Clearwater board recommends land‑use change to allow Lantern Senior Care to seek up to 18 beds

The Clearwater Community Development Board voted March 17 to recommend that city council approve a future land‑use map amendment (LUP2025-11004) that would permit the assisted‑living facility at 246 Nursery Road to increase its potential licensed capacity to 18 beds.

Staff presented the proposal and recommended approval, saying the 10.4‑acre property’s request to change its designation from Residential Urban (7.5 dwelling units per acre) to Residential Medium (15 DU/acre) is consistent with the community development code and the city’s comprehensive plan. Adrien Young of planning staff described staff’s finding that the amendment would allow an increase in bed count (staff described the conversion used for assisted‑living licensing as three beds equaling one dwelling unit) and would not, in staff’s view, degrade public facilities for potable water, sanitary wastewater, solid waste, parkland, stormwater or streets.

Mercy Denmark, long‑range planning manager, told the board that this action is a map amendment…