Commission postpones discussion on ER

The $11.5 million project would include a one-story, 11,570-square-foot freestanding emergency room building.

By Annabelle Sikes
| 9:00 a.m. May 3, 2024

The property is located at the vacant tract to the south of 1200 Daniels Road in the recently developed Daniels Road Business Park.

West Orange Times & Observer
News

Discussion on the site plan for a new freestanding emergency room was postponed at the Winter Garden City Commission meeting Thursday, April 25.

At a community meeting in January, HCA Florida Osceola Hospital shared plans to build the ER on the vacant tract to the south of 1200 Daniels Road in the recently developed Daniels Road Business Park.

The $11.5 million project would include a one-story, 11,570-square-foot freestanding emergency room building. The Winter Garden facility would feature 11 emergency exam rooms, CT scan, digital X-ray, ultrasound, on-site laboratory services and would be capable of caring for all ages, including pediatrics.

The existing land use for the 1.56-acre property is vacant land, and the existing zoning is Arterial Commercial District. The ER would require a special-exception permit, which received recent approval from the city’s Planning and Zoning Board.

Planning Director Kelly Carson said the facility would be open 24 hours a day, with walk-in and ambulance accommodations but not overnight care.

Carson said the conditions of approval include that no helicopters are permitted to land on or near the facility, the facility will provide an on-site ambulance service as to not negatively impact Winter Garden’s emergency services, and no sirens will be permitted during the unloading and loading of patients.

Mayor John Rees said he had several questions and concerns, and he would like more time to look at the plans, as well as discuss with local hospitals in the Winter Garden area, such as AdventHealth and Orlando Health – Health Central Hospital.

Commissioner Colin Sharman agreed.

“I would like to get more information from all of those sources,” he said. “We need to make the best decision for the city.”

The commission approved postponing the item to the next meeting, scheduled for Thursday, May 9.

JONES SWORN IN

Also at the meeting, the City Commission approved a resolution declaring the results of the municipal runoff election for the District 2 seat held April 16, with Iliana Ramos Jones unseating incumbent Ron Mueller.

Jones was then sworn into office for a four-year term.

With Jones sworn in, there are now three women sitting on the commission at the same time, a city first.

IN OTHER NEWS

Mayor John Rees read two proclamations: one declaring May 6-10, 2024, as Public Service Recognition Week and the other marking May 2, 2024, as National Day of Prayer.

The Winter Garden City Commission approved the first reading of an ordinance amending Chapter 70, Article I of the code of ordinances to add requirements for communications services provider applicants seeking right-of-way permits for installation of facilities within public rights-of-way.

Commissioners approved the first reading of an ordinance to remove burn permits from the city and amend the automatic fire protection system requirement to 6,000 square feet.

The city approved the second reading of two ordinances pertaining to a 0.52-acre property located at 114 E. Cypress St.; an amendment to the Future Land Use Map from Low Density residential to Commercial and a rezoning from Residential District to Arterial Commercial District.

Winter Garden approved a resolution establishing a revised investment policy incorporating the most current Florida Statutes checklist and updated market conditions. The current policy was last updated in 2009.

Commissioners approved and ratified a proposed International Association of Firefighters B Group collective bargaining agreement for the period of March 18 to Sept 30, 2024.

The city approved three purchase orders: The first for RCM Utilities LLC to install an electric panel and generator at Lift Station 25 in the amount of $52,000, the second for Veolia Water Technologies Inc. to repair disc filters at the wastewater treatment plant in the amount of $66,507.59, and the third for Murray Design Group for Marsh Road landscape and irrigation services in the amount of $52,000.

Winter Garden approved a professional services agreement with King Design Collaborative for a new, form-based code for the Historic East Winter Garden Neighborhood in the amount of $70,000.

The City Commission approved and authorized the city manager to execute a memorandum of understanding between Winter Garden, Orange County and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida to define the roles, intentions and responsibilities over the next two years as the Boys & Girls Club transition from their current location at 309 S. West Crown Point Road, Winter Garden, to their new and future location at 459 Ninth St., Winter Garden.

The city approved two special events: Shop, Dine & Stroll on May 4 and the 20th annual All American Kids Parade & Breakfast hosted by the Winter Garden Masonic Lodge from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 4.

District 1 City Commissioner Lisa Bennett was approved as Mayor Pro Tem for a two-year period.

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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.