Lakeland 'Contractually Obligated' to Support Amazon Expansion, City Attorney Says

June 8, 2021

Jun. 8—LAKELAND — Residents have started calling for a public vote on whether Amazon should be allowed to expand its operations at Lakeland Linder International Airport, but it's already got the city's approval.

City Attorney Palmer Davis said Lakeland commissioners gave Amazon the right to expand on nearly 63 acres in of the airport when signing the May 2019 lease agreement. He also said the deal also has a clause that states the city will cooperate and help the e-commerce giant obtain the approvals necessary to use the land.

"There is a contractual obligation on the part of the city to cooperate with Amazon to get the approvals necessary to expand on that property," Davis said. "A referendum cannot negate that contractual right."

Under the 2019 lease agreement, Amazon was given five years to expand its operations on the northwest corner of the airport. The city's zoning on the property already allows for warehouses, according to Davis.

Commissioner Stephanie Madden said she's received numerous emails since the May 27 workshop and hearing about Amazon's expansion and if the city could limit it or even put the issue up for a public referendum.

"We know the expansion is due to an explosion of e-commerce during COVID, everyone wanted their packages delivered so therefore they have a need to expand" she said. "That's worrisome because of planes exponentially increasing."

Amazon seeks to expand by building a 64,600-square-foot cargo sorting facility with additional parking for three jets, a 370-slot truck bay and large employee parking lot. These facilities would allow the company to double its number of flights per day, from 22 to 44 by 2027.

The majority of citizens at the May 27 hearing had complaints about the noise impact from the rumble of low-flying Boeing 737s and 767s used by Amazon. It's been an ongoing issue as Airport Director Gene Conrad said the city received more than 40 complaints within the first six months

"What's the impact? Noise, it's sinful," said Jim Studiale, Lakeland's former city planner, at the May 27 hearing.

Conrad said he is extensively working with the Federal Aviation Administration and Tampa Air Traffic Control on noise abatement measures to improve life for communities surrounding the airports. These measures include a Polk Parkway approach that would attempt to standardize the flight path pilots use when approaching the airport, having them turn over the landfill and follow along Polk Parkway before banking south to the airport.

A second noise abatement effort would be to get Tampa Air Traffic Control to allow planes to climb higher going from 1,600 to over 3,000 feet when flying over the city to reduce audible noise, according to Conrad.

Both Conrad and Mayor Bill Mutz have expressed they are hopeful to win the FAA's approval to implement these steps by the end of 2021.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at [email protected] or 863-802-7545.

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