Polk County Land Use Hearing Officer

Polk County Polk County Land Use Hearing Officer Meeting Minutes - Final February 26, 2026 Land Use Hearing Officer meeting CALL TO ORDER: 1:30 P.M. OR AS SOON THEREAFTER AS THE PARTICULAR CASE MAY BE HEARD MINUTES APPROVAL: NEW BUSINESS: AGENDA ITEM: 1 LDLSE-2025-15 (Heatherwood Blvd SE) Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLSE-2025-15 Armando Garza, applicant, and Armando and Isabel Garza, property owners, are requesting a special exception for a commercial vehicle parking on an Agricultural/Residential Rural-X (A/RRX) land use district. The property is located at 104Heatherwood Boulevard, north of First Avenue, south of Alturas Babson Park Cutoff Road, east of Lake Buffum Road, west of US Highway 27, south of the City of Lake Wales, Florida, in Section 26, Township 30, Range 27. Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 20 mailers were sent on 2/9/2025 with no response, 1 board was posted on 2/2/2025, and the legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 2/11/2026. Kyle Rogus, Case Planner; showed a power point presentation, has a recommendation of approval, and stood for questions. Armando and Isabel Garza, owners were available to answer questions and agree with staff recommendations. The LUHO opened the public hearing. There was neither support nor opposition in the audience. The LUHO closed the public hearing. Page 1 of 5 2 LDLVAR-2025-73 (Lakeview Drive Variance) Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLVAR-2025-73 Andrew Pierce, property owner, is requesting a variance for a north and south primary structure setback reduction for a single-family home in a Residential Low-1 (RL-1) land use district. The property is located at 3472 3rd Avenue, south of Highway 17 North, north of Ninety-One Mine Road, north of the City of Bartow, Florida, in Section 22, Township 29, Range 25. Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 23 mailers were sent on 2/9/2026 with no response, 2 boards were posed on 2/6/2026, and the legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 2/11/2026. Ian Nance, Case Planner; showed a power point presentation, has a recommendation of approval, and stood for questions. Andrew Pierce, property owner, was available to answer questions and agree with staff recommendations. He stated that he needed more storage for his boats. The LUHO opened the public hearing. There was neither support nor opposition in the audience. The LUHO closed the public hearing. Page 2 of 5 3 LDLVAR-2025-74 (Doerr Variance) Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLVAR-2025-74 Quinton Joseph Doerr and Marie Gayle Kelly, property owners, are requesting a variance to construct an accessory structure greater in height than the primary residence in a Residential Low-2 (RL-2) land use district. The property is located at 5908 Lunn Road, south of Pipkin Road West and Cherry Lane, west of South Florida Avenue, east of Yates Road, north of Ewell Road, south of the City of Lakeland, in Section 14, Township 29, Range 23. Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 19 mailers were sent on 2/9/2026 with no response, 1 board was posted on 2/2/2026, and the legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 2/11/2026. Andrew Grohowski, Case Planner; showed a power point presentation, has a recommendation of approval, and stood for questions. Quinton Doerr, owner, was available to answer questions and agrees with staff recommendations. He stated that he needed the space for additional car storage. The LUHO opened the public hearing. There was neither support nor opposition in the audience. The LUHO closed the public hearing. Page 3 of 5 4 LDLVAR-2025-76 (Via Monte Napoleone Dr Variance) Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLVAR-2025-76 Donny Daugherty, applicant, Jan William Gripp and Ulrika Sahlgren Gripp, property owners, are requesting a variance for a rear primary setback reduction from ten (10) feet to five (5) feet for the construction of a new screen room with a solid roof in the Poinciana Pre-Development of Regional Impact (DRI)#1 and Planned Unit Development (PUD) 98-12, Solivita Phase 5E-W land use district. The property is located at 3685 Via Monte Napoleone Drive, north of Treviso Drive, south of Village Center Road, east of the City of Haines City, Florida, in Section 14, Township 27, Range 28. Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 21 mailers were sent on 2/9/2026, with 2 letters in support received, 1 board was posted on 2/2/2026, and the legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 2/11/2026. Aleya Inglima, Case Planner; showed a power point presentation, has a recommendation of approval, and stood for questions. Donny Daugherty, owner, was available to answer questions and agrees with staff recommendations. The LUHO opened the public hearing. There was neither support nor opposition in the audience. The LUHO closed the public hearing. Page 4 of 5 5 LDLVAR-2025-79 (Eastlake Drive) Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLVAR-2025-79 Leroy and Carol Lefeber, property owners, are requesting a variance for a rear yard setback reduction from ten (10) feet to five (5) feet for a covered porch in a Residential Suburban (RS) land use district. The property is located at 530 Eastlake Drive, north of Lake Henry, south and west of Haines City, Florida, in Section 36, Township 27, Range 26. Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 39 mailers were sent on 2/9/2026, with no response, 1 board was posted on 2/10/2026, and the legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 2/11/2026. He continued to show a power point presentation, has a recommendation of approval, and stood for questions . Leroy and Carol Lefeber, owners, were available to answer questions and agree with staff recommendations. The LUHO opened the public hearing. There was neither support nor opposition in the audience. The LUHO closed the public hearing. ADJOURNMENT: Minutes: Adjourned 2:04 pm Page 5 of 5