Local News

Zoning plan coming together for downtown

Jay Meisel | Highlands Today
Published: February 17, 2013

SEBRING - Jack Smile, the owner of two downtown businesses, said he has no objections to a plan for zoning changes in the downtown area, as long as the result is more visitors to the central business district.

"We need to strengthen our efforts to increase tourism to make it (downtown) more of a destination," said Smile, who owns The Mermaids Castle and The 3 Bears Antique shops. "If the zoning will do that, it'll be a good thing."

Some time in March, Smile and other business owners in the downtown area will receive by mail information about the planned zoning changes.

Jim Polatty, zoning and planning director for the city, said the process of revamping zoning for the areas has been under way for the last six years but is coming to a head.

A lot of the expected changes are designed to provide more flexibility for property owners, with the goal of encouraging redevelopment and bringing in more businesses and people to the central business district, he said.

Smile said downtown needs more business and more variety, including additional restaurants, wine bars and innovative types of commerce.

One possible change involves some residential areas in the community redevelopment area, Polatty said.

Polatty said that currently regulations call for lot of about 10,000 to 15,000 square feet, but in reality most of the lots sizes are 5,000 square feet.

The changes would recognize that and in some cases allow for more units, Polatty said.

The plan also allows for additional uses in commercial and transitional areas. Polatty said that in the commercial area, for example, which currently doesn't allow for manufacturing, that the plan would permit some light production.

In general, he said, more different types of business would be allowed.

The city has encouraged mixed-use developments, Polatty said.

An example of that is a building that contains a business or office on the ground floor and a residence on the top floor.

Linda Tucker, owner of Linda's Books and Such, said her business is an example of that, as there's a residence on top.

Tucker said she believes the zoning is working well.

Jmeisel@highlandstoday.com (863) 386-5834