Lake Placid council enacts zoning changes, code cleanups and approves parking waiver; budget correction adopted

The Lake Placid Town Council on Oct. 20 took a series of votes that included a budget correction, a zoning approval for a church campus, repeal of portions of the town code after a First Amendment review, and a requested parking waiver for a proposed restaurant that plans to use a mobile kitchen in the rear of its building.

Budget correction: The council adopted ordinance 2025‑16 on second reading to correct an inadvertent error in the fiscal‑year 2025‑26 budget attachment. Several council members used the public hearing on the budget correction to restate positions on the town’s recent 18% ad valorem increase and other budget priorities. One council member said she opposed that tax increase and repeated concerns about a $1.6 million line item for a new police department building, arguing the town should explore alternatives and not deplete reserves. Council action: ordinance 2025‑16 was adopted on second reading; vote tally not specified in the record for this item.

Zoning: The council approved on second reading a rezoning (ordinance 2025‑09, hearing LPTC25‑005) to allow Grace Bible Church to use property at 580 E. Interlake Blvd. as a church campus with associated campus wayfinding and monument signs. Council members and the applicant discussed a limited deviation from the sign code—additional ground‑mounted “campus map” signs and short‑term banner use for event promotion—and a residential parking/standing restriction for nearby streets. Council vote: adopted on second reading (hearing LPTC25‑005) with recorded votes: Council member Charles — yes; Council member Eberhardt — yes; Council member Hayes — yes; Council member Worley — no. Outcome: ordinance adopted (3–1 recorded vote).

Repeal / code cleanup: The council considered repeal of Chapter 107 (Peace and Good Order) and portions of Chapter 117 (solicitation) after town attorneys raised First Amendment concerns about existing local language that could conflict with state or federal law. The change was presented as a cleanup to remove provisions preempted or better addressed by state law. After debate about whether to reinsert cross‑references to state statutes or to handle the change piecemeal, council adopted ordinance 2025‑14 (repeal of Chapter 107) on second reading. Recorded roll call: Council member Charles — yes; Council member Eberhardt — yes; Council member Hayes — no; Council member Worley — no; Mayor Holbrook — yes. Outcome: ordinance adopted (3–2 recorded vote). The council also adopted ordinance 2025‑15 on second reading to repeal the solicitation sections of Chapter 117; the recorded vote was unanimous among council members present (Council members Worley, Hayes, Charles and Eberhardt — all yes).

Parking waiver / change of use (295 E. Interlake Blvd.): Town planner Dana Riddell described a request to convert an existing store into a roughly 520‑square‑foot restaurant/café. The building would use a food truck/mobile kitchen parked on a concrete pad behind the building to supply the indoor guest service area; staff said the food truck would not serve customers directly from the truck. Because change of use increases the parking requirement, the applicant submitted a parking analysis and requested a waiver citing downtown parking availability. The council approved the parking waiver with conditions that the mobile kitchen serve only patrons of the brick‑and‑mortar restaurant (no direct sales from the truck) and that no exterior seating beyond the approved building guest area be established without further council review. Vote: approved (recorded votes — Council member Worley: yes; Council member Charles: yes; Council member Hayes: no; Council member Everhart/Eberhardt: yes; outcome 3–1 recorded vote).

Other formal actions: the council approved on second reading an ordinance (2025‑06) vacating an unnamed right‑of‑way adjacent to Donald and Tina Clark (vote recorded at the meeting in favor by the council). The minutes also show adoption of a resolution recognizing Florida City Government Week and multiple staff presentations.

Why it matters: The council’s actions change local zoning permissions for a church campus, remove local code language found legally problematic, and set parameters for a new downtown restaurant concept that uses a detached/mobile kitchen. The budget correction passed as procedurally required, but the public hearing surfaced continued public and council debate about taxes, reserve use and the proposed police building cost.

What’s next: Staff will finalize permit conditions for the restaurant/café and circulate ordinance language; the town clerk’s office will publish adopted ordinances and the town will proceed with administrative permitting steps for the rezoning and dining permits.