Government & Education news

Amco Development returns to Mount Dora City Council for vote on June 4

5/30/2024

ABOVE: A portion of the Amco Development's revised plan presented to Mount Dora City Council on February 5, 2024. Due to the site's topography, some of the actual building heights could be approximately 40 feet taller or more than indicated on the above rendering.

It's been a long and winding process, but a controversial 38-acre, mixed-use development will ultimately land at the feet of Mount Dora City Council again at a meeting and final public hearing on June 4.

The proposal features high-density housing, as well as office and commercial space, senior living and other uses. At least eight mid-rise buildings would exceed the current zoning’s 100-foot height limit, and includes two buildings that would be 175 feet tall when measured from S.R. 46 or potentially over 200 feet when measured from grade (see attached site plan below).

RELATED: Mount Dora City Council decline AMCO Development settlement agreement

The city has a method for calculating building height, but AMCO’s method of measuring from a random lateral plane on S.R. 46 is not consistent with it. Typically, proposed building height measurements are taken from grade (the ground at the base of a building). Due to the topography of the property sloping downward 40 to 46 feet from S.R. 46, the actual building heights in the masterplan and ordinance could be significantly taller when measured from grade and depending on where the buildings are placed and final site preparation. It's unclear why the City didn't require its standard measurement method be applied, which would have ensured transparency to the public about the development and the ordinance being voted on.

RELATED: AMCO files legal action against City of Mount Dora

Eight of the 10 proposed buildings in the development would exceed the area’s current 100-foot maximum building height. The heights of those buildings are as follows:

Two buildings with maximum heights of 175 feet measured from S.R. 46 (B & C on site plan)
One building with a maximum height of 165 feet measured from S.R. 46. (D on site plan)
Two buildings with maximum heights of 150 feet measured from S.R. 46 (A on the site plan and the remaining portion of the property on site plan)
The proposed hotel building maximum building height of 138 feet measured from S.R. 46.
The proposed senior living building maximum height of 125 feet measured from S.R. 46.
The proposed multi-story indoor self-storage is 100 feet maximum height measured from S.R. 46, however measured from grade, it could exceed that by approximately 40 feet.

The AMCO Development project originally came before Mount Dora City Council in February 2023 with a proposed building height of 310 feet, but the City Council voted down that proposal.

After a proposed settlement between the City and the developer was voted down by a 4-3 vote of the City Council, a Special Magistrate recently recommended the City allow the 175-foot building height measured from S.R. 46. The CIty Council will vote to accept or reject that magistrate’s recommendation.

On June 4, the Council is expected to vote on the revised AMCO project that would be built in three-phases andwould have a maximum of:

865 apartments
665 condominiums
275 senior living units
900,000 square feet of office space
950,000 square feet of commercial space
100,000 square feet of convention center space
150,000 square feet of mini-storage warehouse
352 hotel rooms with up to two hotels
2 retention ponds
1 food hall
1 playground area

RELATED: 11 things to know about Mount Dora's proposed AMCO Development

High-density development in Mount Dora has long been a hot topic and the character of the City’s eastern side could be decided at the upcoming June 4th public hearing. Four members of the council, which includes the mayor, would be needed to vote in favor of the PUD ordinance, in order to pass the proposed 38-acre development.

ABOVE: Current Amco Development plan. Click to enlarge. More details in the downloadable files below.

Members of the public are welcome to speak in favor or opposition of the topic at the final hearing before the Mount Dora City Council. The council meeting starts at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4 and will be held at City Hall located at 510 N. Baker Street in downtown Mount Dora.

amco_final_pud_plan_for_6-2_hearing.pdf
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ordinance_for_amco_pud_-_2023-04_mdmu_05-29-24__final_2_rev_.docx
File Size:	27 kb
File Type:	docx

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For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit Mount Dora Buzz's website, its Instagram and Facebook page. Download the area's free mobile app for info on the go. For local food recommendations, follow Mount Dora Foodie's Facebook and its official Instagram account.

Mount Dora High student earns worldwide Air Force JROTC honor

5/28/2024

ABOVE: Cadet Peyton Scott with Mount Dora High Principal Marlene Straughan (left) and Lake County Schools Superintendent Diane Kornegay

Peyton Scott, a Mount Dora Air Force JROTC cadet, was selected as the Air Force/Space Force JROTC Cadet of the Year. It’s the first time in the program’s 29-year history that a Mount Dora cadet has been selected for this worldwide honor.

Scott, who expects to graduate in 2025, competed against 850 other units from around the world and was chosen ahead of more than 30,000 other cadets to earn the distinction.

Selection criteria for the Cadet of the Year honor emphasized cadet leadership and involvement within the unit, school and community, as well as academic performance and character traits such as dependability, followership, communication skills, motivation, and problem solving skills.

This academic year alone, Cadet Scott amassed 284 JROTC community service hours, a new single-year cadet record for the Mount Dora High School unit. He also motivated 18 other cadets to exceed the 100-hour service hour threshold this year, another record for the program. Additionally, as the Corps Commander, he guided the cadet corps to garner over 8,000 hours of service this year, another record for the program.

“Cadet Scott is driven, energetic, committed, loyal and trustworthy; he’s also humble, kind, respectful, courteous, encouraging and inspirational,” said retired USAF Major Andrew Scott, Senior Aerospace Science instructor at Mount Dora High School. “His impact on our program, Mount Dora High School and the Mount Dora community will be his lasting legacy.”

Scott will be formally recognized by Lake County Schools Superintendent Diane Kornegay and the Lake County School Board at an upcoming meeting.

“We are all very proud of Cadet Scott,” said Mount Dora High Principal Marlene Straughan. “He represents the best of Mount Dora High School and we are confident that he will go on to do great things.”

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit Mount Dora Buzz's website, its Instagram and Facebook page. Download the area's free mobile app for info on the go. For local food recommendations, follow Mount Dora Foodie's Facebook and its official Instagram account.

MOUNT DORA UPDATE: Recap of May 21 City Council meeting

5/22/2024

By Marc Crail
Vice-mayor and District 4 Representative

Your City Council held a triple header including a work session and two consequential meetings in a relatively brief timeframe.

Let's look at the work session first. Two weeks ago I described the recommendations of a rate study to substantially increase our wastewater (sewer) connection/impact fees by a whopping 89%. Please allow me to repeat that this connection fee is currently $4,215 for a new house and will go up by $3,760 to a recommended cost of $7,975 if eventually approved by your city council. We last raised new wastewater (sewer) connection fees in 2019 that became effective in 2020. It is important to understand that this higher connection fee will not impact current residents. It will be paid by developers who want to build new homes and businesses in Mount Dora in the future.

Our cost of dealing with sewage has increased from $14 per gallon to $43 per gallon. We must expand our sewage facilities to cover those increased costs and this increase can only happen once every four years under Florida law. We have declared "extraordinary circumstances" due to population growth and inflation. Tonight was our second workshop session and and the first reading of a proposed ordinance during our regular meeting. If approved next month, this fee increase will take effect in 90 days, probably in mid September.

You probably heard about the tornados that touched down in Jacksonville recently. Tens of thousands of residents lost power when over 500 power poles were snapped by the tornados. Mount Dora sent four linemen and their trucks to assist Jacksonville along with 26 other cities and power companies. These hardworking folks labored in sixteen hour shifts for a solid week to help restore power. This time we were the ones helping residents in another city but should we ever need help here, they will surely reciprocate. Thank you linemen!

Here's an update on our planned road work on Donnelly Street. Work on the potholes at the upper end of Donnelly from Limit Ave. to the bridge will be done in June. Cracks will be sealed to harden and bind the asphalt together. Chip and cape seal work will follow in short order. Despite the nonsense you might have heard from other sources, this has been planned for months. We've been waiting in line for our contractor to get to us. These repairs should work for 3-5 years. Look for repairs to the boardwalk sidewalk along Donnelly St. to get underway later this year.

Later in the summer, possibly August or September, the lower portion of Donnelly St. from 5th Avenue to Limit Road will undergo a major repaving project. That cost will be about $350,000. We are actively seeking grants to help cover the costs.

Our new city manager has been working quickly to fill open positions that have been languishing for months and in some cases, years. Tonight, we met our new Deputy Police Chief and new Deputy City Clerk who have recently come on board. Other hirings will be coming soon. Bravo!

Our quote for today is actually an ancient Turkish proverb. It comes by way of Awesome Quotes & Notes.

"When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace becomes a circus."

Thanks for caring about our great city. Please keep in mind that my report to you comes from me and not on behalf of city council as a whole.

By Marc Crail
Vice-mayor and District 4 Representative

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, this month, click here. Discover the area's online entertainment calendar here. Also download the area's free mobile app.