Today’s Polk County Planning Commission meeting was as notable for what didn’t happen than for what did happen.
The commission agreed to continue the controversial BS Ranch soil plant management plan modification until Nov. 1. The facility on the outskirts of Lakeland has been criticized for generating odors even though owners claimed there would be no problems when its permit was approved last year.
An initial staff report raised questions about details of the plan BS’ consultants submitted.
Meanwhile, the County Commission is moving ahead with plans to remove the loophole in the solid waste ordinance that was written to accommodate BS Ranch to the commission’s regret.
Commissioners unanimously approved plans to expand the Bone Valley ATV Park west of Fort Meade. The addition is north of County Road 640.
Finally, commissioners split 4-2 over a controversial application to turn a 114-acre site at the intersection of U.S. 27 and Dunson Road for a 1.5 million-square-foot warehouse development after earlier plans to turn the land into a shopping center fell through during the recession and recovery.
The case will go to the County Commission for a final decision.
The heart of the debate is whether it’s a good idea to local industrial parks next to existing residential areas. Traditionally the ideal has been to put transitional land uses between residential and industrial development.
Additionally, there’s a question of whether major land-use changes should be approved simply because a landowner’s development plans didn’t work out.
Although there was testimony the owner has spent millions of dollars improving infrastructure to accommodate future development, omitted was mention that although the property has a market value of $8.3 million, its taxable value is only $53,568 because of its agricultural classification.