Greenery built along Reynolds - potential home growth on Wilder
Landscaping within existing bump outs
New plants and trees have been added to the bump outs along Reynolds Street as the latest addition to make downtown Plant City more aesthetically pleasing.
The bump outs were added along Reynolds Street, between Evers Street and Palmer Street about nine months ago. Plants were selected for the project that are conducive to both location and environment of that section of downtown.
The project that began on Monday, is expected to be completed by the end of the week with no more lane closures expected.
The bump outs were built with the purpose of easing traffic and to provide safety for pedestrians crossing Reynolds Street.
The initial concrete curb installation costed $81,000. The current planting plus a two-year health maintenance cost is $93,000, for a total estimated at $174,000 – funded by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
It was a joint effort between FDOT, Plant City Main Street, and the City of Plant City that was finalized in early 2020.
Community Design Solutions, a consultant group hired by Plant City Main Street and the City of Plant City, presented renderings of what the final product could possibly look like.
Reynolds Street is a state-owned road, so FDOT has been tasked with providing the renovations.
“FDOT agreed to focusing on the bump outs,” said Plant City City Manager Bill McDaniel in a past statement. “We’ve been working with FDOT quite a while for various things, and this was something we felt could be done quickly and easily and make a major difference in our city. That’s been an issue we have had our eye on for a while. We’ve seen the potential, but the vision plan we now have helps really focus our efforts.”
As of yet, there are no plans to build more of the concrete structures in downtown Plant City.
“The city maintains the landscaping after completion just as we do other landscaped state roadways in the city such as Alexander (Street) and I-4 interchanges,” McDaniel said.
North Wilder Road
The Plant City City Commission approved an amendment to change property on Wilder Road from having one residential dwelling per acre to allowing six residences per acre.
The 9.72-acre site is located just south of Williams Road and north of East Sam Allen Road, along the westside of Wilder Road. It is also within close proximity to the interchange at Park Road and Interstate-4.
It currently has two single-family homes that have vehicular access to Wilder Road.
Several factors that supported the amendment:
1. Provides the same future land use designation and density of the adjacent parcels to the west and south of the future land-use map amendment
2. It unites the project area included in the planned community of North Park Isle under a single future land use (the six residences per acre), promoting proper service delivery, compact growth and the expansion of the municipal boundaries of Plant City
3. Similar and consistent with the future land-use map, adopted on July 26, 2021
4. The future land-use map amendment is intended to be included in the planned development zoning district for North Park Isle
The Plant City Planning and Zoning Department found that the property has the potential to have up to 58 dwelling units.
This location does not consider any non-residential development.
The Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission and the Plant City Planning Board found the map amendment to be consistent with the Imagine 2020: Plant City Comprehensive Plan on December 6 and 8, respectively.
