City of Winter Park Planning & Zoning Board: August 25, 2026 (Work Session)

Meeting Overview

Type: Work Session Quorum: Yes (7 of 7 members present) Duration: 33 minutes (called to order at 12:05 p.m. by Chairman Johnson; adjourned at 12:38 p.m.) Location: Chapman Room, 401 S. Park Avenue

Attendance

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

Agenda Items

Item 2.a: Upcoming Lakefront Site Plans, 633 Balmoral Road and 1294 Howell Branch Road

• Type: Site Plan (lakefront; preview)
• Location: 633 Balmoral Road; 1294 Howell Branch Road
• Action: Discussion only (work session)
• Notable Discussion: McGillis noted that the September agenda "is expected to be brief and will include two lakefront site plans, one at 633 Balmoral Road, which is adjacent to a property previously reviewed by the Board, and another at 1294 Howell Branch Road."

Item 2.a: Winter Park Day Nursery at 741 S. Pennsylvania Avenue

• Type: Conditional Use (preview)
• Location: 741 S. Pennsylvania Avenue
• Request: Conditional use approval for an approximately 1,000-square-foot rear addition and interior renovations, providing additional classrooms, bathrooms, conference space and storage and accommodating approximately 18 additional children
• Action: Discussion only (work session)
• Notable Discussion: Parking will increase from 21 to 35 spaces. Staff is coordinating with Urban Forestry on tree impacts and will recommend screening existing rooftop equipment. The application is expected to be heard in October because the property is within the College Quarter Historic District and must first be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Board.

Item 2.a: Proposed Rezoning from R-2 to O-1, Former The Gardens at DePugh Nursing Center Site, 550 W. Morse Boulevard

• Type: Rezoning with Comprehensive Plan Amendment (preview)
• Location: 550 W. Morse Boulevard (former The Gardens at DePugh Nursing Center site)
• Request: Rezoning from R-2 to O-1, with preliminary plans for one-story office buildings and surface parking
• Current Zoning: R-2
• Proposed Zoning: O-1
• Action: Discussion only (work session)
• Notable Discussion: Discussion included requested setback and landscape buffer variances, parking for a potential medical use, tree preservation, utilities and architectural standards. McGillis explained that "the additional Comprehensive Plan amendment would require compensation for the loss of residential development potential through the City's Affordable and Workforce Housing Trust Fund," and noted that the application remains incomplete and additional information is needed.

Item 2.a: Upcoming Lakefront Reviews on Previously Approved Subdivision Lots

• Type: Site Plan (lakefront; preview)
• Action: Discussion only (work session)
• Notable Discussion: The board briefly discussed upcoming lakefront reviews associated with previously approved subdivision lots.

Public Hearings Summary

Work session for fact-finding; the minutes record board and staff discussion only. Chairman Johnson recited the work session opening statement.

Key Signals

• A former nursing center site on W. Morse Boulevard is proposed for offices, and the plan amendment it needs would require housing trust fund compensation. The 550 W. Morse Boulevard proposal pairs an R-2 to O-1 rezoning with a Comprehensive Plan amendment that, per McGillis, "would require compensation for the loss of residential development potential through the City's Affordable and Workforce Housing Trust Fund." The board's September 29, 2026 work session agenda lists "Discuss upcoming agenda item - 550 W Morse Blvd requests."
• The Day Nursery addition goes to the Historic Preservation Board first. Staff expects the conditional use in October after historic review; the Historic Preservation Board agenda for September 9, 2026 carries COR #26-08 for a 1,025 square-foot, single-story rear addition at 741 South Pennsylvania Avenue (2026-09-agenda-HPB.md).
• The work session opening statement agreed on July 28 is in use. Chairman Johnson recited the work session opening statement, the one the board accepted at its July 28, 2026 work session (2026-07-meeting-PZB-WS.md).

Raw Notes

• The published agenda lists one discussion item, "Upcoming agenda items," under Item 2.a; the minutes cover four topics beneath it, recorded here as separate blocks.
• The September 1, 2026 agenda carries the two lakefront site plans previewed here as SPR #26-13 (633 Balmoral Road) and SPR #26-16 (1294 Howell Branch Road) (2026-09-agenda-PZB.md).
• Attested by Mary Jean, Board Administrator.
• Sources: agenda and minutes, CivicClerk winterparkfl, event 2753.