Winter Park City Talk

Dec. 9 City Commission highlights

There was a City Commission meeting held Dec. 9 in City Hall Commission Chambers. Below are a few highlights of decisions made at the meeting:

Mayor’s Report

• The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce gave a summary presentation regarding the tremendous success of “Feed the Need,” the first time ever, community-wide fundraiser for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. More than $96,000 was raised in this fundraising campaign to help end hunger in Central Florida. Congratulations and thanks to everyone who helped support this worthy cause.

• Artist Blair Sligar was recognized as the featured artist in the city’s current “Art in Chambers” exhibit.

Non-Action Items

• An update was provided regarding downtown parking. Recommendations will be brought to the Commission in January 2014.

Consent Agenda

• The minutes of 11/11/13 and 11/25/13 were approved.

• The purchases and contracts were approved (for a complete listing, please visit cityofwinterpark.org/ccpackets).

• The budget adjustment to appropriate $25,000 for street paving materials was approved.

• The Second Amendment to the Native Load Firm Fixed Capacity and Partial Requirements Transaction Confirmation between city of Winter Park and Florida Power & Light Company dated Aug. 12, 2013, was approved.

Action Items Requiring Discussion

• The two “Notice to Dispose” advertisements of two parcels of land located at 300 N. Pennsylvania Ave. and 321 Hannibal Square West located within the CRA district for possible development options were approved with an amendment to the 300 N. Pennsylvania Ave. property for the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board to look at this property for potential a potential park.

Public Hearings

• Request of Ramber Arlington LLC:

o The subdivision or lot split to divide the property at 1280 Arlington Place, Zoned R-2, into two lots was approved.

• Request of Nort Northam:

o The second reading of the ordinance to amend Chapter 58, “Land Development Code,” Article I “Comprehensive Plan” Future Land Use Map so as to establish Commercial Future Land Use on the annexed property at 656 Overspin Drive and to indicate the annexation of this property on the other maps within the Comprehensive Plan was approved.

o The second reading of the ordinance to amend Chapter 58, “Land Development Code,” Article III, “Zoning” and the official Zoning Map so as to establish Commercial (C-3) Zoning on the annexed property at 656 Overspin Drive was approved.

• The second reading of the ordinance to vacate and abandon a portion of Gaines Way, lying between 610 and 1760 Gaines Way, but retaining and reserving to the city a utility easement over the entire area thereof, was approved.

A full copy of the Dec. 9 City Commission minutes will be available at cityofwinterpark.org the week of Jan. 13, pending approval by the City Commission.

More public parking available

The city of Winter Park has opened up new public parking spaces just west of City Hall on Lyman Avenue. This lot was previously designated for City Hall employee parking only. However, due to the busy holiday season and the identified need for more parking during this time, the city has repurposed those spaces to three-hour public parking.

New AED locator network

Winter Park Fire-Rescue announces the addition of a new information system intended to assist 9-1-1 dispatchers by helping them locate life-saving automated external defibrillators (AEDs) available near victims of sudden cardiac arrest.

Sudden cardiac arrest is responsible for more than 300,000 deaths in the United States each year. Compact and portable, an AED is designed to be used by laypeople, with little or no training, to deliver a shock designed to save the victim’s life before paramedics arrive.

“The problem is that, until now, publicly available AEDs are rarely used in an emergency because people are unaware of their location, and 9-1-1 dispatchers are unable to provide the location of the nearest AED to the responder,” said, Winter Park Fire Chief Jim White. “The new AED locator system lets us instantly see the location of all the registered AEDs that are near a victim of a sudden cardiac arrest so we can alert someone to get the device in time to help save their life.”

To encourage the registration of all AED devices, the city of Winter Park will reach out to owners and managers of office buildings, restaurants, gyms, recreational venues, churches and other locations where AEDs may be available. AED owners are encouraged to visit NationalAEDRegistry.com to register their AEDs at no cost. The new system from Atrus, called AED Link™, shows the location of all registered AEDs on electronic maps. Dispatchers can then direct emergency callers to a nearby device before paramedics arrive.

Having the Atrus system in place throughout the area increases the effectiveness of every registered AED. Winter Park joins Orange County in encouraging all AED owners to register their devices as soon as possible, making them accessible in an emergency. The system is offered to the community through the Orange County Department of Emergency Management and will go live in Winter Park on Monday, Dec. 16.

The only cool place in town!

It can’t be December – it’s way too hot! But you can find wintery freezing temperatures in Winter Park’s holiday ice rink. Now through Sunday, Jan. 5, you can skate at the city’s coolest event of the year “Winter in the Park,” the city’s annual holiday ice skating rink in Central Park West Meadow. The West Meadow is located at 150 N. New York Ave., found at the corner of New York Avenue and Morse Boulevard in downtown Winter Park. Snowflakes of all ages and skill levels are invited to chill out as they glide, spin and turn at “Winter in the Park”:

• Monday through Thursday, 3 to 9 p.m.

• Friday, 3 to 10 p.m.

• Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Sunday, Noon to 8 p.m.

See website for extended school holiday hours.

Snow angels are invited to skate all day for only $10 per skater (skate rental included). For a blizzard of 20 or more people, some cool group discounts are available for all this frigid fun (reservations required). For more information, please call 407-599-3203 or visit cityofwinterpark.org/WITP

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