City of Winter Haven Gives Away Two Parcels of City-Owned Property to Private Individuals
by James Coulter
Believing that the properties would be better off in private hands, Winter Haven City Commissioners voted unanimously to transfer two parcels of city-owned land, each to a private individual.
At their recent city meeting, Winter Haven City Commissioners voted unanimously to pass two resolutions, each for the disposition of property within their city’s Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs).
The first resolution was for a .06-acre parcel located at the northeast corner of 1st Street and Ave. P NE. The property will be transferred from the Florence Villa CRA to Terry Dewdney, who had offered $4,000 for the property.
Dewdney expressed interest in obtaining the property after the city published a Notice of Public Hearing in the Winter Haven Sun on Jan. 17. On Feb. 12, 2024, he offered a written, hand-delivered proposal saying that he was interested in purchasing the property.
Dewdney wrote that the property was adjacent to his business, Dewdney Plaza, and would be utilized to expand it. He planned to construct two buildings: a single-story building to house Cheryl Cakes, and a two-story residential apartment building to offer affordable housing “with an emphasis and outreach to fire and public safety families.”
“I believe the plans I provided will make good use of the property,” Dewdney wrote. “I am asking for your consideration in donating this property to me so I can continue the vision of improving Winter Haven and the Florence Villa area.”
The other property considered that evening included two parcels with a combined size of .18 acres, both located south of the intersection of US Highway 17 and 6th Street SW. The property will be transferred to Bob Cameron, who had offered $25,000 for the parcel.
Cameron sent a written proposal via e-mail on Jan. 12 expressing his intent to purchase the property, which the city offered in a Notice of Public Hearing in the Winter Haven Sun on Jan. 17. Cameron intends to use the property to construct a small retail building with limited parking for bike sales and rentals.
City Commissioners motioned and seconded to pass each resolution, and voted unanimously to approve them.
One resident approached the commission for public comment concerning the transfer of the first parcel from the Florence Villa CRA. He asked why the city would give away city-owned (and, by extension, taxpayer-owned) property to private individuals rather than selling it to them.
City Commissioner Bradley T. Dantzler replied that they were giving away the first parcel because the adjoining street hadchanged from two to four lanes, thus “gutting a lot of properties” and leaving them with “zero value to the city.”
He argued that giving the land to Dewdney would allow it to be better utilized and that its use would help generate potential tax revenue for the city.
Mayor Pro Tiem Nathanial Birdsong added that the property in its current ownership and state was costing the taxpayer money through its continued maintenance by the city.
“The property is actually costing taxpayer money because we have to tend to it by having it mowed because nobody does it for free,” he said.
