Lake Placid utility board agrees to study water route to proposed mobile‑home park

The Lake Placid Utility Commission voted to continue studying how the town could provide water and wastewater service to a proposed mobile‑home park outside the town’s formal service area, and expressed a preference for routing a new main along State Road 27 toward State Road 70.

The item on the agenda, introduced during public comment by developer representatives and reviewed by utility staff, concerns the Caladium Estates mobile‑home project, which the developer said grew to a concept plan of about 382 units. Kevin McCarthy, project manager for the town, told commissioners the site lies outside the town’s Lake Placid Regional Plan service boundary but that “we have capacity at our water plant.”

Commissioners were asked whether the town should service both potable water and wastewater for the development, or require the developer to provide on‑site systems. The developer told the commission the park would need roughly 10,000 gallons per day of wastewater capacity and about 54,000 gallons per day of water capacity. The developer also proposed a “pioneering agreement” under which the developer would pay initial construction costs and would be allowed to recover a portion if later customers tie in.

Commissioners raised legal and planning constraints. A staff member referenced the Florida Administrative Code and explained that extending service outside a jurisdiction’s planning area can trigger comprehensive‑plan processes; the commission noted the town’s comprehensive plan update is due in 2027. Commissioners also discussed existing service by nearby Placid Lakes and an existing 10‑inch water main built to serve a camp and conference center, and they said final sizing and hydraulics would require further engineering modeling.

A motion to recommend that utilities “move forward with planning to serve the mobile home development” failed for lack of a second. Later, an alternative motion to “continue looking into it, exploring options and investigate running the line along 27 to 70” was seconded and passed by roll call: John Draper — Aye; Pam Brewer — Aye; Matt Elliott — Aye; Jack Conley — Aye. The motion directs staff to continue negotiations and planning work and to return with more detailed options and cost information for council consideration.

Commissioners repeatedly emphasized that any final commitment would depend on engineering (line sizing and pressure modeling), funding availability and whether annexation or a change to the town’s planning/service boundaries would be required. McCarthy said the town currently has no budgeted funds to construct that extension and would rely on developer contributions, grants (including upcoming DEP and federal earmark opportunities) or a future capital allocation.

Next steps spelled out by staff include additional engineering modeling, confirmation of which portions (if any) of adjacent systems like Placid Lakes might be affected, and preparing a recommendation for the Town Council. Staff also flagged regulatory steps needed if the town chooses to extend service beyond its current planning boundary.