Fiscal court to expand Lakeview Park parking on school property; board approves use agreement

The Franklin County Board of Education approved a use agreement permitting the Franklin County Fiscal Court to expand parking at Lakeview Park on property owned by the school district; the fiscal court will cover the expansion costs.

Judge Executive Mueller presented the plan as support for a new softball complex intended to host regional tournaments and local play. He described the planned parking work as excavation, fabric and gravel—no permanent surfaces such as asphalt—and said the county will fund the project. The fiscal court asked only for permission to access and grade the school-owned lot to add parking capacity.

Mueller said the complex will include new concessions, umpire changing rooms, regulation turf fields and a threeplex built where former soccer fields were located; county officials said they are seeking a separate site for relocated soccer. He said preliminary projections anticipate roughly 7,800 visitors on tournament weekends across about 34 weekends and an estimated first-year economic impact of about $11.2 million for hotels, restaurants and shops. The board discussed calendar coordination, noting the county is forming a sports commission to manage tournaments and field scheduling.

Board members pressed on parking conflicts and alternatives if the district later needs the area for school uses. Meeting discussion indicated the property remains district-owned and that operational details, including scheduling coordination and potential short-notice adjustments, would be handled after the agreement. The use agreement was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.