by Beth Kassab | Oct 20, 2023 | City Commission, News
New 53-unit multi-family proposal near Winter Park Village up for vote
The development, known as Winter Park Commons, has gone through a series of changes leading up to next week’s debate
Oct. 19, 2023
By Beth Kassab
Miami-based developers are seeking approval Wednesday for 53 units of mostly rental townhomes. The proposed location for the units is between Swoope and Webster Avenues, less than a block from Winter Park Village.
The project, known as Winter Park Commons, by Miami real estate developer Carlos Ortiz, underwent significant changes to respond to concerns from city staff about potential flooding, tree preservation, aesthetics and parking.
The City Commission will consider a revised version of the proposal that calls for the demolition of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church that was sold to the developer in 2019. The Planning & Zoning board voted 3-2 to recommend the following conditions:
- The five parcels involved (a combined 4.5 acres) will be combined to one and that the single-family units now included in the plan will be shown as individual lots so they could potentially be sold that way in the future.
- No changes within a 20-foot radius of three live oak trees in the interior of the project.
- The seven single-family homes to be built on Capen Avenue must show architectural diversity and can not be the same in terms of style or color.
- The newly required water retention areas must include new cypress trees as well as perimeter landscaping.
Renderings show architectural inspiration for the proposed seven single-family units included in the Winter Park Commons development.
The developer already agreed to add additional stormwater retention — enough to hold 3 inches of water rather than the 2 inches required by code — to ease concerns about how the development might contribute to the special flood hazard area.
The seven single-family homes in the plans were originally townhome duplexes, but concerns about compatibility with the neighborhood drove the change.
Staff said the development is likely to result in the new residents parking on Capen, Swoope and Callahan avenues.
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by Beth Kassab | Oct 19, 2023 | City Commission, News
Winter Park City Hall to consider four-day work week
The move comes after a survey aimed at improving employee recruitment and satisfaction
Oct. 19, 2023
By Beth Kassab
City commissioners next week will consider moving City Hall from a traditional five-day work week to a four-day week comprised of 10-hour days.
About 80% of employees voted in favor of the change in a recent survey and similar changes are already in place in nearby Maitland and Casselberry. The goal of the change is to improve employee engagement and improve staff retention and recruitment.
The police and fire departments as well as the parks and recreation department would be excluded from the change, according to a staff memo. City Hall would remain open five days a week.
The financial impact would be “minimal,” the memo stated.
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by Beth Kassab | Oct 18, 2023 | City Commission, Election, News
Terry Hotard withdraws from mayoral contest
The city clerk on Wednesday posted that the former mayor is no longer running against current Vice Mayor Sheila DeCiccio
Oct. 18, 2023
By Beth Kassab
Terry Hotard, the former mayor who said last week he would run for the job again, is no longer in the contest against Vice Mayor Sheila DeCiccio, according to the Winter Park City Clerk’s office.
The office added a “withdrew” notation under Hotard’s name on the city’s election page on Wednesday.
Hotard told the Voice that he was “completely humbled and overwhelmed” by messages supporting his candidacy, but ultimately concluded the timing wasn’t right.
“I came to a decision that I would rather spend my time and efforts elsewhere,” he said. “I wish whoever is elected as our next mayor the very best.”
He opened a campaign account and said he intended to run a week earlier.
One of his chief concerns, he said, is the placement of large utility boxes near property owned by Marc and Sharon Hagle, who are building what is to be the largest home in Winter Park on Palmer Avenue. Hotard, also a former city utility executive, said the boxes are eyesores and should be hidden on private property rather than public right of way.
DeCiccio announced her bid for the post earlier this month and is focused on maintaining Winter Park’s charm and shoring up the city’s aging infrastructure.
She had to resign from her commission seat in order to run triggering an election in March for someone to serve the remainder of her term.
The official qualifying period for both contests is in December.
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by Beth Kassab | Oct 14, 2023 | City Commission, Election, News, Uncategorized
Terry Hotard enters race for mayor against Sheila DeCiccio
The former mayor says he will challenge the current vice mayor in the March election
Oct. 13, 2023
By Beth Kassab
Former Mayor Terry Hotard said he will run against Vice Mayor Sheila DeCiccio for the city’s top elected post, driven to run by controversy over utility boxes that have appeared in the city right-of-way outside the Palmer Avenue property owned by Marc and Sharon Hagle, who are constructing the largest home in Winter Park.
“It’s a quality of life issue,” said Hotard, who served as mayor in the early 2000’s and worked for the company that became Duke Energy before he served as assistant director of Winter Park’s electric utility. “Once those boxes are put in place they will never move.”
He said the green boxes, which house electrical equipment, can fade over time and attract graffiti. He said the city’s own code mandates the boxes be on private property rather than on city-owned land.
Sheila DeCiccio talks with residents at a meet-and-greet event.
A spokeswoman for the city cited a different portion of the code, but said alternatives are being considered for the transformer boxes near the Hagle house, which is expected to be 40,000-square-feet on the shore of Lake Osceola.
“The city is researching a more aesthetically pleasing alternative for these public utility boxes including traffic signal cabinets,” said Clarissa Howard.
Hotard said he enjoyed his time as a city commissioner in the 1990s and then as mayor in the early 2000’s before he went on to serve as assistant director of the city’s electric utility.
“I feel like I have a little bit of gas left in the tank and I have something to offer,” he said of the upcoming race.
DeCiccio announced her candidacy earlier this month and highlighted infrastructure needs as one of her top priorities.
“We’ve made great headway, but there’s still a lot to be done to maintain the heart and charm of the city,” she said shortly after that announcement. “Hurricane Ian laid bare a lot of our problems such as pipes that need maintenance, brick streets that need attention. Infrastructure is the No. 1 issue and we can’t kick this can down the road anymore.”
DeCiccio, an attorney who has lived in Winter Park for more than 40 years, said water basin studies ordered by the current commission along with more bike paths and extending sidewalks will be key for the city’s future.
She had to resign from her commission seat in order to run for mayor. Her resignation will take effect in April 2024, at the time she would take over as mayor if elected to that job. As a result, there is also a contest to fill Seat 2 on the five-seat dais.
There are two challengers for Seat 2: attorney Jason Johnson and Stockton Reeves, who leads the Center for Public Safety, which helps local governments build new police and fire stations.
Reeves said one of his key issues is advocating for police officers and firefighters.
“That’s one of the things that kind of pushed me to do this,” he said, noting he wants to reassess the policies at the police department and fire department to make sure that officers can donate sick time or other benefits to each other in times of need.
Stockton Reeves
Reeves, who has served on a number of city boards and is now vice chairman of the Civil Service Board, grew up in Winter Park and has run for commission before, but was not elected. In 2018, he ran as a Republican against Democrat Anna Eskamani for the Florida House and lost.
In 2020, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a public reprimand of Reeves after the Ethics Commission ruled that he violated financial disclosure requirements. Reeves said the matter was “the most technical of a technicality.”
Jason Johnson, who works in the Winter Park office of the Byrd Campbell law firm, is a first-time candidate who has lived in Winter Park for 13 years with his wife, Lori, and their daughter. He is chairman of the city’s Board of Adjustments, which rules on homeowner applications for building variances.
Jason Johnson, candidate for Winter Park City Commission, with wife, Lori, and daughter, Molly.
“My north star in all of this is to preserve the charm of Winter Park, but I’m also a rule-of-law guy and I recognize that landowners have rights and due process exists,” he told the Voice earlier this month.
Official qualifying for both the mayoral contest and Seat 2 does not end until mid-December.
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by Beth Kassab | Oct 14, 2023 | City Commission, News
News & Notes: Randy Knight gets thumbs up from commission
Howell Branch tail project stopped and parks wi-fi to get upgraded
Oct. 13, 2023
By Beth Kassab
City Commissioners gave a nod of approval to longtime City Manager Randy Knight during his annual job evaluation, approving a 5% raise that will bring his salary from about $240,000 to $252,000.
The raise includes a 2.5% increase that all city employees received along with the maximum 2.5% merit increase available to city staff this year.
Commissioner Sheila DeCiccio, who is running for mayor, moved to give Knight the maximum.
“My feeling is he does a great job with all of the conflicting interests he has coming at him,” she said.
Mayor Phil Anderson agreed pointing to what he called “big strategic initiatives” in recent years such as the purchase of an 18-hole golf course, the recovery from Hurricane Ian and now the expansion of the Community Redevelopment Agency tax district and potential annexations.
“Not that everything is perfect,” he said. “I think there are areas for improvement.”
Howell Branch trail scuttled
Plans to build a trail through Howell Branch Preserve for birdwatching, fishing and other activities died this week when commissioners decided the project had grown too expensive.
Originally estimated at $227,000, the cost increased to as much as $530,000 after the St. Johns Water Management District reviewed the plans and objected to the design and route of the trail because of impacts to the wetlands.
The city received a $2 million grant from the state in 2015 to acquire more than 40 acres of wetlands next to 50 acres of wetlands already owned by the city. A portion of the funds was to be used for the trail project and other improvements.
City staff told the commission the changes requested by the water management district, along with objections by residents who live near the property, led to a recommendation to discontinue the project.
Commissioners approved a new proposal to direct a portion of the funds instead to other improvements at Howell Branch Preserve.
“It’s sad, but I concur that maybe we can turn it into something good because that retention pond area is kind of a mess,” said Commissioner Marty Sullivan. “It could be a very nice feature since we can’t move forward with trail project.”
Wi-fi upgrades in parks
During the COVID-19 pandemic the city installed public access wi-fi in Central Park and Shady Park and the nodes are now in need of an upgrade, according to a staff memo.
Money for the project comes from American Rescue Plan Act funds, a series of federal grants intended to help local governments in the aftermath of the COVID shutdowns.
Winter Park received more than $15 million in ARPA funds and will spend $30,000 on the wi-fi upgrades in the parks.
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by Beth Kassab | Oct 12, 2023 | City Commission, News, Tree Canopy
Who can help preserve Winter Park's tree canopy? You.
Experts will offer tips and answer questions at public forum
Oct. 12, 2023
By Beth Kassab
A who’s who of Winter Park tree advocates will come together on Thursday, Oct. 19 for a panel on how to keep the city’s valued tree canopy healthy.
The forum will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Winter Park Library and will be hosted by the Winter Park Land Trust’s Tree Committee. The event is free and open to the public.
The panel will include Josh Nye, Winter Park’s parks services manager; Jorden Hinrichsen, the city’s Urban Forestry superintendent; Kim Ashby, Tree Preservation Board Chair; Forrest McCullough, McCullough Arboriculture; and Commissioner Marty Sullivan. Leslie Poole, who leads the Trees Committee for the land trust will be the moderator.
The meeting is noticed as a public meeting and additional commissioners and tree board members are expected to attend.
“Trees do more than enhance the beauty of our city,” read a release from the land trust. “They cool our homes, reducing energy use; help prevent soil erosion; remove air pollutants; filter stormwater run-off; and provide shade on blistering city streets.”
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