The Planning & Zoning Board unanimously voted to recommend conditional use approval for a revision to the Rollins College workforce housing plan. The vote came after nearly two hours of discussion at an Aug. 6 hearing, which focused on a community benefit agreement and the possibility of ad valorem tax exemption.
The 45,842-square-foot, 30-unit apartment building calls for six more units and approximately 15 fewer parking spaces than city code allows at its W. Welbourne Ave. property. However, the plan allows for 19 two-bedroom units, six one-bedroom units, and five three-bedroom units, which the College contends will reduce the need for the required 2.5 parking spaces per unit. The property also comes with a community benefit agreement that lists the following conditions:
- A five-foot easement along W. Welbourne Ave. for city-installed, on-street parking and bump-outs with trees.
- The prohibition of classroom space and of housing for undergrad and grad students.
- The property is to remain subject to ad valorem taxes unless otherwise permitted by state statutes.
- A landscape plan approved by city staff with no drainage swales along the Welbourne Avenue frontage.
- Construction plans should indicate the location of a laydown area for materials during construction.
- A six-month minimum for all leases and a requirement that only plants and patio furniture be permitted on patios and balconies.
- Roof-mounted solar panels to be part of the building design.
- Rollins to coordinate the undergrounding of powerlines with the city.
- Rollins to commit to use units exclusively as faculty and staff housing for a 30-year period.
The approval process began in January with the first version meeting with Board approval but tabled by City Commission over design and zoning issues. An extensive revision required the process to restart in June with P&Z Board members voting to table the item to allow time for the new design to be presented at a community meeting. The Board also requested the inclusion of a previously omitted agreement that the building use would not change for a period of 30 years. A city code limiting the Board to only one tabling per item meant a vote had to take place at the Aug. 6 hearing.
Despite the fulfillment of both requests, a debate resumed over Rollins’ intent to apply for ad valorem tax exemption from the state based on its status as a nonprofit educational institution. Six of 12 residents in attendance and three of the seven P&Z Board members spoke against recommending the new proposal unless the matter was addressed.
Board members Jason Johnson, Bill Segal, and Warren Lindsey believed that, in the event of state-permitted tax exemption, the College should pay taxes supporting city services from which the apartment residents would benefit. Johnson regarded the building as a commercial project with, “requests for conditions for which the Board is entitled to ask the College to give back,” adding, “they acknowledge, here tonight, they fully intend to seek that tax exemption. I just think that’s unfair to the residents of the City of Winter Park.”
Segal said that seeking tax exemption from the state was a case of the College “missing the opportunity to tell the community, ‘We’re a partner.’”
Board members Alex Stringfellow and Michael Spencer felt the tax issue should not be a Planning & Zoning matter. “I don’t think the purview of this board is to get into levying fees and taxes,” Stringfellow said while Spencer stated that anyone disagreeing with a state-permitted tax exemptions should petition the state for a change.
“I think there’s questions about whether or not they will even receive (a tax exemption) from the state given that this is a housing project,” said Board Chair David Bornstein, who later added that the Board had the right to include tax payments as a suggested condition for City Commission to consider.
Board member Jim Finch believed that housing should be limited to Rollins faculty and not staff members, and was in favor of an additional condition preventing Rollins from amending any part of the agreement.
Lindsey made a motion to accept the proposal and benefit agreement, along with the condition that the percentage of ad valorem taxes covering police and fire, city debt service, and stormwater services be paid in the event of a full tax exemption by the state. An additional condition that prevented the College from changing any part of the agreement for a five-year period was also added. All seven Board members voted to recommend the amended proposal to City Commission.
Blue Bamboo rezoning ordinance
The Board also paved the way for Blue Bamboo to begin its reuse of the former library building by approving two ordinances amending the zoning of its 460 E. New England Ave. property. The first ordinance changes its multi-family, R4 zoning to Quasi-Public (PQP) with an Institutional designation. The second ordinance establishes a new permitted use for the recently approved lease, allowing for “performance art venues together with ancillary gallery, educational, rehearsal, recording studios and offices to support the like, within a city-owned building.” The rezoning is only effective for the term of the Blue Bamboo lease.
City Commission previously voted in favor of the rezoning to allow for the uses outlined in the Blue Bamboo proposal, but the item had to go through Planning & Zoning as a matter of procedure. Board members regarded the approval as a formality and were hesitant to substitute a ruling by City Commission. However, Bill Segal cast a symbolic “no” vote for “technical reasons,” stating he was not in favor of the way the process was handled.
Commissioners will discuss the Rollins workforce housing proposal and Board recommendations at a future meeting. The next City Commission meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 14, at 3:30 p.m. Meeting schedules, agendas, and virtual access are available at cityofwinterpark.org/meetings.