Winter Park City Talk

Last few days to ice skate!

The last day to skate at the city’s “Winter in the Park” ice skating rink is Sunday, Jan. 8. If you haven’t already taken a spin on the ice, there’s only a few days left! Come bring your friends and family to experience some cool fun before it’s all over. Open daily Monday thru Thursday from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.; and Sunday Noon - 6 p.m. until Sunday, January 8.

For more freezing information, please call 407-599-3203 or skate onto our blustery website at www.cityofwinterpark.org

January 9 City Commission Meeting topics of interest

There will be a City Commission meeting on Monday, Jan. 9, at 3:30 p.m., at the Rachel D. Murrah Civic Center located at 1050 W. Morse Blvd. Below are a few topics of interest:

• City Attorney’s Report

• Settlement agreement with Sydgan Corporation, W.F.G., Ltd.

• Non-action Items

• Financial Report - November 2011

• Consent Agenda

• Approve the minutes of Dec. 12.

• Approve various purchases, contracts and bids (a full copy of the items can be found on the complete agenda packet located on city’s website).

• Approve the following components of a Winter Park Electric Solar PV incentive Program: Net Metering Policy; Tier 1 interconnection agreement; and Tier 2 interconnection agreement.

• Award Contract Forestry Manager to ArborMetrics Solutions, Inc., and authorize the Mayor to execute the agreement to provide contracted forestry management services.

• Action Items Requiring Discussion

• Proposed on-street dining on Hannibal Square East

• Public Hearings

• Request of Jim Veigle Properties, LLC:

♣ First reading of the ordinance to amend the comprehensive plan future land use map so as to change the future land use designation of Single-family Residential to office professional on the property at 1210 Dallas Avenue and to amend planning area “J” Policy 1-4.1.J.11 in the future land use element to add an exception to the encroachment of non-residential land use.

♣ First reading of the ordinance to amend the official zoning map so as to change the existing zoning designation of Single-family Residential (R-1A) District to Parking Lot (PL) District at 1210 Dallas Ave.

• City Commission Reports

• Commissioner Leary

• Commissioner Sprinkel

• Commissioner Cooper

• Commissioner McMacken

• Mayor Bradley

You can find the Commission’s full agenda and information on specific agenda items by logging on to the city’s official website at www.cityofwinterpark.org and by clicking on Government > City Commission > Packets.

Save the date for the annual Winter Park Mayor/City Commission Luncheon

Save the Date! The 2011 Winter Park Mayor/City Commission Luncheon is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 11:30 a.m., at the Winter Park Community Center located at 721 W. New England Ave.

Featuring Mayor Ken Bradley’s annual State of the City Address and the Winter Park City Commissioners, you won’t want to miss hearing your elected officials’ plans and visions for the New Year!

For more information call the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce at 407-644-8281 or purchase tickets directly on their website at www.winterpark.org.

City of Winter Park presents 10th annual Unity Heritage Festival

The city of Winter Park is proud to present the 10th annual Unity Heritage Festival on Sunday, Jan. 15 and Monday, Jan. 16. The annual community festival will promote family history and raise funds for the Educational Fulfillment Fund for local economically disadvantaged youth.

The festival begins on Sunday, Jan. 15, in Shady Park in Hannibal Square located at the intersection of Pennsylvania and New England avenues, from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Special activities will include children’s games, career booths, food and retail vendors, special entertainment by various gospel artists, health information by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Nu Iota Omega Chapter and the presentation of the annual Heritage Award. Patrons are also encouraged to visit the Hannibal Square Heritage Center just across the street from Shady Park to see “Mid-Century: A photographic view of African-American communities in Florida.” The center pays tribute to the past, present and future contributions of Winter Park’s historic African American community.

The heritage festival continues in Shady Park on Monday, Jan. 16, Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Join Mayor Ken Bradley and Winter Park city officials at 10 a.m. for a special Martin Luther King, Jr. symbolic program, including the Feature Family Presentation. The feature families being honored are the Simpson family, from the 2011 celebration which was rained out, and the Israel family for 2012. Exciting events and activities will continue throughout the day including food and musical entertainment by Brenda White & the White Boyz and Motown Magic.

Special thanks to event sponsors including the city of Winter Park Community Redevelopment Agency, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Nu Iota Omega Chapter, Crealdé School of Art, Davis Bakery, MetroPlan Orlando, Verizon Wireless and Tim Webber, The Coordinator.

For more information regarding the 10th annual Unity Heritage Festival, please call 407-599-3275.

Visit the city’s official website at www.cityofwinterpark.org, find us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.