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Auburndale approves land‑use and zoning changes to accommodate SunTrax expansion
Summary
The commission unanimously approved Ordinances #1848 and #1849 to reclassify roughly 67.47 acres near Pace Road and Polk County Parkway to a Regional Activity Center and Commercial Highway zoning to accommodate an expansion adjacent to FDOT’s SunTrax facility.
The Auburndale City Commission voted unanimously April 20 to approve Ordinance #1848 (Future Land Use Map amendment) and Ordinance #1849 (Official Zoning Map amendment) covering approximately 67.47 acres at Polk County Parkway and Pace Road, adjacent to the FDOT SunTrax facility.
Community Development Director Julie Womble said the property consists of two parcels that were annexed into the city and that staff and the Planning Commission recommended map and zoning changes to allow expansion of SunTrax‑related uses. Womble described SunTrax to the south as a state facility with a test track for autonomous vehicles and toll testing technology and said the Department of Transportation has indicated intentions to expand the site with air‑mobility testing technology, R&D and testing bays.
The proposed Future Land Use of Regional Activity Center (RAC) and proposed Zoning of Commercial Highway (CH) match the adjacent approvals already in place on the SunTrax‑adjacent property and were transmitted to FloridaCommerce on March 16, 2026 for expedited review; Womble reported FloridaCommerce raised no objections.
City Attorney Frederick J. Murphy Jr. read each ordinance by title, and the Commission approved both measures on second and final reading (Ordinance #1848: motion by Vice Mayor Jordan Helms, seconded by Commissioner Travis Avery; Ordinance #1849: motion by Commissioner Travis Avery, seconded by Vice Mayor Helms). Each motion passed with all ayes.
