Desperate to convince you Leary is a bad guy, Mackinnon sent a picture of a dense development showing what she portends would happen if Leary was elected Mayor. The picture is a fraud intended to scare the people of Winter Park.
What the picture does not show is that the planned development proposal required a limit of 47% total building coverage and 25% green space. The picture shows virtually 100% of the land covered with building and virtually no green space.
Winter Park Land Development Code Planned Developments:
Section 58.83 (e)(3): Maximum building lot coverage. The maximum building lot coverage (footprint) of the project shall not exceed 47 percent for any project limited to a maximum height of three stories and shall not exceed 55 percent for any project with more than three stories.
Section 58.83 (e)(4): Minimum open space. The land area of the PD project within the private property not covered by buildings shall constitute the project’s open space. At least 25 percent of the total dimensions of the private property shall be natural pervious green space and shall not be covered by any impervious surfaces or be utilized as an above-ground required stormwater retention area.
Be sure to vote on Tuesday, March 10th and please support Steve Leary for sensible leadership.
Regards, Pete Weldon
I’d like to hear from Cynthia MacKinnon or a supporter as to how they figured the coverage depicted on the mailer. What is her/their interpretation of the PD proposal and how did they arrive at that rendering? In my opinion, it is so blatantly different than Mr. Weldon’s they must have a solid source for this depiction. One of you is right.
Note that beneath the illustration, in the smallest and faintest text, it reads “Not An Actual Project.” Perhaps Ms Mackinnon believes that makes it not an actual lie.
I agree. One of us is right. The only way she could rationalize that picture is to hide an imaginary 40-50% of the lot open behind the building which would also be a fraud. No one would ever approve anything like what is shown.
Why does the code allow any more than three stories anyway? That seems high enough for Winter Park, doesn’t it? The section of the code you have quoted seems to suggest unlimited height is allowed. If so, Mackinnon’s mailer is understating the possible density of the project, not overstating it. Her mailer makes Leary look good by not showing an artist rendering of possible maximum height on the property.
City rules include a height map that shows the height limits by location. Those areas not defined as having height limitations on four lane roads allows for four stories. On Fairbanks near I-4 building heights can be 8 stories! I suggest every citizens review the Future Land Use element of the Comprehensive Plan and find the height map (page 73): https://cityofwinterpark.org/docs/departments/planning-community-development/planning-zoning/comprehensive-plan/gop-ch1-future-land-use.pdf.
Leary results were a little better than I anticipated. Awfully hard for his opponent to make the case that Winter Park is moving in the wrong direction. She tried, but it wasn’t enough.
Thank you Pete for taking all the slings and arrows. Your honest interpretations of the candidate’s positions were welcomed by me. Your references and sources were airtight. You helped a lot.