Per the direction of the Winter Park Comprehensive Plan and the direction of the City Commission, staff has undertaken the creation of a Mixed-Use Overlay District for the Orange Avenue area. Staff has been working on the creation of the Orange Avenue Overlay District for approximately 14 months.
Where past efforts have included utilizing outside planning consulting firms, staff wished to perform the work in-house and utilize the input of the Winter Park community to create the Overlay District, a true community planning and placemaking process. A Steering Committee made up of 11 Winter Park residents was charged with working with staff and the community to create the language for the Overlay District. The Steering Committee process was approximately 6 months long and included 12 bi-weekly meetings that were scheduled for at least 2 hours, plus a worksession that consisted of a Community Walkshop. At their final meeting on November 13, 2019, the Orange Avenue Overlay Steering Committee voted 8-2 to recommend approval of the draft language that would create the Overlay District. The major topic that all members of the Steering Committee could not agree upon was whether or not the City-owned Progress Point property should be developed, to what scale it should be developed, and whether or not it should be used as a park. Additionally, one Committee member disagreed with parts of the proposed language.
Starting with a March 25, 2019 Pubic Input meeting, staff has had continuous opportunities for public input and has been out in the community discussing the Orange Avenue Overlay District. By the end of this Overlay process, there will have been 19 publicly advertised meetings where the public was invited to attend, provide input, comment or ask questions. Additionally, there will have been 2 worksessions open for the public to attend by the Planning & Zoning Board, along with 2 City Commission work sessions.
Per City Code, staff sent Citywide notice to all properties in the City of Winter Park. The notice stated that the Planning & Zoning Board would hold a public hearing on December 3, 2019 and that the City Commission would hold a public hearing on January 13, 2020. Notices were in homes at least 30-days prior to the first public hearing on December 3, 2019. On December 3, 2019, the Planning & Zoning Board held a public hearing on the Orange Avenue Overlay. After extensive public input, the Board gave resounding support of the public process, the work of the Steering Committee and planning staff. The vote was unanimous to recommend approval of the Overlay District.
Staff is requesting this worksession to have public discussion with the City Commission about the Orange Avenue Overlay District.