Parkway Construction Hampers Mission's Access

SEBRING - Pastor Mike Karl got an unwelcome Christmas gift this year.

Construction crews arrived outside the New Testament Church and Mission, where he is the director, on Wednesday and began clearing and grading land for the Sebring Parkway just 17 feet from his building's front door.

When talks about the Sebring Parkway started about 20 years ago, Karl said it seemed like a pipe dream, but it's now come to fruition.

"I guess that's progress," Karl said with a shrug. "I think when it is all done, we will get used to it."

The driveway where the mission received donations is now gone, and anyone with donations should detour to the driveway further northwest on Eucalyptus Street.

They now have a longer walk with the heavy boxes of food, and the church and mission now have to share a parking lot.

Karl said the mission serves about 100 people per day, and the beds are almost filled to capacity at 20. All the food for the meals comes from donations.

When construction on the four-lane road is complete, the sidewalk will be less than 20 feet from his building, which sits near the property line. Karl said the building, a former labor camp, was constructed in the 1940s when people were unsure of property lines, and there were no setback regulations.

The additional noise from the construction, and later the four-lane road, will likely be loud, but Karl said he doubts it will bother him because of the proximity of the mission to the railroad tracks.

Karl said Highlands County officials have worked with him and even postponed construction until after Christmas, when he receives a lot of intakes and food donations.

Although Karl is upset about losing his driveway, the situation is out of his control because he doesn't own the land where the driveway was. It's the property of CSX Railroad, but CSX officials never responded to his requests to purchase it.

He isn't sure what will happen during church services Sunday, when he usually has at least 25 cars, and the parking lot only has a few spots. Theft is a major problem at the parking lot in the rear of the building, Karl said.

Karl is trying to obtain another piece of property, which is currently vacant, northwest on Eucalyptus Street to become a parking lot. He also is continuing to work with the county to try to build a public parking lot that his church members could use, but commissioners questioned the project because of separation of church and state.

"If they want to build the parking lot, it will be a blessing, and if they don't, we will find a way to make something work," Karl said. "There is only so much you can do, and I'm not going to put up a fight. I want to work with the city, not fight against it."