Board of County Commissioners · Jan. 7, 2025
Meeting date: Jan. 7, 2025Summarized 2026-09-01 18:03
# Polk County BoCC — Regular Meeting, January 7, 2025
**Overall:** All recorded votes passed unanimously 5-0 (Troutman, Wilson, Braswell, Santiago, Scott). Meeting adjourned at 10:51 a.m. No split votes, no failed motions, no withdrawals; one continuance.
## Non-Consent Actions
| Item | Action | Mover / Seconder |
|---|---|---|
| D.1 Consent Agenda | Approved | Santiago / Braswell |
| E.1 Disbursements | Approved | Santiago / Scott |
| E.2 Minutes of Dec. 17, 2024 | Approved | Santiago / Scott |
| G.1 Resolution denying closure of Lake Marion Creek Road, prohibiting county road closures without Board approval | Approved | Braswell / Santiago |
| H.1 HUD Grant #B-24-CP-FL-0609 — **$6,000,000** one-time unanticipated revenue, FDC Grove Road / North Ridge Trail Flyover | Approved | Troutman / Braswell |
| H.2 HUD Grant #B-24-CP-FL-0651 — **$850,000** one-time unanticipated revenue, Poinciana sidewalks | Approved | Santiago / Braswell |
| H.3 Professional services agreements with WSP USA and Kimley-Horn — **$314,979** (Wahneta / N. Rifle Range Rd.) and **$130,375** (Inwood) | Approved | Troutman / Braswell |
| J.1 Appoint Chad Tagtow, Industrial Development Authority Seat 5 (term 1/23/25–1/22/28) | Approved | Braswell / Santiago |
| K.1 Appoint Russel "Rusty" L. Mouton, II, IDA Member No. 8 (same term) | Approved | Santiago / Braswell |
**On G.1:** County Attorney Randy Mink stated the resolution "will prohibit road closures exceeding 5 days" and "exempts out emergency situations."
**On H.1/H.2:** County Manager Beasley credited the appropriations to Congressman Webster (H.1) and Congressman Soto (H.2).
## Land Use Hearings
- **O.1 (LDCPAL-2024-4 Spirit Lake Text CPA)** — Adopted. Scott / Troutman. No public speakers.
- **O.2 (LDCPAS-2024-3 Spirit Lake OC CPA)**, 0.44 acres RL→OC — Adopted. Braswell / Santiago. No public speakers.
- **O.3 (LDCT-2024-26 As-Builts/Record Drawings)** — First reading only; no action required.
- **P.1 (LDCT-2024-27 SR 60 & Boy Scout Road)** — **Continued at applicant's request.** Braswell / Troutman. (Agenda lists continuance to February 4, 2025; minutes record Mink saying "February 2, 2025.")
### Grenelefe package (P.2–P.6) — all adopted
P.2, P.3, and P.4 were heard together in one public hearing.
- **P.2** Large-scale Comp Plan text amendment (Grenelefe UEA) — Braswell / Troutman
- **P.3** LDC text amendment (Grenelefe UEA, Ch. 4 Sec. 402) — Braswell / Santiago
- **P.4** Large-scale Comp Plan map amendment, 526± acres from TCCX/DRIX to RLX, RMX, NACX — Troutman / Braswell
- **P.5** Ordinance establishing the Grenelefe Community Development District — Braswell / Troutman
- **P.6** Interlocal Agreement between the County and the Grenelefe CDD — Troutman / Scott
Staff (Chanda Bennett) noted the 2009 PD approval has expired and a new PD process would be required; applicant's counsel Bart Allen said expiration "does not change the entitlements that were already incorporated in the Comp Plan," and estimated a 5–10 year buildout. Public speakers included supporters (Fayette Carpenter, Catherine Tidwell, Robert Lewis) and opponents (Glenn Lawhorn, who also opposed the CDD, saying CDDs "take[] the element of risk from the developer and put it on those that buy bonds").
**Notable dissenting sentiment without a dissenting vote:** Commissioner Braswell said he "does not like the idea of building homes on golf courses, because it seems unfair to the people who paid a premium to live on a golf course," but voted in favor, citing the developer's community engagement.
## Consent Agenda — Larger Dollar Items (approved en bloc)
- R.31 Right-of-Way Agreement with Connie Miller, Power Line Road Phase 2 — **$706,000** one-time expense
- R.28 Second amendment, Tri-County Human Services contract — estimated **$598,843** county funding, FY 24/25
- R.21 SHIP rehab/replacement, Waverly — **$201,329.60**
- R.20 SHIP rehab/replacement, unincorporated Lakeland — **$189,787.50**
- R.19 HOME rehab/replacement, unincorporated Lakeland — **$189,487.50**
- R.22 SHIP rehab/replacement, Bartow — **$186,584.10**
- R.29 Modification No. 4, Inwood Consulting Engineers CSA 17-44-03 — **$94,904**
- R.40 Domestic Violence Training Fund appropriation (Sheriff) — **$79,000**
- R.26 **Settlement in Robert Tyler v. Polk County Sheriff's Office — $60,000** one-time expense
- R.41 Law Enforcement Trust Fund expenditure (Sheriff) — **$45,546.02**
- R.23/R.24 SHIP infill lot contract modifications, Haines City — **$9,000** each
- R.25 HHRP rehab modification, Wahneta — **$2,486**
- Surplus/sale authorizations: R.32 (potential **$250,000+** revenue), R.33 (potential **$42,000+**), R.34 (**$100** private conveyance)
- Sureties accepted/released (no fiscal impact): $516,034.38 performance bond (Reserve at Lake Parker); $484,359.53 maintenance bond (Connector Rd./Ronald Reagan Pkwy); releases of $264,764.45 (Belle Haven Ph. 2), $131,603.46 (Hawthorne Ph. 1), $6,948.90 (Sunrise Landing), $7,676.00 (Pollard Pointe)
- R.42 Resolution approving four Declarations Extending State of Local Emergency 24-01 (executed Dec. 18, Dec. 23, Dec. 30, 2024 and Jan. 6, 2025)
- R.38/R.39 Authorized negotiations with Carollo Engineers (east regional water/wastewater facilities) and Geosyntec Consultants (Southeast Landfill) — no fiscal impact at this stage
## Public Comment (no votes taken)
- **LeRoy Mannien** — closure of Loyce E. Harpe Park and its effect on his business ("he had to let staff go"); asked the county to find another site for FEMA hurricane debris storage; asked about e-bike regulation.
- **Ken Henry, Alex Vogt, Linda Fife** — urged a multi-use path rather than a bike lane along Thompson Nursery Road, citing 45–50 mph speed limits; Henry said outreach to Roads and Drainage Director Jay Jarvis and the Board "received no response."
- **Tom Palmer** — asked when the public will get an update on BS Ranch and Farm and what happens to remaining waste near Saddle Creek. Chair Wilson said the operation "has been shut down" and the county is "in the process now of seeing what is going on."
- **Cassandra Richards** — dump truck speeding on Freelander/Freeland Road; requested it be designated a non-collector road.
- **Glenn Lawhorn** — objected that applicants get unlimited presentation time while the public gets three minutes.