PROTECT WINTER PARK

This proposed development goes against the Winter Park vision.  The developer wants to tear up lakefront residential homes and asks the city to allow them to be rezoned from Residential to the highest most intense zoning possible, Commercial, (C-3).  This is contrary to protecting our peaceful Winter Park lifestyle and the charm of our neighborhoods.
 

According to the Winter Park Comprehensive Plan, it is a violation of the existing homeowner's rights for the city leaders to change zoning and land use that would allow a 24/7 operating business in a residential neighborhood.  If this precedent is set, your Winter Park neighborhood may be next.
 

The city leaders are considering granting the developer a zoning approval that could operate a 24 hour - 132 room hotel, a bar, a restaurant, an event center/ballroom with a pre-function outdoor balcony that could serve liquor until 2:00 am. The project is only 150 feet from the occupied houses where families currently live.

The City of Winter Park has confirmed in writing that an extended hour liquor license would be possible.  Imagine, the large events, parties, wedding receptions, or fraternity gatherings on the ballroom balcony, in the hotel gardens and gazebo area along with the noise and late-night unwanted foot traffic on residential brick streets.  We believe that this development belongs on International Drive out near the tourist attractions, not across the street from Winter Park homes.  Children live in near-by homes and C-3 properties serving liquor until potentially 2:00 am may bring late-night guests and late-night traffic.  This may be problematic for families living across the street. 
 

We hope that the City of Winter Park leaders say NO to giving developers the okay to build this large, five-story hotel and event center with traffic studies that show the proposed development will generate over 1,000 new car trips daily. Traveling on 17-92/Orlando Ave near the already congested Trader Joe’s area is bad enough! We believe that Winter Park should consider correcting the traffic issues and should stop developers from making traffic worse.
 

If the City of Winter Park allows this development, the leaders will be violating Florida Land Use Policy 1-J-9 and numerous other policies and code requirements. The Land Use Policy currently reads: “The City shall preserve and protect the single-family residential land use within the Killarney neighborhood from Commercial and Office encroachment……”.  

Should the City of Winter Park allow this development, they violate State Law which requires that “all development” be consistent with the comprehensive plan “as adopted”. Our Comp Plan does not allow this proposed development, neither should the Planning and Zoning Board, the Winter Park Mayor, or the Commissioners.
 

The anticipated bright lights generated from the hotel and additional parking are unwanted and should not be permitted in a residential neighborhood. The developer says the lights will not be bright and are new technology. Yet how can there be proper security for the parking lot in the residential neighborhood without security parking lot lights shining all night long?
 

The trucks coming to and from the hotel and event center to bring the supplies needed to operate the 24-hour business will create noise and may cause congestion traveling on neighborhood brick streets. A commercial business of this kind would be better served with highway access, rather than historic Winter Park neighborhood brick streets. 
 

It has been said that the developer is attempting to use the Winter Park Land Trust as a veil for the enormous “ask” of the city.  The developer represents that they will give the Land Trust use of a park when really this land will be used for both underground and above ground parking by the hotel developer. The developer is not counting the rezoning of four residential homes as Commercial C-3. Rather, it appears to be a gift of a park – but the developer intends to build a commercial parking lot under the park and parking lot.

These four homesites they call Park and Open Space are really to be used for commercial purposes, both above and underground. The developer’s website confirms the park’s parking lot will be used for the hotel overflow and for hotel associated parking. So why isn’t this underground parking lot and surface parking lot counted in the developer’s commercial use?  We ask the city leaders if they will allow this Land Trust Park veil to be used, it may be a precedent for future land use veils. Just ask yourself, would you want a parking lot next to your house? One where hotel staff may park, and Uber drivers sit and wait for customers to call when the bar closes at 2:00 am?
 

Beautiful Winter Park has been graced with many lakes that are home to soaring bald eagles and native Florida wildlife.  This developer intends to dig nearly two acres under the soil surface in this historic Winter Park neighborhood to attempt to build underground parking. 

Since this parking lot will be located along Lake Killarney’s shores, the project expects to continuously pump the groundwater from the garage back through the pipes and eventually will dump it into Lake Killarney.  Imagine two acres of groundwater being continuously pumped back into Lake Killarney. Even if this expensive undertaking is feasible, how will the natural lake and its wildlife be affected by this groundwater dump? 
 

If it’s not enough that the developer is asking our city leaders to grant permission to tear up residential homesites, rezone lakefront homesites to C-3 zoning, tear up historic brick streets, and then ask to squeeze ten pounds of potatoes into a five-pound bag, (the neighbors say it’s too big and it’s not at all to the scale of the neighborhood or the surrounding properties), the developer is also asking the city to GIVE a portion of two historic brick city streets and lakefront land, estimated to be valued at over $1,000,000. 

Can you imagine how this sums it all up – “the ask” includes the city vacating streets as part of this proposed development - in effect giving the developer the land and lakefront access at no charge?