Planning Commission · Feb. 5, 2025
Meeting date: Feb. 5, 2025Summarized 2026-09-01 18:05
## Polk County Planning Commission — February 5, 2025 (Regular Planning Meeting)
**Format:** Workshop called to order 8:50 a.m.; public hearing called to order 9:00 a.m. by Chair Robert Beltran, County Commission Boardroom.
**Attendance:** Present — Rennie Heath, Vice Chair David Dalton, Mike Hickman, Mike Schmidt, Chair Robert Beltran, Secretary Merle Bishop, Brooke Agnini. Excused — Linda Schultz, Adam Bass, Kevin Updike. (Note: Schultz, Bass and Updike, listed as alternates, are recorded in the narrative as "in attendance" at both the workshop and hearing, but are marked "Excused" in the roll call — an internal inconsistency in the minutes.)
**Minutes approval:** Approved. Mover: Dalton; Seconder: Bishop; unanimous (7 aye).
### Continuances (no hearing held)
Three items were continued to March:
- LDWA-2024-60 (Pitt Road Waiver)
- LDCPAS-2024-34 (Orchid Springs CPA)
- LDPD-2024-21 (Tyner Road RRD)
### Actions taken — all unanimous (7-0), no split votes
1. **LDCPAS-2024-28 (Space Source CPA)** — Small-scale comp plan map amendment from DRI to Neighborhood Activity Center on 5.82± acres, Utility Enclave Area, near Haines City. Staff recommended approval; no public response (81 mailers, 4 signs). **Approved.** Mover: Heath; Seconder: Bishop.
2. **LDCU-2024-39 (St. Helena Sand Mine Modification)** — Major modification to Conditional Use Permit 07-12 to add **466.4± acres** to an existing non-phosphate mine (Nim Lithuel LLC applicant; Blue Water Industries Florida LLC owner), south of Tindel Camp Road near Lake Wales. Staff recommended approval and reported no public response, but **four speakers spoke in opposition with concerns** at the hearing ("Raberto," "Carlose," Patrick Henery, "Al"), and one speaker ("Sarah R.") spoke in favor. **Approved.** Mover: Heath; Seconder: Hickman.
3. **LDCU-2024-1 (Small Bay Auto Sales CU)** — Conditional Use for vehicle sales/leasing on 0.52± acres at 3408 NW Avenue West near Winter Haven (Brisbin Capital, LLC). No public speakers. **Approved.** Mover: Dalton; Seconder: Bishop.
4. **LDCU-2024-38 (South Fort Meade Mine DRI Extension)** — Conditional Use modification extending the Development Order expiration **an additional 20 years** to continue processing mined material at the South Fort Meade beneficiation plant on **17,508.5± acres** (Stearns, Weaver, Miller, P.A. applicant; Mosaic Fertilizer LLC owner). **Two emails in opposition** received; no public speakers. **Approved.** Mover: Dalton; Seconder: Bishop.
5. **LDDRI-2024-1 (South Fort Meade Mine DRI Extension)** — Companion DRI item, same 20-year extension and 17,508.5± acres. Two emails in opposition. **Approved.** Mover: Dalton; Seconder: Heath.
6. **LDCT-2024-21 (Accessory Structures LDC Text Amendment)** — Amends Land Development Code Chapter 2 (Sec. 206.A limiting accessory dwelling unit size and providing variance criteria; Sec. 208.F increasing shed setbacks; Sec. 209.D exceptions for accessory structures on lakefront properties) and Chapter 9, Sec. 930. **One email in opposition**; no public speakers. **Approved.** Mover: Heath; Seconder: Bishop.
7. **LDCT-2024-25 (Livestock & Fowl LDC Text Amendment)** — **Tabled.** Mover: Schmidt; Seconder: Dalton; unanimous. No discussion, staff presentation, or reason for tabling is recorded in the minutes.
### Notable points
- **No dollar amounts, contracts, or expenditures** appear anywhere in this agenda or minutes; this is a quasi-judicial land-use body.
- The largest-scale approvals were the two Mosaic South Fort Meade items (20-year extension over 17,508.5± acres) and the 466.4-acre sand mine expansion.
- Every recorded vote was unanimous; the only non-approval outcome was the tabling of the Livestock & Fowl text amendment.
- Minutes for the St. Helena Sand Mine and Small Bay Auto Sales items both include the line "Bart spoke and addressed some of the concerns from the public" — including for Small Bay, where the minutes record that no one from the public spoke. Speaker names in the public-comment sections are recorded incompletely (first names/partial names only).
- A "Comprehensive Plan update" was listed on the agenda; the minutes record no content or action under that heading.