News
Lake Hamilton Supports Polk County High-Speed Rail Stop
Published: Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Staying on track: Lake Hamilton Backs High-Speed Rail Stop at USF Poly
LAKE HAMILTON - The Lake Hamilton Town Council on Tuesday became the latest group of municipal leaders to formalize support of a proposed high speed rail stop near the planned University of South Florida Polytechnic campus.
The council approved in a 3-0 vote a resolution in support of the proposed stop, which is the farthest east of five alternatives proposed in Polk for the 84-mile high speed route between Tampa and Orlando. The 20-acre site owned by Williams Acquisition Holding Co. is located near the campus close to the Interstate 4 and Polk Parkway Interchange.
Councilwoman Cora Roberson and Councilman Gary White were absent.
"Anybody from this side of the county is in favor of this," said Mayor Marlene Wagner.
The remaining four alternatives along I-4 for the Polk County stop are the western leg of the Polk Parkway near Swindell Road, Kathleen Road, Mall Drive and Griffin Road, and the U.S. 98 intersection near Lakeland Square Mall.
Other municipalities to formally back the site near the Polytechnic campus include Auburndale, Haines City, Lake Alfred, Polk City, and Winter Haven. In addition, the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce and the Auburndale Chamber of Commerce have announced support of this choice.
On Feb. 23, the 19-member Polk County Transportation Planning Organization also approved the USF Polytechnic site with Kathleen Road as an alternative.
"I'm glad the TPO board decided (the stop) should be more centrally located," said Wagner, who is a member of the board. "And I'm glad Lake Hamilton followed the rest of the municipalities in support of the Polytechnic stop."
Councilwoman Kathi Latimer said she favors having two stops in Polk County - one in the Kathleen area of Lakeland and another at the Posner Center, located at U.S. 27 and I-4.
"I think we need one on this side of the county, too," Latimer said.
In other business, the council unanimously approved a final plat for Lake Hamilton Hills subdivision, which includes 20 lots with direct frontage on Hatchineha and Detour roads. Fifteen lots are approximately one-third acre.
According to Town Planner Doug Leonard, Lake Hamilton Hills was an unrecorded plat dating back to 1990 when it was filed with the Polk County Appraisers Office. Lee Saunders, representing Central Florida Timber, LLC, and owner of the property has updated the subdivision information and requests approval of a final plat.
The plat dedicates right-of-way to the adjacent roads, Hatchineha and Detour, and the developer will construct sidewalks. The Town's water will be extended to the lots.
Saunders said development of the project will begin as soon as there is "a viable market."
Tagged: high-speed rail, lake hamilton