The year began with some belated news owing to the decline in local news coverage that has turned Polk County into a news desert outside the major cities. That was the news that Lake Alfred had in 2023 annexed northward into the Greem Swamp Area of Critical State Concern–including a portion of Hilochee Wildlife Management Area–to seemingly advance plans for industrial park development at the I-4-CR 557 interchange. The issue came to wider public attention after residents north of the annexation raised questions about how the action would eventually affect them.
In March, state officials announced approval of the $36.1 million purchase of the Creek Ranch property on Hatchineha Road. The County Commission had approved the property for a residential-commercial development in 2023 over the protests of area residents. The property, which lies i the Florida Wildlife Corridor, will be managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Also in March Ancient Islands Conservation Chair Marian Ryan was appointed to the county’s CLASAC panel, which makes recommendations to the County Commission regarding environmental lands purchases.
In June, Sierra became involved in a proposal driven by then County Commissioner Neil Combee to loosen residential development standards in the Green Swamp. The proposal came after county planners pushed through a seemingly uncontroversial measure to change standards in suburban areas and then used that to justify the Green Swamp rules in the name of consistency. The change was approved later in the year after some clarification about its impact.
In August, Polk officials agreed to pay $20 million for a 1.272-acre ranch in the upper reaches of the Peace Creek Drainage Canal with an eye toward replumbing the area to treat stormwater runoff from the urban and ranch lands in the canal’s drainage basin to reduce the amount of pollution that reaches the Peace River.
Meanwhile news broke that Gov. Ron DeSantis was quietly pushing a plan to clear wildlife habitat at several state parks to make way for hotels, golf courses and pickleball courts. The plan drew widespread protests by Sierra and other groups and ithe dea went away, at least for now. DeSantis, for his part, dishonestly claimed he knew little about the idea though subsequent examination of public records proved otherwise.
Two significant developments occurred in September.
BS Ranch & Farm. which had been operating a soil treatment plant near Saddle Creek on the outskirts of Lakleland shut down operations, creating turmoil for septic tank companies and their customers. At year’s end there was no news about the development of a proper site to treat this waste in Polk County. This was a black eye for the development-friendly County Commission, who pushed the project through despite red flags concerning the facility’s operational integrity.
The other was the vote to water down proposed impact fee increases after local developers protested. This leaves the burdens of the impacts of growth on the general public.
In October, local officials were besieged with complaints about flooding following heavy rains that accompanied hurricanes that blew through the area during the fall. The flooding affected a variety of low-lying areas that had flood risks. At year’s end, county commissioners were discussing how to put prospective buyers on notice about the hazards these properties face.
Also, curbside residential recycling ended in unincorporated Polk County as had been announced in 2023. Some drop-off locations are available, but they are sometimes overloaded. The move was approved because of changing market conditions and the fact that there was extensive contamination in recycling carts, which in some parts of the county were treated as second garbage carts.
In November the County Commission approved the first purchase under the revived environmental lands funding program approved by voters in 2022. That involved a $24 million purchase of 1,225 acres on the Lake Wales Ridge.
Also in November voters approved a constitutional amendment regarding the right to hunt and fish. Sierra and other groups had opposed the amendment because its vague wording had the potential for allowing some unintended consequences.
In December state officials announced the purchase of the Florida FFA Foundation conference center on Catfish Creek and Lake Pierce in eastern Polk County. It will become part of Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek State Park.
MISSING FRIENDS
Paul J. Fellers died in August at the age of 91. Fellers was a long-time local environmental leader who exposed generations to the wonders of Polk’s natural resources through his bird and wildflower trips.