The ordinance, which has been under development in fits and starts over the past five years, is an attempt to increase the use of sewer effluent for irrigation.

Deputy County Manager Jim Freeman said the last-minute decision to delay the hearing ?EUR??,,????'??+ it was still on the agenda as recently as the 12th?EUR??,,????'??+ came after consulting with county utility officials over a technical issue involving supplementing reuse water with potable water to meet irrigation demand.

The Polk County Builders Association had criticized the plan as an unwarranted additional expense to the cost of development. They advocated that instead of running lines to individual subdivisions, the county should send the water to large users such as power plants.

Freeman said the staff?EUR??,,????'???s main concern was dealing with potential objections from the Southwest Florida Water Management District over using potable water for irrigation at a time when water managers are pushing permit holders like Polk County to rely on alternative sources such as reuse water for irrigation and other demands that don?EUR??,,????'???t involve drinking water.

Future proposals include tree protection, landscaping provisions to aid homeowners in areas subject to wildfires and increased buffering requirements.