Maitland City Council cans developer bonus program

After almost an hour of discussion and public input, the Maitland City Council adopted a proposed ordinance to amend the city’s Land Development Code during its meeting on Monday, Aug. 14.

The ordinance, which council members approved unanimously, amends the code by removing the bonus program relating to density and height regarding sites in the Downtown Maitland Zoning District.

Before the approval of the new change, if developers met one of the requirements defined by the code — such as height or open space — then those companies would be allowed a 25% increase in density and a height increase from five stories up to eight.

Examination of the bonus program started in January, when the council asked City Manager Sharon Anselmo to review the code as it related to multi-family construction within the district. 

“After Maitland City Center was approved — it was the first project with bonuses and incentives — we got feedback from the community that we felt it was too dense and too high, and so those bonuses are what enabled that to happen,” Anselmo said. “So [we decided] to set the playing field to say, ‘We don’t want anything above five stories, and we don’t want anything about five acres.’”

After a Planning and Zoning Commission hearing in June and recommendations from the Development Review Committee in July, the Council met July 24 to introduce the ordinance as drafted — setting the hearing for this week’s session.

During the night’s discussion, Anselmo reminded the council that this was a fast means of setting a cap on building height to five stories and unit capacity to 55, ensuring developers could not exceed those limits — though she said bonuses could be brought back in a different and efficient level if the Council so desired.

Councilman John Lowndes asked about possibly having multiple revision options to make the downtown look consistent with the current development plan.

“There are a lot of people concerned about all the apartments and complexes that are popping up down here — especially in regard to the area from here south to Lake Lily,” Lowndes said. “A brief menu of options would be great to have to look over and discuss.”

Lowndes’ comments reflected those of resident Leslie Smith.

“I understand that we have created a situation of entitlement to assisting property owners that can not be reversed, and I am concerned about setting that precedent in the future of increasing density in areas that don’t already allow it in particular,” she said.

Councilwoman Bev Reponen believes even the allowed five stories is too much.

“We want to make a city that is unique, that will draw people here — it has to be different,” Reponen. “It can’t be same-day, same-way in our city as it is everywhere else, or nobody is going to come. If we build around that (the arts center) and build other unique things, it will create more draw.”