Comprehensive Plan

Lakeland’s Comprehensive Plan (often called the 'Comp Plan') is a 10-year blueprint to guide future growth of the city, striking a delicate balance between economic development, sustainability and quality of life.

It examines relevant information such as population projections, the pattern of existing development, the suitability of land for development, the capacity of public facilities to serve future development, and the city's financial capacity to make improvements to those facilities.

It establishes official city policies toward land use and growth. It includes a Future Land Use Map that regulates the general type of land use that is allowed (commercial, industrial, residential, etc.) and the maximum density (living units per acre) or intensity (square feet of building area) of those uses.

The State of Florida requires all counties and municipalities to adopt comprehensive plans. (Chapter 163.3177 of Florida Statutes)

All land use decisions made by the City must be in conformance with the Comprehensive Plan.

What will Lakeland look like 5, 10, or 20 years from now?

The current Comprehensive Plan -- Our Community 2030 -- is a vision and roadmap for Lakeland’s future. It balances the need to preserve our rich history while accommodating development and encouraging innovation. It includes goals and policies to guide City decisions about where to build new jobs and housing; where to make capital investments in roads, utilities, and parks; how to preserve and improve existing neighborhoods.

Chapters of the Comprehensive Plan are organized around 5 core visions and values:

• Vibrant and inclusive community
• Efficient and well-maintained infrastructure
• Safe and convenient mobility options
• Attractive and environmentally friendly community
• Responsible and accessible government

Community input played a large role in identifying and fine-tuning these values. The "Look Forward Lakeland!" campaign reached residents of all incomes, ethnicities, and areas of the city to bring diverse ideas into our community's vision for its future. 

Creating the Plan: 'Look Forward Lakeland'

Highlights of the plan...

• Vibrant and Inclusive Community

  

• Efficient and Well-Maintained Infrastructure

  

• Safe and Convenient Mobility Options

  

• Attractive and Environmentally-Friendly Community

  

• Responsible and Accessible Government

  

Adoption

The current Comprehensive Plan was adopted by the Lakeland City Commission on July 19, 2021 (Ordinance 5885) after a nearly two-year-long update and review process. It was a substantial overhaul of the previous nearly 800-page version, producing a much more user-friendly and streamlined document that is almost 500 pages leaner.

Comprehensive Plan Amendments

The Comprehensive Plan is a living document. When the land use designation on a parcel of land is changed from one classification to another, it requires a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA). CPAs are governed by State Statutes (Chapter 163.3184 and 163.3187). 

Amendments can be initiated by public or private sectors in two forms:

• Text Amendments—modify, add, or delete text in the Comprehensive Plan
• Map Amendments—change the land use category of a parcel on the Future Land Use Map

The posted version of the plan might not contain all amendments (see disclaimer below). For more information, contact the Planner-on-Demand.

***DISCLAIMER***

The City of Lakeland's Community and Economic Development Department has posted the link to the electronic version of the City of Lakeland Comprehensive Plan on our website for the convenience of the public. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained herein is accurate and up-to-date. However, the City of Lakeland does not provide any guarantee, express or implied, as to the accuracy and/or completeness of the information contained herein; nor shall the City of Lakeland be liable for any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions, represented by the information contained herein. Furthermore, in no event will the City of Lakeland be liable for any lost profits or any damages, including direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or any other types of damages, arising out of the use of this electronic version of the City of Lakeland Comprehensive Plan on the Internet.

If you are relying upon the Comprehensive Plan to make a legal decision or a decision regarding the purchase of property, you are urged to contact the City of Lakeland Community and Economic Development Department.

The Community and Economic Development Department is located within City Hall at 228 S. Massachusetts Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801, and can be reached by calling 863.834.6011.