MOUNT DORA CITY COUNCIL UPDATE: January 4 meeting

By Marc Crail
Mount Dora Vice Mayor

Our January 4, 2022 Mount Dora City Council meeting was fairly brief mostly because of the recent holidays. I chosen several items to highlight for you but please keep in mind that what follows come only from me. I'm not reporting on behalf of City Council as a whole.

Resolutions were read by Mayor Stile recognizing the service of former elected city officials; former Mayor Cathy Hoechst, former Vice Mayor Harmon Massey and former District 1 Council Member Pam Burtnett. All three of them were on hand. They all served our city with integrity and energy. I personally appreciate each of them for their willingness to serve. Their contributions have made Mount Dora an even better place to live, work and play.

I have championed an ordinance that would put a temporary moratorium on the consideration of any buildings over 35' tall in the downtown historic district until our Building Heights Advisory Committee completes its work in about 4 months time. My rational is that I want citizens to rest assured that there is no intent on the part of City Council to approve any taller buildings in that area in the near term. To my knowledge there are no projects that would exceed the current 35' and 25' height restrictions in the pipeline at this time. Some council members expressed their belief that this moratorium would hamstring City Council, but the first reading passed by a 5-2 vote with Gunther and Rolfson voting no.

Look for some improvements coming up in the downtown area where "landscape islands" are located mostly along Donnelly St. Two of those bump out features will be removed and drainage grates as well as electrical outlets near several others will be reworked to make them safer and less likely to require constant repairs.

I'd like to remind you that on Monday January 10th at 6:00 there will be a public presentation and Q &A about the proposed Mount Dora Groves development on either side of US Rt 441 between ABC Liquor Store and The Country Club of Mount Dora. That meeting will be held at the Community Building.

On Saturday January 22nd, please plan to drop of food or monetary donations for Lake Cares Food Pantry at the fire station between 10:00-2:00. This is a friendly competition with Eustis and Tavares. The food bank deserves our support. Thanks in advance for your support.

My quote of the day comes from former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "I think it will take people, true patriots, on both sides of the aisle to say enough of this nonsense, we should all work together for the good of the people of the United States."

Thank you for your continued interest in our great community.

By Marc Crail
Mount Dora Vice Mayor

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