Winter Park City Talk

Nov. 24 City Commission meeting

There will be a City Commission meeting Monday, Nov. 24, at 3:30 p.m. in City Hall Commission Chambers located at 401 S. Park Ave. For the most up-to-date agenda, please visit cityofwinterpark.org under What’s New. Below are a few topics of interest:

Mayor’s Report

• Proclamation – “Small Business Saturday”

Non-Action Items

• Keep Winter Park Beautiful and Sustainable Sustainability Action Plan Presentation

Consent Agenda

• Approve the minutes for Nov. 10, 2014.

• Approve purchase requisition and formal solicitation (for a complete listing visit cityofwinterpark.org/ccpackets).

• Authorize the Mayor to execute a Master Fiber Lease Agreement between the city and Summit Broadband.

Action Items Requiring Discussion

• Acquisition of the property located at 2600 Lee Road.

Public Hearings

• Second reading of the request of Jewett Orthopedic Clinic’s ordinance to vacate a utility easement at 1245 Orange Ave.

• Second reading of the request of DePugh Nursing Home’s ordinance to vacate a utility easement at 500 W. Morse Blvd.

• Second reading of the ordinance amending the Fiscal Year 2014 adopted budget.

• Request of English and Swoope Investment, LLC and Village Park Senior Housing Partners, Ltd. (Atlantic Housing Partners) to amend the Conditional Use for the redevelopment of the property at 796 W. Swoope Ave. in order to build four new detached, single-family homes on the property, zoned R-3.

• First reading of the ordinance removing the requirement for supermajority votes for the approval of certain conditional uses.

Remember, if you are unable to attend 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.

City launches YouTube channel and new “Inside the City” video collection

According to a recent video study by the New York Times, “two-thirds of U.S. adults aged 18-64 are watching online video a few times a month or more often.” The study also found, “1 in 3 Millennials watch mostly online video/no broadcast TV.”

The city of Winter Park is embracing this emerging online medium by adding a new YouTube channel to its communication toolbox that already holds Facebook, Twitter and Vimeo accounts.

Video is an effective and impactful way to communicate messages to the public. Whether it is a video showcasing the city’s beautiful lakes, parks and cultural amenities, or an educational video explaining the city’s governing documents, videos can successfully entertain and more importantly educate our interested viewers about Winter Park.

Through a partnership with Evolve Design Group and Fiction, two Winter Park-based businesses, the first video of the new “Inside the City” video collection was launched. This collection will offer short educational videos to provide a general understanding of city government, its functions and services. “Inside the City” will be added to the existing Webisode series which highlights city amenities and are produced through a long-term partnership with Full Sail University’s SPARK program.

With the research results showing that YouTube processes more than 3 billion searches a month, the City of Winter Park needed presence on this site. We are thrilled to add Winter Park videos to this very popular online video-sharing resource.

It just keeps getting easier to stay informed and connected to the City of Winter Park. Visit us at cityofwinterpark.org, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and watch us now on both Vimeo and on YouTube.

Pedestrian and bicycle safety enforcement campaign

Tragically, in Florida pedestrian and bicyclist fatality rates have consistently been among the highest in the nation. According to MetroPlan Orlando’s regional crash data, pedestrian crashes account for two percent of the total reported traffic crashes in central Florida this year. Metroplan’s data also shows 28 percent of all fatal crashes – more than one in every four – involve a pedestrian.

In an effort to reverse this trend and prevent these avoidable tragedies, the Winter Park Police Department (WPPD) has continued its partnership with the University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research and Florida Department of Transportation, and again been awarded the “Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Enforcement Campaign” Grant. The methods used will include the distribution of educational materials to motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists – thereby improving their knowledge of traffic laws and methods of safe walking, as well as presentations to school-age children, use of social networking, and targeted enforcement of violators at high-risk areas. Additionally during this continued effort, WPPD will engage in “Targeted Crosswalk Enforcement” by using plain-clothed officers to identify careless drivers who disregard the safety of pedestrians in crosswalks. For more information on the “Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Enforcement Campaign,” please visit alerttodayflorida.com

Flurry of ice skating!

The city’s annual holiday ice skating rink “Winter in the Park” is now open and the snow angels have arrived. If you haven’t been to the rink, you’re missing out on the city’s “coolest” event of the year! Not only has the city brought the cold wintery temperatures to Central Park West Meadow, located at 150 N. New York Ave., but you can also see central Florida’s only outdoor projection lighting show that lights up the rink in a festive holiday display. If you want to check out the rink before you go, log on to cityofwinterpark.org/WITP and click on the Skatecam tab to see live streaming video (compliments of WKMG Local 6) of the skaters in action!

For only $12 per skater, snowflakes of all ages and skill levels are invited to chill out as they glide, spin and turn at Winter in the Park. For more information, please call 407-599-3203 or visit cityofwinterpark.org/WITP.

OPO Holiday Pops Concert

A special “Holiday Pops” Concert, performed by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, will take place Sunday, Nov. 30, at 4 p.m., in beautiful Central Park. Bring a blanket and picnic for a concert program of holiday favorites that will be sure to put everyone in the spirit of the season. Conductor Paul Hostetter will lead the Philharmonic and guest soloist Marina Jurica. This free concert is made possible by the Charlotte Julia Hollander Trust. For more information, please call 407-770-0071.

Visit the city’s official website at cityofwinterpark.org, find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, watch us on Vimeo and now on YouTube.