Commission approves rezoning for one‑acre parcel at Kings Bay entrance despite neighbors’ concerns

The Okeechobee County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday voted to rezone a one‑acre parcel at the entrance of the Kings Bay subdivision from Planned Unit Development (PUD) to Residential General (multifamily) and approved a density of eight units on the acre.

The item, filed as petition R2025‑0774 for property along Southeast Fiftieth Avenue at the Kings Bay entrance, drew multiple public commenters who said the site floods during heavy rain, that the entrance already serves school bus stops and that development would remove trees and displace wildlife. Colin Cameron, an attorney representing the Kings Bay Homeowners Association, told the board the divided entrance and morning/afternoon bus activity raised safety concerns. “There are school bus pickup and drop off on US‑441 at the entrance way to Kings Bay…because of that, there’s an increased risk of danger to the children,” Cameron said.

Dennis Walsh, president of the Kings Bay Homeowners Association, submitted a petition in opposition and asked the county to require privacy buffers and review drainage connections. Resident speakers asked for continued notice so neighbors could follow site‑plan review later in the process.

Planning staff recommended approval and noted that the requested RG (Residential General) zone and the density sought were consistent with area patterns and the property’s future‑land‑use context. The staff report and the county planning board supported approval. Planning staff said detailed engineering on access, drainage and buffers will be addressed during site‑plan review and by permitting agencies.

Board action: Commissioner Goodbread made the motion to approve the ordinance granting the zoning change; Commissioner Sumner seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

Why it matters: The rezoning allows eight units on a parcel that previously had limited development potential because the original PUD plan was no longer in force. Neighbors' concerns focused on traffic safety at a divided entrance, drainage capacity, and preservation of trees and wildlife habitat. Those matters will be reviewed in site plan and permitting steps, staff said.

Quotes

“Any traffic going into the…Kings Bay would require incoming traffic coming in, going past a divided highway…there’d be increased traffic flow that may create some danger to the residents,” Colin Cameron, attorney for Kings Bay Homeowners Association, said.

“Staff recommends that the Board of County Commissioners adopt ordinance 2025‑R‑0335 to grant the request for a change in zoning to residential general,” Planning staff (Mister Royce) said in presenting the item.

Ending

The rezoning clears the way for the applicant to prepare a site plan. Access, stormwater design and buffering will be evaluated during site‑plan review and by permitting agencies; neighbors were encouraged by staff to monitor those technical reviews and attend future hearings.