Council schedules second reading for rezoning at 160 South Commerce Avenue

The Sebring City Council on Dec. 3 approved Ordinance 15‑34 for reading and set a second and final hearing for Dec. 17, 2024, to consider rezoning a 0.17‑acre parcel at 160 South Commerce Avenue from Commercial District C‑1 to Mixed Use Quality Development (MUQD).

Planning consultant Marissa Barbee, with the Central Florida regional planning staff, described the application as “an applicant‑initiated request for a rezoning of the property located at 160 South Commerce Avenue,” noting the parcel contains an 1,800‑square‑foot building (a former attorney’s office) and the proposed MUQD classification would permit a mix of residential and commercial live/work uses that the current C‑1 zone does not allow. Barbee said the request was properly advertised and surrounding owners were notified.

The applicant identified himself in the meeting record. Trevor Murphy (speaker 4) was listed for the record as the business owner; an operator at the meeting said, “I’ll be conducting citrus out of there,” indicating the planned commercial activity would be a small packing/processing function paired with on‑site residency.

The council’s motion to approve the ordinance for reading and schedule the second and final hearing passed on the council’s voice/roll‑call affirmation. The planning and zoning board is slated to consider the item at its next meeting, and the council packet included drawings showing no proposed exterior expansions.

If adopted after the scheduled second reading, the rezoning would align the parcel with the city’s downtown future land‑use designation and allow the owner to both live and operate a business in the structure.

The council will take the item up again at the Dec. 17 meeting for final action.