Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Planning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council OKs zoning plan for Lake Placid Church of the Nazarene with tree and lighting conditions
Summary
Council approved first reading of a planned‑development rezoning to allow an expansion of Church of the Nazarene at West Interlake Boulevard, subject to canopy‑tree coverage (positioned away from parking) and a lighting plan showing safe parking illumination (average foot‑candles) across parking areas.
On Jan. 13 the Lake Placid Town Council granted first reading approval to rezone the Church of the Nazarene property on West Interlake Boulevard from C‑2 Limited Commercial to C‑2 PD (Plan Development) to allow church uses and an expansion.
Town Planner Dana Riddell summarized the request. She said the site was built as a church prior to the town’s zoning code and the applicant is using a PD to confirm and expand the legal use while meeting modern code standards. Riddell noted potable water is nearby but the site remains on septic until wastewater becomes available; the applicant agreed to connect when wastewater infrastructure reaches the property.
Polston Engineering representatives Marvin Wolf and Vlad answered council questions about parking, landscaping and exterior materials. The plan allows limited grass parking rather than full paved lots, reduces the landscape buffer width where existing sidewalks and site constraints apply, and proposes perimeter parking dimensions slightly under the town’s typical standard (10 by 18 feet vs. the town standard 10 by 20 feet) for peripheral stalls. The applicant said accessible parking spaces would be paved to meet ADA requirements.
Council added two conditions before approving first reading: the applicant will meet the town’s overall canopy‑tree coverage requirement but may place the trees away from vehicular use areas to avoid conflicts (the council asked staff to convert the LPA motion language into firm ordinance language for second reading); and the applicant must submit a lighting plan that demonstrates an appropriate level of illumination in the parking areas (council referenced an average‑foot‑candle target for parking areas during review and asked that fixtures be shielded so light does not intrude onto adjacent properties or right‑of‑way).
A quasi‑judicial hearing was held for the item; the applicant stated the church building elevations and materials will comply with the town’s commercial architectural standards. After public testimony and limited discussion the council approved first reading with the canopy‑tree and lighting changes recorded in the minutes. The item will return for second reading with revised PD language and the applicant’s lighting plan.
