Lakeland commissioners agree to sell land to Polk County for new EMS station
LAKELAND — After some two years, the first step toward a new EMS station for North Lakeland is complete.
City commissioners voted 5-2 on Monday to sell a portion of the municipality's 802 E. Robson St. property to Polk County for $150,000. Talk of the sale began before the COVID pandemic began in March 2020.
Commissioners Mike Musick and Bill Read voted against it.
"We are super excited to get this site and help out everybody," said Wade Allen, Polk's real estate service administrator. "This is one of those situations where it’s truly a win-win as we need to service your citizens and this is a great location."
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The 2.2.-acre property may be familiar to Lakeland residents as the site where drivers had to prove they could perform a three-point turn to get their driver's license, City Attorney Palmer Davis said. The property is currently under a 50-year lease to the state, which is set to expire in July 2024.
The future site of a new Polk County Fire Rescue EMS station would come about in response to the large increase in the number of calls coming from the area with approximately 80% from Lakeland residents.
While the proposed deal must still go before the Polk County Commission for its approval, Allen said the county will begin the process of designing the new station right away.
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"The price is too low," said Commissioner Read, who voted against the proposal.
Read, a realtor specializing in commercial property, said the appraisal was done in September 2021 and the market value has raised significantly since then — his estimate was 20% to 40%.
The city did not issue a request for proposals or notice it was selling the property, according to Read. He said he believes there are alternative uses for the land, that it would make a "good apartment site."
Read asked other commissioners to consider seeking a new appraisal of the property's value to ensure Polk was paying a fair price.
"The majority of the citizenry that this particular station will have to serve will be our own citizens in an incorporated areas of Lakeland," Commissioner Phillip Walker said. "That's why I have no problem with this situation."
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Commissioner Sara Roberts McCarley said if the property cost the county more, the taxpayers would be impacted as Lakeland residents also pay Polk taxes.
Commissioner Chad McLeod asked county staff what the timeline was for building the new station and when it would be functional.
Allen said the land doesn't have environmental issues, unlike other stations, so he expects about one year to design the 4,000 to 6,000 square-foot building. Then the county hopes to immediately begin construction.
"I have to be realistic, everything is taking longer right now," Allen said.
Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on Twitter @SaraWalshFl.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland commission supports land sale for new Polk County EMS station
