Comments

” P&Z Thwarts West Side Zoning”? Change is just about the only thing P&Z won’t thwart.

Balloon
June 8, 2015

How many spaces does Lakeside have in total now? And what was the total number of spaces when the property was the Mt. Vernon Hotel?

The answer will give readers a rough idea of the relative traffic impact of the new project.

That is if the City refuses any future requests on the project for expanded parking. But, apparently there is no “top” to this parking idea. Nothing stopping them to go back in a few months and ask for approval for another floor or two to the garage, or to construct a new “twin” garage on the planned surface parking area.

Like a hot air balloon floating higher and higher in the sky, additional parking never alleviated any traffic anywhere.

Additional parking always ATTRACTS more traffic – and more development.

Mr. Kiamoto
June 9, 2015

Why is anyone surprised? It’s the same old bait-and-switch developers have used here for years. In this case, it’s almost comical, in that the developer created the traffic/parking problem, and now wants a comp plan change to fix the problem he – with the help of city planners (can we really honestly call these clowns that?) – created.

Her’s a new term for you ‘ “Circular Development Process.” The developer starts with an outrageous request, gets denied, comes back with something more palatable (but still bigger than what most people would accept), gets “reluctantly” approved, then comes back again with more “requests.” And nearly always ends up with more than he really wanted in the first place, chuckling all the way to the bank.

Shades of the Carlisle years ago, when the requested changes kept mounting until a full-scale uprising ousted the mayor. Deja vu, folks.

Pete Weldon
June 10, 2015

Those commenting above should read this: https://cityofwinterpark.org/docs/government/boards/staff-reports/PZB-report-2015-06-02.pdf.