What were the most significant items on the Winter Park Planning & Zoning Board agenda for June 2025?

Meeting Reading

Winter Park Planning & Zoning Board

June 3, 2025

7 items on the agenda

**The 4-3 Chair election is the first board-philosophy fracture point of the new cycle.** Newest member Steinberg nominated Johnson (a sitting member); the prior Chair (Bornstein) was demoted to Vice-Chair (7-0 unanimous on that). Stringfellow, Sarkisian, and Bornstein voted against Johnson. The dividing line is not yet defined publicly, but it shows up immediately on the design-standards vote (Bill Segal + Michael Dick opposed Johnson's preferred condition removing "Contemporary").
**The Design Standards ordinance was approved 4-2 with "Contemporary" stripped out — the board's clearest architectural-identity statement of the cycle.** Stringfellow's firm authored the standards; he recused. Segal and Dick opposed the removal of the "Contemporary" category. The board majority asserted that "contemporary" is too open to interpretation and that applicants should propose such designs case-by-case rather than under a blanket category. The City Commission later allowed contemporary in the OAO, partially reversing the board (per the Aug 26 work-session minutes). This is the seminal Winter Park identity-vs-flexibility decision of 2025.
**The Hawick Lane rezoning passed 7-0 with three substantive conditions, including a front-porch minimum.** The board imposed: tree preservation, individual lift stations OR applicant-funded city sewer extension (a compromise the City Attorney drafted on the spot), and a 5-foot minimum front-porch depth. The porch requirement is the architectural lever — Winter Park's neighborhood-character defense applied at the lot-split rezoning stage. The lift-station compromise reveals a recurring pattern: collective infrastructure systems get rejected because the city ends up maintaining them.

On June 3, 2025, City of Winter Park's Planning & Zoning Board considered 7 agenda items. **The 4-3 Chair election is the first board-philosophy fracture point of the new cycle.** Newest member Steinberg nominated Johnson (a sitting member); the prior Chair (Bornstein) was demoted to Vice-Chair (7-0 unanimous on that). Stringfellow, Sarkisian, and Bornstein voted against Johnson. The dividing line is not yet defined publicly, but it shows up immediately on the design-standards vote (Bill Segal + Michael Dick opposed Johnson's preferred condition removing "Contemporary"). **The Design Standards ordinance was approved 4-2 with "Contemporary" stripped out — the board's clearest architectural-identity statement of the cycle.** Stringfellow's firm authored the standards; he recused. Segal and Dick opposed the removal of the "Contemporary" category. The board majority asserted that "contemporary" is too open to interpretation and that applicants should propose such designs case-by-case rather than under a blanket category. The City Commission later allowed contemporary in the OAO, partially reversing the board (per the Aug 26 work-session minutes). This is the seminal Winter Park identity-vs-flexibility decision of 2025. **The Hawick Lane rezoning passed 7-0 with three substantive conditions, including a front-porch minimum.** The board imposed: tree preservation, individual lift stations OR applicant-funded city sewer extension (a compromise the City Attorney drafted on the spot), and a 5-foot minimum front-porch depth. The porch requirement is the architectural lever — Winter Park's neighborhood-character defense applied at the lot-split rezoning stage. The lift-station compromise reveals a recurring pattern: collective infrastructure systems get rejected because the city ends up maintaining them.

CHANGE LENS

THE READINGmeeting record

City of Winter Park Planning & Zoning Board — June 3, 2025

Meeting Overview

Type: Regular Meeting Quorum: Yes (7 of 7 members present — first full board after vacancies were filled) Duration: Approximately 1 hour 26 minutes (6:00 PM – 7:26 PM)

Attendance

Present: Alex Stringfellow, David Bornstein, Jason Johnson, Bill Segal, Charles Steinberg, Michael Dick, Vashon Sarkisian
Absent: None
Staff Present: Director of Planning and Zoning Allison McGillis, Asst. Director/Zoning Official John Harbilas, Planner II Nicholas Lewis, Planner I Corinna Lundgren, Administrative Coordinator Mary Bush

Agenda Items

Item 1: Selection of Chair and Vice-Chair

Type: Board governance
Action: Jason Johnson elected Chair (4-3 split); David Bornstein elected Vice-Chair (7-0 unanimous)
Vote (Chair): 4-3 — In Favor: Michael Dick, Bill Segal, Charles Steinberg, Jason Johnson. Opposed: Vashon Sarkisian, Alex Stringfellow, David Bornstein.
Vote (Vice-Chair): 7-0 unanimous
Notable Discussion: Charles Steinberg nominated Johnson; Bill Segal nominated Bornstein for Vice-Chair. Roll-call vote produced the first split governance vote on the board this cycle. The two newest members (Steinberg, Dick) plus Segal voted Johnson in alongside himself; Stringfellow, Sarkisian, and the prior Chair Bornstein opposed.

Item 2: SPR #25-06 — 657 Balmoral Road Pergola (Lake Berry)

Type: Site Plan Review (Lakefront — retroactive)
Case Number: SPR #25-06
Location: 657 Balmoral Road, Lake Berry
Applicant: Stephen Williams
Request: Approval to construct a 672-square-foot covered pergola (already constructed prior to application)
Current Zoning: R-1AAA
Staff Recommendation: Approve
Action: Approved
Vote: 7-0 unanimous
Notable Discussion: Application submitted after construction. Met all zoning criteria except that the structure exceeds 500 sq ft and was built closer to the lake. Views from lake and neighbors not affected. Stormwater satisfied via 50-cu-ft swale retention.

Item 3: SPR #25-05 — 2250 Venetian Way Fence Modification

Type: Site Plan Review (Lakefront modification)
Case Number: SPR #25-05
Location: 2250 Venetian Way (canal-side parcel)
Applicant: David and Nancy Witter
Request: Modification to previous lakefront approval to allow up to a 7-foot solid white vinyl fence with a 30-foot lakefront setback
Current Zoning: R-1AA
Staff Recommendation: Approve
Action: Approved
Vote: 7-0 unanimous
Notable Discussion: New construction on adjacent property prompted neighbors to request restoration of the privacy fence that previously existed. Both adjacent neighbors signed letters of agreement. Fence sits atop new retaining walls accommodating the building grade. Chair Johnson disclosed friendship with the applicants but no communication on the request.

Item 4: ANNEX #25-04 / CPA #25-03 / RZ #25-03 — 874 Jackson Avenue Annexation

Type: Annexation + Comprehensive Plan Amendment + Rezoning
Case Number: ANNEX #25-04 / CPA #25-03 / RZ #25-03
Location: 874 Jackson Avenue (~0.50 acres, currently used for commercial vehicle storage)
Applicant: Cory Kroeger
Request: Annex the parcel; establish Commercial Future Land Use; establish Commercial (C-3) zoning. Located in the city's annexation reserve area.
Current Zoning: Orange County Commercial
Proposed Zoning: Commercial (C-3)
Staff Recommendation: Approve
Action: Approved
Vote: 7-0 unanimous
Notable Discussion: Property currently undeveloped, used for commercial vehicle storage. Owner intends to sell to a buyer who would maintain commercial parking use (permitted in C-3).

Item 5: CPA #25-04 / RZ #25-04 — 1101 Lewis Drive (Ravaudage PD)

Type: Comprehensive Plan Amendment + Rezoning
Case Number: CPA #25-04 / RZ #25-04
Location: 1101 Lewis Drive (Ravaudage Planned Development area, NW of Lee Road and US 17-92)
Applicant: Benjamin Partners, LTD
Request: Amend FLU from Low Density Residential to Orange County Planned Development; amend zoning from R-2 to OC PD
Staff Recommendation: Approve
Action: Approved
Vote: 7-0 unanimous
Notable Discussion: The Ravaudage master developer is purchasing out-parcels one by one and absorbing them into the PD. Already cleared by Development Review Committee. City Commission to give final approval and amend the Ravaudage development order to include the parcel.

Item 6: RZ #25-02 / SUB #25-01 — 2260 Hawick Lane Rezoning & Lot Split

Type: Rezoning + Subdivision
Case Number: RZ #25-02 / SUB #25-01
Location: 2260 Hawick Lane
Applicant: David Rasmussen (1460 Holts Grove Circle, Winter Park)
Request: Rezone from single-family (R-1A) to low-density residential (R-2); subdivide into three 50-foot R-2 lots
Current Zoning: R-1A
Proposed Zoning: R-2
Staff Recommendation: Approve with conditions (tree preservation; individual lift stations + force mains)
Action: Approved with revised conditions
Vote: 7-0 unanimous
Conditions:
- Preservation of four front-yard oak trees and the 32-inch rear-yard oak; removal of the damaged 42-inch oak in the right-of-way per code
- Each lot to include its own lift station and force main, OR the applicant may fund a city sewer extension at no cost to the city
- All three homes must include a front porch no less than 5 feet deep
Notable Discussion: The session's longest substantive discussion. Applicant's preference was a single shared sewer-line extension (~150 feet) at his cost, or a collective lift station for all three lots. Staff and most board members opposed collective lift stations citing historical precedent — collective systems often become city maintenance burdens. The compromise inserted into the conditions: applicant may fund a city sewer extension at no cost to the city. Front porch requirement added at minimum 5 feet deep, with width flexibility. Applicant cited two of his existing 50-foot-lot homes in Orlando as design precedent. One opposition speaker: David Williams of 209 Tyree Lane. Community meeting (April) had drawn no attendees.

Item 7: ZTA #25-02 — Updated Design Standards Ordinance (CBD / Morse / OAO)

Type: Text Amendment
Case Number: ZTA #25-02
Location: Citywide — Land Development Code Chapter 58, Article III, Sec. 58-71 through 58-83
Applicant: City of Winter Park
Request: Adopt updated design standards for the Central Business District / West New England Avenue, Morse Boulevard, and the Orange Avenue Overlay District
Staff Recommendation: Approve (concurred by Design Guidelines Ad-Hoc Committee)
Action: Approved with condition (removal of the "Contemporary" category in all three districts)
Vote: 4-2 — In Favor: Vashon Sarkisian, Charles Steinberg, David Bornstein, Jason Johnson. Opposed: Bill Segal and Michael Dick. Alex Stringfellow recused (as urban design consultant for the standards).
Notable Discussion: Stringfellow recused; presented an overview before recusal. Standards consolidate prior documents, emphasize traditional styles (Mediterranean, Spanish Colonial, Main Street Americana) but acknowledged contemporary in OAO. The board's added condition — removal of "Contemporary" from all three districts — was the substantive amendment. Discussion of expanding standards to SOFA District and along U.S. 17-92 (Bulla Gastrobar area) at future iterations. Compliance review of minor re-skins administrative; appeals to PZB.

Public Hearings Summary

Number of speakers: 1 substantive (David Williams, 209 Tyree Lane, opposed to Hawick Lane rezoning)
General sentiment: Effectively no organized opposition on the design-standards ordinance (the substantive split was internal); minimal opposition on Hawick Lane.

Key Signals

The 4-3 Chair election is the first board-philosophy fracture point of the new cycle. Newest member Steinberg nominated Johnson (a sitting member); the prior Chair (Bornstein) was demoted to Vice-Chair (7-0 unanimous on that). Stringfellow, Sarkisian, and Bornstein voted against Johnson. The dividing line is not yet defined publicly, but it shows up immediately on the design-standards vote (Bill Segal + Michael Dick opposed Johnson's preferred condition removing "Contemporary").
The Design Standards ordinance was approved 4-2 with "Contemporary" stripped out — the board's clearest architectural-identity statement of the cycle. Stringfellow's firm authored the standards; he recused. Segal and Dick opposed the removal of the "Contemporary" category. The board majority asserted that "contemporary" is too open to interpretation and that applicants should propose such designs case-by-case rather than under a blanket category. The City Commission later allowed contemporary in the OAO, partially reversing the board (per the Aug 26 work-session minutes). This is the seminal Winter Park identity-vs-flexibility decision of 2025.
The Hawick Lane rezoning passed 7-0 with three substantive conditions, including a front-porch minimum. The board imposed: tree preservation, individual lift stations OR applicant-funded city sewer extension (a compromise the City Attorney drafted on the spot), and a 5-foot minimum front-porch depth. The porch requirement is the architectural lever — Winter Park's neighborhood-character defense applied at the lot-split rezoning stage. The lift-station compromise reveals a recurring pattern: collective infrastructure systems get rejected because the city ends up maintaining them.
The Ravaudage master-developer assemblage pattern advanced one parcel at 1101 Lewis Drive. The PD-by-accretion model (DRC clears acceptance → PZB aligns FLU/zoning → City Commission amends the development order) is the working playbook for Lee Road / US 17-92 area absorption. Each parcel adds incremental capacity. Watch for adjacent out-parcels in subsequent meetings.
874 Jackson Avenue closes another West Fairbanks "donut hole." Annexation reserve area parcel currently used for commercial-vehicle storage; absorbed under matching commercial zoning. The pattern matches the 687 Harold Avenue annexation from May. Both procedural-clean, both 6-0/7-0, both anticipating the West Fairbanks corridor planning that's still maturing.

Raw Notes

Chair Johnson disclosed friendship with the Witter applicants but did not communicate with them prior to the meeting.
Stringfellow's recusal on the Design Standards vote is structurally important — his firm authored the standards as a paid city consultant.
Minutes of May 6, 2025 were approved 7-0.
These June 3, 2025 minutes were approved by the Board on July 1, 2025.