The approval process for the revised Rollins College workforce housing plan hit a snag during the May 7 Planning & Zoning Board meeting when it was revealed that the hearing was not advertised within the required 30 days prior to the meeting. Planning & Zoning Consultant Jeff Briggs told the32789 that an ad, published in the Orlando Sentinel, did not make the deadline.
The requirement is meant to provide adequate notice to members of the public wanting to attend zoning hearings. Board members voted to table the discussion until the next P&Z meeting on June 11. Revisions to the proposal include a reduction of square footage and exterior design.
Meanwhile, the property that formerly housed The Imperial Winter Park is one step closer to becoming the first East Coast location of Seattle-based Storyville Coffee.
P&Z Board members unanimously approved the Z Properties Group, Inc. plan for a three-story, 11,280-square-foot building to replace the recently razed two-story building at 111 S. Knowles Ave. Like the previous structure, the new building will front Knowles Avenue and Morse Boulevard, but with additional seven-foot setbacks to accommodate sidewalk seating for a first-floor coffee shop concept. The restaurant’s 104-seat capacity will not exceed that of The Imperial, and the 14 parking spaces required by the property’s C2 commercial zoning will be accommodated by the existing 12-space lot with two additional spaces on the street, created by closing a curb cut on the Knowles Avenue side.
The building’s second floor will contain office space, and an apartment unit with a terrace and pool will occupy the third floor. Attorney Becky Wilson, speaking on behalf of the property owners, assured the Board that the pool would only be for the leisure and exercise of the residents and “would not be open to the public.”
Planning & Zoning Director Allison McGillis noted the height compatibility of the new structure with the neighborhood, citing the nearby Landmark condominium building height of four stories, and the three-story designs of The Edyth, El Cortez apartments, and Winter Park Methodist Church. Previous concerns about the exterior design, which forced the postponement the original April 2 hearing, had been addressed prior to the May 7 meeting. Board members agreed that the new designs provide the necessary architectural compatibility with the downtown area.
Storyville Coffee operates two locations in the Seattle area and its artisan line of coffee and accessories are available online. The Winter Park location would be the company’s first on the East Coast.
The P&Z Board approval includes the condition that tenants must comply with the city’s noise ordinance, which prohibits outdoor speakers and live entertainment on the patios. The approval sends the proposal to a future City Commission meeting for discussion. Meeting agendas, information, and online access is available at cityofwinterpark.org/meetings.
