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Council approves variance for walk‑up water‑dispensing kiosk at Royal Plaza after planner’s recommendation
Summary
Council approved a quasi‑judicial variance allowing a 107.5 sq ft unmanned water‑dispensing kiosk in the Tractor Supply / Royal Plaza parking area, finding the town’s primary facade rules impractical for a walk‑up kiosk. Planner recommended approval with stucco banding, awning and lighting required.
The town council granted a quasi‑judicial variance for a proposed unmanned water‑dispensing kiosk that will sit in the Royal Plaza (Tractor Supply) parking area near U.S. 27.
Town planner Dana Riddell explained the application (LPTC.26.001) and said the code’s primary facade standards — which typically require a street‑facing entrance, minimum glazing and a 100‑sq‑ft porch for commercial facades — were designed for occupiable commercial buildings and are impractical for a 107.5‑square‑foot walk‑up kiosk. She noted the kiosk plan includes earth‑tone finishes, a stucco band, an awning and downlighting and that the applicant had obtained a traffic concurrency determination from Highlands County.
"Requiring a 100‑square‑foot porch on a slightly over‑100‑square‑foot building would be out of scale," Riddell said, and recommended approval of a variance limited to this kiosk’s size and unmanned operation.
Council members voiced concern about removing two parking spaces from the plaza and the potential for precedent. Planner Riddell and staff confirmed Tractor Supply’s plaza parking waiver left a minimum of 300 spaces and that, with the kiosk removal of two stalls, the plaza would still exceed that minimum. Public commenters — including representatives of the Historical Society and local residents — expressed mixed views but several supported the new water option as useful for residents without reliable well water access.
After debate, the council voted 3–1 to approve the variance (Council member Hayes voted no). The planner and applicant indicated the kiosk will tie into town water and that wastewater capacity for discharge is available.
What’s next: the applicant will proceed to permits consistent with the variance conditions and any building permits required; staff will coordinate utility hookups and any agreed landscaping (staff noted the reduced vehicular‑use area means standard canopy requirements did not automatically apply).
