Polk County, FL — rezoning & P&Z cases
37 past cases tracked in Polk County (Polk County). 14 upcoming hearings in Polk County (next on 2026-11-04) are visible to subscribers now. Start a free trial to see them.
See every Tampa Bay city we monitor · Polk County rezoning cases in the dashboard · who's filing here · Polk County · Tampa Bay trends
Public historical archive — past hearings only. Subscribers see upcoming cases as they are captured.
LDCU-2026-16 — Duplex
Steven Williams requests Conditional Use approval to construct a duplex (approximately 1,790 sq ft) on a 0.15-acre vacant lot in the RL-4 zoning district north of Eagle Lake. The site is within the Transit Supportive Development Area and Eloise Redevelopment District; staff finds the duplex compatible with surrounding single-family homes, with minimal infrastructure impact and no adverse effects on schools, fire/EMS, or transportation.
LDCT-2026-20 — Amendment to compatibility review procedures
County-initiated text amendment to Chapter 9 of the Land Development Code to modify residential compatibility standards and review procedures to comply with Florida HB 399 (effective January 1, 2027). The amendment requires staff to identify specific areas of incompatibility and consider feasible mitigation measures before recommending denial based on compatibility, and establishes procedures for documenting compatibility concerns. This procedural change affects how all future rezoning, subdivision, and site plan applications will be evaluated for compatibility.
LDCT-2026-22 — text_amendment
County-initiated Land Development Code text amendment to amend Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 10 to replace the "Individual Office" use category with two new uses: "Professional Office" and "Contractor Office," each with tailored standards and conditional use criteria. The amendment clarifies office use standards county-wide, reduces parking requirements for contractor offices, and establishes clearer guidelines for distinguishing between office types and uses with higher intensity or levels of review.
LDNON-2023-246 — Gas station (Wawa)
A Level 2 engineered site plan for a proposed Wawa gas station at Rifle Range Road seeks approval under case file LDNON-2023-246. The property currently falls within the Wahneta Neighborhood Plan's HIC-X district, which does not permit gas stations, though the same use is allowed as a conditional use in other commercial districts elsewhere on Rifle Range Road.
LDCU-2026-24 — Event facility consisting of a ±10,000 square foot reception hall and 4,000 square foot chapel, designed as a wedding and special events venue
Conditional use approval for an event facility (wedding and special events venue) with a 10,000 sq ft reception hall and 4,000 sq ft chapel on 19.39 acres in Residential Suburban zoning, intended to serve Polk County and Central Florida. Approval recommended with conditions by the Development Review Committee, including restrictions on amplified outdoor sound, limitations on access points, and requirements for a comprehensive Event Management Plan. The site presents significant environmental and infrastructure challenges including 95% location within 100-year flood zone and severe soil limitations, but staff find these manageable through proper engineering.
LDCU-2026-11 — Construction Aggregate Processing
The applicant is requesting Conditional Use (CU) approval for Construction Aggregate Processing on approximately 8.04 acres in the Industrial land use district. The proposed recycling facility must maintain a 200-foot setback from the adjacent Ramblewood Subdivision residential properties to the north and comply with Type B buffering and opaque fencing requirements. Staff recommends approval, finding the use compatible with the surrounding industrial and commercial corridor uses along the SR 60 corridor.
LDCPAL-2026-8 — Pipe extrusion manufacturing facility with outdoor extrusion equipment, raw material storage silos for plastic resin pellets, finished pipe storage, internal access drives, utility infrastructure, and stormwater management
Mosaic Fertilizer seeks to change the Future Land Use designation on approximately 118.78 acres from Phosphate Mining to Industrial to enable development of a pipe extrusion manufacturing facility on reclaimed mine land. The site is remote (14+ miles southwest of Fort Meade), surrounded entirely by Mosaic-owned Phosphate Mining parcels with no structures, and the nearest school and residence are 14.5+ miles and 3.6 miles away respectively, making compatibility concerns minimal but requiring buffering and infrastructure accommodations at detailed development review.
LDCT-2026-19 — text_amendment
County-initiated amendment to remove Individual Mobile Homes and Mobile Home Subdivisions from the Land Development Code use tables, conditional use criteria, and parking standards, and to amend the Single-Family Detached Home definition to include mobile and modular homes. This implements state law (HB 399/Florida Statute 553.385) requiring mobile homes to be treated the same as site-built homes in residential zoning districts.
LDCT-2026-16 — Gas Station as conditional use in HIC-X district
This text amendment adds "Gas Station" as a conditional use in the High-Impact Commercial Center-X (HIC-X) district within the Wahneta Neighborhood Plan, bringing the district into consistency with countywide HIC standards where gas stations are already permitted. The change affects development potential in the Wahneta Neighborhood Plan's commercial corridors by allowing fueling operations alongside accessory retail and service uses.
LDCPAS-2026-15 — Residential (subdivision into two residential lots)
Small-scale comprehensive plan map amendment to change the Future Land Use Designation from Institutional (INST) to Residential Suburban (RS) on 0.64 acres. The property is a former Polk County water well site that has been abandoned and is surrounded by existing residential subdivisions, allowing it to be subdivided into approximately two residential lots under the Residential Infill Development policy.
LDCU-2026-21 — text_amendment
Polk County is adopting a Historic Resources Design Guidelines Manual to implement its Certified Local Government status, establishing design standards for alterations to voluntarily designated historic properties. The manual will guide property owners and the Historical Commission in reviewing modifications to historic structures, sites, and districts, with staff anticipating future amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code to reference these guidelines.
LDCPAS-2026-14 — Commercial retail (existing 2,400 sq ft retail building constructed 1974)
This small-scale comprehensive plan amendment seeks to change the Future Land Use designation of a 0.50-acre commercial retail property from Residential Low-1 to Commercial Enclave to legitimize an established commercial use that has operated continuously since 1974. The change will enable potential intensification of commercial development on a parcel surrounded by low-density residential uses and newly platted residential neighborhoods, subject to compatibility standards and infrastructure requirements for centralized water/sewer in the Transit Supportive Development Area.
LDPD-2026-12 — 178 townhome units in a Planned Development
This Planned Development proposal seeks to create 178 townhome units on approximately 28.82 acres with increased density and decreased lot sizes within a Residential Low-1 future land use district. The project is located in an area with Transit Supportive Development overlay and portions within the Green Swamp Area of Critical State Concern. Staff recommended conditional approval, making this a case of interest for developers considering residential multifamily opportunities in Polk County's growth corridors.
LDCU-2026-17 — Expansion of an approved Solid Waste Management Facility with improved location of re-use, re-manufacturing, and recycling facilities; addition of a Non-Certified High Impact Power Generation Facility; and Class III Utilities (potable water production and wastewater treatment)
This case seeks conditional use approval to expand an existing 531-acre solid waste management facility in rural Polk County with new high-impact industrial uses including power generation and utility infrastructure. The expansion requires Board approval and involves a facility previously approved in 2010 that is now requesting modifications to accommodate additional waste processing and utility operations. Developers should monitor whether this case establishes precedent for industrial utility facilities in rural zoning districts or affects future development parameters in the Rural Development Area.
LDPD-2026-13 — 151 single-family detached residential lots with minimum lot sizes of 6,000 sq. ft.
This Planned Development approval reduces minimum lot sizes in a Residential Low-1 district from 40,000 sq. ft. to 6,000 sq. ft., enabling 151 single-family homes on approximately 57.87 acres. The development is located in a Transit Supportive Development Area near I-4 with access to employment centers, and includes required amenities, stormwater management, and wetland protection measures.
PUD 71-10 — Community center for residents (Leisure/Recreation)
The Association of Poinciana Villages seeks to amend PUD 71-10 to allow development of a community center for Poinciana residents on approximately 33.28 acres with a Leisure/Recreation land use designation. The project is subject to conservation easement restrictions with a 260-acre Polk County preserve opening to the north, and sits within a floodplain with wetlands and potential eagle nesting habitat requiring environmental protections.
LDCT-2026-6 — text_amendment
This text amendment to Appendix E of the Land Development Code establishes conditions for development on approximately 45 acres associated with a separate comprehensive plan amendment changing the future land use from DRI to Leisure/Recreation. Developers with interest in DRI-to-recreation conversions or similar projects in this area should monitor approval and implementation of the new code conditions.
LDCPAL-2026-2 — text_amendment
This comprehensive plan amendment establishes a new Main Street Corridor (MSC) land use category to promote redevelopment and infilling of mixed-use corridors within redevelopment districts. The new designation allows flexibility for commercial, office, residential, and institutional uses along linear roadway corridors, with development criteria emphasizing urban design, pedestrian/bicycle connectivity, and compatibility with adjacent uses. Projects in designated MSC areas will be subject to new development standards including maximum floor area ratios, residential density limits, and requirements for frontage roads or shared access facilities.
LDCPAS-2026-6 — Mixed-use redevelopment with neighborhood commercial, office, institutional, and residential uses in a transit-supportive development area and community redevelopment area
This comprehensive plan amendment would redesignate 25.96 acres in Eloise from Residential-Low to three land use districts (Community Activity Center, Institutional, and Main Street Corridor) to facilitate mixed-use redevelopment in a transit-supportive development area and county-designated community redevelopment area. The proposed uses include neighborhood commercial, office, and residential uses while prohibiting automotive-oriented and industrial uses, with additional development standards requiring small-scale multi-family limits and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design compliance.
LDCPAS-2026-9 — comprehensive_plan_amendment
This case involves a Comprehensive Plan amendment for the Lake Marion Creek area in Polk County. The proposal includes considerations for conservation easements and development, which may affect land use designations and permitted uses in the area. Developers should monitor whether this amendment creates new opportunities or restrictions for projects in or near Lake Marion Creek.
LDNON-2026-29 — Solid waste management industrial park including resource recovery, recycling, reuse, remanufacturing, waste-to-energy power generation, wastewater treatment, and related industrial uses
This is a conditional use expansion for a solid waste management industrial park on approximately 531 acres of former phosphate mining land, proposing resource recovery, recycling, reuse, waste-to-energy conversion, and related industrial uses with wastewater treatment facilities. The facility includes extensive buffer requirements and is located over 2,000 feet from nearest residences, with infrastructure planning to support water and wastewater systems. Developers should note the site's limitations due to former mining activities, clay slimes soils, and required environmental engineering, wetland analysis, and multiple agency approvals.
CU 14-10 — Non-phosphate mining to recover fill dirt for Class-I Landfill
This case involves approval of a non-phosphate mining conditional use to recover fill dirt as part of a Class-I Landfill development (CU 09-17). The active mine is located in an area adjacent to phosphate mining and institutional designations, with nearest residences over 2,000 feet away. Approval follows comprehensive plan policies for solid waste management facilities and requires conditions to mitigate impacts.
CU-09-17 — Expansion of solid waste management facility (landfill, waste handling, recycling, remanufacturing, transfer station, offices, equipment repair, academic research, non-certified high impact power generation facility, and Class III utilities for potable water and wastewater treatment)
This case involves a conditional use modification for an existing solid waste management facility (landfill, recycling, and remanufacturing) seeking to expand the Institutional district by approximately 531 acres to relocate waste-handling operations for better roadway access and proximity to industrial areas. The facility will maintain its existing landfill location and size but relocate ancillary operations, with infrastructure constraints around potable water and wastewater treatment being the primary limiting factors for future development intensity.
LDCD-2026-4 — Expansion of approved solid waste management facility
This case involves a Land Development Code sub-district map change from Institutional-1 to Institutional-2 for approximately 531 acres to support expansion of an approved solid waste management facility (Innovation Environmental Park). The change affects a large rural property in Polk County and may impact development considerations for waste management infrastructure in the region.
LDCPAL-2025-7 — Residential-Suburban development, Industrial development, and Rural Cluster Center with Activity Center Plan at State Road 37 and County Road 640 intersection; 200-foot conservation buffer within RS district adjacent to IND district
This 2,475-acre comprehensive plan amendment redesignates a Rural Development Area near Mulberry to allow suburban residential, industrial, and Rural Cluster Center uses, including a 200-foot conservation buffer to separate residential and industrial areas. The project directly impacts developers seeking industrial or residential opportunities in this area, and affects existing Pinedale residents who may experience impacts from new industrial development despite distance and code protections. Approval by Polk County would establish an Activity Center Plan framework for mixed-use development at the SR 37/CR 640 intersection.
LDCT-2025-15 — text_amendment
This case involves a Land Development Code text amendment for the Mims Crossing area. The amendment modifies zoning ordinance provisions that could affect development standards or regulations applicable to projects in or near this location. Developers should review the ordinance changes to understand any new requirements or opportunities in the Mims Crossing district.
LDCT-2026-17 — text_amendment
This case involves a text amendment to Chapter 9 of the Land Development Code, modifying the zoning ordinance text itself rather than affecting a specific property. Developers should review whether these code changes impact development standards, permitting processes, or permitted uses in their target areas. The outcome may affect future project approvals and compliance requirements across Polk County.
LDCT-2026-13 — text_amendment
This Land Development Code text amendment to Section 2.135 of the Comprehensive Plan will establish additional development standards and list specific uses for the Main Street Corridor (MSC) Land Use District in the Eloise Community Redevelopment Area, affecting 25.96 acres. The amendment is directly related to a Comprehensive Plan amendment (LDCPAS-2026-6) that redesignates the property from Residential-Low to MSC, Community Activity Center, and Institutional uses to support redevelopment and revitalization of the Eloise CRA. The changes will enable mixed-use development patterns that gradually transition between more intensive industrial uses and lower-density residential uses in the area.
LDCT-2026-11 — text_amendment
This case involves a text amendment to the Land Development Code (LDC) regarding docking standards in Polk County, FL. As a text amendment rather than a site-specific rezoning, any changes to docking regulations could affect multiple properties with waterfront or dock facilities throughout the jurisdiction. Developers with dock-related projects should monitor this continued case to understand how any LDC modifications might impact their future approvals.
LDCU-2026-3 — Firearm Range
This conditional use permit application for an Agricola firearm range has been continued and will be heard on July 8, 2026 instead of the originally scheduled June 3, 2026 meeting. Developers should monitor this case if firearm range projects or similar conditional use permits are relevant to their portfolio.
LDPD-2026-6 — Rural Residential Development (RRD) with 145 single-family lots at 0.95 DU/AC net density of 1.69 DU/AC
Applicant requested approval for a Rural Residential Development designation to increase density from 1 dwelling unit per 5 acres to approximately 1.69 units per acre on property in a Residential Suburban future land use district. The Planning Commission voted 7-0 to deny the application without prejudice, finding the proposed density incompatible with the surrounding low-density rural area and citing infrastructure concerns including historic flooding in the Kathleen Drainage Basin.
LDCT-2026-12 — comprehensive_plan_amendment
This case involves a text amendment to Chapter 4, Section 402 C affecting the Indian Lakes Estate development, including modifications to sewer provisions, allowance for duplex units, and addition of a use table. Developers should monitor this case if they have interests in or near Indian Lakes Estate or if similar duplex/sewer provisions could affect their projects in Polk County.
LDCPAL-2026-5 — other
This is a text amendment to Section 2.130-B of the Polk County zoning ordinance affecting Indian Lakes Estates, specifically modifying regulations related to sewer infrastructure and duplex unit provisions. The amendment will alter development standards for this area and may impact feasibility and economics of residential projects in the Indian Lakes Estates subdivision.
LDCU-2025-25 — other
Case LDCU-2025-25 was withdrawn from the May 6, 2026 Planning & Zoning agenda and will not be heard at this meeting. Developers should monitor future agendas to determine if this case is resubmitted.
LDCT-2026-1 — text_amendment
This is a text amendment to Polk County's Land Development Code regarding the Main Street Overlay (MSC) district in the Wahneta area. The amendment may affect zoning standards and development requirements for properties within the MSC overlay zone. Developers with projects in or near the Wahneta Main Street area should monitor this code modification.
LDCT-2025-25 — text_amendment
This case involves a text amendment to the Land Development Code regarding communication towers. The amendment will modify the zoning ordinance standards applicable to communication tower development across Polk County. Developers working with communication tower projects should monitor this case for changes to permitting requirements and placement standards.
LDCT-2025-26 — text_amendment
This case involves a text amendment to Polk County's Land Development Code regarding car wash regulations. Developers with car wash projects or those affected by car wash zoning standards should monitor this amendment to understand any changes to permitted uses, design standards, or operational requirements.
Also covered in Polk County
Auburndale · Bartow · Davenport · Dundee FL · Fort Meade · Haines City · Lake Alfred · Lake Hamilton · Lake Wales · Lakeland · Winter Haven
P&Z Radar AI agent · Expand
Hi, I’m Pip. How can I help?