Maitland gains extra block downtown

Maitland’s main street will gain an extra block northward, after Maitland City Council members voted to give the go-ahead on Monday to purchase the land necessary to extend Independence Lane to George Avenue.

The complicated deal involves a land swap and development plans that will transform the north side of the block of Horatio Avenue between Maitland Avenue and U.S. Highway 17-92.

Maitland Mayor Dale McDonald described the dealings as a “glorified game of chicken,” while Councilwoman Bev Reponen’s analogy of choice described it as “like pinning Jell-O to a wall.” City Council members were weighing the options of an ultimatum put before them by the property owner: agree to extend the road now, or never.

McDonald would end up being the only dissenting vote on Council, favoring the city turn down the extension agreement.

“I’m not going to support anything but doing nothing,” he said. “I just believe we can do better than this opportunity.”

The other four members of Council voted in favor of a deal in which the city purchases the majority of the land for the extended right-of-way from the Snodgrass family, which owns most of the block between Horatio and George avenues, and another smaller northern piece of land from SunTrust bank to get the 40-foot-wide road through to George. In total, the purchases, along with streetscaping and stormwater installation costs, are set to cost the city just over $2 million.

“We’re not going to get everything we want out of this deal,” said Councilmember John Lowndes. “But I don’t think we should let the perfect be the enemy of the good… We’re not at the end of the road here, we’re at the beginning of the road.”

According to city staff calculations, the deal eventually puts the city in the black 18 years from now through increased TIF and CRA revenue.

Public input on the deal was mixed between those urging the Council to make the deal and expand the developable area downtown, and those who wanted the city to wait for a better proposition.

“If we sit and keep waiting for the stars to align, we’re never going to get anything done,” said Jonnie Mae Warner, president of the Maitland Center Property Owners Association. “It’s not perfect, but it’s as perfect as I think we’re going to get.”

Inking the deal makes way for more possible downtown development in the city, having an additional block of main street space to capitalize on. Developer Scott Ryan has big plans for the entire block of Horatio from 17-92 to Maitland Avenue.

Ryan said his development would include revitalizing the corner of Horatio and 17-92 with retail and dining options, and building a retail-fronted parking garage on what is currently a city-owned parking lot to the west. That garage, he said, would also provide the city with much-needed parking opportunities for city employees.

The deal signed by the Maitland City Council on Monday gives Ryan five years after the city closes on its right-of-way purchase for the Independence Lane extension to enter into a development agreement with the city for his development on the now city-owned parking lot.

“We’re not planning for today, we’re planning for the future, for our children and our grandchildren,” said Maitland resident Cathy Sandifer. “We need to unstick the wheels and move forward.”