Lake Wales, FL – Community Development Director

About the Position

The “crown jewel” of Florida’s central ridge, the City of Lake Wales, is a community deeply rooted in history, beauty, and a strong sense of identity, and stretches across 14 square miles of Polk County with an estimated population of 16,811. Lake Wales is seeing steady economic growth, balancing business development with its commitment to preserving its unique character. The city’s location along major transportation routes, including State Road 60 and U.S. Hwy. 27, makes it an attractive destination for business investment, particularly in industries such as agriculture, tourism, retail, and light manufacturing.

Reporting directly to the City Manager, the Lake Wales Community Development Director oversees the City’s planning, zoning, building safety, permitting, plan review, and code compliance functions, ensuring that growth and development align with the community’s long-term vision and regulatory requirements.

The City of Lake Wales is seeking an assertive, action-oriented leader to serve as its next Community Development Director. The ideal candidate is a subject matter expert in planning, zoning, permitting, and code enforcement, with deep knowledge of zoning laws, comprehensive planning, development regulations, and economic development.

Candidates for this role should have graduated from an accredited college or university with a degree in land-use planning, urban planning, landscape architecture, or a closely related field and have four years’ experience in municipal planning. Any equivalent combination of education and experience, with additional education substituting on a year-for-year basis with required experience, may be considered.

The American Institute of Certified Planners Certification, in combination with registration with appropriate professional organizations, is preferred, as is relevant experience within the state of Florida.

The selected candidate must maintain a valid Florida driver’s license throughout their tenure.

The City of Lake Wales is offering a salary range of $75,921 to $134,160 for this position and a comprehensive benefits package

For more information on this position, contact:

Kevin Knutson, Senior Vice President

[email protected]

727-754-0407