Winter Garden commission approves agreement with Oakland

WINTER GARDEN — Winter Garden city commissioners unanimously approved a renewal of their Interlocal Agreement with Oakland for police-dispatch services for another three years.  

Winter Garden Police Chief George Brennan said the agreement included a mutual-aid provision. If Oakland police need additional officers for specific calls, then they can request help from Winter Garden’s force. 

Similarly, Winter Garden’s police can request aid from Oakland, but Brennan acknowledged that would be less likely.

“We have more people than they do, so they need us more often than we need them,” he said.

Brennan also said there have been times when only one or two officers were on duty in Oakland. If dispatchers hear an officer going into a dangerous situation, they may send backup from Winter Garden even without a formal request. 

Oakland will pay $38,192 for dispatch services starting Oct. 1. The agreement limits fee increases to a maximum of 10% per year. It will expire Sept. 30, 2018.

Winter Garden recently expanded its call center staff to handle police-dispatch services for Ocoee under a five-year agreement that began in July. Oakland’s police department also will benefit from this additional staff.  

NATURAL GAS RENEWED

Commissioners unanimously approved City Manager Mike Bollhoefer’s recommendation to renew the franchise agreement with Lake Apopka Natural Gas. Bollhoefer said the renewal agreement was substantially the same as the previous agreement. The city receives  franchise fees of between $80,000 and $90,000 each year from the company.

Bollhoefer told commissioners that city staff didn’t believe pollution insurance was necessary at this time. If it does become necessary in the future they recommend buying it separately from other city insurance. He estimated the cost for a policy at between $5,000 and $10,000 per year.

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IN OTHER NEWS

• The commission unanimously approved the site plan for 360 W. Plant St., a property just west of City Hall. The developer plans to build an 18,000-square-foot office and retail building. The agreement is subject to certain conditions, including the developer paying into the downtown parking fund. The building will not otherwise have sufficient parking. 

• Commissioners unanimously approved the site plan for 330 E. Crown Point Road for CVC Hospitality. It plans to build a 10,000-square-foot office building.

• The commission postponed until the Aug. 27 meeting consideration of an ordinance to rezone about 7.15 acres on the north side of Roper Road, east of Winter Garden-Vineland Road and west of Daniels Road. This is the site planned for the Sonata West Orange Campus. The postponement will enable the Planning and Zoning Commission to review the plans.

• City Manager Mike Bollhoefer told commissioners he planned to email them a draft ordinance to enact a moratorium on development along East Plant Street. He hopes to bring it in front of the commission at the next meeting.

• Bollhoefer also introduced Chad Morrill, Winter Garden’s new director of information technology. Morrill is a graduate of the University of Florida.

• Commissioner Bobby Olszewski said the city will partner with Unity in the Community for a back-to-school event at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, at Zander’s Park, 362 11th St.

• Commissioner Kent Makin requested an update on the building at 160 E. Plant St. The commission has postponed a condemnation hearing on that property three times to give the property owner an opportunity to submit plans to bring it up to code. Bollhoefer said the owners have complied, and he expects to have the plans reviewed by the Architectural Review Board.

• The next commission meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 27, in City Hall Commission Chambers, 300 W. Plant St.