Lakeland commissioners spent three hours on Monday, Nov. 2, debating industrial development and code enforcement changes while approving purchases for public safety radios and park lighting.
After months of debate, Amendment 3, which would reduce property tax revenue for Lakeland and other Florida cities if approved, resurfaced in closing remarks on the eve of Election Day.
Commissioner Stephanie Madden raised the prospect of “probably cutting some of our services” if it passes, while other commissioners simply urged residents to vote.
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New Special Magistrate System Aims to Speed Code Enforcement
Lakeland commissioners voted unanimously Monday to replace the city’s seven-member Code Enforcement Board and hearing officers with special magistrates. The approved ordinance amends two other sections of city code and eight land development code provisions.
City inspectors will investigate violations, from overgrown lots to unsafe buildings. Currently, residents can seek review by the citizen board after an initial hearing officer’s ruling. Special magistrates will handle cases from beginning to end, leaving circuit court as the method for formal appeal.
In a statement provided to LkldNow, City Attorney Palmer Davis said the hybrid approach was “not conducive to consistency or an appreciation of what has transpired with a particular property owner.” He said the change should improve efficiency and produce consistent rulings.
Commissioner Ashley Troutman, who previously questioned whether magistrates would show flexibility toward residents making good-faith efforts, affirmed his support Monday. He acknowledged the need for “more expediency” while urging code enforcement staff to keep working with property owners trying to correct violations.
Former Lakeland City Attorney Joe Mawhinney, appointed as special magistrate by the city in October, holds similar positions in six other jurisdictions. The new system takes effect Feb. 16, 2027.
Industrial Expansion Plans Spark Debate Over Southwest Lakeland’s Future
Two industrial proposals in southwest Lakeland prompted more than an hour of debate Monday over protecting neighborhoods, trees, and wetlands. Commissioners will not vote on the proposals until their second reading on Nov. 16.
One plan involves proposed zoning changes for nearly 45 acres near Airport and Drane Field roads, close to Carillon Lakes, to allow industrial and limited commercial development. A companion ordinance modifies existing zoning on 20 acres of the larger 45-acre property. Several commissioners questioned expansion into wooded land. Attorney Bart Allen, representing the property owners, said a nonbinding plan reserves the northern edge for open space and stormwater ponds.
The second project involves annexing 9.66 acres along Old Tampa Highway and proposed industrial zoning for a potential Enterprise Rent-A-Car vehicle refurbishment facility near a mobile home community. Commissioners questioned flooding and potential runoff, although some expressed support for the proposed use.
Commissioner Stephanie Madden questioned whether the city’s goal was “just to industrialize everything.” Chuck Barmby, the city’s urban planning and transportation manager, replied that officials wanted “good transitions between the existing industrial uses and the existing residential,” not to eliminate housing.
Allen offered to formalize buffers and open-space protections for the first proposal. Barmby said stormwater impacts from the second would be examined during site plan review.
New Lighting Agreement Resolves McGee Park Field Dispute
A $771,956 contract to light the last two unlit fields at John McGee Park won unanimous approval Monday. Parks officials hope work will finish in spring, ahead of a June deadline.
The vote advances a county partnership approved in September that followed disputes over whether one sports group should control the complex. Instead, the Lakeland Gators Youth Football League and two soccer leagues will keep sharing the fields and gain practice time.
“It’s a huge win for everybody,” parks director Bob Donahay said. Polk County will contribute $300,000 in tourist developmxent taxes in exchange for priority scheduling and waived base rental fees for 10 years.
$27.9 Million Public Safety Radio Upgrade Underway
Commissioners unanimously approved a $27.9 million Motorola contract to replace the city’s aging public safety radio system. Current equipment, in use since 2012, lacks encryption capabilities needed to communicate with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies, as previously reported.
The upgrade includes new two-way radios, communications infrastructure, and cellular backup if the main network fails. Funding includes $9 million in state grants. Commissioners also approved a resolution preserving the option to reimburse project expenses through future borrowing.
“I look at that number, and I just shake my head,” Commissioner Mike Musick said of the nearly $28 million price tag. Still, he acknowledged the purchase involves much more than radios and called the upgraded system “exactly what we need” for public safety.
Commissioners Revisit Security After Speaker’s Claims
After a man claimed at the Oct. 19 meeting that he hired private investigators to follow commissioners, Stephanie Madden raised safety concerns Monday, noting such remarks sometimes worry commissioners’ families.
Madden proposed another emergency drill, saying newer commissioners had not participated in previous training conducted when now-U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin served on the commission.
Mayor Sara Roberts McCarley said she has discussed emergency training with police and city officials and knows of no formally established security procedures. She is seeking guidance on how to prepare commissioners without revealing sensitive details or violating Florida’s public-meetings laws.
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