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Planning board approves Chabad synagogue, daycare and five townhomes at 210 E. Morris Blvd with conditions
Summary
After extensive public comment about traffic, parking and design, the Planning & Zoning Board approved a conditional‑use permit for a three‑story synagogue (80 seats), a daycare limited to 60 children, and five townhomes at 210 E. Morris Blvd, adding conditions that all daycare drop‑off and pick‑up be conducted inside the building’s garage and that the project use the alternative (contemporary) elevation.
The Winter Park Planning & Zoning Board voted Aug. 4 to approve a conditional‑use permit for a mixed redevelopment at 210 East Morris Boulevard that will replace the El Cortez apartments with five fee‑simple townhomes fronting Morse Boulevard and a three‑story synagogue and daycare on the Knowles frontage.
City staff told the board the proposal meets applicable zoning and lakefront/central business district considerations with conditions. The project proposes an 80‑seat sanctuary, a daycare capped at 60 children, and shared parking that relies on a 22–23 space basement garage, 10 surface spaces and internal stacking. Staff recommended approval with numerous conditions addressing noise, lighting, landscaping/screening, historic markers and operational requirements for queuing and stormwater.
The public comment period drew roughly 20 registered speakers. Supporters—many synagogue members and nearby residents—said the Chabad would fill a long‑standing gap in the city’s religious institutions and provide neighborhood childcare. “Chabad is a wonderful organization supporting families, old and young, and it would be a net positive for all of us,” said Eric Nissan, a resident and member of the Jewish community.
Opponents and concerned neighbors emphasized weekday morning drop‑off and afternoon pick‑up congestion, the adequacy of the proposed play area and questions about long‑term uses and tax‑exempt status. Several speakers urged that all daycare activity and queuing occur on site and not on adjacent public streets. Applicant representatives presented traffic analyses showing net minimal impact under weekday scenarios and described several measures to manage stacking and circulation.
During board deliberations several members said they were willing to approve only if the daycare drop‑off and pick‑up were secured inside the garage so queuing would not back onto Morse or Knowles. The board added two explicit conditions beyond staff’s recommendations: (1) all daycare drop‑off and pick‑up shall be conducted inside the garage beneath the synagogue; and (2) the board adopted the alternative, more contemporary architectural elevation as the approved design. With those conditions, the motion to approve passed by roll call.
The board’s recommendation (on non‑lakefront components) will go to the City Commission for final action where applicable; the conditional‑use decision and associated conditions were adopted by the board at this meeting.
