Redrawn DP temple lot pleases residents

DR. PHILLIPS  Reviews were more positive Jan. 14 at Bay Meadows Elementary than Oct. 26 regarding plans for a 3,000-square-foot expansion to the Maa Durga Sri Sai Baba Temple within Buena Vista Commons, located on western side of the intersection of Third Street and South Apopka-Vineland Road.

Constance Owens of Tri3 Civil Engineering Design Studio, acting applicant for the temple owner, said the difference was a straightforward move of project expansion away from Hidden Valley homes and removing a section of additional parking altogether.

Now, in addition to the 3,000-square-foot administrative building used for priest office space, only 130 parking spaces on the eastern edge of the owner's land and dry retention ponds would be added, Owens said. The dry retention ponds would further separate the commons from Hidden Valley homes abutting the western edge of the lot, as would PVC fencing and landscaping, she said.

The total acreage of the property would become 8.52 gross acres with the 2.59 additional acres from 16 parcels, which would be rezoned from Country Estate District to Planned Development.

One resident raised a concern of construction noise between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., but she learned the noise had actually emanated from construction related to Lake Ruby development.

Paul McGarigal, a real estate agent and nearby citizen, expressed approval of the redrawn plan.

“I've come to all these meetings and listened to everybody, and I got to tell you, as a Realtor, I'm amazed that the developer's willing to make all these changes,” McGarigal said. “It seems like a no-brainer. It seems like he's doing everything to help everybody in the back.”

Owens added a willingness to make no parking in the dry retention areas a condition of the developer's agreement. Another woman asked whether any chance of apartments being built on the lot existed. District 1 Orange County Commissioner S. Scott Boyd said there would be no chance because it would not fall under the future land use.

Residents asked Owens what businesses were planning to move into various spaces in Buena Vista Commons. She said she was hoping one empty building would turn into medical offices, with another unoccupied building subject to the idea of a dance studio at one point.

Contact Zak Kerr at [email protected].