City commissioners discuss code amendments

The city of Winter Garden approved the first reading of a proposal to amend portions of the Code of Ordinances.

By Annabelle Sikes
| 10:00 a.m. October 20, 2022

West Orange Times & Observer
News

The city of Winter Garden approved the first reading of a proposal to amend portions of the Code of Ordinances concerning utilities and the city’s water and wastewater systems at the City Commission meeting Thursday, Oct. 13.

The request is to amend portions of Article II and Article IV of Chapter 78 creating provisions concerning water and sanitary sewer systems, industrial waste, and connections and services to industrial uses.

The amendment would clarify the city will no longer provide new water and wastewater connections and services to industrially zoned properties located outside of the city limits, and will not allow an increase in the volume or capacity of water or wastewater services for existing connections for such properties.

Assistant City Attorney Dan Langley, who helped draft the ordinance, said the city has engaged with an environmental attorney the city approached to discuss how to deal with microplastics that may affect the wastewater treatment plan and system.

Langley said the environmental attorney came back with language the city could add to the industrial retreatment remedying requirements.

“It would require any industrial user that is in that business to provide scientific data to ensure that whatever they flush down the wastewater system will not create a problem for the wastewater treatment facility,” he said. “Part of the highlights were also clarifying that we do in fact require an industrial waste treatment permit for certain types of users, specifically any industrial zone use, we require a special permit. There has been some misunderstanding about that … not by the city or staff but by others.”

The ordinance also puts an internal policy into the code that the city manager adopted that deals with the timing of permits for industrial users, which Langley said has already been in practice.

The first reading of the ordinance passed unanimously, with Mayor John Rees absent.

PAM Rehab Hospital

During the City Commission’s rescheduled meeting Wednesday, Oct. 5, the commission approved an ordinance relating to the PAM Rehab Hospital where the applicant requested an amendment to the subject property’s existing Planned Commercial Development zoning.

The ordinance addresses the 5.51-acre property, located at 541 Winter Garden-Vineland Road, and includes amended PCD requirements to permit the development of the site with a new single-story 50,000-square-foot physical rehabilitation hospital with associated site development such as landscaping, outdoor rehabilitation areas, sidewalks and stormwater infrastructure.

Community Development Director Steve Pash said the proposed PCD amendment is consistent with the city’s Comprehensive Plan and the city of Winter Garden Code of Ordinances.

The ordinance passed unanimously.

IN OTHER NEWS

The City Commission delayed the first reading of a series of three ordinances related to 30.24 acres located on Tilden Road for a future unannounced date. The applicant was requesting to annex the parcel into the city, as well as amend the future land use and rezone the property to Planned Unit Development. Assistant City Manager Frank Gilbert said he would like more time to study the proposals before making recommendations.
Commissioners delayed the second reading of an ordinance related to 3.04 acres located at 14990 W. Colonial Drive for a future unannounced date. The applicant was requesting to rezone the property to Planned Commercial Development to allow the redevelopment of the site from a 2,617-square-foot gas station to a 5,200-square-foot gas station. Gilbert said he would like more time to study the proposals before making recommendations.
Winter Garden commissioners approved a site plan for the property located at 78 3rd St., 11 2nd St. and 230 E. Bay St. for the Florida Paint Warehouse Expansion. The applicant is proposing to expand the existing 59,800-square-foot building with a 10,700-square-foot expansion on the northern portion of the site. The project also will have associated development, including landscaping and pedestrian walkways. The 2.164-acre subject property is designated Industrial on the city’s Future Land Use Map and is zoned I-2, General Industrial District.
The City Commission approved the Rotary Club of Winter Garden’s 14th annual Poker Tournament for Saturday, Oct. 17, at Tanner Hall, 29. W. Garden Ave.
Gilbert thanked residents for their patience with debris collection citing difficulty with contractors. Gilbert said the city has collected 12,000 cubic yards as of the meeting on Thursday, Oct. 13.

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Annabelle Sikes

News Editor Annabelle Sikes was born in Boca Raton and moved to Orlando in 2018 to attend the University of Central Florida. She graduated from UCF in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in sociology. Her past journalism experiences include serving as a web producer at the Orlando Sentinel, a reporter at The Community Paper, managing editor for NSM Today, digital manager at Centric Magazine and as an intern for the Orlando Weekly.