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Community Redevelopment Areas

Community Redevelopment Areas (CRAs) were created by the Community Redevelopment Act of 1969 and are regulated by Chapter 163, Florida Statutes. Florida Statutes establish that these are areas that have been considered as slum or blighted based on a shortage of affordable housing, deteriorating and economically distressed areas due to outdated building density patterns, inadequate transportation and parking facilities, faulty lot layout or inadequate street layout, or a combination thereof.

The Polk County Board of County Commissioners has adopted a Community Redevelopment Plan to guide the redevelopment of the following four areas in the County. These areas have been identified as areas which are appropriate for community redevelopment

Eloise Redevelopment Plan

The purpose of this document is to combine and update previously prepared studies, to prepare a Redevelopment Plan for the Eloise community, and to adopt Tax Increment Financing (TF) pursuant to Chapter 163 of the Florida Statutes. The resulting document will include an analysis of existing socio-economic and physical conditions, plan objectives, a Redevelopment Plan and implementation strategies.

Harden Parkway Redevelopment Plan

The Harden Parkway CRA, created by the Polk County Board of County Commissioners in 2004, contains lands located within the south portion of the city of Lakeland and unincorporated areas of Polk County. The County and City have established an Interlocal Agreement to cooperate in creating this single purpose CRA for the specific purpose of eliminating blight on the areas transportation system which currently has adverse impacts upon both County and City governnments and the citizenry. Polk County has the statutory authority to establish a redevelopment area that is within a municipality located within Polk County and is supported by teh city of Lakeland in utilizing this approach. The CRA program is implemented under the direction of the Polk County Board of County Commissioners, who serve as the members of the North Ridge Community Redevelopment Agency. The CRA Agency also includes two additional members, the City Manager and the Community Development Director of the City of Lakeland.

The Economic Development Action Plan provides recommendations and strategies for stimulating economic development and job creation within the North Ridge CRA. The overall area addressed by this Plan is the north-central portion of the North Ridge CRA which is roughly bounded by the I-4/US-27 on the east and the southern boundary of the North Ridge CRA to the south. The specific geographic areas surrounding the proposed Ernie Caldwell Blvd. and its intersections with US-27, the proposed Oakmont Extension, CR 547 portions of the US-27 corridor and US 17/92 are the areas addressed by the Plan’s recommendations and strategies. Documents included are:

  • Economic Development Action Plan
  • Appendices

Polk Commerce Centre Redevelopment Plan

The Polk Commerce Centre CRA is a special area with a base year of 1993 for purposes of Tax Increment Financing. This area was planned through a Selected Area Plan (SAP) called the I-4 Northeast SAP. This SAP included Future Land Use districts as part of the Polk County Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code as well as policies and regulations. The Polk Commerce Cenre CRA is a tool to assist with the implementation of the SAP as well as the Area Wide Development of Regional Impact that was established in 2000. The Redevelopment Plan for the CRA proposes transportation and utility improvements to increase access to the Polk Parkway as well as to spur development.

Click here for more information on Polk County’s Redevelopment Areas.

Testimonials
"We have had the privilege of working alongside the Central Florida Development Council on several occasions. From assisting us in the transition of an almost-overnight relocation of a business to the consolidation of a state-wide distribution system, [CFDC] consistently demonstrates their professionalism and willingness to help."
- George Livingston, Chairman Emeritus, NAI Realvest
"AMB has identified Polk County as an industrial distribution growth market and has made a substantial investment in the area. The central location with excellent infrastructure connections to Tampa, Orlando and Miami, plus a fast growing local population and a pool of qualified labor makes the area ideal for state-wide distribution. The county and the Central Florida Development Council have been instrumental in partnering with AMB to...pave the way for future successful projects."
- Steven M. Kros, Vice President, Development, East, AMB Property Corporation
"Of all the groups I have dealt with in Polk County, I have found the Central Florida Development Council to be very responsive to my business requests over the years. Their speed of response to my business dealings in Polk County has been very efficient and productive. Central Florida is a great place to be with its being located between Tampa and Orlando, an excellent workforce to draw from and with great access to Interstate 4 and South Florida, I see us working with the Council for many more years to come."
- Garrett Kenny, Feltrim
"POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA… A TEXTBOOK COMMUNITY. Located between two major metropolitan markets, two international airports, and with world class educational, medical, cultural and recreational assets. Year round working climate and centered in an 18 million population Florida growth market. These amenities have helped Hauger-Bunch locate land and facilities for over 800 businesses for successful operations."
- David F. Bunch, SIOR, Hauger Bunch Commercial Realtors
"Polk County is the center of Florida. For distribution, there is no other site in Florida close to 8.5 million people within 100 miles. Why not be located on the I-4 corridor directly between Tampa and Orlando? Our labor costs are lower than the larger cities and our utility rates are the third lowest in the state. If you want to control your overhead, Polk County is the place to be."
- J. Greg Ruthven, The Ruthvens
"The Central Florida Development Council has played a major role in diversifying [Polk County's] industrial base and bringing the unemployment rates to some of the lowest in the state. The CFDC is well recognized as a successful example of a public/private partnership and I am proud to have been a part of the economic efforts and to work with many motivated volunteers and a very capable, professional staff. Polk County has a bright future ahead because of its location, availability of land and a positive attitude toward quality growth."
- Gene Engle, Gene Engle Realtor