Commission deadlocks on easement for proposed Clark Road 7‑Eleven; item to return

The Ocoee City Commission failed to approve a cross‑access easement for a proposed 7‑Eleven at Clark Road and Ocoee Vista Parkway on July 7, 2026, when the vote resulted in a tie and the mayor said ties fail.

Commissioner Oliver pressed staff on safety issues, citing a nearby fire station and a widened four‑lane roadway that he said would create hazardous left‑turn movements without a traffic signal and deceleration lanes. “I see it as a matter of public safety,” he said, urging that a signal and turn lanes be in place as the project becomes operational.

Brett McFarland of Development Services said the item before the commission that evening was limited to an easement granting cross‑access from Clark Road and that the developer had agreed to construct a traffic signal. He told commissioners that off‑site turn‑lane design and proportionate‑share details are still being negotiated and would be addressed in a development agreement before the project becomes operational.

Developer Alan Peacock, representing v3 Capital, told the commission the developer will build the shared access and maintain it at its own cost. “We are building the access for our property as well as for y’all and maintaining that at our cost,” he said.

Commissioner Kendra Harris moved to approve the easement; the motion was seconded. The clerk announced the vote tied and the mayor declared the tie to mean the motion failed. The commission directed staff to return the item to a future meeting when a full commission is present to allow a definitive vote.

Staff indicated that without the cross‑access agreement the developer would have to revise the site plan to locate access solely on its own parcel and that the final development agreement and site plan would return to the commission for approval. The commission did not adopt the easement and took no final action on the underlying site plan that night.