First reading for land-use change for Logistics Center is OK’d

The Winter Haven, Fla., City Commission approved the first reading for a land-use change enabling progress to continue on the proposed Integrated Logistics Center to be developed in conjunction with the CSX Intermodal Terminal planned for the southern portion of the city, the News Chief reports.

The commission
unanimously approved a change in future land use from Institutional-2 as
designated by Polk County to industrial-business park center for the
approximately 932 acres. The city annexed the property in 2005 but didn’t
assign a land-use designation or zoning. Second reading of the land-use change
will be held at a later date.

The change will allow
redevelopment of the majority of the property by establishing a future land-use
classification that complements the Evansville Western Railway Inc. Development
of Regional Impact approved in 2008. The future land-use amendment will include
approximately 916 acres of business park center and approximately 16 acres of
conservation land.

According to information
presented by Dave Dickey, the city’s development director, the proposed
business park uses consist of about six percent in office space, 28 percent
light industrial and 66 percent warehouse distribution. At maximum build out,
Dickey said, the land use would allow up to 7.9 million square feet of space,
including 500,00 square feet of office area, 2.2 million square feet of light
industrial and 5.2 million square feet of warehouse distribution. But this will
be completed in phases.

Construction of the
planned Pollard Road extension, which will provide access to the area, will
begin during 2010.

Dickey has described the
road extension as an important component of the project. Development of the
property will likely take place in years three through five after the road
extension is completed and the rail terminal facility is built.

Dickey said the Central
Florida Regional Development Council has reviewed issues related to the
development, including transportation, utilities and environmental concerns.

Richard Hood, assistant
vice president for CSX Real Property, expects development of the area to take
place over 20 years.

"It will move slowly
but it has to start out at some point," Hood said.

He described the center
as "a central distribution point to bring in all the consumer goods and
distribute them."

An example of businesses
likely to develop in the center are light industrial companies that benefit
from being close to automobiles coming off the train, such as suppliers of
accessories.

The land-use change will
enable the city and CSX "to position the 930 acres so when the terminal
comes in, the land use is already in place for someone who is going to use part
or all of the 930 acres," Hood added.

"It’s an excellent
example of how you can take a company like CSX and the city of Winter Haven and
lead the area into economic recovery," he said.

The city entered into a
contract in early 2007 to sell 1,200 acres to Evansville Railroad, a subsidiary
of CSX. They closed on the sale on the 318 acres for the Intermodal Terminal,
but the city still owns the 932 acres intended for the industrial park. CSX
currently has the property under contract through the end of 2010.