Windermere Town Hall bathroom plans no longer clogged

At long last, the Windermere Town Council approved the location for the Town Hall restrooms. 

The family restrooms now will be constructed adjacent to the Windermere Library after the council voted 4-1, with council member Mandy David dissenting, to approve the location of the bathroom at council’s meeting Tuesday, Aug. 12. 

In April, the council directed staff to evaluate the feasibility and comparative costs of relocating the proposed standalone family restroom from behind Town Hall to have it constructed adjacent to the library. 

The total estimated cost for the library location is $447,468, compared to the estimated cost of $383,628 for the location behind Town Hall.

Although the proposed library location will provide strong community-facing visibility and connection to the library, it comes with a premium of about $63,841, or 16.6% more than constructing the restroom behind Town Hall. 

Agenda documents state the higher cost largely is because of utility extension, site preparation and design changes. 

In comparison, the Town Hall location aligns with the previously approved plans, requires no tree work and is a lower overall estimated project cost. 

The library location is $849.09 per square foot, while the Town Hall location is $727.95 per square foot. 

The library location also comes with $20,000 for an incremental design cost as a historical architect no longer would be needed on the project. 

“I would have to say at the end of the day, we obviously are always concerned about cost, but this difference seems like a preference,” Mayor Jim O’Brien said. 

Council member Andy Williams thanked staff for the hard work done on the project, delivering all requested information and looking at all the options before he made a motion to approve the library location for the restrooms.

The motion was seconded by council member Brandi Haines and then was unanimously approved.

Town Square Concept Plan approved

The Town Council unanimously approved the Town Square Concept Plan. 

Windermere Town Planner Brad Cornelius presented the plan, which featured a few changes after he received feedback in April from the Town Council and landscape architect Chris Thompson received feedback from the Windermere Tree Board. 

“The important part to remember is this is a concept, so nothing that’s on here is set in stone,” Cornelius said. “As it’s shown, it’s a guide for the town, so this can be adjusted and changed, but hopefully this does provide you that guide.”

One notation is for the parking on Forest Street not only to be for cars but also could be designed for golf carts. Cornelius said, the final determination will be made during the final design of the concept plan.

Haines said “it would be nice” to have dedicated golf cart parking on Sixth Avenue if there is going to be parking on that street.

Some parking near the Windermere Library’s voting area was removed.

The 9/11 Memorial is slated to be moved from in front of the Windermere Library to the corner of Sixth Avenue and Main Street. 

“We’re trying to create this focal point of community pride right there at that corner between the memorials of the 9/11 Memorial and the patriotic horse across the street,” Cornelius said. 

Haines said personally, she likes the 9/11 Memorial where it currently is in front of the library. 

“I worked in New York City for six years; I have a lot of friends that lost people from 9/11, and I just feel like where it’s at now is a peaceful place,” she said. “It’s a place where people can be over there and reflect on whatever it is they need to. I just don’t feel like a spot out in the front by the roundabout with all the traffic there makes the most sense. This is my personal opinion. I know we have a horse out there that was dedication for Mr. (John) Fitzgibbon’s son (Evan Fitzgibbon), but I’ve also had a lot of people say they’re concerned that someday it might get hit because we do have a lot of accidents (in that location).”

Golf cart intersections

Mike Woodward, of Kimley-Horn & Associates, presented findings and recommendations from the recently completed Windermere Golf Cart Crossings Study, which evaluated existing and potential golf cart crossing locations within the town, analyzed traffic patterns, reviewed safety considerations and identified improvements that could enhance connectivity while maintaining compliance with state and local regulations. 

Currently, there are three golf cart crossings: Main Street and Second Avenue; Main Street and Eighth Avenue; and Sixth Avenue and Magnolia Street. 

The study included the intersections at Main Street and Fifth Avenue; Main Street and Seventh Avenue; Sixth Avenue and Oakdale Street; and Sixth Avenue and Magnolia Street.

“The goal here was to look at whether we should modify some of those locations or add new ones,” Woodward said. 

Woodward said the intersection of Main Street and Fifth Avenue had low side street volumes, relatively low queuing compared to other intersections and it was a desirable distance away from other existing crossings. 

As for the Main Street and Seventh Avenue intersection, Woodward said it was near the existing Eighth Avenue and Main Street crossing, and there is a queue of cars that backs up at Sixth Avenue because of the existing crossing at Eighth Avenue, which is about 400 feet away. 

“It would be a redundant location that would really serve a lot of the same purposes as the crossing at Eighth,” he said. “Given there’s a relatively short distance from the roundabout, we felt like Eighth Avenue is a better location for the crossing than at Seventh Avenue. I would recommend you do not put crossings at every single street.”

Woodward recommended keeping the crossing at Seventh Avenue and Main Street, not implementing the crossing at Eighth Avenue and Main Street, and implementing the crossing at Fifth Avenue and Main Street. 

Woodward did not recommend adding a crossing at Sixth Avenue and Oakdale Street when there is another crossing at Sixth and Magnolia Street 400 feet away. He also did not recommend switching the crossings. 

Haines said she was under the impression the town council would look at no longer having the Eighth Avenue crossing and implement a crossing at Seventh Avenue instead. She said the crossing at Seventh Avenue would be safer because traffic isn’t as backed up, cars are driving slower and more. 

Haines preferred a golf cart crossing be implemented at the roundabout on Sixth Avenue, because it would allow easy access to various directions of the community. 

O’Brien said staff would need to look at town ordinances and council needed more information to proceed with the discussion.