West Orange Habitat for Humanity receives Winter Garden approval

The City Commission approved the final plat for seven new single-family residential lots on Edgeway Drive.

By Liz Ramos
| 11:12 a.m. May 14, 2025

West Orange Times & Observer
News

West Orange Habitat for Humanity will be able to build seven new single-family residential lots on Edgeway Drive.

The Winter Garden City Commission unanimously approved Thursday, May 8, the final plat for the Habitat Edgeway project.

The seven single-family residential lots will be constructed on a 1.31-acre property located on the north side of Edgeway Drive. The final plat is consistent with the approved preliminary plat, and the property is designated as Low Density Residential and is zoned for R-4, Residential District.

Marilyn Hattaway, executive director of West Orange Habitat for Humanity, said the homes will be sold at the appraised value — $187,000 for a three-bedroom house and $192,000 for a four-bedroom home.

Mayor John Rees said he hoped more Winter Garden residents would be able to purchase the homes West Orange Habitat for Humanity builds in the area.

“I think Habitat does a great job,” he said. “We appreciate everything, but I still find it hard to believe that in a town of 51,000 people we can’t find seven people who are Winter Garden residents to occupy those homes.”

Hattaway said the nonprofit has been working with the city to meet with the stakeholders in the Historic East Winter Garden Neighborhood to help meet the needs of the community. She said a lot of people in the neighborhood do not qualify for the housing program.

“We have a lot of people who are just this close to qualifying for mortgages with Habitat for Humanity, and we’re really proud of that,” Hattaway said.

Hattaway said Habitat’s board already has approved five of the residents who will move into the seven homes in the Habitat Edgeway project. Of the five, three are Winter Garden residents. The other two residents who will move into the homes will be approved at West Orange Habitat for Humanity’s board meeting this month.

“We so appreciate the work on behalf of the city manager to network that community together to make this possible and a dream come true for a lot of those residents,” she said. “The approval of this plat is continuing to address the affordable housing crisis in the Historic East Winter Garden Neighborhood with the city and the residents.”

SCHOOL OFFICER CONTRACT EXTENDED

After months of negotiations, the Winter Garden City Commission has come to an agreement with the School Board of Orange County on a School Resource Officer contract extension.

The commission unanimously approved authorizing City Manager Jon C. Williams to sign the contract extension.

The Winter Garden Police Department provides School Resource Officers and a sergeant for seven schools within Winter Garden.

For the 2025-2026 school year, the School Board agreed to reimburse the Winter Garden Police Department at a rate of $73,000 per full-time School Resource Officer for the 10-month school year and $75,000 per SRO for the 2026-2027 school year.

If the School Board receives an increase of up to $20 million in statewide Safe Schools Allocation for the 2025-2026 school year, the board’s share of the funding will be 100% allocated to law enforcement agencies as an increase rate for SRO services over the contracted rate for the 2024-2025 school year, according to the contract.

If the increase is between $20 million and $40 million, 100% of the funds will be allocated to the school board. If the increase is more than $40 million, the funding will be shared equally between the school board and the law enforcement agencies.

If the School Board receives an increase in the Safe Schools Allocation for the 2026-2027 school year, 60% will be allocated to the school board, while 40% will be allocated to the law enforcement agencies.

In other news...

Mayor John Rees read a proclamation for Emergency Medical Services Week from May 18-24.
The Winter Garden City Commission unanimously approved an ordinance concerning utility account deposits. The ordinance would allow for the return of residential customer deposits after 12 months if the user has a good payment history with no cutoffs. Deposits also would be held in a non-interest-bearing account, which eliminates the requirement to pay interest on a deposit.
Commissioners unanimously approved waiving the formal procurement procedures and hiring of Engineered Spray Solutions to rehabilitate 11 manholes for $60,806, which includes a 5% contingency.
The commission unanimously approved waiving the formal procurement procedures and hiring of Xylem Water Solutions USA Inc./Flygt Products to replace the control panels of lift stations 21 and 24 for $60,270.
The Winter Garden City Commission unanimously approved waiving the formal procurement procedures and hiring RCM Utilities, LLC to remove the existing electrical systems and rewire lift stations 21 and 24 for $54,500.
Commissioners unanimously approved the reduction of a special assessment lien on the property at 159 Ninth St.
The purchase order for Mead and Hunt for a facility plan update and Fullers Reuse Wastewater Treatment Plant pressure analysis and solution was unanimously approved for $86,150.
The purchase order in the amount of $227,505 to TD Thomson Construction Co. Inc. for improvements to 681 W. Plant St. was unanimously approved.
The American Legion Post 63’s Memorial Day Special Event was unanimously approved to take place from 7:30 to 10 a.m. Monday, May 26, at Veterans Memorial Park.
The All-American Kids Parade and Pancake Breakfast was unanimously approved to take place from 9 to 11 a.m. on Friday, July 4. The event will have about 1,200 people in attendance, and Plant Street will temporarily be closed for the parade.
The Party in the Park was unanimously approved for 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, July 4, in Newton Park. About 15,000 people are expected to be in attendance.

author

Liz Ramos

Senior Editor Liz Ramos previously covered education and community for the East County Observer. Before moving to Florida, Liz was an education reporter for the Lynchburg News & Advance in Virginia for two years after graduating from the Missouri School of Journalism.