Skip to main content
Call Polk County’s Citizen’s Information for Hurricane Milton-related questions (863) 298-7500 or toll-free (866)661-0228. Residential Hurricane Milton Debris Hotline (833) 843-1920 active 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Monthly Archives: July 2024

aerial-polk-county-school-construction

polk county planning for 2050

Polk County for Life, Work and Play

You’re noticing more housing developments, cars on the road, and the notable change in the 15-minute commute to work that now takes 25 in Polk County, FL. Have you wondered how growth is permitted? Thought about what you would change?

Growth can be good and bad; convenient and frustrating; planned and unpleasant; and unintentional and controlled. As residents of Polk County, you can share your ideas about what you want growth to look like in your community. As the planning team works to update the county’s next comprehensive plan, you are invited to join the process. The team has developed a project website, with the sole purpose of being a space for you to offer your feedback.

Why do we have a Polk County Comprehensive Plan?

Bob Graham was the governor of Florida when the state’s Growth Management Act (GMA) was passed in 1985. The act was a result of state leaders’ efforts to address the negative effects of Florida’s population growth on the state’s economy and quality of life.

Under the GMA amended in 2011 as the Community Planning Act (CPA), comprehensive plans become state-required documents. Florida’s CPA requires each city and county to adopt a local comprehensive plan, which must include growth limits and designate areas for commercial, residential, and employment development while protecting property rights.

What is included in a comprehensive plan?

The plans have a long list of items that must be included and addressed as outlined in Florida’s CPA. At a minimum, plans must include goals, objectives, and rules (policies) that will guide and control future development, address and troubleshoot existing or potential problems that arise, promote public health, as well as preserve and protect human, economic, cultural, recreational, and environmental resources.

Share your feedback with the Polk County Planning Team

Please visit our Prosper 2050 Comprehensive Plan website and let your voice be heard.

Polk County Plannning 2050

Ways to participate in Polk County Planning 2050:

  • Post comments, problems, and solutions to the Idea Wall
  • Take the online survey
  • Leave notes or comments on specific places on the interactive map
  • Participate in person at the live workshops
  • Contact the Polk County Planning team directly

Polk County FL

Why does your voice matter now?

Comprehensive plans are updated every seven years and have a 20 to 25-year planning horizon. Comments and feedback today, inform the plan that will guide and limit growth tomorrow.

The Comprehensive Polk County Plan Update Process

The first step in updating the plan is gathering feedback from you, a resident, in a phase we call public participation.

Polk County Development Phase

Once the public participation phase is completed, the planning team will write new goals, objectives, and policies for the Comprehensive Plan that are based on state law requirements, Board direction, and the feedback collected from residents.

Presentation and Review to Local Governing Bodies

Per Florida law, the Planning Commission is required to review the Comprehensive Plan update and make a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners that can include policy changes.

Transmittal Hearing

The Board will hold a public meeting often referred to as a Transmittal Hearing, where staff will present the update and the Board will transmit the revised comprehensive plan to the Florida Department of Commerce.

State Review of Plan

The Florida Department of Commerce has 60 days to review the updated plan and provide any comments for final consideration at the adoption hearing of the revised plan.

Adoption Hearing

The Board has 180 days to adopt the updated plan and submit it to the Florida Department of Commerce.

Polk County FL Planning 2025

Timeline for Comprehensive Polk County Plan Update

  • Summer 2024 to Fall 2024 – Public Participation
  • Fall 2024 to Spring 2025 – Plan Development
  • Summer 2025 – Transmittal Hearing
  • Fall 2025 – Adoption Hearing

(Check calendar for dates)

 

 

Visit www.inspire-engagement.com/polk-county-comp-plan to learn more

Prosper 2050: Planning for Polk County’s Future

SEE MORE
Polk building inspector signing violation sticker

Imagine this: It’s hurricane season and the storm clouds are rolling in. The wind is ramping up. Forecasters are calling for 80-mile per hour (or faster) gusts.

So, the question is, is your house safe? Will it hold up to the wind?

If you answered “yes,” do you know what’s making it safe? Who is ultimately responsible for keeping your home safe when extreme conditions arrive in Polk County?

“Safety is the biggest goal for our building inspectors,” said Polk County Building Official Ryan Wiggins. “We don’t really evacuate in Polk County, so we have to make sure that, when hurricanes hit, you can stay in your home without worrying that it will be blown away.”

Building inspector conducting a site inspection

How many building inspectors are there?

Wiggins manages a team of 32 inspectors, who perform 850 inspections per day. Think about that for a moment – 32 Polk County Building Division employees inspect 850 sites per day! That’s almost 27 inspections per person per day.

“Not only do our inspectors visit quite a few sites, they often drive more than 100 miles each day,” Wiggins said. “So, they have to hustle.”

What do building inspectors do?

Inspectors examine buildings to assess four elements: structural integrity, mechanical elements, electrical systems and plumbing work. They ensure that the work being done matches the building plans that were submitted to the county and state code. Depending on what’s being inspected, the walkthrough can take just 15 minutes or up to two hours.

Some inspectors review each of the four elements, and some focus on just one. They have all spent at least five years working on what they inspect, and, as they buzz through each work site, they identify any construction defects or issues that need to be addressed before the property is occupied. So, if framing is done incorrectly, or if a toilet leaks, the inspectors will issue a failing report. On new construction, this means buyers or renters cannot become occupants until the work is corrected.

Polk building inspector returning oven to its placePeople cannot move into a new house unless building inspectors deem it 100% safe, for today and for whenever dangerous weather hits Polk County. The inspectors are, in a sense, the final line of protection for the county’s residents.

“Because of their experience, our inspectors are not just telling builders what a code book says,” said Wiggins. “They’ve done it, too. They understand how hard the builders have worked on a project, and they know exactly why something failed and how to fix it.”

Polk County inspectors also conduct inspections in occupied homes, always with a resident and/or contractor present. If inspectors find an issue, occupants can remain in the residence while corrections are made unless the issue is life threatening.

The job doesn’t stop because of bad weatherPolk building inspector filling out paperwork on site

As the old U.S. Postal Service cliché goes, the inspectors are on the job rain or shine. Even in the heat of summer, they’re at construction sites, moving quickly from home to home. They are out post-hurricane, helping residents by doing damage assessments.

“As soon as the wind is below 45 miles per hour, we send out teams of two,” Wiggins said.

Polk County’s building inspectors view every residence in unincorporated Polk County after major weather events. The damage they see gets reported to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and their work helps the county secure disaster assistance.

Building inspectors and builders

Customer service is a point of emphasis for Polk’s building inspectors. They are encouraged to communicate and build relationships with builders and homeowners. The goal is to demonstrate to contractors that the inspectors are looking out for them, as well as future residents.

“The builders obviously have deadlines to meet,” Wiggins said, “so they’re working to get as much done as they can as quickly as possible. But things also have to be done safely. There’s no substitute for life safety. We strive to make sure the builders know we have their best interests in mind. That way, no one gets upset when something gets failed. The work simply gets corrected, and we’re all able to move on with our day.”

“What would happen if the county passed an inspection that should have not been passed and then a hurricane comes? The last thing anyone wants is for someone’s Polk building inspector with contractorhome to have a structural issue, especially if or when a hurricane comes. As a builder, contractor and building inspector, part of the reputation you want is knowing that, when homes are built in Polk County, they are built to a quality standard meeting Florida Building Code requirements. This is why we see our working relationship with the construction industry as a partnership that is good for the community,” said Wiggins.

Building Inspectors Help Keep Polk County Homes Safe

SEE MORE
Legacies in Polk Government Leadership exhibit wall in Polk County History Center

The Board of County Commissioners Then…

The size and makeup of the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) has evolved since Polk County’s establishment in 1861. Did you know that the first ever BoCC only had four commissioners? William S. Harris, Isaac Waters, James Hamilton and Joseph Mizell were elected by residents in three voting districts: Fort Fraser, Fort Meade and Socrum. They convened at Mud Lake in the Lakeland Highlands area, which had been chosen by voters as the county seat in the same April 1861 election. The BoCC has since expanded in accordance to changes to the Florida Constitution in 1885, 1900 and 1944.

The Polk County History Center has unveiled a new exhibit exploring the establishment of the Polk County Government. “Legacies in Polk Government Leadership” honors the men and women in county government whose service marked a turning point in the county’s history. The inaugural inductees included the county’s first female commissioner and the county’s first Black commissioner. Their legacies were recognized on March 28, 2024, in a special ceremony at the Polk County History Center.

Brenda Taylor (1943-2024)

Brenda Taylor, District 1 commissioner, sitting at her desk in her officeThe first honoree inducted into the “Legacies in Polk Government Leadership” exhibit was Brenda Taylor, the first woman to be elected to the Polk County BoCC. Did she have any political experience? No. Her professional experience included working as an office manager for a large department store chain and as a secretary and account ant for her husband’s firm, Taylor Engineering and Surveying in Lakeland.

Taylor was the last candidate to submit her application to enter the commission race that year. The only campaign financial contribution that she reported was the $1608 she had paid out of her own pocket to satisfy the qualifying fee.

In September 1976, she beat incumbent District 1 Commissioner Floyd Woods, earning 21,918 votes to his 16,269 votes.

During her eight years as commissioner, Taylor focused on economic development and improved the quality of life in the county. Her impact included the implementation of an animal control ordinance, which upgraded the Animal Control Department. She was also involved in shortening the process for zoning cases and building relationships which led to the donation of Christina Park to the county.

Brenda Taylor posing next to her 1968 Jaguar XKE sports car, Tampa Tribune photo by Larry AlspaughTaylor said she “didn’t go into office making big promises. I offered (voters) my full-time service. I said that I would serve with honesty and integrity, and I’ve given them what they asked for.”

After her time on the commission, Taylor continued to serve Polk County as a part-time employee, supporting the development of road projects by negotiating with property owners for right-of-way . In 1985, she was hired by the first director of the Economic Development Council of Polk County, now the Central Florida Development Council. For 21 years, she successfully built relationships with businesses and employers to attract them to Polk County.

Taylor passed away in January 2024. Read the full story of her successes in Polk County, including her early years, her time on the commission and her retirement, as told through photos and historical newspaper articles, by visiting the Polk County History Center’s digital archive.

Charles Richardson

Charles Richardson Sr. (1949-2003)

Charles Richardson Sr., the first Black Polk County resident to be elected to the BoCC, was also honored on March 28 and inducted into the “Legacies in Polk Government Leadership” exhibit.

But Richardson’s impact on Polk County began before his historic election to the BoCC.

Before he was a county commissioner, Richardson served on the City of Winter Haven commission. He only entered the race for city commissioner after Ann Darby, the first Black woman elected to serve, stepped down and encouraged Richardson to take an interest. She wanted to see representation from the African American community in local government.

Richardson was also the first director of the Talent Search Program established at at Polk Community College (now Polk State College) in 1998. As the director, Richardson helped economically disadvantaged high school students discover opportunities to improve their lives through college education.

When it came time to run for county commissioner, he did so on a platform of growth management and education. In September 2002, he defeated incumbent Commissioner Bruce Parker to win the District 4 seat, earning 53% of the vote.

Richardson was known among his fellow commissioners as a bridge-builder and always prioritized the quality of life of his residents.

Unfortunately, Richardson was not able to complete his four-year term on the county commission. He passed away from cancer in October 2003, only 11 months into his term. Upon his death, Richardson’s sister, Gloria Washington, told the Orlando Sentinel, “He opened avenues for people of all backgrounds.”

Learn more about Richardson Sr.’s life and accomplishments, as well as his early years as one of the first students to transfer to the Summerlin Institute upon desegregation of the public schools in 1965, at the Polk County History Center’s digital archive.

Charles Richardson campaigning for district four county commissioner

Want to nominate a Polk County legacy?

Like Richardson and Taylor, there are many other individuals who have had an impact in Polk County Government. The Polk County History Center wants to celebrate those legacies.

Recognitions to “Legacies in Polk Government Leadership” happen through nomination from the public with approval by the Polk County Historical Commission.

To begin the process of nominating a legacy honoree, contact the Polk County History Center at (863) 534-4386.

Legacies in Polk Government Leadership

SEE MORE
Decorative blue swish decoration at the bottom of the page, serving as a visual element for design purposes