Car Dealership Planned for Cypress Gardens Boulevard and US Highway 27
by James Coulter
A new auto dealership and accessory service department may soon be arriving on US27, south of Cypress Gardens Boulevard.
At their recent meeting on Mon. Jan. 26, the Winter Haven City Commission reviewed the first reading of an ordinance rezoning a portion of a parcel located near the intersection of Cypress Gardens and US Highway 27.
The ordinance would rezone the subject property from Planned Unit Development (PD) zoning district to Commercial- Highway (C-3) and Conservation (CN) zoning districts. These designations are “compatible with the property’s location along an arterial highway corridor,” wrote Heather Reuter, Senior Planner.
The subject property, which consists of approximately 26.64 acres, represents one of the last large undeveloped parcels on the corridor. The site is being considered for a new auto dealership and accessory shop.
“Although the exact size of the proposed automotive dealership has not been determined, the dealership is expected to generate significantly less demand on water, wastewater, and transportation infrastructure than the currently permitted multi-family residential use,” wrote Reuter.
If constructed, the new dealership will be one of several other dealerships located within that vicinity, including Dyer Chevrolet and Kia in Lake Wales, Honda and Hill Nissan in Winter Haven, and Miracle Toyota in Haines City.
No vote was given on the ordinance, as it was the first reading. The ordinance will be voted on at the next City Commission meeting scheduled for Mon. Feb. 9 at 6 PM at Winter Haven City Hall.
