Plant City Commission Approves County Line Road Utility Extension Project

March 25, 2015

PLANT CITY, Fla. /  The Plant City Commission voted unanimously Monday evening to extend water and sewer utilities to County Line Road, a move that is likely to attract distribution, logistics and light manufacturing operations – and the accompanying jobs and capital investment — to the area.
 
County Line Road, a major thoroughfare bisecting Hillsborough and Polk Counties, provides convenient access to major roadways such as the I-4 corridor, rail and Port Tampa Bay, the largest port in Florida.
 
“County Line Road has an estimated 7.4 million square feet of industrial square footage entitlements, so there is plenty of opportunity for development here,” said Mayor Rick Lott, City of Plant City. “Speed-to-market and risk mitigation are among the most important factors in the site selection process, and communities like ours need to offer site readiness to be competitive. Investing in water and sewer infrastructure along County Line Road will demonstrate that Plant City is open for business and ready for growth.”
 
The proposed 12 inch water main line will run 3.2 miles from Amberjack Boulevard to Medulla Road. A proposed 8 inch sewage force main will run 1.5 miles from an existing connection at County Line, which runs south to the Plant City limits.
 
“The decision made by our City Commission to invest $3.5 million for engineering and construction of 3.2 miles of water and sewer lines along the southern segment of County Line Road to Medulla Road is a bold move toward creating new jobs and capital investments in Plant City,” said Michael Herr, City Manager, Plant City. “County Line Road is one of the hottest corridors in Central Florida, and our city stands to benefit greatly by this decision.”
 
Plant City is expected to gain “up to 13,000 jobs in the next 10 years,” continued Mayor Lott. “This project will play a major role in making that job growth happen.”
 
According to an economic impact analysis conducted by the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, the estimated return on the investment in the project, at half build out of the area, is approximately 4.5 years. Plant City could expect to realize these returns in the form of property taxes, building permit fees, business licenses, utility revenue and other taxes, the analysis stated.
 
“The Plant City area has emerged as a key location for the distribution, logistics and manufacturing operations of major corporations such as Amazon and O’Riley’s Auto Parts,” said Rick Homans, CEO & President of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation. “This utility expansion investment, along with major projects such as the Central Florida Development Corporation’s 100,000 square foot spec building currently under construction in the area, will increase business activity along the I-4 corridor and attract more jobs and capital investment in Hillsborough County.”
 
About Plant City:
The City of Plant City is geographically located in the middle of the west coast of Florida, approximately 25 miles east of Tampa, immediately west of Lakeland, and 70 miles west of Orlando. Plant City is located in northeast Hillsborough County, which is the fourth largest county in Florida.
The City limits comprise 28 square miles, and include 35,313 residents as of the latest population estimate. The City has adopted the theme of “Embracing the Future, While Preserving the Past” as it captures the residents desire to adapt and plan for expected growth, while protecting the enduring assets and hometown charm of Plant City. The Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation partners with the state’s primary economic development agency, Enterprise Florida, local governments and other public and private partners to recruit new companies to Hillsborough County and to help existing companies expand and retain jobs and make additional capital investment. The EDC exists because of the generous support of nearly 100 corporations, the Board of County Commissioners of Hillsborough County, and the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace.