OKEECHOBEE -- A 99-acre property near Hi-Lo Acres may be turned into an industrial park if Okeechobee County Commissioners approve a zoning change at their Feb. 9 meeting.

Bradley Staton, Robert Staton, and Laura Staton, property owners, and Roanne Brice, applicant request a change in zoning from the existing classification of Agriculture (A) to Heavy Industrial (I-2). The property address is 5800 State Road 710 E. The Planning Board, following a public hearing held on Jan. 24, 2023, unanimously recommended that the Board of County Commissioners grant Petition R-2022-0754, a request for a change in zoning from Agriculture (A) to Heavy Industrial (I-2).

The subject property is on the south side of State Road 710, northwest of SE 59th Boulevard which is the entrance to the Hi-Lo Acres subdivision. The subject property is approximately 99 acres in area. One year ago, the applicant applied to change the zoning in order to develop a biochar facility but withdrew the petition. The applicant now would like to develop an industrial park with eight lots ranging in size from about 8 acres to approximately 15 acres.

The subject property has frontage on State Road 710, a major arterial highway that connects Okeechobee County with the coastal counties of Martin and Palm Beach to the east. On the rear side of the property is an active railroad line. The general area is somewhat rural and is mainly zoned Agriculture (A), with many tracts along State Road 710 still in agricultural uses.

Two other zoning changes are also on the agenda for the Feb. 9 meeting:

• Debra Moesching and Wayne Moesching, property owners and Ray Knight, applicant, request a change in zoning from the existing classification of Residential Single Family (RSF) to the proposed classification of Heavy Commercial (C-2). The property is located on SW 2nd Avenue, about 200 feet west of US Highway 441 S. and north of SW 28th Street. The Planning Board, following a public hearing held on January 24, 2023, unanimously recommended that the Board of County Commissioners grant Petition R-2022-0752, request for a change in zoning from Residential Single Family (RSF) to Heavy Commercial (C-2). The subject property is located on SW 2nd Avenue just north of SW 28th Street. It is about 1.17 acres in area and is vacant. It is adjacent to a parcel on US Highway 441 S. that was developed with a gas station and convenience store but the businesses have been closed for some years. The intent is to join the subject property with the gas station parcel and redevelop the entire property with a restaurant.
• Bradley Staton, Robert Staton, and Laura Staton, property owners and Roanne Brice, applicant, request for a change in zoning from the existing classification of Agriculture (A) to the proposed classification of Residential Single Family (RSF). The property address is 3726 SW 16th Street. The Planning Board, following a public hearing held on January 24, 2023, unanimously recommended that the Board of County Commissioners grant Petition R-2022-0753, request for a change in zoning from Agriculture (A) to Residential Single Family (RSF). The subject property consists of all of Block 1 in the unbuilt subdivision of Dixie Park, located on the west side of Oak Park. The subject property has frontage on SW 16th Street. The block has a total area of about 3.9 acres. The property is currently zoned Agriculture (A) and is undeveloped. The property is in a primarily residential area with the Oak Park residential subdivision to the east and a number of larger residential parcels to the west. To the north, across SW 16th Street, is undeveloped property zoned Agriculture (A). To the south is more of the unbuilt Dixie Park subdivision and several single family residences. Several years ago two blocks to the west were rezoned to Residential Single Family (RSF) to allow for the development of several single family homes