Salvador Ramos takes Welch's seat

OAKLAND Salvador Ramos, a 14-year resident of Oakland, has been appointed to replace Commissioner Willie Welch on the Oakland Town Commission. 

The new commissioner will finish the remainder of the term for Seat 3, which was left empty when Welch died Oct. 24. This seat — along with those of the mayor, held by Kathy Stark, and Seat 2, held by Vice Mayor Mike Satterfield — will appear on the March 8, 2016, municipal ballot. Ramos said he plans to run for re-election.

He was sworn into office at the Nov. 10 commission meeting and then took his seat at the table. He said it is an honor to be chosen to serve the town.

“I’ve always wanted to be part of protecting the unique charm and shaping the future of the town of Oakland, and I thought this to be an amazing opportunity God gave me to partake in,” Ramos said.

He said one important challenge will be to accommodate the impending growth while keeping the town’s quaint look and feel.

Ramos previously served for two-and-one-half years on the town’s Charter Review Committee.

He and his wife, Marivel, moved to Oakland in 2001 and have four children: Sal Jr., 13; Camila, 11; Gustavo, 8; and Sara, 3. He has attended Mosaic Church since 2007 and is a deacon there. An upcoming project for him is to launch Mosaic Latino Church.

“I am passionate about Jesus Christ, the town of Oakland and serving others,” Ramos said.

OAKLAND TRAILS

When the Oakland Trails community comes to the town of Oakland, the 108-acre development will offer two unique aspects to buyers: the option of houses or smaller bungalows and the inclusion of wastewater. All of Oakland currently is on septic tanks, and the town is working on a major sewer project.

The neighborhood is a step closer to development after the Oakland Town Commission approved a Planned Urban Development zoning, conceptual site plan and preliminary subdivision plat. It will be constructed north and west of the intersection of State Road 50 and Deer Island Road and south of Florida’s Turnpike off J.W. Jones Road.

Meritage Homes, the developer for Oakland Trails, plans to build up to 305 dwellings on 108 acres. The layout is designed where the density of the homes on the east side and around the perimeter of the west side are more in line with the common density of the town: larger single-family home lots. The inner dwellings will be bungalow-style units on smaller lots to encourage affordability.

Proposed lots will vary in size from 2,880 to 5,750 square feet.

IN OTHER NEWS

• Commissioners approved a land purchase totaling $146,480 so the town can to build a relief road between Oakland Avenue and State Road 50, parallel roads running east and west. Motomassek Road has been identified as an important connecting road.

The money would come from transportation impact fees.

Public Works Director Mike Parker wrote in a memo to the commission: “Recent traffic studies have also shown that as the Oakland Park development continues to grow and the vacant lands along State Road 50 begin to develop, this relief road will become even more necessary.”

Tubb Street is the only road in the town limits that runs north and south from Oakland Avenue to S.R. 50. On the west end of town, Oakland Avenue curves south and eventually leads to S.R. 50. To the east, Tildenville School Road is another important connector in the Winter Garden city limits.

• An interlocal agreement with the town of Montverde was approved, and it allows the town of Oakland to provide emergency water to the Lake County municipality. Montverde had initially requested that Oakland provide all water and/or sewer service to a new development called Lake Apopka Sound, but Oakland declined. Local officials did, however, agree to provide fire flow and emergency water. Montverde will pay all costs of the interconnection project.

• Town Manager Dennis Foltz asked for a consensus to investigate the possibility of buying the property at 301 N. Tubb St., adjacent to the Town Hall buildings. It would give town employees additional office and parking space. Foltz said he wants to look at the condition of the building and the purchase price.

• The commission appointed resident Paul Zakhary to the Planning & Zoning Board. He is currently an alternate on the Appearance Review Board.

Contact Amy Quesinberry Rhode at [email protected].