Letter to the editor

Recently, the City Commission unanimously passed a new ordinance to revise the rules for restaurants in the Park Avenue area. Despite the urge by local television news and newspaper columnists to sensationalize the topic with stories of “Tony Winter Park Barring Fast-food,” the issue was resolved with no opposition and with universal approval.

How is that? How does a community often known for their public squabbles on tennis centers, historic homes and dog parks quietly get consensus on dining on the Avenue? The answer: a lot of hard work, open conversation, listening and compromise by all the stakeholders involved.

The issue of what type of restaurant should go on the Avenue was debated several times by the Planning and Zoning Board and City Commission in 2012. However, in order to find a suitable solution, it took a bottom-up approach, one in which broad dialogue and conciliation was done well before it ever got to the City Commission.

Although the Chamber participated, the real kudos goes to Lambrine Macejewski (Business Manager/Partner, Cocina 214), Daniel Butts (COO Battaglia Group Management) and Frank Hamner (Attorney at Law). These folks spent months, and easily 50 hours, meeting and listening to stakeholders, city staff, attorneys, merchants and residents. All, I might add, as volunteers. It was refreshing to watch as they focused on the issues most people agreed upon rather than getting caught in the emotional entanglements of disagreement. They welcomed input and became advocates of the collective process rather than authors of a pre-determined product.

In order to create an ordinance that was fair, clear and balanced this group championed cooperation and what was best for most versus the notion that someone must win and someone must lose. For example, the Holler family, extensive property owners on the Avenue, gave their attorney, Frank Hamner, their blessing and support and encouraged him to help resolve this issue in the context of what is right for the Avenue, not for their personal interests.

Lambrine, Daniel and Frank never let their own professional interests or the interest of one particular group get in the way of doing what was right for Winter Park as a whole. I was proud to work with them and I thank them for their effort and leadership.

Patrick Chapin

President and CEO, Winter Park Chamber of Commerce