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Planning Commission OKs annexation, C-3 zoning for parcel at US 17 to allow adult day care
Summary
The Winter Haven Planning Commission voted to forward approval to the City Commission to assign Neighborhood Support future land use and Commercial Highway (C-3) zoning to a 0.34-acre annexed parcel on U.S. Highway 17; petitioners intend to develop an adult day care facility.
The City of Winter Haven Planning Commission voted Oct. 7 to recommend approval of case PD-25-30 and PD-25-31, forwarding to the City Commission a request to assign Neighborhood Support future land use and Commercial Highway (C-3) zoning to a 0.34-acre parcel at the southwest corner of Eighth Street Northwest (U.S. Highway 17) and Avenue X Northwest. Petitioners Candace Ducking and Lisonbee Etienne told staff they intend to develop a 3,600-square-foot adult day care center on the site.
Staff planner Heather Reuter told commissioners the parcel was annexed into the city on July 28, 2025, and that, given its location on an arterial highway corridor and surrounding C-3 zoning, the requested land-use and zoning assignments are consistent with existing designations. Reuter said the request is a small-scale future land use amendment and therefore does not require review by state agencies at this stage. She said a full concurrency review will occur at site plan stage and that staff found sufficient public infrastructure capacity for the proposed development at this time.
In public comment, resident David Beebe asked whether a conceptual drawing had been submitted; Reuter said no plan is required at this zoning-and-land-use stage and that site-plan review would follow if the zoning is approved. Beebe asked whether access to the property would require a Florida Department of Transportation permit because the parcel fronts on a DOT roadway; Reuter said an FDOT permit would be part of site-plan review and that the final access decision would be determined by FDOT or Polk County depending on where access is granted. On stormwater, Reuter said the developer must provide on-site stormwater retention and obtain any required permits from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
Commissioners put the case to a vote after closing the public portion; the motion to recommend approval carried with the commission approving the forwarding to the City Commission for final action.
