To put another home on your property you must meet the requirements in Section 206 A of the Land Development Code, or meet the requirements and apply for a Medical Hardship Variance.  Information on the medical hardship Variance can be found in the Land Development Code in Section 207 D.  please contact the Planner on call at 863-534-6084 or email at mailto:planneroncall@polk-county.net.

The parcel identification number for a property can be found through the Property Appraiser by providing a physical address or the name of the property owner to one of the associates at the Property Appraiser's office. This identification number can also be found on a property owners tax statement form or by going to the property Appraisers website at http://www.polkpa.org.  

The parcel identification number consist of 18 digits. 

• The first six digits represent the Range, Township and Section of the property. 
• The second set of six digits represents the subdivision number of the property. (If the property in question is not in a subdivision, the second set of digits will be represented by all zeros.) 
• And the third and final set of 6 digits represent the where the parcel is located with the Section Township, Range and Subdivision.

The type of uses a property owner can do with their property depends on what type of land use classification or district that property falls within. Certain districts allow different types of land development and land use activities on a property. (To find out what type of uses one can do on their property, please contact the Planner on Call at 863-534-6084, or by email mailto:planneroncall@polk-county.net.  When calling or emailing the Planner on Call, please provide the 18 digit parcel identification number (for information on what and where the Parcel ID number is, see FAQ number 2).

Further information regarding the parcels Land Use may also be researched online by using the Parcel ID number and our GIS Data Viewer. After finding our the Land Use of the parcel through our GIS Data Viewer, Table 2.2 of the Land Development Code (located her on Growth Management's web site) will be useful in determining permitted uses, conditional uses, setbacks and etc.

* There are no separate districts for mobile homes. Their placement depends on their location relative to development within the area.  Mobile homes may be permitted in all of the following locations:

1. Within any registered mobile home park that has been approved by Polk County;
2. Within any platted residential subdivision that has been approved by Polk County as a mobile home subdivision;
3. Within any platted residential subdivision, or single platted phase within a multiple phased development, in which 50 percent or more of the developed lots contain mobile homes;
4. On any un-platted parcel in the A/RR district;
5. On any un-platted parcel that is five acres or larger in the RS district;
6. On any un-platted parcel where 50 percent or more of all contiguous residential lots or parcels are developed with mobile homes. Contiguous lots and parcels are those that share a common boundary, but not including those that intersect only at a corner point. Lots or parcels that are otherwise contiguous except for intervening local roads shall be considered contiguous for this calculation; and,
7. On any residential lot or parcel where it is determined by the Planning Commission to be compatible with the established character of the surrounding area.

* With the placement of a mobile home, the applicant shall meet stair and skirting requirements (Section 715) of the Land development Code. In addition, the placement of used mobile homes will have to meet the requirements of Section 716, pertaining to pre-inspection, fire safety, construction, electrical, and plumbing standards.

One may run a business out of their home in any land use district within the following parameters:

a.        Home occupations conforming with Section 206 of the Polk County Land Development Code and located within the principal dwelling unit shall be allowed without further County approval;

b.        A maximum of one person who is not a member of the immediate family residing on the premises may be employed in the operation of a home occupation;

c.        Regardless of the location of the home occupation, the principal dwelling unit on the property shall be the bona fide residence of the home occupation practitioner. The home occupation shall be clearly incidental and secondary to the property's use for residential purposes;

d.        No home occupation may occupy more than 25 percent of the gross habitable ground floor area of the principal dwelling unit;

e.        Traffic generated by the proposed use must not negatively impact the safety, ambiance and characteristics of the residential neighborhood. The increase to existing traffic created by the home occupation shall not exceed ten additional trips per day. The assumption is that each residential site generates ten trips per day. Therefore, a home occupation may not exceed 20 trips per day;

f.         No display of merchandise or outside storage of equipment or materials shall be permitted;

g.        No alterations shall be made to the external appearance of any principal or accessory structures or of the property which changes the character of the site from residential to non-residential;

h.        No equipment or process used in the home occupation shall create noise, vibration, glare, fumes, electromagnetic interference, odors or air pollution outside the building;

i.         One non-illuminated business identification sign mounted flush to the dwelling unit and not more than two square feet in area shall be allowed;

j.         No storage of hazardous materials, other than substances of a type and quantity customarily associated with a home or hobby, shall be permitted;

k.        All home occupation practitioners shall obtain an occupational license;

l.         The following uses are examples of home occupations:

                                            I.      Activities conducted principally by telephone, computer, facsimile, or mail;

                                          II.      Studios where handicrafts or objects-of-art are produced;

                                       III.      Teaching and tutoring instruction of no more than four pupils at a time;

                                        IV.      Dressmaking or apparel alterations;

                                           V.      Barber and beauty shop (one chair);

m.      Home occupations located other than within the principal dwelling unit (e.g. within an accessory structure or garage) shall be allowed as an accessory use pursuant to a Level 3 Review, and,

n.        The following are prohibited as home occupations:

                                      I.      Adult entertainment,

                                    II.      Automotive service and repair;

                                 III.      Bed and breakfast;

                                  IV.      Churches;

                                     V.