Proposed Auburndale development raises concerns for Innovation District near Florida Poly

A proposed Auburndale development is raising concerns that it could have a negative impact on the future of the long-envisioned Central Florida Innovation District.

The Lincoln Group LLC, has requested that Auburndale allow a future land use designation of Regional Activity Center for roughly 76 acres northeast of the Polk County Parkway and Pace Road. The developer seeks zoning of industrial planned unit development for the property, which is currently owned by Knight PC Holdings LLC.

The developer seeks to build two research and development buildings, totaling about 462,840 square feet. These buildings would be designed to allow research and development, as is the Innovation District's goal, but could also support a wide range of other office uses, including financial institutions, information services, even light manufacturing. Lincoln Group also seeks to build two mixed-used buildings that would allow for e-commerce and a logistics building, totaling 499,575 square feet. There would be five outparcels left for smaller commercial buildings, and the company is asking that two parcels be allowed to have up to a 16-pump gas station and 10,000-square-foot convenience store.

Tim Campbell, the developer's lawyer, said the Lincoln Group has spoken with several prospective tenants, but did not name specific companies.

"We can accommodate research and development or office – the market will drive that to some degree. But it has been designed consistent with the ideas of the Innovation District, to try and attract those type of uses," Campbell said, according to meeting notes from the Auburndale City Commission.

Auburndale commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 in favor of the proposal at a Nov. 20 meeting, held the week of Thanksgiving.

But not all partners vested in the future the Innovation District are on board with the developer's proposal.

Major concerns about potentially building toward industrial

The City of Lakeland was noted as the sole objector at the Auburndale commission's Nov. 20 meeting.

"The proposed plan in no way supports the objectives of the Central Florida Innovation District and creates significant concerns among City of Lakeland staff about our ability to realize the economic development potential generated by the public investments that have been made in this strategic area over the past 25 years," wrote Teresa Maio, Lakeland's assistant director of Community and Economic Development, in a Nov. 14 email.

This week, at Lakeland's City Commission meeting, Commissioner Stephanie Madden asked why this proposed development wasn't brought to the commission's attention earlier, wondering whether her colleagues were fully aware of what was happening.

"Once again, we're adding that intense industrial use in an area we were hoping not to. Does this dash every dream we have? I hope not," Madden said at the Monday meeting. "But it is getting a little more daunting each day to think how we will have the live-work-play innovation district we have been hoping for."

A vision document for the Central Florida Innovation District developed by The Lunz Group in Lakeland clearly shows property targeted by the Lincoln Group as intended for future research and development. Under the proposal, two of the four proposed buildings could be used for that intent, but the majority of buildings constructed would not.

Leaders of Florida Polytechnic University and the Central Florida Development Council voiced concerns about the requested changes at a prior Auburndale planning and zoning meeting, where the board voted against the proposal 3-2.

"We are aware of the Lincoln Group project on Pace Road. It’s not ideal and we would like to see that land going towards some other kind of development, rather than industrial, but we’re not going to oppose it," Florida Polytechnic spokesperson Lydia Guzman wrote in an email.

Sean Malott, president and CEO of the Central Florida Development Council, said the cross dock buildings originally proposed by the Lincoln Group were an initial concern. Cross docking is a practice where transported goods are unloaded from one truck or transport, and reloaded directly onto another truck.

"“The Central Florida Innovation District is a long-term vision. We are optimistic that over time the area will see a variety of building types constructed and a mix of uses," Malott wrote in an emailed statement to The Ledger. "The municipalities in the district are working within their code and with the developers to minimize cross dock buildings. Cross dock style facilities are a magnet for warehouse users. The types of buildings proposed by the developer in Auburndale could also attract advanced manufacturing and other technology-oriented companies.”

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Campbell told Auburndale commissioners that the developer has met with some of the interested parties and as a result has agreed to remove the larger cross docks into two single-load buildings.

Maio, on behalf of Lakeland, wrote in her comment Lakeland has concerns how trucking-oriented uses could negatively impact the condition of Pace Road and University Boulevard, as the city is responsible for maintenance of these roadways.

Auburndale commissioners acknowledged the developer will have to see right-of-way and driveway permits from Lakeland and Polk County to enter and exit the proposed development off Pace Road.

What's next?

Lakeland City Manager Shawn Sherrouse said what's proposed by the Lincoln Group on the Knight's property in Auburndale will be a topic of discussion when city staff sits with commissioners during one-on-one meetings this week.

As those meetings are held individually with Lakeland's elected officials, they are not required to be open to the public under Florida's Sunshine laws.

Auburndale commissioners are scheduled to hold a second public hearing on the proposed development at their Dec. 18 meeting, 7 p.m. at Auburndale City Hall, 1 Bobby Green Plaza.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on X @SaraWalshFl.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Proposed Auburndale development near Florida Poly raises concerns