Winter Park City Commission Regular Meeting - October 22, 2025

The Winter Park City Commission held its regular meeting on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, from 3:30 p.m. to 6:41 p.m. in City Hall Commission Chambers, 401 S. Park Avenue, Winter Park. Mayor Sheila DeCiccio presided; Commissioners Marty Sullivan, Craig Russell, Kris Cruzada and Warren Lindsey were present, along with City Manager Randy Knight, Assistant City Manager Michelle del Valle, City Attorney Kurt Ardaman and City Clerk Rene Cranis. By consensus, the commission moved agenda item 13d, the Winter Park Racquet Club request, to immediately after the consent agenda. The meeting included a cultural presentation, a proclamation, consent approvals, two quasi-judicial right-of-way/easement vacations, two conditional-use approvals, a city manager evaluation and a budget amendment.

Cultural Partner Presentation

• Full Sail University Chief of Staff Vernon Rainwater presented a video and updates on the university. He said 70% of Full Sail students come from outside Florida, 37% are non-traditional students age 25 or older, and roughly 70% come from lower-income backgrounds. Full Sail has 82 degree programs and plans graduate certificates in AI, data science and human-computer interaction. He also highlighted the university's new spatial-computing innovation lab, partnerships with WWE and EA Sports, and that 190 Full Sail graduates contributed to more than 170 nominated projects at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Mayor's Report

• Mayor DeCiccio read and presented a proclamation designating Nov. 1-8, 2025 as 'Week of the Family' in Winter Park. Genean MacKinnon shared history of the observance and recognized Valerie Sidel as the 2025 Paula Hawkins Champion of Children. The mayor thanked commissioners, staff and residents for their work during the Orange County redistricting process, although the city's preferred map option was not adopted.

City Manager's Report

• Craig O'Neil, assistant director of communications, presented 'Winter Park Celebrates America 250.' The city's planning committee has over 20 members and planned events including a Memorial Day flag-raising, an evening July 3 celebration of America's 250th birthday with the Bach Festival Orchestra, a patriotic window competition and a doorstep-decorating contest. Marketing will include QR postcards and press releases.
• City Manager Randy Knight reported Lake Highland Preparatory School volunteers removed about 71.5 pounds of trash at Howell Branch Preserve and removed invasive air potato vines. He asked commissioners to decide by the next meeting whether to participate in the Dec. 13 Annual Boat Parade. He also advised that the ITN for Seven Oaks Park received only one response, and per policy staff is rejecting that response and re-releasing the ITN.

City Attorney's Report

• Attorney Kurt Ardaman reported the court had not yet ruled in the case involving a palm tree on a Virginia Avenue property.

Consent Calendar

• The commission approved the Oct. 8, 2025 regular meeting minutes, six piggyback contracts and two direct contracts. The piggyback contracts were with Cintas ($275,000 cap, floor mats/uniforms/facility maintenance through Oct. 31, 2027), Stuart C. Irby ($700,000 cap, padmount switchgears through Jan. 1, 2026), Osmose Utilities Services ($200,000, electric utility wood pole inspection/treatment through Oct. 31, 2026), Wesco Turf Supply ($250,000 cap, landscape/grounds equipment through Jan. 31, 2029), Deere and Company ($350,000 cap, ground maintenance equipment through Jan. 31, 2029), and Alan Jay Fleet Sales ($175,000 cap, vehicles through Nov. 8, 2026). Direct contracts were Systems With Intelligence ($150,000, infrared substation monitoring through Sept. 30, 2026) and Ovation Construction (repair/construction services under $300,000 per project through Oct. 29, 2026, amount TBD). The consent motion carried 5-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Public comment was heard after the Racquet Club hearing and before the action items. Dr. Kelly Semrad, Orange County District 5 commissioner, said her office will work on more frequent communication with Winter Park and plans a community meeting with Florida Fish and Wildlife and Orange County Animal Services on living with coyotes. She also said the redistricting outcome was disappointing but that the county is ready to serve the city.
• Public testimony on specific conditional-use applications is summarized in the hearing sections below.

Action Items Requiring Discussion

• Civil Service Board: Commissioner Kris Cruzada recommended Matthew Farabaugh; the appointment was approved by consensus.
• City Manager's Annual Evaluation: Mayor DeCiccio moved to approve a 3% salary increase for City Manager Randy Knight, praising his availability, institutional knowledge and work on utility and intergovernmental matters. The motion carried 5-0.

Public Hearings: Quasi-Judicial Matters

Ordinance 3357-25 - Harmon Avenue Right-of-Way Vacation

• The commission adopted, on second reading, an ordinance vacating a 50-foot-wide unimproved portion of Harmon Avenue between the FDOT SunRail right-of-way and Palmetto Avenue. There was no public comment. The vote was 5-0.

Ordinance - Utility Easement Vacation at 2501 Tuscaloosa Trail

• On first reading, the commission approved vacating the eastern 6 feet of a 10-foot unimproved utility easement at 2501 Tuscaloosa Trail while retaining the remaining 4 feet until electric utilities can be relocated underground. There was no public comment. The vote was 5-0.

Medical Office Conditional Use - 1419/1421 Trovillion Ave and 1420/1424/1428 Gay Road

• The applicant, Kimley-Horn on behalf of Orlando Health's Jewett Orthopedic Institute, sought conditional-use approval for a 27,000-square-foot, two-story medical office building. Staff said the project includes 135 parking spaces, a wider sidewalk on Gay Road, a privacy fence and hedge along the west and south boundaries, and two requested variances: a wall sign facing east rather than a right-of-way or parking lot, and a landscape-island spacing exception due to an existing utility pole.
• Planning and Zoning recommended approval with five conditions, including no internally illuminated signs, an 8-foot sidewalk, traffic-calming coordination, 15-gallon hedge plantings, and a 6-foot vinyl or metal fence. Commissioner Warren Lindsey moved to approve with the P&Z conditions; Condition 5 was amended to require a 6-foot vinyl fence maintained by the applicant, and new conditions required an 'exit to right' sign at the Gay Road exit, frosted or treated windows on the south and west sides, and a city-staff review of the underground stormwater retention plan with modifications as required. Commissioner Marty Sullivan raised stormwater concerns about groundwater elevations; applicant representatives said the system would meet requirements and be adjusted during permitting. Commissioner Kris Cruzada expressed concern about enforcing local-only left turns but supported the sign. Paula White, 595 Lakefront Blvd., supported the right-turn-only sign and asked for a lower speed limit on Country Club. The motion carried 5-0.

Winter Park Racquet Club Conditional Use - 2011/2111 Via Tuscany

• Houseman Architecture requested approval to demolish the existing 5,421-square-foot, two-story house at the front of the Winter Park Racquet Club and replace it with a one-story, 6,300-square-foot building containing offices, locker rooms, a pro shop, a break room and a new 1,200-square-foot fitness center. The property remains in parks-and-recreation zoning; no rezoning was requested.
• Planning and Zoning recommended approval 5-1 with nine conditions covering an entrance-only curb cut on Via Tuscany, no membership increase, hours of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. including deliveries, no new lighting in the grass parking lot, non-required lights off by 10 p.m., replacement tree mitigation, a narrower driveway, a photometric analysis of the whole campus, and pickleball lights off by 8 p.m. After the P&Z meeting, the applicant and neighbors agreed to 12 additional conditions, including a podocarpus hedge, no long-term front driveway parking except for special events with a five-car maximum, no parking before construction, restrictions on non-member events, glare shields on pickleball lights, turning court lights off when not in use, a 500-member cap, removal of non-member event advertising, hedge height maintenance, and code-compliance monitoring.
• In commission discussion, Commissioner Sullivan emphasized event restrictions and effective glare shields; Commissioner Cruzada noted many emails in support and suggested a neighborhood relations committee; Commissioner Lindsey asked about preventing future geographic expansion, but Mayor DeCiccio disagreed and the applicant said future changes would require commission approval. Commissioner Russell moved to approve with the 21 conditions and three additional conditions: curtains or blinds on the fitness room window, no signage on the building, and a neighborhood relations committee. The motion was seconded by Mayor DeCiccio and carried 4-1, with Commissioner Lindsey dissenting.
• Public testimony was mixed. Supporters included Clay Coward, Bill Black, Harry Collison, Hank Hornsby, Ryan Davis, Scott L'Herueux and Rob Tazioli, who said the project would improve the streetscape, preserve neighborhood character and incorporate extensive neighbor concessions. Opponents included Hilary Turney and Scott Greenberg, who cited mistrust, light spill, traffic, membership growth, vague conditions, and the burden on neighbors to police club activity.

Public Hearings: Non-Quasi-Judicial Matters

• Ordinance amending the adopted FY25 Budget: Director of OMB Peter Moore explained the annual amendment process, and the commission approved the ordinance by a 5-0 vote. A final adoption is scheduled for the first meeting in November.

City Commission Reports

• Commissioner Sullivan reported that Austin's restaurant is relocating to Fairbanks Avenue and expects to open Nov. 1.
• Commissioner Cruzada reminded residents of a Coffee Talk on Nov. 6 at 8:30 a.m. in the commission chamber.
• Commissioner Lindsey asked to re-invite Park Avenue District Executive Director Allison Chandler, said Orange County School Board representative Stephanie Vanos will present, thanked Mayor DeCiccio for redistricting leadership, encouraged residents to serve on county advisory boards, and recognized the late Winter Park attorney Michael Maher.
• Commissioner Russell requested support for the Youth City Council to present its first State of the City; the request was agreed by consensus and coordinated with the Vanos presentation.
• Mayor DeCiccio raised the possibility of placing a commission pay increase on the March ballot, but there was no consensus to move forward.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent agenda 5-0.
• Appointed Matthew Farabaugh to the Civil Service Board by consensus.
• Approved a 3% city manager salary increase 5-0.
• Adopted Ordinance 3357-25 vacating a portion of Harmon Avenue 5-0.
• Approved first reading of the utility easement vacation at 2501 Tuscaloosa Trail 5-0.
• Approved the Gay Road medical office conditional use 5-0, with eight conditions.
• Approved the Winter Park Racquet Club conditional use 4-1, with 24 conditions.
• Approved the FY25 budget amendment 5-0.
• Referred to staff/next agenda: commission participation in the Dec. 13 boat parade, Allison Chandler's Park Avenue vision presentation, Stephanie Vanos's presentation, Youth City Council's State of the City, and no action on a commission pay raise.