Polk County Polk County Land Use Hearing Officer  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
October 23, 2025 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:  
Draft Minutes for September 25, 2025  
NEW BUSINESS:  
AGENDA ITEM:  
1.  
LDLVAR-2025-54 (Wabash Storage Variance) - Withdrawn Application  
Minutes: Withdrawn  
2.  
LDLSE-2025-9 (Tiger Creek Road SE)  
Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLSE-2025-9  
Adalberto Ruiz and Maria Rolón, owners, are requesting a special exception for a  
commercial vehicle parking on an Agricultural/Residential Rural (A/RR) land use  
district. The property is located at 1402 Tiger Lake Road, north of State Road 60, south  
of Rawls Road, east of Lake Wales, Florida, in Section 11, Township 30, Range 29.  
Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 17 mailers  
were sent on 10/1/2025 with no response, 1 board was posted on 9/26/2025, and the  
legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 10/8/2025.  
Ian Nance, Case Planner; showed a power point presentation, has a recommendation  
of approval, and stood for questions.  
Adalberto Ruiz and Maria Rolón, applicants and owners, were 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.  
3.  
LDLSE-2025-10 (Alberto Aguiar Martinez SE)  
Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLSE-2025-10  
Alberto Aguiar Martinez, owner, is requesting a special exception for a commercial  
vehicle parking on a Residential Low-1 (RL-1) land use district. The property is located  
at 2507 Lake Lure Loop North, west of Combee Road South, south of Haywood Street,  
west of Mount Airy Avenue, north of Black Mountain Way, northeast of the city of  
Lakeland, Florida, in Section 24, Township 28, Range 21.  
Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 26 mailers  
were sent on 10/1/2025 with no response, 1 board was posted on 9/26/2025, and the  
legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 10/8/2025.  
Andrew Growhowski, Case Planner; showed a power point presentation, has a  
recommendation of approval, and stood for questions.  
Alberto Aguiar Martinez, applicant, along with Juana Bustos (interpreter), were  
available to answer questions and agreed with staff recommendations.  
The LUHO explained the conditions of approval.  
The LUHO opened the public hearing.  
There was neither support nor opposition in the audience.  
The LUHO closed the public hearing.  
4.  
LDLVAR-2025-33 (Bowling Green Right-of-way)  
Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLVAR-2025-33  
Nicolas Colorado and Lucia Cedeño, property owners, are requesting a Right of Way  
(ROW) setback reduction from 65 feet to 20 feet for a retail plaza in a Rural Cluster  
Center (RCC) land use district. The property is located West of U.S. Highway 17, north  
of Dixie Boulevard, south of Hillcrest Drive, east of Miner Avenue, north of the city of  
Bowling Green and Hardee County line, in Section 33, Township 32, Range 25.  
Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 13 mailers  
were sent on 10/1/2025 with no response, 3 boards were posted on 9/26/2025, and the  
legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 10/8/2025. He proceeded to show a  
power point presentation, has a recommendation of approval, and stood for questions.  
Nicolas Colorado and Lucia Cedeño, applicants and owners, were available to answer  
questions and agreed with staff recommendations.  
The LUHO opened the public hearing.  
There was neither support nor opposition in the audience.  
The LUHO closed the public hearing.  
5.  
LDLVAR-2025-36 (Wyngate Lane Variance)  
Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLVAR-2025-36  
Orlando D. Gunn, Sr, property owner, is requesting a side accessory setback reduction  
from 7 feet to the property line for the construction of a carport in a Residential  
Suburban (RS) land use district and within PUD 88-14 (Wellington Green PUD). The  
property is located at 1441 Wyngate Lane, west of Kathleen Road, north of I-4, east  
and south of Old Polk City Road, west of Sherwood Lakes Boulevard, north of  
Lakeland, Florida, in Section 17, Township 27, Range 23.  
Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 44 mailers  
were sent on 10/1/2025 with no response, 1 board was posted on 9/26/2025, and the  
legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 10/8/2025.  
Andrew Growhowski, Case Planner; showed a power point presentation, has a  
recommendation of approval, and stood for questions.  
Orlando D. Gunn, Sr., applicant, 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.  
6.  
LDLVAR-2025-49 (Outdoor Resorts at Orlando)  
Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLVAR-2025-49  
Daniel Miller, property owner, is requesting a primary structure side setback reduction  
from five (5) feet to two (2) feet for the installation of a mobile home on approximately  
0.07 acres in the Outdoor Resorts at Orlando Subdivision within a Leisure/Recreation-X  
(L/RX) land use district. The property is located at 9000 Highway192, north of Interstate  
4, south of Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, east of US Highway 27, west of Daniel  
Webster Western Beltway, north of Haines City, Florida, in Section 01, Township 25,  
Range 26.  
Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 15 mailers  
were sent on 10/1/2025 with no response, 1 board was posted on 10/3/2025, and the  
legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 10/8/2025.  
Kyle Rogus, Case Planner; showed a power point presentation, has a recommendation  
of approval, and stood for questions.  
Daniel Miller, applicant, 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.  
9.  
LDLVAR-2025-52 (Hudson ADU)  
Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLVAR-2025-52  
Joseph Hudson, property owner, is requesting a variance to allow a 1,510 square foot  
accessory dwelling unit (ADU) to exceed the 1,000 square foot cap on approximately  
15.03 acres in the Agriculture/Residential Rural-X (A/RRX) land use district. The  
property is located at 6850 AVT Ranch Road, north of Interstate 4, south of Deen Still  
Road, east of Moore Road, west of Commonwealth Avenue, north of Polk City, Florida,  
in Section 05, Township 26, Range 25.  
Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 22 mailers  
were sent on 10/1/2025 with no response, 1 board was posted on 10/3/2025, and the  
legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 10/8/2025.  
Kyle Rogus, Case Planner; showed a power point presentation, has a recommendation  
of approval, and stood for questions.  
Joseph Hudson, applicant, 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.  
10.  
LDLVAR-2025-53 (Colman Road Quadplex ROW)  
Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLVAR-2025-53  
David Norris, P.E. applicant, is requesting a variance for a right-of-way setback  
reduction from 35 feet to 32 feet and a side yard setback reduction from 15 feet to 10  
feet for a four dwelling unit building (quadraplex) in a Community Activity Center (CAC).  
The property is located at the Northeast corner at the intersection of Coleman Road  
and Carla Court, east of Deena Way, west of King Road, west of Recker Highway, east  
of Spirit Lake Road, west of the city of Winter Haven, Florida, in Section 25, Township  
28, Range 25.  
Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 17 mailers  
were sent on 10/1/2025 with no response, 2 boards were posted on 9/30/2025, and the  
legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 10/8/2025. He proceeded to show a  
power point presentation; has a recommendation of approval and stood for questions.  
David Norris, P.E. (Norris Engineering), applicant, 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.  
11.  
LDLVAR-2025-59 (Old Medulla Road ROW)  
Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLVAR-2025-59  
Mark McDonald PSM, applicant, Tower Homes LLC, owner, are requesting a variance  
for a right-of-way setback reduction from 35 feet to 28 feet for a single-family dwelling  
in a Residential Low-4 (RL-4) land use district. The property is located at the Northeast  
corner on the intersection of Old Medulla Road and Windee Avenue, east of Airport  
Perimeter East, west of Clements Road, west of Waring Road, east of Lakeland Linder  
International Airport, north, east, and south of the city of Lakeland, Florida, in Section  
03, Township 29, Range 23.  
Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 14 mailers  
were sent on 10/1/2025 with no response, 2 boards were posted on 9/30/2025, and the  
legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 10/8/2025. He proceeded to show a  
power point presentation; has a recommendation of approval and stood for questions.  
Mark McDonald, applicant, 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.  
7.  
LDLVAR-2025-50 (Sitar Indian American Buffet Alcohol Variance)  
Minutes: Withdrawn  
Minutes: Withdrawn  
8.  
LDLVAR-2025-51 (James Hustead Dr Variance)  
Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLVAR-2025-51  
Kathryn Findley, owner, is requesting a variance to allow an accessory structure to be  
larger than the primary structure in an Agriculture/Residential Rural-X (A/RRX) land use  
district. The property is located at 74 James Hustead Drive, south of Crooked Lake,  
north of Seminole Road, south of the Town of Hillcrest Heights, Florida, in Section 31,  
Township 30, Range 28.  
Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 14 mailers  
were sent on 10/1/2025 with no response, 2 boards were posted on 9/26/2025, and the  
legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 10/8/2025.  
Aleya Inglima, Case Planner; showed a power point presentation, has a  
recommendation of approval, and stood for questions.  
Kathryn Findley, applicant, 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.  
Minutes: CASE FILE # LDLVAR-2025-52  
Joseph Hudson, property owner, is requesting a variance to allow a 1,510 square foot  
accessory dwelling unit (ADU) to exceed the 1,000 square foot cap on approximately  
15.03 acres in the Agriculture/Residential Rural-X (A/RRX) land use district. The  
property is located at 6850 AVT Ranch Road, north of Interstate 4, south of Deen Still  
Rtoad, east of Moore Road, west of Commonwealth Avenue, north of Polk City,  
Florida, in Section 05, Township 26, Range 25.  
Erik Peterson, Land Development; presented the case and reported that 22 mailers  
were sent on 10/1/2025 with no response, 1 board was posted on 10/3/2025, and the  
legal ad was published in the Polk Sun News on 10/8/2025.  
Kyle Rogus, Case Planner; showed a power point presentation, has a recommendation  
of approval, and stood for questions.  
Joseph Hudson, applicant, 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.  
ADJOURNMENT:  
Minutes: 2:26 pm