[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6219456,"mediaKeyId","3622694-949c677b1ba2c2e58e9fb5a9b14c0fb3","parentId",3622694,"title","Lake Placid planning bodies urge master plan as utilities, annexation and sewer capacity raise questions","audioSeconds",1612,"startMs",1620000,"endMs",7106,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3622694-949c677b1ba2c2e58e9fb5a9b14c0fb3&start=1620&end=7","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3622694-949c677b1ba2c2e58e9fb5a9b14c0fb3/thumbnail_1620000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6219456/Lake-Placid/Highlands-County/Florida/Lake-Placid-planning-bodies-urge-master-plan-as-utilities-annexation-and-sewer-capacity-raise-questions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219456-ceddc3b5aefdb871fbddd840530eb01a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201685&Signature=o0ErPBpSGTXS2eM-PEM5F~eRmMK12JLUzU~mufODqE5Jsc3ZAfoiw8H1xg7YdvkCKMBpITTPnXfQOLrTbogo8qsOjE841ki83T3xbR1irteGvqMwPH8xsNkqLxBwQOD9H0pWurO8p~JdkkXKP8Rf9x2jZZQbYqK~56XtTDKOgZkZhXi4iatH12ghEtqVuqQTovn2RyZpBbQg2boKBw-YckYWBu9543-U0XUy3F3dxVfQVWNgcNiSz3vpEntLOQkPm7~vmdIhrakL9FiDZ4bqidJz26u3FcgQK4ywKDkPi4AuRggpublrPeAlNJ62iu51oGBKS3NopXDU2HEhS22WHQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Lake Placid, FL","date","2025-06-02T18:10:21Z","article","Members of Lake Placid's Local Planning Agency and representatives from the regional utilities advisory commission on June 2 discussed gaps between the town's Lake Placid Regional Plan (LPRP) and the town's utility capacity, and several participants urged a coordinated master plan for land use and utilities to guide annexation, septic‑to‑sewer conversions and future development.

Town planner Dana Riddell opened the collaborative session by explaining the purpose of the LPRP overlay map and the role of the Interlocal Service Boundary Agreement (ISBA) and the Evaluation and Appraisal Review (EAR) in shaping future annexation and service boundaries. Riddell said the darker purple LPRP areas are limited to a density of three dwelling units per acre (gross), while certain orange areas allow up to 12 dwelling units per acre. \"The purpose of this map was supposed to be to guide the future annexation of the town of Lake Placid,\" Riddell said.

Utility staff and other speakers described the town's recent wastewater expansion and current constraints. A utilities speaker (Mr. Warner) said the new plant was not yet fully online and that the system is currently serving about 300,000 gallons per day of a roughly 1,000,000‑gallon design capacity; much of the remaining capacity, he said, is reserved for septic‑to‑sewer conversions. He said additional capacity to serve areas farther south would require either adding another treatment train at the plant or constructing a second plant. \"At this time, we do not have the capacity to serve all those areas,\" he said.

Pam Fentress, a frequent participant in local utility planning discussions, and others reviewed funding history: the town received a $40 million DEP grant for a multi‑project program and the plant was completed for about $36 million, leaving limited grant funds for the remaining conversion projects. Fentress said the town has exhausted much of the grant funding on design and construction costs and emphasized the difficulty of covering future conversions without further grants or developer contributions.

Former utilities manager Gary Freeman urged a conventional financing approach used elsewhere: a comprehensive engineering master plan and system development charges or impact fees assessed to new connections. \"The way this is done all over The United States is through impact fees,\" Freeman said, describing multi‑year master plans and development charges that fund lines, lift stations and plant expansions.

Participants debated the relationship between the LPRP annexation boundary and utility priorities. Several speakers observed that the LPRP's annexation emphasis does not align perfectly with lake‑health priorities and the utility's operational priorities; speakers urged staff to coordinate a utility master plan with land‑use planning and county partners including the Central Florida Regional Planning Council. Riddell summarized the meeting as supporting a master planning effort and said staff would use the discussion in upcoming EAR and ISBA processes.

The group also raised procedural questions about concurrency and capacity reservation. Staff explained that a letter of available capacity currently indicates potential capacity but does not reserve capacity until the developer pays for it; several participants suggested requiring purchase or reservation of capacity at the time of concurrency so allocations are not promised but unavailable later. Different speakers noted legal and administrative details would require town attorney review and policy choices by town council.

Speakers also discussed infrastructure condition and priorities inside town limits: decommissioning smaller plants to route flow to the main plant; prioritizing septic‑to‑sewer conversions in impaired lake areas; and the practical need to pair water line installation with sewer connections so monthly wastewater charges can be metered via water meters. Riddell and other speakers repeatedly returned to a shared recommendation that town staff and council pursue a coordinated master plan for utilities and land use, and that the town work with county and regional partners on funding and planning details.

No formal board action or vote was taken at the collaborative session; both bodies planned to carry recommendations to their next meetings and ultimately to town council for any code changes or capital decisions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town of Lake Placid BOA & Joint LPA and LPRUAC Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Members of Lake Placid's Local Planning Agency and regional utility advisors on June 2 discussed misalignments between the Lake Placid Regional Plan and current utility capacity and urged a coordinated master plan for utilities and land use to guide annexation and septic‑to‑sewer conversions.","taxTitle","Lake Placid, Highlands County, Florida","taxId",54067,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6219461,"Lake Placid board approves one‑year special exception for Big Bang Fireworks tent at Royal's Plaza",1604,116000,1720000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3622694-949c677b1ba2c2e58e9fb5a9b14c0fb3&start=116&end=1720","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3622694-949c677b1ba2c2e58e9fb5a9b14c0fb3/thumbnail_116000.jpg","/articles/6219461/Lake-Placid/Highlands-County/Florida/Lake-Placid-board-approves-oneyear-special-exception-for-Big-Bang-Fireworks-tent-at-Royals-Plaza","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219461-904c5da2642998580d1504b4d34996c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201685&Signature=TuGSVVyUyI~k3jyedDBOUSx4WW5eZfV8ufubi7TULHbOt4GxNd-B3gljLeIkCglODiSZfFZWp0Wi9xlu1ACEJ7Oh51UAh3jQFBpZwi1EDz-WLPhKwHZ3sw1nkyJLFZ8nbtsF6CBi7PH7z0f06-oAPiXdUQ5XWNBQPM~axndd58HrUGWFYkV8MkGyRRZaidgkgvzuyYAsQs7-bemAPjaPTi-nSa2pCQk3hmqIwGLmRTqXFvGn3DnXvxQQsnKuD3anE9okcsph1-xga6L1laSGcu7z~XrqCC-dNJgYsNwcwoFdd9Wq64p0wl6qbnDnQJ9IW9195ENz-bmN4fobItEbtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lake Placid Board of Adjustments on June 2 approved a one‑year special exception allowing a temporary tent for seasonal retail sales of sparklers and fireworks at Royal's Plaza, 70 Plaza Ave, with conditions including a certificate of insurance naming the town as additional insured, limits on how many days the tent may be erected, security requirements and restrictions on signage.

Town planner Dana Riddell told the board the site is owned by Royal Oaks Lunch Inc. and that the applicant is Big Bang Fireworks LLC, owned by Justin Driggers; the agent is Gold Standard Builder Services and the applicant was represented by attorney Richard Irvin. Riddell said the request is for a special exception in the C‑1 Highway Commercial District because a temporary structure in excess of short durations requires Board of Adjustment approval. Riddell recommended limiting the approval to one year rather than the three years the applicant requested because of nearby construction and traffic circulation concerns related to a planned SmokeShack access point near the proposed tent location. \"I am going to reduce it to a 1 year request as my recommendation,\" Riddell said.

The board approved the special exception with conditions that, as recorded in the motion, include: the tent may be erected no more than 31 consecutive days and no more than 62 days in a calendar year; hours of operation limited to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; the tent location may be shifted to accommodate adjacent construction while meeting all C‑1 setback requirements (a 20‑foot front setback was cited by staff); barricades or similar measures shall be used to prevent parking in travel lanes and ensure traffic circulation; temporary lighting must be shielded to avoid glare onto adjacent properties; banners, feather/blade signs and snipe signs are prohibited and all signs must comply with Town Code section 154‑15; the applicant must provide a certificate of insurance naming the town as additional insured and execute a contract indemnifying the town as approved by the town attorney; the applicant must employ dedicated night watch/security during closure hours and security must conduct hourly checks and report incidents to management or law enforcement; and the applicant may use a storage container as amended by the board.

Attorney Richard Irvin, representing Big Bang Fireworks, said the retailer has operated in Florida for more than 20 years and emphasized safety practices and staff training. \"Big Bang's been in business for over 20 years,\" Irvin said, adding the company trains staff and operates with private security. A resident, Margaret Dear of 1504 French St., spoke in support: \"I think it's a great idea,\" she said.

The motion to approve (recorded as \"Number 2, move to approve hearing LPBOA 25.002\") was seconded and passed on a roll call vote with all members present voting yes. The board amended staff's recommended conditions to allow a storage container rather than prohibiting it outright and to adopt the one‑year expiration that staff recommended. Riddell noted that if the board requires a contract indemnifying the town, that contract would need council approval and to be resolved before the tent sale could proceed if agreement is not reached within the week.

The board concluded the hearing and adjourned the Board of Adjustments portion of the meeting before moving on to a collaborative session with the local planning agency.","The Lake Placid Board of Adjustments on June 2 approved a one‑year special exception allowing a temporary tent for seasonal fireworks sales at Royal's Plaza with conditions including insurance naming the town as additional insured, limits on tent days and hours, security requirements, and restrictions on signage and storage.","actionData","errors"]

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Lake Placid planning bodies urge master plan as utilities, annexation and sewer capacity raise questions

Lake Placid board approves one‑year special exception for Big Bang Fireworks tent at Royal's Plaza