by Beth Kassab | Mar 28, 2025 | City Commission, News, Zoning and Development
Residents Fear Noise from Pickleball Courts Planned Behind Homes
The racket sport is wildly popular but its addition to the Ravaudage development, neighbors say, could bring a near constant drone of ball whacks
March 28, 2025
By Charles Maxwell
Residents who live behind the Ravaudage development where a Life Time Fitness is constructing at least 10 pickleball courts say the city and developers aren’t doing enough to blunt noise and other impacts from the project.
The complex of indoor and outdoor pickleball courts are part of the new 85,000-square-foot health club facility, an estimated $48 million project, slated to open in 2026. The mixed-use development off Lee Road and U.S. 17-92 already includes a Miller’s Ale House, a hotel and other office and retail space.
“Pickleball is a great sport, but it does have a very bad byproduct,” Mark Russell, who has lived in the Park Green Place townhomes for more than 25 years, told the City Commission at a meeting last month. “The hit of the ball on the paddle creates about an 1100-hertz spike, that’s about 70 to 95 decibels, equivalent to a vacuum cleaner to a subway train.”
The views from David Adhira’s patio and dining room table (above) show the staircase of a parking garage under construction at the Ravadauge development. (Photos courtesy of David Adhira)
Russell cited an article from the New York Times in which a York, Maine resident who lives across the street from a private pickleball club said that “having a pickleball court in your backyard is like having a pistol range in your backyard. It’s a torture technique… living here is hell.”
David Adhira, another resident of Park Green Place, said plans show the courts will be just 50 feet from his home. Photos taken from his dining room table and patio show a portion of a staircase for a new parking garage that appears just over the fence from his property line. He told commissioners he’s worried about the toll of the sound from the pickleball courts. He worries about listening fatigue, stress, anxiety, sleep disruption and poor concentration.
Adhira said the construction behind his home is already disrupting his daily life.
“I have observed and documented tangible structural damage to my ceilings, while kitchen plates and glassware shuddered, doors and floors vibrated, and keyboards rattled on our desks,” he said. “I’ve been woken up countless times by the noise, vibrations, and screaming from the construction site, resulting in poor sleep for weeks on end. Even worse may be phantom noise, or auditory hallucinations.”
Commissioners asked Planning & Zoning Director Allison McGillis to meet with residents and the developer to consider solutions.
She told the Voice that the developer shared updated landscape plans for the south side of the Life Time facility, which borders Park Green Place.
The plans include additional layers of shrubs and trees to help reduce the noise and light expected to be produced by the facility.
“They are not proposing additional sound barriers at this time, but have stated that if additional measures are needed once they are operational, an option would be to install an outdoor acoustical barrier such as Acoustifence on the court fencing.” McGillis said. “Staff is going to propose a ‘check-in’ at 90 days and 180 days after they are operational to determine if the additional acoustical barrier is needed.”
A section of plans shows the proximity of the courts to the homes and the proposed landscape buffer.
Adhira said he reached out to commissioners and Mayor Sheila DeCiccio in an email on March 17 because he is not satisfied with the changes proposed by the developer. But he has yet to hear a response.
“An acoustic-fence and a scattering of bushes will not counteract the level of noise projected from these courts,” he wrote. “Waiting three to six months after the facility opens to collect obvious data and possibly consider changes, as though this were an experiment with no legal precedents, is either incredibly naïve or cruel.”
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Charles Maxwell graduated from Winter Park High School and Florida Atlantic University with a BA in Multimedia Studies. His work has appeared in the South Florida Sun Sentinel and The Boca Raton Tribune, and he is a contributing writer for Keeping it Heel on the FanSided network.
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by Beth Kassab | Jan 22, 2025 | City Commission, News, Zoning and Development
Dispute over lake view comes down to single palm tree
The commission also applauded the service of Jeff Briggs and heard an update on the negotiations over school resource officers
Jan. 22, 2025
By Beth Kassab
Jeff Briggs, retiring planning director, received a standing ovation Wednesday from the City Commission and those in the audience as he capped 47 years at the city of Winter Park.
Briggs, who is officially retiring this month after a year-long consulting stint with the city, is known for helping to define Winter Park’s unique look and feel through 11 mayors and 32 commissioners.
Jeff Briggs speaks to the commission chambers as Mayor Sheila DeCiccio looks on.
He said Wednesday marked his 1,126th City Commission meeting and joked, “How much suffering can one person take?”
Briggs thanked the commission and the city staff and noted that planning and development tends to be the most controversial topic in the city, an observation that was evidenced later in the meeting when he defended — and the commission upheld — one of his final acts on the job — enforcing landscaping conditions on a lakefront homeowner who neighbors said is detracting from their own water views.
Can a palm tree block a lake view?
The debate over landscaping on Virginia Drive recieved the most air time Wednesday with commissioners ultimately denying an appeal from a homeowner who argued his palm tree did not violate a condition by the Planning & Zoning Board to keep landscaping under 6 feet. The special conditions came about for the property in 2021 when the P&Z board allowed the homeowner to construct his home closer to the lake shore than typically allowed.
Hedges on the property line are also taller than 6 feet, but the homeowner said he would shorten those if he can keep the palm tree in question.
A neighbor two doors down says the tall palm shoots straight through the wider view of Lake Virginia from near the lake’s southeast tip where the shoreline bends around into a small cove.
Michelle Randolph said if someone holds a finger directly in front of you, yes, you can see around the finger.
“But how much of a distraction is the finger?” she asked. “It definitely impairs the view.”
Homeowner Jonathan Cole and his attorney argued that he never agreed to the conditions and that the impact of the tree is minimal, particularly for neighbors who are two doors down. They also argued that the part of the city code that relates to lake views only covers buildings, not landscaping.
“I’ve tried to be neighborly … I’ve tried to have discussions,” Cole said in response to Commissioner Craig Russell, who asked if neighbors tried to simply work out an agreement among themselves. “I’m shocked that I’m here talking about palm trees.”
Ultimately, the commission voted 5-0 to uphold the P&Z decision that the palm tree should be removed.
SRO negotiations continue
City Manager Randy Knight told the board that the city and Orange County Public Schools continue to negotiate a new price tag for the city-provided school resource officers.
He said the cities that did not agree to the districts terms are making progress in moving toward a new deal that would go into effect at the start of next school year.
OCPS, the 8th largest school district in the nation, pays the city about $72,000 a year per officer. That agreement is set to expire at the end of this school year.
Winter Park — along with Apopka, Ocoee, Winter Garden and Windermere — say that’s not enough to cover the true cost of supplying officers to the schools such as health insurance and benefits, the pension fund, equipment and overtime.
The Winter Park Police Department provides officers for Lakemont and Brookshire elementaries and Winter Park High School’s main campus and ninth grade center.
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by Beth Kassab | Nov 26, 2024 | City Commission, Library, News, Uncategorized, Zoning and Development
City lets go of Post Office dream and will spend dollars elsewhere
The new spending plan for the Community Redevelopment Agency will focus on infrastructure that could help lure workforce housing near Interstate 4
Nov. 26, 2024
By Beth Kassab
After years of hoping the federal government would sell the land for the Winter Park Post Office on New York Avenue so that the city could expand Central Park, commissioners decided to use the money they saved for the purchase on other projects.
The nearly $7 million set aside in the Community Redevelopment Agency budget for the post office land will be used instead to help pay for a number of other needs such as intersection improvements at West Fairbanks Avenue and Denning Drive, new restrooms in the West Meadows and more.
Mayor Sheila DeCiccio noted in the meeting of the CRA board earlier this month that if the federal government ever does decide to sell the land, the city could finance the acquisition in other ways such as floating bonds.
She referenced how the Public Art Advisory Board is currently seeking permission to restore the historic mural on the side of the post office building — yet another project that will require the hard-to-comeby cooperation from the federal agency.
“The arts board is trying to clean up the mural and they will have to deal with them so good luck to them,” DeCiccio said.
With the reallocation of the post office funds and expected additional dollars as a result of the new expanded boundaries of the CRA down Fairbanks to Interstate 4, the board approved the outline of a new spending plan. The agency’s revenue is projected to be $9.1 million this year and grow to $10.4 million by 2029, according to city documents.
The spending plan includes:
- $10 million in 2028 and 2029 on U.S. 17-92 streetscape enhancements
- $5.1 million for MLK Park Improvements
- About $14 million on a variety of drainage, stormwater and other infrastructure improvements highlighted by recent studies to prevent flooding. The projects include MLK Park, West Fairbanks, Canton Avenue and Killarney Estates.
- $4.5 million for the intersection at Fairbanks and Denning, including the recently approved acquisition of land there.
- $1.2 million to add surface parking for the Library and Events Center.
- $1 million for a “Park Avenue Refresh.” The city is currently asking residents to fill out a survey that asks about satisfaction with landscaping, lighting, shade and other features.
- $1.2 million on construction of restrooms in the West Meadow of Central Park
City Manager Randy Knight said the improvements on West Fairbanks near I-4 in the newest area of the CRA have the potential to lead to big changes there.
“They lack the infrastructure for a serious redevelopment because of the flooding and septic there,” he said.
The work planned by the city along with potential new zoning will pave the way for more sweeping changes to the corridor and “we hope some workforce-type housing” in the area, Knight said.
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by Beth Kassab | Nov 22, 2024 | City Commission, News, Uncategorized, Zoning and Development
Winter Park Commission to consider how to fix storm flooding
The idea of floating new bonds emerged at a work session last month, but an increase in stormwater fees already in motion may do the trick
Nov. 22, 2024
By Beth Kassab
When commissioners meet next month for their final meeting of the year, they are likely to consider one of the city’s most pressing ongoing problem: how to control flooding highlighted by a series of major storms in recent years.
City staff is finishing recommendations for where to start when it comes to a list of as much as $40 million worth of proposed fixes in Winter Park and, in some cases, extending into neighboring Orlando, Orange County and Seminole County.
Those include running new pipes to connect lakes to better manage heavy downpours, replacing culverts and expanding ditches.
Such projects may not make for the most compelling City Commission debates — they are the kind of thing most residents don’t think about until they can’t drive down a street because of flooding or until they can see lake levels rising and threatening homes and businesses.
But it’s that nitty gritty of local government that has proven crucial to hurricane recovery and quality of life, especially in the wake of Hurricane Ian in 2022 and then Milton and Helene this year.
“There is politics and people can disagree on politics,” said Charles Ramdatt, director of Public Works and Transportation at a City Commission work session last month. “But science is science and what we observe is reality. And there’s no disagreement that we’re getting more frequent storm events. We have more frequent major events as well.”
Specific projects and estimated costs were identified in three studies the city paid for to determine ways to improve how stormwater is stored and managed.
They include $4.6 million to add a pump station and expand Lake Mendsen at MLK Park just outside the Library & Events Center. Surrounding neighborhoods have routinely seen flooding after storms. There’s also the idea of running a pipe (estimated at nearly $600,000) to connect Lake Mendsen to Lake Rose, the former Winter Park sinkhole just a few blocks away at the corner of Fairbanks Avenue and Denning Drive, which is known to flood at times.
Also on the list are about $600,000 worth of improvements to Lake Killarney. And there are multiple proposed lake connection such as from Lake Knowles to Lake Maitland (at $2.2 million) and Lake Grace to Lake Forest and Lake Sue (at more than $2 million).
In some cases, neighboring Orlando or the counties could contribute to the cost of the fixes.
Mayor Sheila DeCiccio said at the recent workshop that she wants to make sure the projects truly make a difference in the places where people have experienced storm flooding.
“I’m very concerned because I’m not sure how these fixes are going to fix the flooding on Morse (Boulevard) or Denning … into streets and homes,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s enough.”
Ramdatt said aging infrastructure is also part of the problem and told commissioners his department will soon have its own diagnostic equipment to help locate leaky underground pipes or other concerns.
“It’s like doing a cardiac cath,” he said, likening the investigations to when a doctor examines heart valves for leaks or blockages and makes fixes to improve the patient’s health and heart efficiency. “So we’re going to do that analysis to understand those and fix those.”
Commissioners also considered how residents will pay for the improvements.
In some cases, the newly expanded Community Redevelopment Agency — which is allowed to hold on to tax dollars that would otherwise go to Orange County — can pay for some projects, particularly on the west side of the city near Fairbanks and Interstate 4 and in the central business corridor.
Some commissioners said they were in favor of also asking voters to approve issuing new bonds to cover the expenses. But there likely wouldn’t be enough time to get the question on the March ballot, when two commission seats are also up for election and voters will decide on whether to keep the ban on gas-powered leaf blowers.
Knight said it’s possible the higher stormwater fees already approved by the commission will be enough to pay for the projects. Residents started paying an extra penny last year and will go up again by a penny next year. Those payments generated $700,000 the first year and an estimated $1.4 million this year.
The fees are calculated on the amount of impervious surface (generally concrete) on a homeowner’s lot at 7 cents per square foot this year.
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by Beth Kassab | Nov 14, 2024 | City Commission, News, Uncategorized, Zoning and Development
City to be new landlord for Michelin-star restaurant and Austin's Coffee in $4 million deal
The mayor says leases on the property will be honored, but the city needs the land for drainage and road projects
Nov. 14, 2024
By Beth Kassab
City Commissioners voted unanimously to pay $4 million for an acre of land on the corner of Fairbanks Avenue and Denning Drive that is home to Chef Michael Collantes’ Soseki, which earned a Michelin star in 2022, and longtime community spot Austin’s Coffee.
The vote came after owners of the businesses made pleas for the city to allow them to continue to operate or help them relocate.
Mayor Sheila DeCiccio said the seller of the property approached the city and “if we don’t buy it, it will go to someone else.”
City officials have eyed the land for roughly 20 years as a potential piece needed to widen the busy intersection to improve traffic flow, add stormwater drainage and grow neighboring MLK Park, popular for its playing fields.
Chef Michael Collantes
“In addition to the left turn lanes … there will also be an opportunity to expand the park,” DeCiccio said. “So what I want to make clear is when we purchase this, we are not looking to terminate any leases. We are not looking to buy them out. We are looking to honor the leases there.”
But that promise didn’t alleviate trepidation from Collantes who spoke to the commission and noted the more than $1 million investment he has in the intimate modern omakase-style restaurant. He also has other concepts in the building including Bar Kada, home to a large sake collection, and is set to open Perla’s Pizza Cocktails and more next year. He has lease options on the property that run through 2035.
“We put in quite a big amount of money in infrastructure,” he told commissioners. “I would hate to pick up and move this amazing restaurant and move outside of the city of Winter Park.”
Jackie Moore, co-owner of Austin’s, said her lease is set to expire next year and questioned whether adding left turn lanes would make a noticeable difference for motorists.
“If a turn lane is put in, it would take seconds off, not minutes off,” she said, referencing a conversation she had with officials at the state Department of Transportation. “You would be displacing businesses that have been there for decades.”
She added that the city should compensate the business owners if they are forced to move.
The 1-acre property at 929 W. Fairbanks Avenue is owned by a company managed by Andrew Dubill, a principal in Avanti Properties Group based on nearby Pennsylvania Avenue.
The seller was not at the meeting but City Manager Randy Knight stepped out at one point to phone the property company’s representative after commissioners asked for 75 days rather than 60 days for due diligence before finalizing the deal. The seller agreed to the change.
Commissioners discussed whether they might lower the price they are willing to pay if the due diligence turns up code violations or environmental damage from former businesses that will require costly work.
“We would either have them fix it or reduce the purchase price accordingly and go in and fix it ourselves,” DeCiccio said.
Knight said it could take years before the turn lanes are added or the other projects take place such as the beautification of Lake Rose — now the name of the famous 1981 sinkhole that swallowed a home and at least five Porches at a repair shop.
At least some of the businesses could still operate even if that work is underway, perhaps with a reorienting of the building entrances toward the park. The six leases, which expire between 2025 and 2035, bring in about $180,000 in rent each year.
The city will use $1 million from the parks acquisition fund and $3 million from the newly-expanded Community Redevelopment District to cover the purchase price.
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by Beth Kassab | Nov 11, 2024 | City Commission, News, Zoning and Development
City to consider buying Austin's Coffee House to widen road and improve MLK Park
The potential land deal is one in a series of acquisitions to add turn lanes at Fairbanks Avenue and Denning Drive
Nov. 11, 2024
By Beth Kassab
The City Commission this week will consider spending $4 million to purchase the buildings leased by Austin’s Coffee House and neighboring shops to expand the intersection at Fairbanks Avenue and Denning Drive and expand MLK Park.
The 1-acre property at 929 W. Fairbanks Avenue is owned by a company managed by Andrew Dubill, a principal in Avanti Properties Group based on nearby Pennsylvania Avenue.
Winter Park leaders have slowly been acquiring nearby land to improve the busy intersection, including two properties to the east as well as right-of-way from the property owner at the northeast corner of the intersection.
The concept is to construct a left turn lane in both directions on Fairbanks to improve traffic flow, according to a staff report. The nearby park could also see potential improvements with extra land available, including the beautification of Lake Rose — the current moniker for the famous 1981 sinkhole that swallowed a home and at least five Porches at a repair shop.
With the property, would come at least four leases from businesses occupying the storefronts, according the staff report. Those all have expiration dates between 2025 and 2035 and bring in about $180,000 in rent each year.
The city would potentially takeover as landlord while the project planning is underway, a process estimated to take two to three years.
The staff report suggested some of the stores could still operate, perhaps with a reorienting of the building entrances, for a period of time.
City officials would use $1 million from the parks acquisition fund and $3 million from the newly-expanded Community Redevelopment District to cover the purchase price.
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