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

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

· **Two annexations on the May 6 docket reflect Winter Park's "donut hole" strategy.** The Stonehurst enclave (13 homes) and the 687 Harold Avenue parcel both close gaps between unincorporated and incorporated land. The Stonehurst case carries a procedural mechanism worth noting: a joint planning agreement with Orange County imposed a nine-month clock to annex the enclave, and an interlocal agreement finalized it. This is the formal path Winter Park uses to absorb pockets within its planning footprint without contested rezonings. · **The 747 McIntyre Avenue lot split exposes the city's two-board approval architecture for historic-district redevelopment.** Demolition needs HPB approval; the lot-split needs PZB approval; new home architecture goes back to HPB. The HPB has already pre-conditioned the approval by saying it does not want mirror-image homes — a directive the applicant has accepted by proposing two distinct architectural styles. This is the tight choreography of preservation-anchored redevelopment in Winter Park. · **The AutoZone CUP at 2684 Lee Road is a stress test of the C-3 commercial design standards.** The board is signaling it wants more traditional materials (lap siding, brick) over the proposed stone veneer, the Fire Chief is prohibiting on-site oil changes via condition, and staff is exploring a monument-sign easement at the corner to mark a Winter Park gateway. The CUP standard for auto parts stores in C-3 is doing real work here — the project meets parking but the architectural review is where the friction lives. · **Two new board members + one vacancy = a board reshuffling its philosophy mid-cycle.** Dick and Steinberg are seated; one seat is still open. Substantive votes on Design Standards, the Hawick Lane rezoning, and the Stonehurst annexation are coming in May/June. The current 5-member quorum is an unusual operating state; chair-election dynamics are imminent.

Meeting Reading

Winter Park Planning & Zoning Board

April 29, 2025

1 item on the agenda

**Two annexations on the May 6 docket reflect Winter Park's "donut hole" strategy.** The Stonehurst enclave (13 homes) and the 687 Harold Avenue parcel both close gaps between unincorporated and incorporated land. The Stonehurst case carries a procedural mechanism worth noting: a joint planning agreement with Orange County imposed a nine-month clock to annex the enclave, and an interlocal agreement finalized it. This is the formal path Winter Park uses to absorb pockets within its planning footprint without contested rezonings.
**The 747 McIntyre Avenue lot split exposes the city's two-board approval architecture for historic-district redevelopment.** Demolition needs HPB approval; the lot-split needs PZB approval; new home architecture goes back to HPB. The HPB has already pre-conditioned the approval by saying it does not want mirror-image homes — a directive the applicant has accepted by proposing two distinct architectural styles. This is the tight choreography of preservation-anchored redevelopment in Winter Park.
**The AutoZone CUP at 2684 Lee Road is a stress test of the C-3 commercial design standards.** The board is signaling it wants more traditional materials (lap siding, brick) over the proposed stone veneer, the Fire Chief is prohibiting on-site oil changes via condition, and staff is exploring a monument-sign easement at the corner to mark a Winter Park gateway. The CUP standard for auto parts stores in C-3 is doing real work here — the project meets parking but the architectural review is where the friction lives.

On April 29, 2025, City of Winter Park's Planning & Zoning Board considered 1 agenda item. **Two annexations on the May 6 docket reflect Winter Park's "donut hole" strategy.** The Stonehurst enclave (13 homes) and the 687 Harold Avenue parcel both close gaps between unincorporated and incorporated land. The Stonehurst case carries a procedural mechanism worth noting: a joint planning agreement with Orange County imposed a nine-month clock to annex the enclave, and an interlocal agreement finalized it. This is the formal path Winter Park uses to absorb pockets within its planning footprint without contested rezonings. **The 747 McIntyre Avenue lot split exposes the city's two-board approval architecture for historic-district redevelopment.** Demolition needs HPB approval; the lot-split needs PZB approval; new home architecture goes back to HPB. The HPB has already pre-conditioned the approval by saying it does not want mirror-image homes — a directive the applicant has accepted by proposing two distinct architectural styles. This is the tight choreography of preservation-anchored redevelopment in Winter Park. **The AutoZone CUP at 2684 Lee Road is a stress test of the C-3 commercial design standards.** The board is signaling it wants more traditional materials (lap siding, brick) over the proposed stone veneer, the Fire Chief is prohibiting on-site oil changes via condition, and staff is exploring a monument-sign easement at the corner to mark a Winter Park gateway. The CUP standard for auto parts stores in C-3 is doing real work here — the project meets parking but the architectural review is where the friction lives.

CHANGE LENS

THE READINGmeeting record

City of Winter Park Planning & Zoning Board Work Session — April 29, 2025

Meeting Overview

Type: Work Session Quorum: Yes (5 of 7 seated members present) Duration: Approximately 37 minutes (12:03 PM – 12:40 PM)

Attendance

Present: Alex Stringfellow, David Bornstein, Jason Johnson, Bill Segal, Michael Dick
Absent: Charles Steinberg
Staff Present: Director of Planning and Zoning Allison McGillis, Senior Planner/Zoning Official John Harbilas, Planner II Nicholas Lewis, Planner I Corinna Lundgren, Administrative Coordinator Mary Bush

Agenda Items

Item 1: New Board Member Welcome + Upcoming May 6 Agenda Discussion

Type: Discussion (no action)
Notable Discussion:
- Welcome of new Board members Michael Dick and Charles Steinberg, with one third seat still pending appointment ahead of the next meeting.
- Stonehurst Enclave annexation — 13 single-family homes south of Lake Virginia / east of Winter Park Road. Joint planning agreement with Orange County obligated annexation within nine months; an interlocal agreement finalized the action. The May 6 vote will assign R-1AA / Single-Family Future Land Use to match the existing county designations.
- 687 Harold Avenue annexation — a small "donut hole" parcel south of West Fairbanks. Owner requesting annexation; only intent is to rebuild a fire-destroyed rear structure, no major redevelopment. To receive C-3 commercial zoning consistent with surrounding parcels.
- 747 McIntyre Avenue lot split (College Quarter Historic District) — 107-foot lot split into two 52-foot R-2 lots. Historic Preservation Board already approved demolition; HPB will review the architectural plans for new construction. Board flagged that HPB indicated it does NOT want mirror-image homes; applicant's intent is one craftsman/country style and one Mediterranean.
- AutoZone CUP at 2684 Lee Road (former Denny's) — C-3 conditional use for an auto parts store under 10,000 sq ft. Project is overparked (36 spaces vs 21 required). Discussion focused on architectural materials (concerns with stone veneer, suggestions for lap siding or brick), the Fire Chief's prohibition on on-site auto maintenance in the parking lot, and a possible monument-sign easement to function as a city gateway.

Public Hearings Summary

[Work session — no public hearings.]

Key Signals

Two annexations on the May 6 docket reflect Winter Park's "donut hole" strategy. The Stonehurst enclave (13 homes) and the 687 Harold Avenue parcel both close gaps between unincorporated and incorporated land. The Stonehurst case carries a procedural mechanism worth noting: a joint planning agreement with Orange County imposed a nine-month clock to annex the enclave, and an interlocal agreement finalized it. This is the formal path Winter Park uses to absorb pockets within its planning footprint without contested rezonings.
The 747 McIntyre Avenue lot split exposes the city's two-board approval architecture for historic-district redevelopment. Demolition needs HPB approval; the lot-split needs PZB approval; new home architecture goes back to HPB. The HPB has already pre-conditioned the approval by saying it does not want mirror-image homes — a directive the applicant has accepted by proposing two distinct architectural styles. This is the tight choreography of preservation-anchored redevelopment in Winter Park.
The AutoZone CUP at 2684 Lee Road is a stress test of the C-3 commercial design standards. The board is signaling it wants more traditional materials (lap siding, brick) over the proposed stone veneer, the Fire Chief is prohibiting on-site oil changes via condition, and staff is exploring a monument-sign easement at the corner to mark a Winter Park gateway. The CUP standard for auto parts stores in C-3 is doing real work here — the project meets parking but the architectural review is where the friction lives.
Two new board members + one vacancy = a board reshuffling its philosophy mid-cycle. Dick and Steinberg are seated; one seat is still open. Substantive votes on Design Standards, the Hawick Lane rezoning, and the Stonehurst annexation are coming in May/June. The current 5-member quorum is an unusual operating state; chair-election dynamics are imminent.

Raw Notes

Brief discussion at meeting close about how work-session topics are chosen and which items will appear at upcoming regular meetings.
The board has not yet seen final architectural plans for the 747 McIntyre new homes — those go through HPB after the lot split is approved.