Enhanced Maintenance Standards Given Preliminary Approval by City Commission
by James Coulter
Residents can soon say “goodbye” to vacant lots, empty storefronts, and broken signs and “hello” to a newer, more beautiful downtown area now that city commissioners have given preliminary approval to enhanced maintenance standards.
At their regular meeting on Tues. June 16, 2026, the Lake Wales City Commission voted unanimously to approve the first reading of an ordinance to establish enhanced maintenance standards for the city’s Downtown Historic Overlay District.
These standards intend to “safeguard against blight; preserve historic resources and property values and community standards, and to assist in the continued revitalization of downtown, to attract new businesses; and to promote the public interest in continued development,” according to Ronni Wood, Assistant CRA Director.
Among the new guidelines, downtown storefronts, businesses, and other buildings are prohibited from:
- allowing exterior surfaces to show peeling, flaking, or chipping paint, or any other “visible degradation of materials.”
- displaying signage that is “deteriorated, damaged, or incomplete.”
- using paper, cardboard, or similar materials to cover windows or storefront openings “except as a temporary condition.”
- permitting awnings, canopies, or other “weather protection elements” to become torn, frayed, or otherwise deteriorated.
- removing or neglecting “architectural features and elements forming part of a building facade,” including cornices, molding, and other decorative details, or allowing them to be damaged or “left in a state of disrepair.”
- failing to remove or paint over graffiti within 24 hours.
- allowing sidewalks, walkways, or other site surfaces to become obstructed by “excessive accumulation of dirt, residue, grease, [or] organic growth.”
- allowing vacant properties to show “deterioration, damage, or neglect,” rather than keeping them “secure, consistent, and well‑maintained.”
These standards help maintain the appearance of the downtown area, especially with the ongoing revitalization efforts through the Lake Wales Connected and Lake Wales Envisioned plans.
Among the city’s top priorities is the Historic Walesbilt Hotel. Located at 115 N. First Street, the 10-story landmark was recently returned to city ownership following a lengthy legal battle.
To advance the long-awaited renovation, the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) approved a $2 million interim agreement covering design, planning, and preconstruction services for the project.
To better complement these renovation projects, commissioners have held extensive discussions on a proposed ordinance to address vacant buildings and improve downtown upkeep.
An earlier draft of the ordinance would have required owners of downtown storefronts that remained vacant for a specified period to register those properties with the city. However, that provision was later removed from the proposal.
Commissioner Carol Gillespie noted how the ordinance began as an effort to address property vacancies but expanded into a comprehensive initiative designed to enhance the maintenance of downtown storefronts and other structures.
“We generally agreed that the problem was not just the vacancies [but that] the problem was the maintenance, the condition of these buildings [because] they are empty, they are not being well-kept up,” she said. “There’s a feeling in the downtown area that’s particularly important because of the foot traffic, and the fact that people see this downtown and judge the city by it. So that’s why I think we feel enhanced maintenance standards are an appropriate approach to take to this problem, and I am in favor of it.”
