10+ Acres Being Considered for Winter Haven Water Department
by James Coulter
The Winter Haven Water Department may expand with a new warehouse and office space if city commissioners approve changing the future land use and zoning of 10+ acres of land near Buckeye Loop Road.
At their regular meeting on Mon. Nov. 10, Winter Haven city commissioners reviewed two ordinances regarding 10.25 acres located along the east side of Buckeye Loop Road, approximately 1,100 feet south of Oakhurst Drive.
The two ordinances would change the future land use and zoning of the subject parcel to Institutional Future Land Use and Public Institutional (PI), respectively.
The subject parcel is part of 370 acres, which the city had purchased in December 2023 for use by the city water department to create “a surface water storage and recharge area,” wrote Planning Manager Sean Byers.
As for the 10+ acre parcel, the water department seeks to utilize the property, as Reuter explained, “to develop a 36,750 square-foot administrative office building, a 24,699 square foot warehouse, and associated parking areas on a 10.25-acre campus.”
City commissioners did not vote on the two ordinances, but will vote during the second reading at a future city commission meeting.
