- April 14, 2026
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Winter Garden will have a new church.
The Winter Garden City Commission unanimously approved Thursday, April 9, the second reading of three ordinances impacting New Life Slavic Church.
Mayor John Rees was absent.
The approval of the ordinances will allow New Life Slavic Church to construct a 11,162-square-foot church, which will contain a one-story worship area with 286 seats that will connect with a two-story area for offices and meeting rooms.
One ordinance allows the church to annex approximately 1.5 acres at 1414 East Crown Point Road and about 2.02 acres at 1325 East Fullers Cross Road into the city of Winter Garden.
Another ordinance amends the future land use map of the Winter Garden Comprehensive Plan by changing the land use designation of the property from Orange County Low Density Residential to City Low Residential.
The third ordinance rezones the property from Orange County A-1, which is Citrus Rural District, to City PUD, which is Planned Unit Development.
The church also will mitigate impacts to surrounding properties by providing 30-foot landscape buffers along all property boundaries. Staff also will preserve many of the mature trees at the boundary of the property.
Two access points on the property — one from East Fullers Cross Road and another along East Crown Point Road — will be created. There is an existing traffic signal at the intersection, and the applicant will stripe a designated left-turning lane along East Crown Point Road to assist with traffic turning into the property.
The commission recognized the winners of the 2026 Drop Savers Poster Contest that the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association sponsors.
Students from kindergarten through 12th grade were encouraged to create a poster depicting a water conservation idea in the form of a slogan, drawing or both.
The contest allows students to promote water awareness as well as the importance of water conservation.
This year, 138 students participated, and a panel of judges selected the winning posters based on the message as well as creativity and originality and not just artistic ability.
The District 1 winner was StarChild Academy first-grader Caitlyn Bryant. The District 2 winner was StarChild Academy third-grader Shriya Cheripalli. The District 3 winner was StarChild Academy fifth-grader Victoria Okuneye. Foundation Academy sixth-grader Mercedes Jones was the District 4 winner, and South Lake Home Educators’ senior Delilah Swingler was the District 5 winner.
StarChild Academy second-grader Cedric Davis III, Image South Lake sixth-grader Kaleb Diniz and Foundation Academy seventh-grader Camryn Hardy all received honorable mentions.
The commission also proclaimed April as Florida’s Water Conservation Month.
The commission unanimously approved the site plan for 1600 Daniels Road, which is lot three of the Daniels Commerce Center commercial subdivision.
The site plan is for the Center for Digestive Health and includes the construction of a two-story, 15,348-square-foot medical office building with associated site improvements such as landscaping and parking on the 1.31-acre property.
Kelly Carson, the planning director for the city, said the site plan is consistent with the property’s C-2 zoning requirements and also is consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan and ordinances.
Commissioners unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance repealing and replacing the existing Animal Control provisions to adopt the Orange County Animal Services ordinance.
The ordinance also would establish a city-wide leash and direct control requirement for animals in public spaces.
Economic Director Marc Hutchinson said the purpose of the proposed ordinance is to reinforce city regulations while ensuring alignment with Orange County’s animal services ordinance regarding overall public safety and health to more effectively regulate control of dogs, cats and other domesticated animals regarding the use of leashes, direct and competent owner control of pets in public spaces, certain restrictions for animals in parks and recreational facilities, and refining requirements related to the dog-friendly dining program.
The second reading of the ordinance will take place at the commission meeting Thursday, April 23.
