The Polk County Board of Commissioners has set a public hearing to hear comments about the creation of a new public facilities zoning district. 

The district would center around the county’s new law enforcement center and detention facility, planned to be located off Hwy. 108 adjacent to the Milliken plant in Columbus.

Commissioners met Monday, June 20 and scheduled a public hearing for Monday, July 18 at 7 p.m.

Polk County Planner Cathy Ruth discussed with commissioners the planning board’s recommendation and concerns.

Ruth said there was concern from the planning board about a visual buffering around the district. She said planning board members wanted to make sure surrounding neighbors are buffered from the jail facility.

County manager Marche Pittman said the back of the property is what the planning board’s comments are based on. He said the best thing will be to go with a line of evergreens or bushes that block the view from that side of the facility.

Ruth said the planning board didn’t recommend including any requirements in the ordinance but did want commissioners to know they were concerned about a buffer.

Pittman said the solution to the planning board’s concern is simple and inexpensive.

Permitted uses for the new district are proposed to include accessory buildings, community recreation centers, a courthouse, law enforcement center, libraries (public or private), offices (business, medical, professional and public), offices pertaining to permitted use, public safety facilities, recreational facilities (non-profit), schools (public or private), schools (vocational, business and special schools), towers, utility buildings and facilities (public) and veterans’ affairs office.

Parking requirements are included in the proposed ordinance. For a courthouse, one space per four fixed seats in the largest assembly room or one space for each 40 square feet of floor area for the accommodation of movable seats in the largest assembly room or one space for each 150 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is needed, will be required.

For the law enforcement center, one space is proposed to be required for each 400 square feet of gross floor area for office areas plus one space for each four beds.

“The planning board has found this ordinance as consistent with the Polk County 20/20 Vision Comprehensive Plan (“the plan”), adopted March 15, 2010. The plan designates the proposed property location as a Special Use District on the Future Land Use Map (Map 24). The plan states, ‘Special districts should be defined for portions of the county intended to accommodate land use types that do not conform with the underlying base future land use districts,” states the planning board’s recommended plan consistency. “Special districts are intended to provide the county with the option of defining development conditions on a case-by-case basis when deemed necessary. Some land use types that may require delineation of a special district are: heavy industrial uses, industrial parks, school campuses, large infrastructure facilities and large all-inclusive retail plazas.’”

The planning board recommended the ordinance unanimously.

The proposed ordinance also includes dimensional requirements, including maximum building height from main floor being 40 ft., minimum district size at 10 acres, minimum lot width at 100 ft., minimum front setbacks from right of way at 50 ft., minimum side yard at 50 ft. and minimum rear yard at 50 ft., according to the proposed ordinance.

Pittman also gave commissioners an update on the purchase of the property for the new jail and sheriff’s office. He said the surveyors had been on site the last couple of weeks and there is also geotechnical tests being conducted. The contract for the property is also under review from the seller.

Commissioners agreed by a unanimous vote on May 23 to purchase an additional 19.19 acres of property that borders Hwy. 108 and Park Street, which was formerly part of the Milliken plant. The county also purchased 2.6 acres off Park Street that ties into the larger parcel. The county will pay over $2 million for both properties. The 19.19 acres is being purchased for $1,950,000 and the 2.6 acres at 221 Park Street is being purchased for $125,000.

The over 19 acres is being purchased with the agreement that the seller will develop the site for construction.

Polk County is proposing to construct a new 60-bed jail and sheriff’s office. The cost of the new jail and sheriff’s office has been estimated to cost $11 million. Commissioners recently approved a 2-cent tax increase in order to pay for ½ year of debt service for the new jail next fiscal year, which begins July 1. Future tax increases to pay for the new law enforcement center are expected.