by Beth Kassab | Dec 16, 2023 | City Commission, News, Zoning and Development
Commission approves townhomes, Ravaudage incentives and smoking ban
Packed agenda at final meeting of the year yields policy and project decisions
Dec. 16, 2023
By Beth Kassab
City Commissioners approved a 53-unit project, now including 15 single-family homes and 38 townhomes, in west Winter Park near Winter Park Village.
The project, known as Winter Park Commons, underwent extensive revisions with single-family homes now along the perimeter after residents complained the multi-story complex did not meld with the rest of the neighborhood.
While some residents continued to express skepticism about the development planned for a former church property, Mayor Phil Anderson expressed gratitude for the residents’ participating, saying it “made a difference” and also thanked the developer for being willing to make changes.
Other policy decisions at the Dec. 13 meeting include:
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by Beth Kassab | Dec 15, 2023 | City Commission, Election, News, Uncategorized
Michael Cameron criticizes city spending and priorities
The first salvo in the mayor’s contest comes as the newcomer and challenger to Vice Mayor Sheila DeCiccio makes his first public comments about the race
Dec. 13, 2023
By Beth Kassab
The relatively unknown challenger in the mayor’s race attempted to separate himself from Vice Mayor Sheila DeCiccio this week by saying he “wants to bring back fiscal responsibility to Winter Park.”
Cameron, who is president of a real estate school and is a first-time candidate, said in a press release this week that he would have different priorities than the current City Commission, though some of his claims underscore his status as a newcomer to local government. Cameron declined to immediately answer questions about his statements in the release, though he did revise a statement that initially asserted DeCiccio is “depleting the city’s cash reserves” after questions from the Voice.
Michael Cameron
“My campaign is focused on more substantive issues, like making sure the city has a strong cash reserve on hand with low debt, making sure the city is fully prepared for a storm, or economic downturn, making sure our first responders, schools and educators have the resources they need to be successful,” he said. “Making sure this city remains a great place to raise a family, lowering our residents’ tax base, facilitating property value increases and supporting the Winter Park business community.”
The city’s cash reserves have steadily increased in recent years to a record $19.1 million or about 26% of recurring operating costs in the General Fund, according to city documents. The percent of operating costs represented by reserves has declined since 2021 from about 30%, the city’s stated goal, as inflation, labor costs and other pressures on expenses since the pandemic have increased along with the overall size of the city’s budget.
Winter Park shifted significant resources this year to storm preparedness, particularly in the wake of flooding caused by Hurricane Ian last year. DeCiccio has repeatedly sounded the alarm and called for urgency when it comes to studies now underway to help prioritize stormwater projects. Police and fire budgets reached new highs this year as well with first responders making up the biggest slice of the city’s General Fund.
It’s unclear what Cameron meant by resources for “schools and educators.” City governments don’t have any say over school budgets, which are approved by local school boards.
“My opponent’s focus has been on purchasing green spaces, as well as issues like bike paths and extending sidewalks, which in the grand scheme of things aren’t as important, as say, planning for a financial crunch or getting hit by another major storm or readying the city for any other 21st century needs,” he said.
The only greenspace the city has purchased in recent years is the Winter Park Pines Golf Course, which it issued bonds to finance. The operating revenue from golf sales is helping to pay off the debt.
Winter Park is about to begin construction on Seven Oaks Park, which is now projected to cost about $800,000 more than estimates from a few years ago, but the city already owned the land for the project.
Asked to respond to Cameron’s comments, DeCiccio noted that the city hasn’t raised taxes in 17 years. However, the City Commission this year passed a number of increased fees for residents such as the cost at recreation facilities and higher prices for garbage collection.
DeCiccio said improving bike paths and sidewalks is a safety and quality of life issue for families, particularly in Central Florida, which has repeatedly ranked among the most dangerous places in the nation for pedestrians.
“That is a safety issue for our children,” she said.
Cameron’s release said he was born in Winter Park and he and his wife are now raising their two young boys in the city. He touted an endorsement from Republican Jeremy Sisson, who works in real estate and unsuccessfully ran in 2020 against Democrat Anna Eskamani, who represents Winter Park in the Florida House.
“I take my hat off to everyone who came before me who has worked hard to help maintain the old-world charm that Winter Park has to offer its residents and its visitors,” Cameron said. “Because of all of you, my generation and generations after me will get to enjoy the Winter Park that you all created. If elected as your mayor, I would work hard every day to maintain and improve upon that Winter Park we all know and love.”
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by Beth Kassab | Dec 9, 2023 | City Commission, News, Uncategorized, Zoning and Development
Winter Park Commons, Ravaudage incentives and Seven Oaks construction
This week’s City Commission meeting will bring potential resolutions and updates on several major projects
Dec. 9, 2023
By Beth Kassab
This week’s City Commission meeting, the final one of the year, is likely to bring some answers to questions about several major projects including a proposed townhome complex on the west side, a large mixed-use development and the construction of Seven Oaks Park.
Here’s an overview of what to expect at Wednesday’s meeting:
- Winter Park Commons. Commissioners tabled in November a decision on a 53-unit multi-family housing project near Winter Park Village over concerns from residents that the multi-story townhomes were incompatible with neighboring smaller, single-family homes. The developer’s revised plans will go before the commission this week. The project remains 53 units, but now includes more single-family homes in place of some of the townhome units. Plans now also include five on-street parking spaces and a revised driveway on Webster Avenue.
- Ravaudage incentives. The city originally agreed to reimburse the developer of of Ravaudage, a mixed-use project, a maximum of $1.2 million for road improvements. The developer is now seeking an additional $300,000 for improvements that weren’t included in the first agreement because the land was not yet annexed into Winter Park. The commission tabled a decision on the new reimbursement in November, questioning the justification. According to city documents, two new businesses along the stretch in question — Bank OZK and Lifetime Fitness — would pay enough in mobility fees to cover the cost of the city’s reimbursement to the developer.
- Seven Oaks Park. The cost of the city’s newest park increased by about $800,000 to $5 million since the city first estimated the price a few years ago. With construction now slated to start on Dec. 18, city staff is recommending the City Commission postpone wifi upgrades to reallocate $220,000 use another $320,000 that had been set aside for planning studies. Staff also recommends another $250,000 come from the city’s contingency fund to make up the deficit. If approved, construction would begin this month and the park would be finished in the Fall of 2024, according to the staff memorandum.
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by Beth Kassab | Dec 8, 2023 | City Commission, Election, News, Uncategorized
New candidate enters mayoral contest as qualifying deadline nears
First-time candidate Michael Cameron Sidawi opened a campaign account to run against Vice Mayor Sheila DeCiccio
Dec. 8, 2023
By Beth Kassab
Vice Mayor Sheila DeCiccio drew an opponent in her bid for mayor with real estate school owner Michael Cameron Sidawi filing to run against her.
Reached by phone on Friday, Sidawi told the Voice he wasn’t yet ready to discuss his campaign and declined to answer questions.
He has until Monday at noon to turn in the required petitions to secure a spot on the March 19 ballot.
DeCiccio turned her petitions in earlier in the week and said she is focused on getting her message about maintaining Winter Park’s charm and fixing infrastructure needs in front of voters.
Sheila DeCiccio talks with residents at a meet-and-greet event. (Courtesy of DeCiccio’s campaign.)
“I am looking forward to running a positive campaign and highlighting the accomplishments of Mayor [Phil] Anderson and the commission, discussing the issues, answering questions and, most importantly, listening to the residents and giving them a voice at City Hall,” DeCiccio said.
She announced her campaign in October and resigned from Commission Seat 2 effective after the election in order to run. That triggered an election for Seat 2, which has drawn three candidates so far.
Jason Johnson, an attorney, and Craig Russell, a teacher and coach at Winter Park High School both submitted their qualifying petitions to run for the seat.
Stockton Reeves, director of the Center for Public Safety, is also running for Seat 2, but has not yet submitted his petitions.
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by Beth Kassab | Dec 8, 2023 | City Commission, News, Zoning and Development
P&Z board approves new 300-bed Rollins dorm
The proposal to increase an existing dormitory from 80 to 300 beds comes as the college is also seeking approvals for a faculty and staff apartment building
Dec. 7, 2023
By Beth Kassab
The Planning & Zoning Board this week green-lighted a new student housing project on the Rollins College campus, which would increase the existing Holt Hall from 80 to 300 beds.
The project at 1000 Holt Avenue next to the Tennis Center was unanimously approved by the board and plans for the up to 6-story and 139,000-square-foot building are expected to come before the City Commission in January.
Sam Stark, Rollins’ vice president for communications, said the new dorm along with a proposed faculty and staff housing complex on New England Avenue are the latest ways the college is offering more students the opportunity to live on campus and more faculty the chance to live nearby.
Rollins is not growing, he said, noting that the number of undergraduates will remain at about 2,200 along with about 230 faculty and 500 staff.
“We’re not in a growth spurt,” he said. “Our real value proposition is student engagement with faculty and staff so the idea is to be able to have those faculty and staff closer so they can attend clubs and games.”
Stark said the college knows anecdotally that professors are driving to campus from everywhere from Winter Garden to Winter Springs and beyond. The median home price in Winter Park, where many neighborhoods and the campus are nestled on expensive lakefront property, are consistently higher than much of the rest of the region.
Rollins already offers faculty the opportunity to rent a small number of college-owned townhomes near Mead Botanical Gardens, but is looking to expand that program with 48 units just west of Central Park between New England and Welbourne.
A rendering shows a faculty and staff apartment project proposed by Rollins College.
A small number of graduate student units exist there now.
Rollins already owns the five parcels of land and does not pay property taxes on the highest-valued parcel at 273 W. New England where grad student housing stands now. Stark said he expected that the college would continue to be exempt from property taxes, including on the other four parcels that are currently vacant, once the new project is built. Nonprofit educational institutions are exempt from certain taxes when land is used to advance their educational mission.
The faculty housing project, which is expected to be rented at about market rate, is expected to go before the Planning & Zoning Board in January and then will go before the City Commission.
Stark said the hope is that both projects will take more cars off the roads since more faculty and students will be able to walk or ride bikes to class.
He said concerns that the faculty units would eventually be rented to students and essentially become a dorm that hops Fairbanks Avenue from the main campus are unfounded.
“That’s not happening,” he said. “There is no interest, no desire … it would remain as staff and faculty housing exclusively.”
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by Beth Kassab | Dec 1, 2023 | City Commission, News, Zoning and Development
Rollins seeking to build apartments for faculty west of Central Park
The three-story project proposed between New England and Welbourne avenues would provide affordable housing for people who work on the campus
Dec. 1, 2023
By Beth Kassab
Rollins College is asking the city for approvals for a three-story apartment project west of Central Park that will span more than 80,000-square-feet and hold 48 units.
Affordable housing is a challenge in Winter Park, where the median list price is $600,000 or more than $100,000 higher than the median for all of Orange County, according to Realtor.com.
“This project allows Rollins to attract and retain faculty and staff by providing quality, affordable housing close to campus,” Rollins spokeswoman Lauren Bradley said in a statement. “This workforce housing initiative is another way Rollins can stay competitive in recruiting talented individuals who educate and support our students.”
The request for changes to the city’s comprehensive plan will go before the Planning & Zoning board Jan. 9 and the City Commission on Jan. 24, according to a city notice.
Rollins already owns the land along Welbourne, New England and Virginia avenues. Some of the land is vacant, but an apartment building stands on one of the parcels.
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