Thursday, May 8, 2014 WPMOBSERVER.COM 50¢+ tax Serving Winter Park, Maitland, Baldwin Park, College Park and Goldenrod 407-740-0401 www.FirstColonyBank.net Winter Park Recovery Center Comprehensive Drug & Alcohol Treatment Protocols Sinclair Method For Alcohol Extinction Subutex/Suboxone For Opioid Abuse Privacy and Confidentiality Assured Your Real Hometown Bank Central Florida’s Largest Private Outpatient Treatment Facility On Hwy 17-92 in Maitland 2056 Aloma Ave, Suite 100, Winter Park, FL 32792 www.WinterParkRecoveryCenter.com - 407-629-0413 Member FDIC www.wpmobserver.com/enews RingingRinging inin SunRailSunRail CHIHUAHUAS TAKE TO THE TRACK LIFESTYLES, 8 PHOTO BY TIM FREED Opening an opera — THE OBSERVER Winter Park Mayor Ken Bradley rings the bell to Rollins students set the stage. announce the arrival of SunRail, which lauched LIFESTYLES, 6 with ceremonies at each stop on April 30. See more photos of the commuter rail’s kickoff on page 11. Neighborhood know-how Tips from a Realtor on choosing the right place to call home. HOME MAGNIFIER, 9 COMMUNITY BULLETIN........... .4 Will the road run through it? CALENDAR ................... .4 LIFESTYLES................... .6 City proposes alternate to head further east on Webster placed near their HOME MAGNIFIER .............. .9 Avenue from Lee Road. future Whole CULTURE.................... .15 Lee Road extension A project to extend Lee Road Foods Market lo- OPINIONS ................... .19 has been on the Florida Depart- cation along 17- CLASSIFIEDS ................. .20 TIM FREED Observer staff ment of Transportation’s to-do 92. list since 2003, back when they On Monday SUBSCRIBE NOW! Winter Park officials discussed conducted a Preliminary Devel- city staff present- VISIT WPMOBSERVER.COM a new approach to realigning Lee opment and Environment study ed the Commis- Road on Monday – hoping to suggesting a realignment punch- sion with a new solve local traffic problems with- ing the road through to Denning alternative, which out creating new ones. Drive and Railroad Avenue. extends Lee Road The City Commission held UP Development from Nash- toward Denning a work session to look at three ville recently had a study con- before curving potential realignments for street, ducted and proposed a similar south and con- PHOTO BY TIM FREED — THE OBSERVER trying to manage traffic along alignment of their own – referred necting to Web- Three options were on the table for Lee Road extension plans. U.S. Highway 17-92 to the south. to as “Alignment A” – connecting ster Avenue. The section of road fills up with to Carver Street. The developer The new route – referred to about more cut-through traffic in drivers heading north and south had pushed for that study in 2003 as “Alignment B” – came in re- neighborhoods to the north along Publisher statement on page 2. USPS 00-6186 on 17-92 along with others trying in hopes of getting a traffic light sponse to residents concerned n Please see ROAD on page 2 City says development size matters Other language from the to negotiate, allowing the City Winter Park Commission votes down ordinance would have excluded Commission a better chance of parking garages when calculat- getting the developments they amendment to allow bigger buildings ing a development’s floor area want. TIM FREED ratio (FAR), a regulated percent- “When you have the garage Observer staff The amendment voted age of a building’s size com- as part of the FAR, you never down by City Commissioners pared to its lot. really are able to capitalize on Winter Park residents wary would have allowed all city The amendments were the total FAR of that building,” of more development breathed a property next to a four-lane largely influenced by planning Stone said. “You have to al- sigh of relief last Monday after a road – outside the box of prop- consultant Silvia Vargas’ study locate some of that space to the proposed change to the com- erty surrounded by Fairbanks, of the comprehensive plan last parking garage. If we’re going prehensive plan, which could Interlachen, Pennsylvania and year. Planning and Community to do that, then we’re really not have opened the door for more Webster avenues – to be zoned Development Director Dori truly getting a 200 percent FAR, development of a larger size, for planned developments, Stone said the recommended you’re really getting 150 or 130 came down to a single vote by larger projects usually made up changes would give develop- or 100 percent FAR.” the City Commission. of mixed land uses. ers more flexibility and room n Please see DEVELOPMENT on page 2 Page 2 | Thursday, May 8, 2014 | Winter Park / Maitland Observer ROAD | Cut-through traffic is issue No. 2 DEVELOPMENT | Garages still count n CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE really gives me heartburn,” Coo- n CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE areas to test that level of density Established in 1989 by Gerhard J.W. Munster Denning Drive. per said. “If we’re going to make “You’re not really giving the without damaging residential “One of the main advantages this decision, let’s make sure we development that opportunity to areas or the city core. She said Thursday, May 8, 2014 is it puts the traffic on Webster completely understand.” see what they can bring in and sticking to that concept is crucial PHONE: 407-563-7000 where we feel like this dogleg Taking out existing traffic see what we can negotiate.” to maintaining the desirability of FAX: 407-563-7099 traffic is going anyway,” Public lights, she said, might be a better City Commissioners voted Winter Park. WPMOBSERVER.COM Works Director Troy Attaway solution. down the changes 1-3. Mayor “What we’re now doing is we PUBLISHER said. “It also severely alleviates Mayor Ken Bradley said the Ken Bradley’s absence from the are saying that, ‘Unless you’re the potential for people to travel Lee Road intersection and the cut- meeting put a final deciding vote in the area from Pennsylvania Tracy Craft 407.515.2605 north on Denning and impacting through traffic in neighborhoods on the shoulders of Vice Mayor to Interlachen and from Webster [email protected] neighborhoods around Park Ave- should be treated as separate is- Steven Leary. to Fairbanks, you are eligible for nue – we heard that as a concern.” sues. A vote in support of the item this planned development zon- MANAGING EDITOR FDOT ap- Cars cut- would have tied the count at 2-2 ing,’” Cooper said. Isaac Babcock proved of the ting through and moved the item forward, but “I believe we are opening the 407.563.7023 [email protected] alignment, but on “If we’re going to make neighborhoods Leary instead chose to oppose aperture way too wide.” the condition that this decision, let’s make could be given the ordinance Cooper said planned devel- ASSOCIATE EDITORS left turns onto sure we completely a study all its Leary had spoke in favor of opments are at risk of becom- Sarah Wilson Webster from 17- own, he said. the changes moments earlier, ing even bigger when taking 407.563.7026 92 would be pro- understand.” “I don’t supporting the increased flex- parking garages out of the FAR [email protected] hibited, Attaway know how ibility. calculation, which ultimately Tim Freed said. A traffic light at the extended much of it’s caused by this in- “There’s a determines a 407.563.7054 road and Webster would be pro- tersection and I don’t know how way to do it “I believe we are building’s size. [email protected] posed by the city as well. much is going to be fixed by this gracefully and “The only ARTS EDITOR But City Commissioner Caro- intersection,” Bradley said. “Rav- I think if we opening the aperture thing that con- audage has just one restaurant to trols the size of Josh Garrick lyn Cooper said the city shouldn’t can turn that way too wide.” [email protected] be so quick to extend Lee Road, it and we’re complaining about over to staff the building is which she believed could cause cut-through traffic.” and give them the size of the DESIGNER more cut-through traffic in other City Commissioners eventu- the flexibility to do that, we can building lot,” Cooper said. Tom Miller neighborhoods. ally agreed that Alignment B had get what we want,” Leary said. More than a dozen Winter 407.563.7032 [email protected] The completion of the Ravaud- the most potential of the three op- But Commissioner Carolyn Park residents stepped forward age planned development nearby tions and should be sent to FDOT Cooper showed concern over the prior to the City Commission STAFF WRITERS could offset the extension, she as their primary choice. ordinance, claiming that planned vote to voice their disapproval Brittni Larson said, bringing in 3,200 more peak The City Commission will be development should be limited and fear of widespread develop- Megan Stokes Allison Olcsvay hour trips to the Lee Road inter- presented with a resolution for- and parking garages should be ment in the city. Kristy Vickery section. mally supporting the alignment at part of the FAR. Resident Linda Eriksson “For me, to jump right to cut- a future meeting date, City Man- Cooper said the compre- said that more developments of COLUMNISTS ting through our neighborhoods ager Randy Knight said. hensive plan identified specific increased size would eventually Chris Jepson turn Winter Park from extraordi- [email protected] nary to generic. Louis Roney “I don’t want this to become [email protected] Savannah Court and Cove anywhere, USA,” she said. “I ADVERTISING SALES Excellence in Assisted Living, want us to stay a village.” (Display & Classifieds) Resident Sally Flynn stepped Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Linda Stern before the podium holding a 407.376.2434 A Senior Living Community where Hospitality is a Way of Life.