In close vote, P&Z board approves Rollins faculty housing project
Neighbors slam proposed architecture and say parking is inadequate
Jan. 18, 2024
By Beth Kassab
A proposed 48-unit apartment building to serve as workforce housing for Rollins College faculty and staff skidded out of a Planning & Zoning Board meeting with new conditions attached after an onslaught of complaints from residents at the nearby Douglas Grand condominiums.
The board voted 4-2 to recommend approval to the City Commission, which will consider the project next week. Jim Fitch, Vashon Sarkisian, Alex Stringfellow and David Bornstein voted yes with the added condition of restricting the number of parking passes per unit based on the number of bedrooms as well a requirement that Rollins help add on-street parking along Welbourne Avenue. Melissa Vickers and Warren Lindsey voted no.
Residents who live in the Douglas Grand and elsewhere said the project would add too many units to their neighborhood without adequate parking. Several people criticized the proposal’s architecture, wood frame construction and questioned the impact of what they called “subsidized housing” on their own property values.
Some who spoke accused the city of bowing to any request made by Rollins.
“I think we can agree this evening that if any other developer walked in to staff’s office and made a request for double units and only 77% of required parking with a noncompatible building, I think we can all agree that never would have made it to your agenda,” one speaker said. “But here we are tonight.”
Rollins President Grant Cornwell defended the project as central to the liberal arts college’s mission of providing students an intimate and quality experience with faculty and staff integrated into campus life.
He said younger, tenure-seeking faculty can’t afford to live in Winter Park and commute times can be an hour.
“This emerged as a way to fill a need,” he said. “Especially by younger faculty and a generation where they would like to get rid of a reliance on cars and walk to work and shopping.”
City code would typically require 124 parking spaces for the development as proposed: 2.5 spaces per unit plus four spaces for the coffee shop and bookstore. But Planning Director Jeff Briggs said the city has allowed other nearby projects to build just two spaces per unit because of the availability of on-street parking and the potential to add more on-street parking. As a result, the staff endorsed Rollins’ plan to build 97 spaces for the project.
The college is partnering with developer Alan Ginsburg on the one, two and three-bedroom units. The site along New England and Welbourne avenue is currently home to buildings known as the Dan Hunter apartments, for the mayor that developed them. Those units, which are already owned by Rollins and house graduate students today, would be torn down to make way for the new buildings.
A coffee shop and bookstore are included in the design as part of the city’s long standing rules for developing New England Avenue with a retail focus aimed at making the street attractive to pedestrians.
Rollins representatives said they would be willing to forgo the retail space in favor of a common area for residents if that was more desired by the city or neighbors.
As part of its agreement with the city, Rollins would commit to maintaining the units as faculty housing for a period of at least 20 years, a decrease from the 30 years that was in the original staff report.
WinterParkVoiceEditor@gmail.com
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By: Beth Kassab
No biography available at this time
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Rollins can solve their alleged housing issue simply by offering housing allowances to selected staff. Instead, they prefer to impose a building of about 50% greater density (17 units/acre vs 24 units) than codes allow and the parking for which they cannot provide- all at a height that exceeds the walkable, pedestrian friendly size and scale contemplated by the Hannibal Square District. Like a spoiled brat- child, Rollins puts its own self-interest above that of the neighbors and residents. And because this is in the CRA, Winter Park taxpayers will be subsidizing Rollins, a wealthy non-profit. This project will not be on our tax rolls. Will 48 units of affordable housing enhance property values at the Douglas Grand. Rollins could give a hoot.
The land in question was grandfathered in 13 years ago for this density. The height is the same as the Douglas Grand. Why should Rollins be treated any differently than any other owner who had the foresight to grandfather the land 13 years ago?
What’s wrong with 75+- highly educated, good income people living close Park Ave. and their employer?
Why are people always feeling put out by Rollins College? Inferiority complex? Jealousy? I’m stumped.
There has been no grandfathering here at all. That is why Rollins is forced to ask to continue a “non-conforming use” which our codes don’t allow. Rollins must file an Application for a Special Permit because there is no grandfathering here. Typically, non-conforming uses are extinguished rather than extended when buildings are demolished. Rollins wants special treatment that others would never get.
27 parking spaces short ! No problem, it’s Rolllins. They just built 72 new rooms, a spa and meeting space at the Alfond without providing a bit of additional parking. Rollins IS good for the valet buisiness if not the parking business. They also sought and obtained approvals to build a new business school and a museum on the Lawrence Center property without providing any parking for those uses.
The museum will be an exquisite asset to the city as it would feature fine art from the massive Rollins collection for the public to enjoy, much as the Morse does now with all its beautiful works. There’s a parking garage right across the street from that project.
Beth,
Rollins has committed to 20 years, not 30. It was 30 but they changed it it can revert to market rate in just 20.
Beth, Thank you, I just checked latest staff report and you are correct. Story is updated.
Surprise! Rollins gets another non-conforming approval. The 400 pound gorilla rules! Get out your bicycles! Help out that parking deficit!
No citizens living in WP, or employees working for Rollins, or employees living in Rollins housing will bike or walk ———UNLESS IT IS NICE OUTSIDE. Shorting parking with each new P&Z exception is going to be obvious. Quickly.
I thought Company Houseing went out when the coal mines unionized.
But are we becoming a Company Town?
Yet another “complex” being built on shady infrastructure and horrible parking. This is insane!
Maybe Rollins could pay their faculty and staff a living wage? Just a thought….
Assuming that the current zoning ordinance makes good sense, I see no reason why Rollins should be made an exception……
Rather than have WP taxpayers subsidize Rollins’ faculty housing project with tax dollars, maybe Rollins ought to give their targeted faculty and staff a housing allowance as part of their pay. Imagine that! A private solution. You hire them, you pay them. Problem solved and we don’t bend our land use codes like a pretzel.