Mount Dora City Council votes down proposed multi-use project

MOUNT DORA – The Mount Dora City Council nixed a multi-use development proposed by Apopka-based AMCO Development in a 5–2  vote at its Tuesday meeting.

Last August, the council unanimously voted to annex the nearly 40-acre property, located more than two miles from the downtown area. It is the first plan offered by a developer in the Wolf Branch Innovation District. In the planning stages for nearly 20 years and approved by the city and Lake County in 2019, the district is designed in part as an “employment center.”

The estimated $1.6 billion construction project would have brought a total of 900,000 square feet of office space, 325 hotel rooms and a 100,000-square-foot convention center, 1,530 apartment and condo units, a 275-unit senior-living facility, mini-storage, retail and commercial spaces, and an underground parking garage. It was planned in two phases over a 15-year period.

Previous coverage: Proposed 'intense' multi-use project in Mount Dora is scheduled for vote Feb. 21

More Mount Dora: New neighbors for quaint Mount Dora: 1,068 residential units, 150,000 sf of commercial

Prior to the meeting, a group gathered outside city hall with a smattering of signs protesting the project, including one that simply said “No.” The meeting began with an overflow crowd, spilling into chairs outside and across the hall from the council chambers.

During the public comment period, 23 people testified against the project while one spoke in favor. Mount Dora Mayor Crissy Stile reprimanded attendees several times for outbursts during the proceedings.

Former Bostonian Anne Kreidler spoke against the project as a resident in Sullivan Ranch, a homeowners association development near the proposed project.

“We love our view and to be able to look out at the tree line,” she said. Her move to Mount Dora was prompted a desire to want “a home in the country.”

“I’m actually okay with growth, but I just want it with limits,” said Kelly Hannagan, another resident of Sullivan Ranch, echoing a few other commentators.

Council members Cal Rolfson and Vice Mayor Marc Crail voted in favor of the project, while Doug Bryant, John Cataldo, Dennis Dawson and Nate Walker as well as Stile voted to reject the ordinance.

Developer reduces building height three times during process

A key concern expressed by most council members and members of the public was the proposed maximum building height. The Wolf Branch design standards limit the height to 100 feet. A height change requires approval to rezone by the council.

The tallest building was originally put forward by AMCO with a 350-foot height, which was then reduced to 310 feet for a subsequent meeting.

In the plan in front of the council, the developer downsized the maximum building height to 250 feet, which equates to 14 stories tall.

Brent Spain, a land use attorney with the Orlando-based law firm Theriaque & Spain, presented on behalf of his client Aaron Hakim, president of AMCO Development and property owner.

In his rebuttal after the public hearing, Spain responded to a comment that “you have to do what your constituents want.”

“But sadly, this is a quasi-judicial decision before you this evening,” he said. “It’s not a popularity poll.”

“And the comp plan, from a land use perspective, that’s your guiding document,” said Spain. “It’s your guys’ constitution.”

“That (the comp plan) says ‘We want to encourage growth in this area. We want it to be high-density residential, high-density commercial,’ ” said Spain. “What you’re getting through the other options, they’re just building subdivisions out there.”

“Our client is actually trying to live up to your guys’ goal that you set for the region,” he said.

With Hakim’s assent towards the end of the nearly six-hour meeting, Spain offered to further reduce the height to 197 feet visible from the line of sight from State Road 46.

Hakim also agreed that at least 25% of the office space would be built during the first phase of construction.

AMCO has an alternative

“I have truly done everything that we have been able to do to make this sustainable,” said Hakim, responding to a council member’s question if he could go lower than 197 feet. “I am not able to reduce this lower than the number I gave you.”

“We’ve got the ability to do this on the adjacent parcels,” said Hakim referring to two adjacent properties owned by AMCO totaling 42 acres in unincorporated Mount Dora. He said that they annexed the parcel being discussed “in good faith based on the intent of the program.”

“But we do have recourse.”

He described moving half of the planned use to each of the two adjacent parcels under Lake County zoning. The annexed piece in the city probably becoming the green space, retention, and underground parking parts of the project, according to Hakim.

“We’ve already been approached to do that, and I’ve pushed back against that because I don’t want to do that. I want to keep this within the city, ” he said.

“But I’m telling you this, we are already too heavily invested to walk away from this,” said Hakim. “This development in this area is coming,” he added. “The growth is coming,"

This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Massive proposed development voted down in Mount Dora