Live Local Act helps Ravaudage secure more housing units

The City Commission also approved a raise for the city manager and the money needed for two more police officers

Oct. 23, 2024

By Beth Kassab

The mixed-use Ravaudage development at Lee Road and U.S. 17-92 will gain the right to build an additional 113 housing units than originally approved after the developer made a request citing Florida’s Live Local Act, which is intended to provide more affordable housing.

The change approved in a 4-0 vote by the City Commission on Wednesday says 50% of the newly entitled units must be offered at rent affordable to individuals at or below 120% of the median adjusted gross income for Orange County. The revision also comes with a reduction in the square footage of office space in an attempt to keep future traffic associated with the project about even and the potential to convert proposed future hotel rooms to housing units.

The Live Local Act, originally passed by the Legislature in 2023, limits the ways in which local governments can restrict affordable housing developments. For example, developers are allowed to build affordable units at the highest density the city allows as well as construct buildings as tall as the highest residential or commercial building within one mile or three stories, whichever is higher.

In this case, the city originally approved Benjamin Partners LTD, which is led by Dan Bellows, to build 14.76 units per acre in Ravaudage. But the city allows as high as 17 units per acre elsewhere.

“The applicant is asking to make up the difference,” said Allison McGillis, planning and zoning director.

Mayor Sheila DeCiccio and commissioners Marty Sullivan, Kris Cruzada and Todd Weaver voted for the changes that would allow 56 new affordable units and 57 new market rate units. Commissioner Craig Russell was unable to attend the meeting due to a family emergency.

City manager earns raise

Commissioners also voted to increase the salary of City Manager Randy Knight by 3.5%, in line with the increases received by other city employees. The raise will bring Knight’s pay to about $260,000, the second highest of local city managers falling only behind Orlando’s, according to Sullivan.

DeCiccio made the recommendation for Knight, who has spent 33 years with the city, citing his recent work on expanding the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency, which gives the city control over more county tax revenue for projects such as stormwater drainage, library programs and more.

Orlando approves CRA, now it’s up to the county

The Orlando City Commission this week approved the expansion of Winter Park’s CRA boundaries, which includes a tiny slice of Orlando. The final decision now rests with the Orange County Commission, which is scheduled to take up the matter next week.

If approved the CRA will be active until at least 2037 rather than sunsetting in 2027 and expand to more properties along Fairbanks from U.S. 17-92 to Interstate 4.

Dollars added for more police officers

Winter Park will pay to add two additional police officers to the new budget as a result of winning a $130,000 grant that will help fund a portion of the positions.

The grant will pay about $65,000 per new officer and commissioners opted to move about $282,000 from the city’s $450,000 contingency fund to the police department to make up the difference for the outfitted vehicles ($77,000 a piece), equipment ($32,000 a piece) and wages and benefits (about $97,000 a piece).

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