Commission OKs Windermere Springs Townhomes plan

Despite ongoing flooding and safety concerns on Reams Road, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 17 gave its approval, 5-2, of a townhome project site plan on the Horizon West road.

District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson and District 5 Commissioner Kelly Semrad dissented.

With the decision, the commission accepted Special Magistrate Igmedio Pantaleon ruling the board’s Aug. 13 denial of the Windermere Springs Townhomes preliminary site plan was “unreasonable and unfairly burdens the property.”

“The staff recommendation and the reports that were submitted to the (County Commission) were based upon competent substantial evidence and the request should have been approved for the PSP,” Pantaleon wrote in his ruling. “The recommendation of the Special Magistrate is that the PSP application should be put back before the (commission) and approved.” 

The 21-unit townhome project sits on 4.95 acres at 1365 Reams Road, Orlando. It earned initial county approval in 2018. After the commission’s August denial of the PSP, developer Reams Road Windermere Developments LLC petitioned for a special magistrate hearing.

District 3 Mayra Uribe said she was concerned that denying the property owner’s already-approved entitlements on the land likely would expose the county — and taxpayers — to costly litigation.

“There is justice and what is allowed under the law,” she said. “The magistrate clearly agreed we should have given this entitlement. Yes, it’s a horrible area. It needs a lot of help. But what we’re going to do is end up paying money to (the developer), delaying it and ultimately taking out any kind of restrictions we may have on this property to get it where we need. … Any they’re still going to get what they want.”

Wilson said she was concerned about the timing of the project. Developers hope to start construction by the second quarter of 2026, with competition anticipated by the end of 2028. She fears that timeline will make Reams Road worse before improvements can be completed.

“We are not condemning a property here, but we are saying right now, it could present a very big health, safety and welfare issue,” she said. “Safety is a concern, and I mean after a rainstorm. … After Milton, they would have needed waders to walk on any part of their property.”

Regarding traffic impacts, developer representatives said the project would yield 14 additional peak-hour trips on Reams. Regarding school impacts, it would generate an estimated two middle school and two high school students, they said.