The expense of a mail-in ballot has led city leaders to keep the March referendum on the city’s gas-powered leaf blower ban to an in-person vote. The decision was made at the January 8 commission meeting when City Manager Randy Knight presented a cost comparison.
“It would be about $70,000 to do a mail ballot,” he said. “Roughly $55,000 to do the in-person, whether or not there’s candidates on the ballot.”
The ordinance placing the referendum on the ballot passed by a 3-2 vote in April, but commission authorized a mail-in option in December when it seemed commission seat candidates could run unopposed. Currently, attorney Warren Lindsey is the only resident running to fill Seat 4, which will be vacated by Commissioner Todd Weaver who is not seeking another term. Commissioner Kris Cruzada will run for reelection to Seat 3 and no challenger has currently filed. The deadline to qualify for the March city election is January 21.
The option of allowing voters their say was presented to the city in February by Sen. Jason Brodeur and an ordinance placing a referendum on the March ballot passed City Commission by a 3-2 vote in April. Brodeur this week has also intervened in Commissioner Weaver’s request to add his home to the city’s historic register.
Commissioners also approved new wording in the referendum after complaints of a lack of clarity in the ballot language. The former ballot statement read as follows:
Shall the City of Winter Park amend Article IV, Division 2, 62-97 of its Code of Ordinances, as provided in Ordinance 3292-24, to revise the City Code to repeal the City’s ban on the use of internal combustion powered leaf blowers and to regulate noise created by the use of leaf blowers consistent with those regulations regulating noise created by power tools?
The approved revise will read as follows:
Repeal of Ban on Use of Internal Combustion Powered Leaf Blowers: The Winter Park City Commission adopted an ordinance banning the use of internal combustion (gas powered) leaf blowers effective June 1, 2025. If you are in favor of repealing the ordinance banning internal combustion leaf blowers vote “Yes.” If you are in favor of leaving the ordinance banning internal combustion leaf blowers in place, vote “No.”
Playhouse purchase
Winter Park Playhouse is beginning the year with an end to its search for a permanent home. Commissioners voted to approve the purchase contract for its N. Orange Avenue building, which will be funded by $8 million in Orange County Tourist Development Tax dollars.
The grant money was awarded in October and will go toward a $10 million effort that includes the $3.875 million purchase price and a renovation to improve interior elements and expand seating capacity. The playhouse will put $2 million in donor contributions toward the total cost.
The nonprofit musical theater has occupied the building for its 23-year history and began the search of a new home when landlords announced their intention to sell in 2022. The city partnered with the playhouse on a series of relocation ideas meant to keep the organization, and its estimated $1.9 million economic impact, in the city.
The city will become the owner of the property and plans to enter into a lease agreement with the playhouse paying a nominal rate and funding all building maintenance.
The next commission meeting is scheduled for January 22 at 3:30 p.m. City meeting agendas and virtual access can be found at cityofwinterpark.org/meetings.
