Subdivision possible for Tilden Road

After unanimous approval from Winter Garden’s Planning and Zoning Board, a rezoning request for two parcels of land on Tilden Road is on its way to the City Commission.

During the board’s meeting Monday, Sept. 9, four items were discussed involving requests for rezones, annexations and future land-use amendments.

The Tilden Road subject properties — located at 14908 and 14950 Tilden Road — comprise approximately 28.32 acres and are located east of State Road 429 and west of Winter Garden Vineland Road. However, only about 18.55 acres are developable, with the other 9.75 acres being wetlands.

According to city documents, the applicant is requesting to rezone the properties from Orange County Citrus Rural to City Planned Unit Development. While the properties are located outside Winter Garden city limits, the applicant also has annexation and future land-use amendment applications running concurrently with the rezoning request.

Currently, the land is designated Village on Orange County’s future land-use map. The property at 14908 Tilden Road currently has a manufactured home and accessory structures and operates as a horse farm. At 14950 Tilden Road is a greenhouse and accessory structures —  it operates as an agricultural farm. 

To the east of the properties is Sunnybrook Farm, to the south are single-family homes and to the north is the Emerald Ridge subdivision.

Should the applicant’s requests be granted, a developer plans to plat the property with 56 single-family homes, ranging in lot sizes of 50 to 85 feet wide. A specific home builder hasn’t been decided. 

According to city documents, the development would include an amenitized stormwater retention pond with a walking trail and a pavilion extending into the pond. It also would include a community park with a playground, athletic field, dog park and open-air pavilion.

A sidewalk would be constructed along Tilden Road, along with enhanced landscaping, and nearly half of the lots would either abut the retention pond or face the buffered wetlands to the south.

One of the concerns brought up regarding the development plans for the properties was how it might affect traffic along the two-lane road. Board member Matt Matin said there is a dangerous curve at the northeast corner of the properties and asked if there were any concerns regarding related traffic issues.

According to city staff, Tilden Road has sufficient capacity to support the traffic that the 56 new homes would generate.

Winter Garden resident Anne Dubus said her daily commute brings her up Tilden Road, and getting on and off of State Road 429 from the area is a struggle.

“I’ve been a resident here for approximately 12 years and I have seen a substantial growth in the traffic around here, especially at the 429,” Dubus said. “My commute in the morning and afternoon is this Tilden stretch — getting off the 429 in the afternoon is a horrible area. I have concerns with the traffic level here: How will that (development) impact it?”

Board chairman Will Hawthorne told Dubus that construction is slated to begin in 2020 on new ramps to and from Stoneybrook West Parkway off of S.R. 429. This, he said, would assist in bypassing Winter Garden Vineland Road.

The applicant’s requests for annexation, a future land-use amendment and rezoning will be presented as a first reading to the City Commission Thursday, Sept. 12.