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Council approves first reading to rezone former South Florida State College site for Grace Bible Church; parking concerns raised
Summary
On first reading the Lake Placid Town Council approved an ordinance to rezone 580 E. Interlake Blvd. from R-1A to C-2 PD for Grace Bible Church. Staff and residents debated parking adequacy; the ordinance advances to the local planning agency and later second reading.
The Lake Placid Town Council on Sept. 15 approved on first reading an ordinance to rezone 580 East Inner Lake (Interlake) Boulevard to allow Grace Bible Church of Highlands County to use the former South Florida State College buildings.
Dana Riddell, town planner, presented the request (hearing LPTC.25.005; ordinance 2025-09). The applicant seeks a C-2 planned development (PD) zoning designation to provide for church uses and to bundle related approvals (dual-use parking with the adjacent college, site plan commitments). Riddell said the propertys future land use is Commercial General while the current zoning remained R-1A; the rezoning would reconcile that inconsistency. The PD lists uses for the three buildings (childrens facilities, youth facility, auditorium with a maximum of 300 seats, classrooms) and commits to using two buildings for church meeting space.
The site plan included 48 paved parking spaces on site; Riddell noted the code requires about 58 spaces for the proposed use and that the applicant requests dual-use parking agreements with the college and limited use of town or county right-of-way parking to meet demand. The county has been notified about overflow parking in the county-maintained right of way and requested a condition limiting traffic stacking on Inner Lake Boulevard.
Several neighbors and property owners spoke in favor and in concern. Wanda Hall and Ken LeBlanc (residents and adjacent property owners) thanked the council; LeBlanc praised the planned building renovations and said he expected a positive community outcome. Council members pressed staff and the applicant on parking: Council members noted material in the packet that projected 200'250 people on Sunday services and observed that the town code requires one parking space per five seats; at that ratio a 250-person assembly would require roughly 50 spaces. Council and staff discussed mitigation options including using paved parking on both sides of the street, existing rear parking, and dual-use agreements with the college.
Council Member [motioner not specified] moved to approve hearing LPTC.25.005 (ordinance 2025-09) on first reading; the motion received a second and a roll call in favor (Council Member Worley yes; Council Member Everhart yes; Council Member Hayes yes). Staff said the item will go to the local planning agency in October and return to council for second reading later in October.
