Winter Garden commission talks budget, developments

The Winter Garden City Commission approved unanimously a series of four ordinances in the first reading and public hearings to adopt the proposed budgets and millage rate for Fiscal Year.

By Annabelle Sikes
| 10:00 a.m. September 22, 2022

West Orange Times & Observer
News

The Winter Garden City Commission approved unanimously a series of four ordinances in the first reading and public hearings to adopt the proposed budgets and millage rate for Fiscal Year 2022-23 at its Thursday, Sept. 15, meeting.

The General Fund is tentatively budgeted at $50,848,386 with the city recommending to keep the millage rate at 4.5 mills, which will generate about $21.3 million in revenue, an increase of about $2.3 million.

The city has kept the millage rate flat for the past five years.

IN OTHER NEWS

The City Commission approved an agreement between the School Board of Orange County and the city of Winter Garden Police Department for the School Resource Officer Program.
Commissioners approved a recommendation to waive the formal procurement process and award Reef Controls LLC with the construction of three master radio station panels for the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, and installation of two new master radio SCADA control panels in the amount of $78,500.
City commissioners approved a recommendation to waive the formal process and award a purchase order to the Cathcart Construction Company to remedy the deficient manholes and pipe at the Waste Water Treatment Facility in the amount of $476,640.
The City Commission approved an acquisition for property located at 136 Center St. from Nyazya Bostwick.
Commissioners approved an acquisition for property located at 224 Center St. from Merdis Elaine Guardian Brown.
City commissioners approved a special exception permit and agreement to remove billboards located at 12201 and 12403 West Colonial Drive, and construct a new double sided billboard on property located at 12201 West Colonial Drive.
The City Commission approved the Garden Community Choir Wine Walk for 5 to 9 p.m. Nov. 10. Commissioners also approved the Think Pink Ride for 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 8.
Two properties, 0.59 acres at 13023 West Colonial Drive and 0.75 acres located at Ninth Street, were annexed and rezoned into the city as City C-2 Arterial Commercial District.
City commissioners approved the following upcoming special events: Harvest Sidewalk Sale & Stroll, Shop Small Saturday, Holiday Boutique Stroll and Tis the Season micro events.

NEW GAS STATION

Community Development Director Steve Pash presented the first reading and public hearing of a proposed ordinance request to rezone the property on 3.04 acres of land at 14990 West Colonial Drive from Arterial Commercial District, C-2, to Planned Commercial Development, PCD.

The proposed development includes demolition of the existing Circle K gas station, which is 2,617 square feet, to construct a 5,200-square-foot gas station with 16 pumps, a car wash and other associated site improvements.

Pash said the request includes moving the existing entrance that comes off of Avalon Road, south by 180 feet to help with access. He said the applicants have been working with Orange County on the intersection improvements the county has going on in the area.

Pash said part of the request includes dedication of right-of-way to the county, and the county’s plan also includes a median separator to make the entrance a right-in and right-out only.

Commissioners passed the ordinance unanimously.

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

Pash then presented the first reading and public hearing of a request to rezone 31 acres of land located at 115 Roper Road, and 705 and 721 Winter Garden-Vineland Road from Single-Family Residential District, R-1, to Planned Unit Development, PUD.

Pash said the property has a low density residential future land use designation, which would allow a maximum of six dwelling units per acre, meaning the property could be developed at its maximum capacity of 186 units. However, the developer has proposed 2.8 units per acre, coming in at a total of 87 homes.

Mayor John Rees said, like with any development, he has concerns about destroying the bigger trees in the area. Commissioner Ron Mueller agreed and also mentioned his concern with the residence being a gated community.

“I’m not a huge fan — especially when it’s low density like that,” he said. “I would be happy if they took the gates down.”

The ordinance passed 4-1, with Mueller dissenting.

PAM REHAB HOSPITAL

Pash also presented the first reading and public hearing of a request to amend and replace an ordinance to change the use of 5.51 acres located at 541 Winter Garden-Vineland Road.

The previous request asked for two two-story buildings totaling 45,000 square feet to be used as medical offices with a 10,000-square-foot church. The proposed use of the change is to build a 50,000-square-foot single-story physical rehabilitation hospital with 42 beds, a parking lot, landscaping, ponds and site improvements.

The ordinance passed unanimously.

author

Annabelle Sikes

News Editor Annabelle Sikes was born in Boca Raton and moved to Orlando in 2018 to attend the University of Central Florida. She graduated from UCF in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in sociology. Her past journalism experiences include serving as a web producer at the Orlando Sentinel, a reporter at The Community Paper, managing editor for NSM Today, digital manager at Centric Magazine and as an intern for the Orlando Weekly.