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Bartow Exec. Airport annexed by the city
Carla Bayron reports.
BARTOW, Fla. - Bartow Executive Airport is no longer in unincorporated Polk County; it's now part of the City of Bartow.
The backstory:
City Commissioners voted unanimously last week to annex Bartow Executive Airport off US-17.
The city commission is the airport authority board, so City Manager Mike Herr says it just made sense for the city to also govern the airport's land use.
With the construction of the Central Polk Parkway connecting to the highway, the hope is that the airport will become a major transportation hub.
"As we continue to invest in the airport with infrastructure and attract more business for job creation, it gives that unanimity and identity we believe is important for marketing purposes," said Herr.
Herr says the annexation was a win-win for the city and the airport's tenants. The city will bring in more money as tenants will pay both city and county property taxes, and tenants will be paying less for utilities.
What they're saying:
"Some homeowners at a recent city commission meeting voiced concerns that this would open the land for development. The developer for the Wellington Court and Emilie Springs subdivisions has been vying for hundreds of acres nearby," he said.
"The benefits and the taxes and all, it doesn't justify bringing them into the city limits for the extra few taxes. Have you thought about traffic over the roads and traffic into cities like Bartow?" one resident said.
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"With this annexation, Wellington becomes possible, opening the door for the Emilie projects," said another. "Not only do we not want this, but it isn't needed and can't be supported."
But Herr says residential use doesn't belong inside the airport. "I don't see the annexation of the airport having any adverse impact on surrounding areas at all," said Herr. "They've all lived together for many, many years."
Herr says, bottom line, it was an economic development decision. The city manager says they'll be working with the airport authority on land use and zoning, but it should remain industrial or commercial.
The Source: FOX 13's Carla Baron interviewed Bartow's city manager and residents for this story.