Chaine du Lac annexation moving forward

Although Windermere Town Council members generally support the proposed annexation of the Chaine du Lac community, opinions vary on whether a referendum for approval should apply only to Chaine du Lac residents or to all town residents. 

At its Nov. 12 meeting, the Town Council opted to move the ordinance forward to a second reading planned for Dec. 10.

According to cost estimates from Town Clerk Dorothy Burkhalter, advertising the referendum to only Chaine du Lac residents would cost about $1,500 to $2,000. Including all town residents would increase costs to about $4,000 to $5,000. The referendum would require a 50% plus one vote to pass.

However, council members Tom Stroup and Brandi Haines believe the cost should not be the determining factor and all residents in the town should have an opportunity to voice their opinions on a decision that impacts the entire community. 

“I have had a couple of people come to me and say they think it’s a good idea to annex in Chaine du Lac, and I have friends that live in Chaine du Lac (who) want to be annexed in,” Haines said. “That being said, the majority of people I’ve spoken with say the exact opposite. Some of them have said that even if they want Chaine du Lac annexed, they want the right to have a vote on it.”

REFERENDUM ROUNDTABLE

Chaine du Lac is located on 103 acres south of Lake Butler Boulevard and abuts the town limits to the west. The annexation would include not only the community’s homeowners association but also the entire area.

The Windermere proper town limit is 2.2 square miles, and Chaine du Lac would add about one-third of a square mile. 

Town Planner Brad Cornelius said the town is essentially a built-out community with few vacant properties left. Currently, the town has about 3,038 residents, with a total of about 3,250 residents estimated after build-out. Chaine du Lac would bring in about 212 residents if annexed.

Although council members reached a consensus at a workshop in May to move forward with the annexation, they have been divided throughout the process on whether the entire town population should be included as part of the voting process. 

The annexation was initiated by the Chaine du Lac HOA. 

Unlike Stroup and Haines, Mayor Jim O’Brien said most town residents he has spoken to support the annexation and refer to it as a “no-brainer.”

“We have an annexation that is of relatively small size with minimal impact; the character matches the character of the town,” he said. “We have to go with what we feel the town would think. Is it an option to have a full referendum? Yes. They’re very rarely successful. … The more you can control the borders of your community, the more you can control the quality of life, and that’s what we strive to do here. This isn’t about getting big. It’s about maintaining and increasing a little bit of what we receive in taxes so we are able to provide additional services and opportunities.”

However, Stroup maintained that if the entire town was allowed to vote on the annexation, then its success or failure would be based on the true will of the people.

“If the residents in Windermere voted not to have Chaine du Lac annexed in, that would be a valid reason to have a referendum,” Stroup said. “Not having a referendum in fear of residents not being for it is not the right reason not to have a referendum.”

BESSIE DRAINAGE

Council members also shared mixed opinions on a sub-recipient grant agreement for the Bessie Drainage project, which was tabled following concerns from Haines at the October Town Council meeting. 

Under the grant process for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the town was awarded funds for drainage improvements for the Bessie Basin area. This agreement is only for the portion for which FDEM will pay under the Benefit Cost Analysis performed for the project. 

The plans have been submitted to the state; staff recommended the approval of the agreement.

However, residents are upset because they thought potable water was included with the project, which now appears not to be the case. 

At the October meeting, Town Manager Robert Smith said the town was hoping to obtain additional money for the potable water at the same time but currently does not have the funds to do so. Therefore, the town currently is focused on completing the stormwater projects. 

Former Town Council Member and Windermere resident Bill Bardoe said he opposed the project from the beginning.

“The only carrot that was offered that made me change my mind was the Orange County water … but that’s gone now,” he said. “It was taken out. We didn’t even find out about it until three weeks ago. … It’s not going to happen in my lifetime. I’m never going to see that water.”

Nancy Bardoe said the couple’s neighbors also are opposed to the project. 

“There’s been a lack of communication and transparency,” she said. “I know people here know how important this is to us, and I just don’t think we received the information we needed.”

Haines also said she has a concern with transparency.

However, the item passed, 4-1, with Haines dissenting.