by James Coulter
An industrial warehouse being constructed at Laurel Estates will gain direct access to North Ridge Trail now that Polk County Commissioners have approved an agreement for improvements to the trail.
At their regular meeting on Tues. July 1, the Polk County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) voted unanimously to approve an infrastructure agreement between the County and EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC., the developer for Laurel Estates.
The agreement will allow the developer to “design and construct certain non-site related transportation improvements for the North Ridge Trail,” as explained by Thado N. Hays, CPM, Concurrency & Entitlements Manager.
North Ridge Trail is located next to the property currently owned by the developer, which is located south of Laurel Estates Phase 2, west of US Highway 27, and east of the Core of the Green Swamp.
“The Developer’s property is currently being developed with an industrial warehouse that will gain direct access to the North Ridge Trail once complete,” Hays wrote.
“This agreement will allow for these improvements to be made more rapidly by the Developer and at a reduced cost if Polk County were to program these improvements,” he continued.
The agreement and its transportation improvements are estimated to cost no more than $4,181,255. Funding through the county is available in the Roads and Drainage 5-year CIP General Capital Improvement Fund.
