Florida Trend recently profiled the City of Auburndale for its efforts to keep its small-town roots while undergoing “dramatic population growth.” The City has grown from a population of 15,500 to 19,200 in the past three years, the magazine reported.

In examining the rapid growth faced by the City, the magazine quoted City Manager Jeff Tillman, who grew up in Auburndale and mowed city parks when he was a teenager. The challenges include keeping sewer and water systems upgraded. However, the tax revenue generated by the growth will allow the City to increase services.

The challenge comes in maintaining the small-town feel in the face of dramatic growth. The article points to Auburndale’s roots in agriculture, with orange groves being central to its identity. The citrus greening disease took a heavy tool on the community, however.

Now, neighborhoods will move into those empty groves. The community of Celebration is the inspiration for the design, which includes access to garages from back alleys. Because Auburndale has several lakes, the City plans to include parks and conservation areas. There will be commercial centers nearby, but no drive-throughs, which should help reduce the number of people on the road seeking a quick meal.

The issue of heavy traffic is common across the state, said Casey Cook, Chief of Legislative Affairs at the Florida League of Cities. As they grow, cities are required to adapt and change, and some residents resist, Cook said. Auburndale faces some particular challenges because one of its streets that intersects with an interstate highway is surrounded by lakes and houses on each side, which eliminates the option of four-laning. The City is looking at other options, such as roundabouts.

Cities such as Auburndale also face challenges with staffing and providing housing for workers. With 1,000 people moving to Florida every day, cities face pressure to provide services to those new residents, Cook said. Finding workers can be difficult, he acknowledged.

Auburndale stands out as a City that is addressing its quick growth with solutions that allow increased housing and upgraded utilities while maintaining the quality of life that Floridians expect.