Polk County Land Use Hearing Officer · Jan. 23, 2025
Meeting date: Jan. 23, 2025Summarized 2026-09-01 18:04
## Polk County Land Use Hearing Officer — January 23, 2025
**Format note:** This is a Land Use Hearing Officer (LUHO) proceeding, not a board with voting members. The minutes record no motions, seconds, or votes, and no dollar amounts, contracts, or expenditures. The minutes do not record a final ruling by the Hearing Officer on any of the three cases — only that the public hearing was opened and closed for each. Staff recommendations are noted below.
**Minutes approval:** Meeting Minutes of 12/10/2024 listed for approval; the minutes do not record an action taken on them.
### Cases heard
**LDLSE-2024-10 (Thompson Road SE)** — Leonardo Reyes, owner, requested a Special Exception for commercial vehicle parking in a Residential Suburban (RS) district at 4508 Thompson Road, northwest of Mulberry (Sec. 32, Twp. 29, Rng. 23).
- Noticing per Erik Peterson, Land Development: 18 mailers sent 1/6/2025, **1 call received in opposition**; 1 board posted 12/20/2024; legal ad published in the Polk Sun News 1/8/2025.
- Case Planner Aleya Inglima gave a **recommendation of approval**.
- Applicant appeared with interpreter Krystal Morales and agreed with staff recommendations.
- **Only case with public opposition:** Richard Griffin (4506 Thompson Rd.) raised concerns about the size of the vehicle and the condition of the road; Janet Langham (4506 Thompson Rd.) raised concerns about vehicle size.
**LDLSE-2024-11 (Alvarez Special Exception)** — Adiel Alvarez requested a Special Exception for commercial vehicle parking in an Agricultural/Residential Rural-X (A/RRX) district at 727 Saddlewood Boulevard, north of the City of Lakeland (Sec. 20, Twp. 26, Rng. 27).
- Noticing: 16 mailers sent 1/6/2025, **1 letter received in support**; 1 board posted (minutes state "12/20/2025"); legal ad published 1/8/2025.
- Case Planner Kyle Rogus gave a **recommendation of approval**.
- Applicant appeared with interpreter Krystal Morales and agreed with staff recommendations.
- No support or opposition from the audience.
**LDLVAR-2024-59 (Smith Variance)** — Marshall Smith requested a primary structure side setback reduction in a Rural Cluster Center-RX (RCCC-RX) district at 344 Sunshine Dr, south of the City of Lake Wales (Sec. 35, Twp. 30, Rng. 27).
- Noticing: 12 mailers sent 1/6/2025, **no response**; 1 board posted (minutes state "12/20/2025"); legal ad published 1/8/2025.
- Case Planner Kyle Rogus gave a **recommendation of approval**.
- Applicant appeared and agreed with staff recommendations.
- No support or opposition from the audience.
**Adjournment:** 2:27 PM.
**Other notes:** Two cases list the notice board posting date as 12/20/2025 (a date after the hearing), while the first case lists 12/20/2024 — an apparent typographical inconsistency in the record. Aside from the two neighbor objections on the Thompson Road case, the docket was routine and all three cases carried staff recommendations of approval.