About Us
Location
The City of Plant City is geographically located in the middle of the west coast of Florida, approximately 25 miles east of Tampa, immediately west of Lakeland, and 70 miles west of Orlando. Plant City is located in northeast Hillsborough County, which is the fourth largest county in Florida.
The City limits comprise 31 square miles, and include 38,938 residents as of the latest population estimate. The City has adopted the theme of “Embracing the Future, While Preserving the Past” as it captures the residents desire to adapt and plan for expected growth, while protecting the enduring assets and hometown charm of Plant City.
Government & Administration
The City has a Commission-Manager form of government. Five City Commissioners are elected at large to serve overlapping 3-year terms, one of whom serves as Mayor-Commissioner for a 1-year term. The City Commission appoints the City Manager, City Clerk, and City Attorney. All other administrative and professional positions are appointed by the City Manager. The City has approximately 415 employees.
Transportation
The City is directly served by U.S. Highway 92 and Interstate-Four (I-4) through the City, while State Roads 39, 60, and 574 also provide easy access to the City. The City is also serviced by railroad from both the CSX S line (north-south) and the CSX A line (east-west).
The Plant City Municipal Airport, which is 3 miles from the City’s Historic Downtown Business District, has a 3,950 foot runway with beacon, lighted windsock, and pilot instrument approach, and provides service and maintenance for private plane owners.
Public Utilities & Municipal Facilities
The City owns and operates its own water, wastewater, and solid waste systems. Water is obtained from 4 deep wells owned and operated by the City. Wastewater is treated at the City’s Water Reclamation Facility, which underwent a $56 million upgrade and expansion in 2008, with a total capacity of 10 million gallons per day, sufficient to handle projected growth through 2025.
The City has it own municipal library, Bruton Memorial Library, which has over 120,000 items in a variety of formats, including books, DVDs, audiotapes, CD-ROMs, magazines, and the ability to borrow from a regional library collection. The City offers 158 acres of public parks; playgrounds; athletic fields and courts; recreation centers; a 6,700 seat softball stadium, home of the International Softball Federation; and 6 miles of recreational trails.
Public Safety
The Plant City Police Department (PCPD) is a State Accredited law enforcement agency. The police department headquarters, located at One Police Center Drive, is a 67,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility that includes an indoor pistol range, crime lab, and 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Point.
Plant City Fire Rescue (PCFR) provides Fire Protection and Prevention, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and Advanced Life Support (ALS) medical transport services. PCFR operates from 2 locations, Fire Station 1 at 604 East Alexander Street and Fire Station 2 at 809 North Alexander Street.
Industry, Commerce, & Labor
Light, clean industry is encouraged in the City. There are over 2,000 acres of privately owned industrial parks. Among industries located in the city are James Hardie Building Products, International Paper, Paradise Fruit, Kerry Ingredients & Flavours, and Tata Tea. For more information, visit the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce.
