Plant City Approves $505,925 Water Main Work, Delays 112-Acre Annexation Vote

Plant City commissioners approved a $505,925.81 work order to replace a 12-inch water main on South Woodrow Wilson Street during their October meeting, which began at 6:00 p.m. on Oct. 29 with Vice Mayor Jason Jones presiding in Mayor Nate Kilton's absence. The resolution passed 4-0 after utilities engineering manager Kay Kwag told commissioners the aging pipe could leak during an adjacent sidewalk project.

Commissioners also voted 4-0 to delay a legislative public hearing on Ordinance 17-2026, which would annex eight parcels totaling about 112.1 acres, to the Jan. 11 meeting. During public comment, residents raised concerns about traffic, flooding risk tied to development, and annexation. One resident compared Plant City's growth to cancer.

A separate 4-0 vote advanced Ordinance 19-2026, a text amendment to Article IV, Chapter 102 of the Plant City Code regarding the Florida Strawberry Festival Special Use District Overlay. The amendment adds guidance for the existing overlay without imposing new requirements. Phil Waldren said the changes would make coordination for the festival easier.

Commissioners approved a consent agenda of eight items 4-0, covering minutes from the Oct. 12 special meeting, a legislative public hearing on an affordable housing inventory report, an easement amendment with Tampa Electric Company, parking lot improvements at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Complex and Mike E. Sansone Community Park through modifications with DRMP Inc., a capital improvement plan budget amendment for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2027 and the following four years, and engineering work order modifications with RK&K for staff augmentation and CHA for utility relocation.

A work order with GAI Consultants Inc. for a Parks and Recreation Master Plan also passed 4-0 at a cost of $117,870. Julie Garretson said the plan would take nine months to complete after a notice to proceed and would run in four phases: a facility audit and inventory, on-site audits and regional mapping including demographic analysis, community engagement through surveys and workshops, and final reports presented to the city commission with a key issues matrix and virtual visioning sessions.

Commissioner Karen Kerr moved to reappoint current members of the Historic Resources Board, and the motion passed 4-0. Commissioner John Haney and Vice Mayor Jones encouraged residents to apply for other board positions. During commissioner reports, officials recognized the Parks and Recreation Department for Oktoberfest, Monster Mash, and Pioneer Day. Jones announced that Special Swings will return next year. The meeting adjourned at 6:52 p.m.

During public comment earlier in the meeting, residents criticized inconsistent responses from commissioners and questioned their job duties in relation to their pay. The consent agenda items and subsequent resolutions were approved 4-0 throughout the session.