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Mayor reports Bahama Breeze redevelopment, Pinecrest sale and tie‑ups with Omn i senior living; council to consider planning‑commission appointment
Summary
Mayor Klein and village staff briefed the Orange Village Council on redevelopment plans for the Bahama Breeze site, the Pinecrest sale and a change to an Omni Senior Living proposal that would add non‑senior townhomes, and requested an executive session to address a planning‑commission vacancy.
Orange Village officials told the council on March 5 that redevelopment and reuse proposals are moving forward for several commercial properties and that the village will need to appoint a planning‑commission member to maintain full membership as projects advance.
Mayor Klein said the Bahama Breeze restaurant will be demolished and replaced by a mixed‑use project; a related approval item is expected at an upcoming council meeting. The mayor described Pinecrest’s recent sale to a North Carolina developer known for outlet centers and higher‑end mixed‑use shopping centers and said the buyer plans to position Pinecrest as a “diamond in their portfolio,” adding financial resources and prospective tenants to the site.
Staff member Kim Ulner reported that Omni Senior Living brought a revision to a previously reviewed proposal that would convert some commercial lots to 15 townhomes; she said the developer asked the village to allow those townhomes without the usual 55+ restriction, and the planning commission approved a similar‑use determination (staff noted the change would create a buffer between commercial uses and existing residential areas). Ulner said, to her knowledge, the 15 townhomes are additional units to the prior plan.
Mayor Klein also said one planning‑commission member will take a leave of absence and asked the council to meet in executive session next week to discuss appointment options; he suggested the body may reach back to a recent pool of applicants to fill the vacancy temporarily or permanently as projects near formal applications.
Other context provided during the meeting included the mayor’s report on recent outreach in Washington, D.C., on housing and tax credit matters and an update that the First Calls program (a 9‑1‑1–adjacent initiative) attracted interest from the National 9‑1‑1 organization. Council members and staff said more detailed project materials will be circulated to council before formal votes and public hearings.
Ending: The council set public hearings for the next meeting and asked staff to circulate redevelopment materials; the planning‑commission appointment will be addressed in executive session next week.
