Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Comprehensive Plan topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission advances East Winter Garden land-use changes to allow new housing options
Summary
The Winter Garden City Commission at its Feb. 27 meeting approved first readings and moved three Comprehensive Plan amendments affecting the Historic East Winter Garden neighborhood to second reading after state review, clearing the way for an overlay and new housing types, including accessory dwelling units.
Planning Director Kelly Carson told the commission staff is proposing three Comprehensive Plan amendments to enable an overlay and introduce two new land-use policies for Historic East Winter Garden. She said the changes are intended to create "attractive affordable housing opportunities" and allow more housing types without "fundamentally chang[ing] the character of the community."
Carson described the proposed Policy 1-1-2.19 (Neighborhood Residential) for the east side and Policy 1-1-2.20 (Neighborhood Mixed-Use) for the west side of the neighborhood, and emphasized the amendments themselves would not immediately change what residents can build. "These three ordinances propose changes to the City’s Comprehensive Plan to allow for future adoption of an overlay," she said, and staff recommended approval.
Mayor John Rees opened the public hearings on Ordinances 25-04, 25-05 and 25-06 and, hearing and seeing no public comment, the commission unanimously voted to advance each ordinance to second reading and public hearing after state review. Ordinance 25-05 would re-designate roughly 100.5 acres near E. Plant Street and SR 429 to Neighborhood Residential; Ordinance 25-06 would re-designate about 22.8 acres to Neighborhood Mixed-Use.
Supporters on staff said the overlay and related code will include controls such as density bonuses with oversight from staff and the commission to guard against displacement; the commission did not receive public opposition during the hearings. The items will return for second reading and formal adoption after state review.
