Polk County Zoning Decisions: February 2026

In February 2026, Polk County held 4 public meetings covering zoning matters. 12 zoning decisions had a recorded outcome this month: 12 approved (100% approval rate). Activity was up 66% compared to January (142 activity items across 1 meeting).

Zoning Decisions This Month

County Road 546 Map Correction CPA (LDCPA S 2025-34)

Approved.

Approved county-initiated amendment to change future land use designation on approximately 9.7 acres adjacent to Tenorock High School from Agricultural Residential Rural to Residential Suburban, correcting a mapping error to match surrounding properties.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Easement Waiver at Gabriel Road (LDWA 2025-51)

Approved.

Approved waiver allowing up to eight single-family lots to access via an easement exceeding a quarter mile in length on 43.46 acres in Agricultural Residential Rural land use district south of Lake Buffum. The cluster design maintains ARR density of one dwelling unit per five acres with 30.25 acres preserved as agricultural easement. Applicant represented by TDW Land Planning.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Future Land Use Change at Recker Highway (LDCPA S 2025-35)

Approved.

Recommended approval of future land use map and text amendment from Residential Suburban to Business Park Center on approximately 12.91 acres on the south side of Recker Highway, east of Thornhill Road, near Auburndale. Site contains existing automotive salvage and repair business operating since late 1970s as legal nonconforming use. Adjacent to Duke Energy Osprey power plant and CMEx concrete plant. Applicant represented by TDW Land Planning.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Northridge Selected Area Plan Text Change CPA (LDCPA L 2025-8)

Approved.

Approved comprehensive plan text amendment to allow up to 30% retail/commercial uses (increased from 25%) in professional institutional land use districts within the Northridge Selected Area Plan. Anything exceeding 30% requires planning commission approval. Affects five parcels.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Kathleen and Duff Neighborhood Activity Center Expansion (LDCPA S 2025-32)

Approved.

Approved expansion of neighborhood activity center on Kathleen Road south of Duff Road. The existing NAC includes Publix, Burger King, Ace Hardware, 7-Eleven, dental office, and Dollar General at 100% build out. Expansion adds two residential parcels to the south of 7-Eleven for future commercial development.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Neighborhood Activity Center Expansion at Kathleen Road (LDCPA S 2025-32)

Approved.

Recommended approval of future land use and text amendment from Residential Suburban in SDA to Neighborhood Activity Center in UGA. Existing NAC is 100% built out, meeting the 80% threshold required for expansion. Located on west side of Kathleen Road, south of Duff Road. Applicant: Wagner Property Group represented by Peterson and Myers law firm.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Communication Tower Text Amendment (LDCT 2025-25)

Approved.

Approved county-initiated text amendment to lower levels of review for monopole communication towers in non-residential districts, modify conditional use standards, add provisions for mobile communication towers during repairs, and update glossary. Removes outdated 1997 requirements including 17 paper plan sets and search ring requirements.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Drive-Through Facilities Text Amendment (LDCT 2025-27)

Approved.

Approved county-initiated text amendment moving drive-through facilities to accessory uses, removing drive-through financial institutions from code, and adding definitions for drive-through bypass lane. Addresses confusion where 10-foot bypass lane requirement was not connected to drive-through restaurant criteria.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Showing the 8 most significant of 12 recorded zoning decisions. See all Polk County meetings →

Zoning Changes

• Agricultural Residential Rural (ARR) → Residential Suburban, 9.7 acres at County Road 546, adjacent to Tenorock High School (Polk County (county-initiated))
• Not specified (residential) → Neighborhood Activity Center (NAC), Two parcels (size not specified) acres at Kathleen Road, south of Duff Road (Not specified)
• Residential Suburban (RS) → Business Park Center (BPC), 12.91 acres at South side of Recker Highway, east of Thornhill Road, near Auburndale (TDW Land Planning)
• Business Park Center 1 (BPC-1) → Business Park Center 2 (BPC-2), 12.91 acres at South side of Recker Highway, east of Thornhill Road, near Auburndale (TDW Land Planning)
• Residential Suburban (RS) in SDA → Neighborhood Activity Center (NAC) in UGA at West side of Kathleen Road, south of Duff Road, northwest of Lakeland (Wagner Property Group)

Top Keywords This Month

• residential: 46 instances
• land use: 38 instances
• density: 18 instances
• commercial: 15 instances
• comprehensive plan: 15 instances

What to Watch

• Residential mentions were up 92% from January.
• Land use came up 375% more often than January.
• Density is new this month with 18 mentions, not present in January.
• Commercial is new this month with 15 mentions, not present in January.
• Comprehensive plan is new this month with 15 mentions, not present in January.

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