Winter Park City Talk

Feb. 23 City Commission highlights

Mayor’s Report

• The city was awarded the Healthy Weight Community Champions Award by the Florida Department of Health.

• Two proclamations were issued declaring Sunday, Feb. 22 through Saturday, Feb. 28 “Invasive Species Awareness Week” and the month of March as “Bike Month.”

• The members appointed by the City Commission to the Visioning Steering Committee were confirmed.

• The member to MetroPlan Orlando Municipal Advisory Committee was appointed and confirmed.

Consent Agenda

• The minutes for Feb. 9, 2015, were approved.

• The formal solicitations were approved (for a complete list, please visit cityofwinterpark.org/ccpackets.)

• The agreement renewal to permit Central Florida Community Sailing Program, Inc. to teach a Community Sailing Program at Lake Baldwin Park was approved.

Action Items Requiring Discussion

• The Concours d’Elegance use of the Winter Park Golf Course was discussed and approved.

• The appointment of the Canvassing Board for the General Election was made and approved.

Public Hearings

• The following request of Winter Park Real Estate Advisors, Inc. was approved:

o To amend the conditional use approval previously granted at 125 S. Interlachen Ave., to allow for modifications to the approved multi-family project to be composed of six units, three stories and 20,542 square feet of residential living area with parking in the basement level below the project, on property zoned R-4.

• The first reading of the ordinance vacating and abandoning the portion of Kindel Avenue between Benjamin Avenue and Lewis Drive within the Ravaudage Planned Development and Home Acres Subdivision area was approved with amendments.

• The following requests of the City of Winter Park for the property at 2908 Temple Trail resulted as follows:

o The first reading of the ordinance changing the Future Land Use Designation of Single Family Residential to Open Space and Recreation was approved.

o First reading of the ordinance changing the zoning of Single Family (R-1A) District to Parks and Recreation (PR) District was approved.

A full copy of the Feb. 23 City Commission minutes will be available at cityofwinterpark.org the week of March 9, pending approval by the City Commission. Remember, if you are unable to attend the City Commission meetings, you can watch them live, gavel to gavel, as they happen. During the meeting, simply log on to cityofwinterpark.org/cclive to easily stay tuned-in to official city business.

Rollins College Democracy Project

• Town Hall with Winter Park Mayoral Candidates: Friday, Feb. 27, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

• Mills Memorial Hall, Galloway Room, Rollins College, 1000 Holt Avenue

• For more information, please email [email protected] or call 407-691-1232.

ENTER TO WIN!

VIP Prize Package for The 56th Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival!

It’s easy to enter! Simply send an email to [email protected] with “The 56th WPSAF Prize” in the subject line.

• A response message will be sent to your email to confirm we have received your entry.

• Entries must be received by Wednesday, March 11, at 5 p.m.

• One, randomly selected winner will be notified Thursday, March 12.

VIP Prize Package will include:

 The 56th Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival poster (5/250) signed by artist, John Carollo

 Two passes for seating under the patron tent Friday, March 20 (Live music from 5:45 to 9 p.m.)

 Vintage T-shirts from previous Art Festivals

 Vintage note cards from previous Art Festivals

 Official Art Festival baseball cap & visor

The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is one of the nation’s oldest, largest and most prestigious outdoor art festivals. The 2015 festival will be held Friday, March 20, through Sunday, March 22, in Central Park and along Park Avenue in downtown Winter Park.

Tell your friends and family, too!

Pedestrian and bicycle safety enforcement steps up

Unfortunately, pedestrian and bicyclist fatality rates in Central Florida continue to be among the highest in the nation. In fact, many people simply do not know or understand pedestrian and bicycling laws. For many of these individuals, information may be enough to change their behavior.

Since November 2014 the Winter Park Police Department has been actively sharing the “Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow” campaigns traffic safety message with walkers, riders and drivers at the locations where pedestrian-and bicyclist-related collisions occur the most. Since WPPD’s goal is to educate, most of these encounters have resulted with either a verbal or written warning.

However, beginning Sunday, March 1 in order to ensure a long-term behavior change with the ultimate goal of reducing the devastation of pedestrian and bicyclist related collisions, officers will be exercising strict enforcement.

To keep safe while driving, walking or riding, WPPD recommends these simple tips:

• Avoid distractions

• Stop before turning right on red

• Use the sidewalk and crosswalks

• Bicycle predictably, with traffic

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The City of Winter Park and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee are proud to present the 36th Annual Winter Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade Sunday, March 8, at 2 p.m., in downtown Winter Park. Gather your family and friends and wear some green to enjoy the only St. Patrick’s Day Parade in central Florida. The parade will begin at the Winter Park Country Club and continue south down Park Avenue to Lyman Avenue. More than 75 units will participate. The celebration will also feature Irish music and step-dancing at the main stage in Central Park with demonstrations by the Tir Na Greine School of Irish Dance and the Watters School of Irish Dance. Irish music will be provided by the Tommy Doyle Band. This is one event you won’t want to miss!

St. Patrick’s Day began as an annual feast day to celebrate St. Patrick, the most commonly recognized patron saint of Ireland. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years and it is currently recognized by people of other ethnicities. The day is widely celebrated by wearing green clothing and items such as shamrocks. According to Irish tradition, those who do not wear green on St. Patrick’s Day face the risk of being affectionately pinched.

This celebration is made possible by the generous support of event sponsors including the City of Winter Park’s Community Redevelopment Agency, Fiddler’s Green Irish Pub and Eatery, the Irish American Cultural Society of Central Florida, and Florida Distributors Company.

For more information regarding the 36th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, please call 407-222-0648.

For more information regarding the City of Winter Park, please visit the city’s official website at cityofwinterpark.org. Like us on Facebook®, follow us on Twitter®, and watch us on both Vimeo® and YouTube®.