"Driving Park" Proposed For Port LaBelle

Two Driving Tracks, Garages For Classic Car Owners?

LABELLE, FL. -- The Southland Group and Armboz, Inc. have submitted a request to Glades County to change the zoning on 235 acres from the Hendry County line east of Birchwood Pkwy north to Aspen Blvd to SR 80 and back to Laurel Oaks Village in Port LaBelle to allow for a "driving park" for automobile enthusiasts.

The proposed name is "The Driving Club of Port LaBelle (photo: planned plat - click on photo to see full size)

The plan proposes building a "drive park" for automotive enthusiasts including two driving tracks. Members will have options of building a garage to work on and store their vehicles, building a residence with similar garages or just coming to meet with other members to compete in auto competitions.

The property was the former Port LaBelle Golf Course, and had previously been subdivided into plats for residential housing. The parcel has been cattle pasture for the last half dozen years, classified for agricultural use.

Armboz, Inc., a Naples, Florida company began purchasing parcels in Glades and Hendry county in May, 2011. The new company is owned by Robert Armstrong and Micheal Bozzo.

To succeed in changing the land zoning, the proposal would need an amendment to the Glades County Comprehensive Plan and a change to county ordinance 91-1 to change land use regulations in Glades county.

The Florida Department of Community Affairs would ultimately have to approve the change. The Department has shot down numerous local proposals in the past including the proposed change of 1,618 acres near the Glades Middle School in Muse from agricultural to "mixed use village."

Two governmental public meetings are scheduled for March 13th, and April 10th at the County Courthouse in Moore Haven and a local community organized meeting for the public on February 28th.

Homeowners in the area of the proposed subdivision from Glades and Hendry county have organized a meeting to inform nearby residents of the proposal. Nearby residents are worried about the affect of noise, fumes and traffic should the proposed driving park be approved by Glades County zoning officials and county commissioners.

A meeting will be held by local residents at 7 p.m. Tuesday February 28th 2012 at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 1098 Collingswood Parkway just south of SR 80 in Port LaBelle.

A zoning hearing will be held at Glades County courthouse in Moore Haven Tuesday, March 13th at 5:05 p.m. to consider an amendment to the Glades Comprehensive Plan to allow the new use. The Glades County Commission will meet on Tuesday April 10th at 9:00 a.m. to consider the proposals after the zoning hearing.

For details of the submission to Glades County for an amendment to the Glades County Comprehensive plan and a change to County Ordinance 91-1:

http://downloads.myglades.com/DrivingClubOfPortLaBelle.zip