Planning board delays decision on Rec Room 'barcade' expansion after neighbors raise noise and policing concerns

The Lakeland Planning and Zoning Board on Jan. 22 continued consideration of a major modification that would expand the Rec Room bar-and-arcade at 202 North Massachusetts Avenue downtown, citing outstanding questions about noise impacts, police service records and the parking garage adjacent to the site. The board set the continuation for its Feb. 18 meeting.

Todd Vargo, senior planner with Community and Economic Development, presented the request for a major modification of an existing conditional use to expand the Rec Room into an additional roughly 3,000 square feet of the building, bringing the operation’s total footprint and assembly areas to approximately 4,000 square feet after expansion. Vargo reviewed land-development-code criteria the board must consider for bars and similar uses, and noted the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority provided a unanimous letter of support on Aug. 15, 2024.

Vargo told the board that, for a two-year window covering December 2022 to December 2024, the Rec Room had 62 service entries in the city’s records — the most among downtown establishments during the reviewed period — with categories listed in the staff packet including community service, unconfirmed emergencies, suspicious persons, trespass/unwanted guests, police service and disturbances. He also circulated two resident letters from occupants of the Lakeland Lofts condominiums expressing concerns about late-night noise, fights, open containers, public urination in the adjacent parking garage and inadequate security.

Con O'Leary, the Rec Room managing partner, described the expansion as primarily allowing larger-format amusements — he cited duckpin bowling as an example — rather than a change in the business character or a straightforward capacity increase. O'Leary said expanded areas would still close at 2 a.m. and that the business runs door security (21-and-up controls after 9 p.m.), and that Rec Room has removed live and amplified outdoor music from future operations. “Duckpin bowling is a kind of an abbreviated actual bowling lane… If we do 3 of those lanes, a lot of that square footage will be eaten up,” O'Leary said, explaining the games would occupy much of the new interior space.

Resident Joseph D’Atavio, representing the Lofts Condominium Association, described repeated late-night disturbances and sanitation issues in the nearby parking garage and urged the board to require the Rec Room to resolve existing problems before approving expansion. “We have fights, loud noise, open containers, underage drinking, parking ramp overlooking the Rec Room… Public urination is really common,” D’Atavio said. Property owner Corey Petcoff, who owns the building that houses the Rec Room, urged the board not to stifle downtown growth and said he has worked closely with Lakeland police and downtown stakeholders.

Board members asked staff for clarifications including how the Lakeland Police Department categorizes “community service” entries (staff said many are self-initiated officer activities such as foot or bike patrols and not necessarily calls from private citizens) and whether the outdoor area referenced in plans would be controlled for occupancy and age. The applicant said outdoor areas would remain open-air and that seating is the quietest outdoor option; if seating is prohibited the applicant said they would likely place games or other features in the space instead. O'Leary confirmed no plans for live outdoor music and reiterated door controls and staff security.

Board members and staff agreed more detail was needed on the breakdown of police service calls, whether incidents are on site versus in the city-owned parking garage, and how noise complaints are tracked and enforced under the city’s noise ordinance. Given those outstanding issues, a board member moved and the board voted to continue the item to Feb. 18; staff said it will coordinate to have Lakeland Police Department present at the continued hearing to explain the service‑call and incident-report details.

The continuation leaves the conditional-use outcome open; staff materials and the LDDA letter will remain part of the record and the board signaled it may apply additional conditions addressing operations, outdoor activity and on‑premises security as appropriate.