Windermere Town Council passes Rosser Reserve final plans

WINDERMERE — At its July 14 meeting, the Windermere Town Council unanimously approved the final development and final subdivision plans for Rosser Reserve, a 10-lot development of about 10 acres at 9501 Conroy Windermere Road.

Across from the development site on the south side of Conroy Windermere Road is Isleworth development, including Isleworth Country Club. To the west is Jennifer Lane, and to the east is Lake Down, with the Lake Down boat ramp at the edge of the southeast corner of the development site. To the north is Rosser Road, named after the family that has owned and maintained property in that vicinity and provided background information at council meetings.

As part of the agreement, the council added numerous conditions atop a long list of changes from the development team’s previous proposal.

Five conditions were per staff recommendation: paying a one-third installment for school concurrency to Orange County Public Schools prior to final plat approval, subjecting stormwater aspects in the project and impervious surface ratio to water management district approval, landscape architecture plans, the final plat complying with town attorney conditions and street name contingent on Orange County E911 approval.

The council added conditions of ensuring approval with Town Manager Robert Smith on homeowners association documents and meeting town floor area ratio requirements. The developers, GAI Consultants, also must conceal a lift station on the property with vegetation or by some other means.

ORDINANCE READINGS

Mayor Gary Bruhn read two potential ordinance items scheduled to be addressed at the next council meeting, Aug. 11. The first pertained to lake access from property of the town.

The second pertained to rental property in the town and sparked a lengthy discussion. Councilman Jim O’Brien said an ordinance to enable the Windermere Police Department to take action on certain undesirable renting practices within the town had become necessary. Bruhn said it would not be a rental police but rather would hit only certain people. O’Brien said the ordinance would not affect reasonable landlords.

Councilmen John Armstrong, Richard Gonzalez and Bob McKinley had reservations about such an ordinance. Armstrong and Gonzalez likened it to “big brother” government surveillance, and McKinley said as long as renters were not disturbing the peace, they should not be told what to do.

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IN OTHER NEWS

• District 44 State Rep. Eric Eisnaugle (R-Gotha) visited the council and spoke on the state budget — especially cuts in Central Florida — among other topics.

• The council unanimously voted to rename Butler Bay Park. Its new name is Windermere Recreation Center, per the Windermere Parks & Recreation Committee’s recommendation.

• Public Works Supervisor David Grimm said frequent rain would force delays of a Fifth Avenue storm water project until fall. 

• The council discussed a rezoning of Lake Sherwood Presbyterian Church that the Orange County Board of Zoning adjustment desired council input on. The church is currently at the north shore of Lake Sherwood between Apopka-Vineland and Good Homes roads, but church officials have requested a special exception to construct a 21,000-square-foot, 300-seat sanctuary with a meeting space at 1841 Windermere Road, on an 11-acre parcel just north of McKinnon Road. Some said this project could adversely affect traffic around Lake Whitney Elementary, but Armstrong said the congregation would be small and hardly affect traffic.

• The Willows at Lake Rhea Homeowners Association President Al Pichon said he did not want any misconceptions about the retention ponds in that community, which were never in failure but underwent repairs. Fellow resident of The Willows Roger Ambuter requested that the town government ensure the developers of Windsong at Windermere maintain a brick wall — not any type of fencing — near a retention pond on the Windsong property.

The council discussed what to name in the town to memorialize Officer Robbie German. Some members said some sort of park would be a possibility; others said naming the new town police station would be best.

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Contact Zak Kerr at [email protected].