipment countywide. County staff estimated annual expenditures for playground equipment and related services could range from about $3,000,000 to $4,500,000 in coming years; funding was identified within the Parks and Natural Resources Leisure Services MSTU Fund.

- US 27 at Tierra del Sol intersection contract (H‑3): The board authorized a construction contract with Ajax Paving Industries of Florida for intersection improvements at U.S. Highway 27 and Tierra del Sol Boulevard, including a new traffic signal and a right‑turn lane, with a not‑to‑exceed contract amount of $2,286,826.36 (including allowances and contingencies) and a 270‑calendar‑day contract time.

- Utilities AMI radio towers (H‑4): Commissioners approved a guaranteed maximum price addendum with Simco Construction, Inc. to build 16 radio communication towers for Polk County Utilities' advanced metering infrastructure system in the southwest utility service area. The not‑to‑exceed construction amount was $1,479,127.28 and the contract time was set at 300 calendar days. County materials said the work will replace drive‑by meter reading with real‑time data transmission and is funded from the utilities operating fund.

- Behavioral health contract (H‑5): The board approved a three‑year contract with Peace River Center for Personal Development to provide forensic specialist and navigation services for competency case management, discharge planning and community behavioral health navigation. The contract term was presented as retroactive to Oct. 1, 2024 through Sept. 30, 2027, with an annual not‑to‑exceed expense of $700,000; funding was budgeted in the indigent health care fund.

Land development and ordinance items

- LDC revision (LDCT‑2024‑26): The board adopted amendments to the land development code changing references from \"as‑built\" to \"record drawings\" and updating Appendix A testing and materials references. Staff said the edits were drafted with input from a local engineers and contractors roundtable and the planning commission gave a unanimous recommendation for approval.

- Warehouse separation amendment (LDCT‑2024‑18): Staff presented an amendment (first reading) to require additional buffering, such as opaque fencing and landscaping, where warehousing abuts agricultural or residential districts; the item received a unanimous planning commission recommendation and will return for adoption at a second reading.

- Development rights restoration (LDCU‑2024‑36): The board approved a request to restore historic development rights on a rural property that previously supported three dwellings. Staff said the site met the county's criteria for rights restoration and neighboring parcels have multiple dwellings; the board approved the request.

Votes at a glance (action outcomes recorded in the meeting record)

- H‑1: Infrastructure agreement, Thompson Nursery Road (approved; motion and second recorded; vote recorded as \"Aye\"; outcome: approved)
- H‑2: Piggyback agreements for park/playground equipment (approved)
- H‑3: Construction contract with Ajax Paving Industries for US 27 at Tierra del Sol (approved)
- H‑4: Guaranteed maximum price addendum with Simco Construction for AMI radio towers (approved)
- H‑5: Three‑year contract with Peace River Center for forensic specialist and navigation services (approved)
- LDCT‑2024‑26: Land Development Code updates (adopted)
- LDCT‑2024‑18: Warehouse separation amendment (first reading; return for adoption)
- LDCU‑2024‑36: Development rights restoration (approved)

What commissioners and staff said

Manager's office staff described funding sources and program accounts for each project. For the Thompson Nursery Road agreement, staff said county funding would come from the Community Investment Program account identified for the project and that the request aligns with earlier board commitments to road improvements in the corridor. Shelton Rice, attorney for the developer, told the board the larger master development plan contemplates mixed uses across approximately 1,900 acres, and Stade O'Hays (concurrency entitlements manager) said a proportionate share agreement is in process for adjacent city‑limit properties.

Board process notes

Most manager items carried on voice votes with motions and seconds; the clerk's record and agenda materials list resolutions and budget transfers where applicable (for example, the Ajax contract included a community investment program amendment and a budget transfer from the Transportation Trust Fund reserve). Where first readings occurred (warehouse separation amendment), staff indicated the ordinance will return for adoption after the statutorily required interval.

What to watch: contract execution and project timetables for the Thompson Nursery Road work, the Ajax intersection project and the AMI tower build; forthcoming public hearings (warehouse buffering) and the consultant drafts and board direction for the comprehensive plan update.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Polk County - Board of County Commissioners on 2025-01-21 9:00 AM - Jan 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Polk County commissioners voted Jan. 21 to approve multiple infrastructure, parks, utilities and behavioral‑health contracts and to advance several land‑use measures, including a major Thompson Nursery Road infrastructure agreement and playground equipment piggyback procurement agreements.","taxTitle","Polk County, Florida","taxId",2874,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6689515,"Polk County begins comprehensive plan update, commissioners debate growth, conservation and utility limits",3284,3926000,7210000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2134573-447c72d523a7c19e0b069f623bdc1ecf&start=3926&end=7210","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2134573-447c72d523a7c19e0b069f623bdc1ecf/thumbnail_3926000.jpg","/articles/6689515/Polk-County/Florida/Polk-County-begins-comprehensive-plan-update-commissioners-debate-growth-conservation-and-utility-limits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6689515-201341edf6acd84ea884c1cb5ba89597/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171630&Signature=GG3lIpfNJZZHC819ZG1weSDvqgQE2VVUTyRHGXeDwTgjdCNNAo2yt1U57tQpCjnkGJ1jHcP64S4g4ths~DvnKwR~LJ7ZytIE~HG-SW5fYz1MlkAyTDMUPdswh~KLEdp0mUdFpFg-50PyYeDkVywBnYITTSi0-iiGRia4kmlu8QWBIbqmGL9jfgmLaaa6ZHAEj~IMBYWHFB8Jh0Q-ghSFLPiSplvkzrPjUhNzzz6R5Zzu-7Vmr4ZYikifl6BYlDyvsmTLXEsWuE6ZT~c3wgGoqigRgg1bdtfYy8wbwsWmiJM-OY7HqsXhJkAc29iilWbnuZNSXDeXDBYO4h2e8GO6sA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Polk County commissioners and planning staff began a formal update of the county's comprehensive plan during a Jan. 21 work session, with county consultants presenting population, land‑use and environmental analyses that project major growth in the unincorporated area and prompting residents and commissioners to press for clearer rules on conservation, sewer expansion and where higher density should be allowed.

The consultant, Eric Roesch of Inspire Placemaking Collective, told the board the update will set a 25‑year vision and translate state requirements and public input into new goals, objectives and policies. \"It's the long‑term vision for the community,\" Roesch said, adding Polk faces continued, rapid growth and must balance infrastructure needs with environmental protections.

Roesch and Ben Sisco, Polk County's land development director, presented preliminary data showing the county used a hybrid projection above the state's medium forecast and is planning for about 261,000 additional residents in the unincorporated area by 2050. Roesch said that projection implies a need for roughly 109,000 new housing units in the unincorporated county by 2050.

Why it matters: The comprehensive plan is the county's primary long‑range policy document; it guides maps, where sewer and roads will be prioritized, and how future rezoning and annexation requests will be judged. With Polk among the fastest‑growing counties in the nation in recent years, commissioners said they want the plan to steer growth toward cities and to avoid piecemeal expansion into sensitive landscapes.

What the plan effort covered and public reaction

Consultants and staff summarized a year of outreach that included stakeholder interviews, seven public workshops, pop‑up events and an online survey. Roesch said the top priorities expressed by residents were preserving and conserving natural lands and wildlife habitat, protecting rural and agricultural lands, and ensuring adequate water supply. \"Preserving the environment\" ranked first in the public workshops and surveys, he said.

Public commenters at the meeting echoed those themes and urged firmer conservation measures. Kelly Quinn, a Haines City resident who spoke during the public comment portion, said the county's top priorities should include protecting natural habitat and asked for an updated hydrology study. \"My number one request'is a new hydrology study. We haven't had one since 2006,\" Quinn said, urging the commission to reexamine aquifer and runoff data.

Commissioners' priorities and options

Several commissioners pressed staff and the consultant for more concrete policy choices rather than high‑level goals. Commissioner Bill Braswell said he supports directing growth to radiate out from cities rather than extending sewer and roads into rural areas, describing that approach as a way to concentrate infrastructure investment and protect sensitive lands. Commissioner Scott and others emphasized the need to protect lakes and downstream properties from increased runoff and to avoid approving new high‑density development where sewer is not planned.

Staff and consultants described several tools that could be used in drafting the plan: stricter standards for expanding urban growth areas, dedicated policies and maps to identify and protect high‑priority conservation lands (including the Green Swamp and Lake Wales Ridge), incentives or mechanisms for transfer of development rights (TDR), and a focus on infill and redevelopment near existing cities and transportation corridors. Shonda Bennett, Polk County's comprehensive planning administrator, said Polk already has a TDR framework in its land development code but that it would need changes if the board wants TDR to be used more broadly.

On infrastructure and services, consultants said the draft analysis will examine future needs for water, wastewater, roads, parks and schools. Roesch said the county's carrying‑capacity review indicates the current future land use map likely has enough buildable acreage to accommodate projected population growth to 2050 under current entitlements, but staff cautioned that this depends heavily on assumptions about developability and environmental constraints.

Next steps and timeline

Roesch said the consultant team will begin drafting specific goals, objectives and policies over the next several months and expects to transmit a proposed plan to the board in June or July 2025. The plan must then undergo a state review period before local adoption. Commissioners asked staff to return with more detailed policy options, maps that identify priority conservation areas, and analysis of how sewer expansion, annexations and utility service boundaries would affect future land use.

Residents and stakeholders who spoke said they want clear protections for farmland, connections between conserved parcels to maintain wildlife corridors and more explicit attention to stormwater and flood‑prone areas in light of recent hurricanes. Roesch said the team will incorporate the public feedback into draft policies and bring the board further options for direction.

What to watch for: draft goals, objective and policy language; proposed changes to the future land use map; any recommended limitations on private utility extensions or standards for annexation coordination; and proposed TDR or other incentive programs to steer growth away from sensitive areas.","County staff and consultant presented a draft framework for a 25‑year comprehensive plan update, projecting substantial unincorporated growth through 2050 and prompting commissioners and residents to press for stronger conservation protections, sewer/water coordination and density‑transfer tools.","actionData","errors"]

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Commissioners approve multiple infrastructure, parks and utilities contracts; contract for behavioral health services authorized

Polk County begins comprehensive plan update, commissioners debate growth, conservation and utility limits