COMMUTER Rail Contracts

Maitland, Winter Park review commuter-rail contracts
Christopher Sherman Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted March 28, 2007

Maitland and Winter Park are reviewing proposed contracts with Orange County that would establish commuter-rail stations in both cities.

The nearly identical agreements include critical opt-out clauses that would allow both cities to shut down their stations when the operating costs shift from the state to local governments after seven years.

Maitland and Winter Park officials had balked at the prospect of annually paying an estimated $438,900 and $588,700, respectively.

Orange County sent the drafts to both cities Monday afternoon.

The Maitland City Council voted unanimously Monday night to have the city attorney and staff negotiate the agreement with Orange County.

Earlier Monday, the Winter Park City Commission urged property owners with potential sites for a commuter-rail stop to come forward quickly.

City commissioners, however, did not discuss the draft agreement, which arrived during the meeting.

The draft contracts lay out the cities' responsibility to pay the operating and maintenance costs as well as the debt service on the purchase of the track in each city.

Orange County has agreed to pay 30 percent of those costs, leading both cities to request the option of walking away from commuter rail when those costs fall to them after seven years.

The cities could opt out if no dedicated-funding source emerges to pay for those costs and a supermajority of each city's council or commission votes to close the station.

The catch is what the cities would have to pay back.

"This financial obligation may include, but shall not be limited to, an obligation to refund, reimburse or repay Federal or State funds and/or grants that were used to construct or operate the Commuter Rail system within the City," the draft contracts read.

The cities had speculated before that they could have to pay back federal funds used to build their stations, but the clause raised a flag because it leaves it open to other unknown costs.

"Right now, this reimbursement part is an open-ended check," said Maitland City Attorney Cliff Shepard.

Both cities hope to present negotiated contracts to their elected officials early next month for approval.

Maitland has discussed locating its station at the Parker Lumber site on U.S. Highway 17-92 north of downtown as part of a proposed development.

Winter Park's commuter-rail task force had recommended locating a kiss-and-ride stop, or drop-off site, at its Amtrak station in Central Park.

Two ballot questions allowing the city to use city land and city funds for a station passed March 13, but the city has not formally decided the station's location.

Some residents have argued for alternate locations outside Central Park.

Christopher Sherman can be reached at csherman@orlandosentinel.com or 407-650-6361.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-commuter2807mar28,0,5099431.story?coll=orl-home-headlines

DOWNTOWN Development ? Educate Yourself !!!!!

Developers Web Site, CDD Education and more . . .

In a message dated 3/26/2007 6:16:02 P.M. in an email Eklectika writes:

Good Evening Maitland !

I'm very pleased to share that Mr.Bob Reese has made good on his promise to add clear point by point information - in the form of fact versus fiction- to his web site (see below) that refutes what he claims are misleading and blatant inaccuracies stated in the advertisement placed in the Orlando Sentinel this past March 11, 2007. I applaud Mr. Reese's efforts to state the facts and to openly share his truth concerning the controversial issues surrounding his Town Center developmental plan for our city.

According to the web site the Bob Reese / Brossier Co. Tuesday, 7pm meetings will continue, so I hope to see you tomorrow night.

Concerning the funding for The Brossier Company's planned Town Center for our Maitland, I encourage you to educate yourself about CDD's, Community Development Districts. What are they ? How do they function ? Who's in charge ? How are they formed ? What do they mean to you and me...the current taxpayer ? Who pays the assessments ? How long do they last ? Read over this information for yourself (see links and articles below) in order to understand Mr. Reese's statement of, "Brossier, will Self-Fund through the use of Community Development District (CDD) Bonds. This will Finance the Project. Meaning, that Maitland Residents are Protected from being Taxed to Pay for the Development."

To the many, many of you who have written to me sharing your views and making suggestions as to how to stay better informed and get ourselves educated - I sincerely thank you for helping me to help *us* stay connected and enlightened. To those of you who have written to pat me on the back for what I'm doing - I am humbled by your kind words of appreciation and encouraged by your gratitude. It truly is my pleasure to be of some assistance to you all, my neighbors.

"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. ~ Alvin Toffler

I pledge to myself to continue to learn, unlearn and relearn...and I encourage you to do likewise !


Ann Lanier245 W. George Ave.Maitland, FL 32751(407) 622-1165 home

NOTE: The following has been edited from original text but does not change or alter content

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Okay, everyone...I fully realize there is a lot here to read and go over so do not let it overwhelm you. Take it and chew it a piece at a time, devour it all at once or anything in between - just do it at YOUR comfort level. Use this list (and any of the emails I send, for that matter) as a cafeteria type springboard - by choosing something to use when and how it fit's your ability and need to serve yourself and your community. ~ Ann Lanier


THINGS TO DO:

1.) Educate yourself, your neighbors and/or your Home Owners Associations:

Bob Reese / Brossier Co. Web Site - http://www.brossier.us/FactFiction/FactFiction.htm
Florida Dept. of Community Affairs - www.floridaspecialdistricts.org
Florida Special Districts Handbook - http://www.floridaspecialdistricts.org/documents/SpecialDistrictHandbook.pdf
CDD article, Ezine - http://ezinearticles.com/?Understanding-Floridas-Community-Development-Districts&id=465727
CDD document, Goldstein - http://www.newtownlaw.com/pdfs/CDD&TaxExempts.pdf
Citizens for a Better Maitland (Bob Reese's Power Point Presentation) - http://www.maitlandsfuture.com/
The Trevi Web Site - http://www.thetrevi.com/
The Residences at Rivinia Web Site - http://www.maitlanduptownwest.com/
The Village at Lake Lily by The Morgan Group Web Site - http://www.morgangroup.com/florida.html

2.) Send emails to our Maitland Mayor, Vice-Mayor, Councilmen and Councilwomen:

Introduction and email addresses - http://www.itsmymaitland.com/city_council.asp

***NOTE: Bev Reponen is not listed because she will not be sworn into office until April 23, 2007 . ~ Ann


3.) Attend all Maitland development type meetings:

City of Maitland, City Council Meetings - http://www.itsmymaitland.com/agenda-citycouncil.aspx?a=viewPost&PostID=2766
Maitland's Hopeful Developer, Bob Reese, Every Tuesday - http://www.brossier.us/calendar/calendar.htm
Maitland United, Workshops To Be Announced - http://maitlandunited.com/hold-a.htm

4.) Write commentary articles/editorial opinions and post them on community Blogs or send to various newspapers:

5.) Share with me what you are doing so I can get the word out !

6.) Be open, optimistic, a good listener and continue to....learn, unlearn and relearn !


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***NOTE:In the quest to educate myself, I have come upon several different web sites that yielded the following articles and so now I share them for your edification. ~ Ann


Understanding Florida's Community Development Districts

By Calum MacKenzie

Amid concerns over Florida's population growth and over the quality of services and infrastructure supplied to residents, Community Development Districts are becoming popular in Tampa and other regions of Florida as a means of increasing levels of service for residents quickly and cost-effectively. CDD's provide funds not only to maintain communities, but also to direct and finance their growth.

Because there is increased pressure for developers to provide basic infrastructure and services to new communities, many developers in Tampa and Florida in general are beginning to use Master Planned Communities and CDD's as a way of developing cost-effective communities that are both attractive and pleasant to live in and offer a variety of amenities to their residents, such as recreation areas and public parks. The extra cost of building such amenities is recovered by the developer by instituting a CDD tax which is typically payable for a pre-determined amount of time. This effectively allows those who choose to pay the extra tax the opportunity to live in an attractive community with a range of well-maintained amenities.

CDD taxes can consist of both a bond portion and working capital portion. The bond portion is typically payable for a pre-determined amount of time (up to twenty years). This bond is usually divided between all the homeowners in the community and the individual homeowner can pay off their portion of the bond in full at any time if they choose to. In most, if not all, cases there is no penalty for early payment.

The second portion of the CDD (if applicable) provides working capital to maintain the amenities and common areas. This working capital provides long-term assurance that the community's amenities and infrastructure will be maintained after the developer has ceased their involvement in the community. However, not all CDD's handle maintenance via payment of CDD fees. In some communities, maintenance costs are covered by Homeowner's Association Fees, which are payable each year based on the budget of the community. These annual fees tend to vary based on the amenities available within the community, and also depending on the contracts negotiated with service providers in any given year. Note that these taxes and fees are tied to the property, not the owner of the property--if a resident leaves the community, the fees are payable by the new owner. Additionally, the length of time that the bond portion is payable does not change when the property changes hands. If you purchase a property in a ten-year-old CDD in which bond is payable for twenty years, then you are subject to paying that bond for the remaining ten years.

CDD's provide a number of benefits to their residents. First, of course, those who live in these communities have access to a number of conveniently located amenities which may include tennis courts, swimming pools, recreation areas, public parks and pathways. Additionally, these services and amenities are consistently well-maintained. Many CDD's also provide their residents with the ability to choose a Board of Supervisors who is responsible for determining the type and quality of amenities that will be maintained in the area--this means that the community itself determines how the community is maintained and the direction of its growth.

CDD's also offer more benefits in comparison to similar organizations such as standard Homeowner's Associations. CDD's have a much more extensive range of power and abilities. Unlike a Homeowner's Association, a CDD has the power to make decisions on the nature of improvements and amenities in the area, as well as the power to finance those improvements. For example, with government approval, CDD's are able to make decisions regarding provision of schools, waste management, pest control, and water management, as well as streetlights, roads, and bridges.

CDD's and their associated taxes are planned and executed independently of local and federal government; however they are established with government approval. CDD's can be thought of as a special-purpose government unit--public board meetings are scheduled with notice given to all residents, and CDD records are subject to public scrutiny. Additionally, CDD supervisors are subject to financial disclosure in the same way that other local officials are. Once created, CDD's can effectively govern themselves in many respects--they can become self-sufficient in terms of providing both essential and non-essential amenities and services. Furthermore, they can continue to do so long after the original developer has ceased their involvement with the community.

There are more than 250 CDD's in Florida, many of them located in the Tampa area. If you are considering relocating to Tampa, or would simply like to move to a new home in the Tampa area, a CDD is certainly an attractive option. While it's true that there is an extra expense involved in living in such a community, there are also many significant advantages. Residents benefit from living in an attractive area with access to a variety of recreational amenities, and homes located within CDD's typically achieve increased value compared to similar properties that are not located within CDD's. Note that depending on the amenities offered within a community, the amount of CDD tax that applies will vary.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Understanding-Floridas-Community-Development-Districts&id=465727

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*** NOTE: Because I chose to shorten their length within this emailing, the following two reports are excerpts and not shown in their entirety, therefore I highly recommend that you visit the referenced web sites in order to view all commentary. ~ Ann



Beyond the Homeowners Association

October 30, 2003

By Doris S. Goldstein, Attorney - Jacksonville, Florida

In a growing number of communities, the roles previously filled by a homeownersassociation (“HOA”) are being separated into their component parts and handed off toother entities. Part of this trend is related to the movement toward communities thatintegrate both commercial and residential uses, as homeowners’ associations, which areregulated under Chapter 720, Florida Statutes, are not suited for the complex needs ofmixed-use communities. In other cases, the other entities offer financial benefits to thedeveloper that an HOA cannot. And in some instances, the intentions, at least in part, arephilanthropic, motivated by a desire to add another dimension to the community.

Although these different entities are likely to be found mostly in larger plannedcommunities, they may be used in projects smaller than 100 acres, particularly NewUrbanist projects, which are high-density, mixed-use developments.
This article is not a scholarly essay with lots of footnotes, nor is it a complete “how to”manual. Each of these types of entities has inspired specialized legal practices andvolumes of esoteric documentation. Furthermore, this area of the law is evolving andlittle case law is available. For that reason, this article is based in large part on interviewswith developers and legal or tax practitioners. My intent is to give real estate attorneyssome familiarity with these entities and how and why they might be used in a real estatedevelopment.

CDD Definition. A Community Development District, or CDD, is an independent local unit of specialpurpose government created under Chapter 190, Florida Statutes, enacted in 1980. CDD'ssmaller than 1,000 acres are formed by an ordinance adopted by the county commission.Larger districts are formed by petition to the Florida Land and Water AdjudicatoryCommission. Once formed, a CDD can issue tax-exempt bonds to pay for infrastructure,such as roads, water and sewer and storm-water management, parks and recreationalfacilities. The tax-free bonds carry an interest rate that is generally below non-tax-exemptmarket rates. To repay such bonds and its ongoing expenses, the CDD levies assessments,which are enforceable in the same manner as county taxes. A CDD does not have thepower to adopt a comprehensive plan, building code or land development code.

Number is Growing. The number of Community Development Districts has beengrowing exponentially: When the Orlando Sentinel did an award-winning investigatoryseries on CDD's in October 2000, there were only 116. As of the end of September 2003,the number had grown to 213, according to the Florida Department of CommunityAffairs website at www.floridaspecialdistricts.org. (Two were added during the time thisauthor conducted research for this article.) The districts are scattered throughout the state.Hillsborough County has by far the most, and Collier, Lee, Manatee, Osceola, Pasco andSt. Lucie counties have a disproportionate number relative to their population.

Period of Developer Control. The developer controls the CDD for at least the first sixyears of its life and sometimes longer. During the first six years, voting is by landownersaccording to acreage—one vote for each acre or fraction of an acre owned in the district.For districts up to 5,000 acres in size, all registered voters within the district get an equalvote starting in the sixth year—but only if there are at least 250 such voters. If there arenot 250 registered voters within the district at six years, the voting by acreage continuesuntil there are 250 voters. §190.006.

How CDD's Assess. CDD's raise money by assessments, which appear on thehomebuyer’s regular county tax bill. The assessments levied by most CDD's are non-advalorem assessments—that is, the assessments are not based on the assessed value of theproperty, but rather are, in the language of the statute, “apportioned in proportion to thebenefit received by each tract of land.” It is up to each CDD, with the help of itseconomic advisor, to determine how to divide the assessments among the various types ofproperty within a community. The statute permits both ad valorem and non-ad valoremassessments, but most CDD's use non-ad valorem assessments, perhaps because boardselected by acreage may assess only non-ad valorem assessments. §190.021.

CDD's can make two different types of non-ad valorem assessments: benefit specialassessments to reimburse the bondholders for capital improvements, and maintenancespecial assessments for the CDD’s operating costs. Sometimes the developer will pay offall or part of the benefit special assessment when selling a lot to a homebuyer. If not, thehomebuyer is left with the responsibility of paying off the benefit special assessment forthe original infrastructure improvements, which is a lien on the property. A CDD canimpose new benefit special assessments if it makes more improvements. Maintenancespecial assessments for the CDD’s ongoing expenses are billed annually. §190.021.

http://www.newtownlaw.com/pdfs/CDD&TaxExempts.pdf



Density and Intensity - The Future of Maitland’s Town Center

Mark K. Reedy
November 30, 2006

Prepared for Maitland City Council Maitland, Florida

Central Florida is becoming one of the fastest growing areas in the country. With theregional population expected to double by at least 2050 and perhaps by as early as 2030,a decision not to grow is no longer viable. The question, rather, is how to contain,channel and direct the growth that will inevitably occur. These are issues on whichcitizen input is vital. Community leaders are left with many tough questions particularlythe smaller communities within the Greater Metropolitan Area. How can a communityembrace its growth, yet maintain the small-town character that attracted its residents inthe first place?

Maitland: Small Town bursting at the Seams

Maitland is a residential area known for its quaint communities, reasonable taxes, andgood schools. It is known as a safe and quiet place to raise a family. The area has beenestablished for over a hundred years and land has more than doubled in value in the lastdecade. Because of its desirable location and amenities, the city of Maitland has grownfrom 12,019 in 2000 to 16,476 in 2005, an increase of 40% in 5 short years (Pedicini),making it one of the fastest growing areas in the United States.

Maitland’s Downtown Business District: Outdated, Congested, and Ugly

Founded in 1885, Maitland’s 6.37 square miles serves as a residential suburb within thismetropolitan area. Within Maitland, the Orlando Avenue corridor (17-92 and Horatio) isapproximately two miles in length and incorporates approximately 200 acres of property.The majority of the corridor was developed in the 1950s and 1960s. It represents a typical‘Strip Center’ design; asphalt parking lots, and single-story, flat-roofed buildings. Thelack of infrastructure, including roadway improvements, retention areas, water, and sewerlines offer limited redevelopment opportunities. The current businesses cater toautomobile traffic only, as pedestrian traffic is impossible due to the congestion ofHoratio and 17-92 and it’s pedestrian unfriendly design. In fact, the Horatio/17-92intersection is one of the most congested intersections in Orange County earning an “F”from the Department of Transportation (itsourmaitland.com).

http://www.maitlandsfuture.com/facts/Horatio-Maitland-Interlocal-Agreement.pdf

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*** NOTE: Through researching I was able to locate the following article mentioned by Bob Reese at his last Tuesday's Open Forum Meeting ~ Ann


National Geographic's, Orlando Beyond Disney

March 2007

By T. D. Allman

Walt Disney's utopian dream forever changed Orlando, Florida, and laid the blueprint for the new American metropolis.
Everything happening to America today is happening here, and it's far removed from the cookie-cutter suburbanization of life a generation ago. The Orlando region has become Exhibit A for the ascendant power of our cities' exurbs: blobby coalescences of look-alike, overnight, amoeba-like concentrations of population far from city centers. These huge, sprawling communities are where more and more Americans choose to be, the place where job growth is fastest, home building is briskest, and malls and megachurches are multiplying as newcomers keep on coming. Who are all these people? They're you, they're me, and increasingly, they are nothing like the blue-eyed "Dick and Jane" of mythical suburban America. Orlando's explosion is visible in every shopping mall and traffic jam. You can also see it from outer space. When Earth satellites were first launched, Florida photographed at night looked like two l's standing side by side: One long string of lights ran down the Atlantic side of the peninsula; another ran along the Gulf of Mexico side. In between was darkness. Today the two parallel l's have become a lopsided H. Central Florida glows as though a phosphorescent creature from outer space has landed there and started reproducing. It gobbles up existing communities even as it transforms scrub and swamp into a characterless conurbation of congested freeways and parking lots. All of this is "Orlando," the brand name for this region of two million residents....continued

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0703/feature4/

DEVELOPER Speaks Out

3/16/2007 2:31:40 P.M., in an email Eklectika writes:

Good Afternoon Maitland !

Thank you to everyone who is sharing their voice and making it known that we all must actively continue working towards securing OUR Town Center/Downtown Maitland.

Many of you suggested setting up a meeting with the developer, Bob Reese and he is ready, willing and able !

Makes plans NOW...for next Tuesday evening (see below in Bob Reese's note).

Ann Lanier
------------------------------------------------

3/16/2007 12:46:26 P.M., in an email Bob Reese writes:

Ann,

Thank you for including me in your e-mail notice.

I firmly believe that the momentum is with us and we should all get together next week at the mail package store Tuesday for an update and positive plan.

We must all be optimists and be positive about this inevitable change. If we are all not together on this we will end up with a half baked pie, compromised because of fear and hand wringing over what is inevitable. The fact is that our Town Center/Downtown is going to be developed properly by us. We are very different from the out of town developer that is only worried about profits. What typically happens when a developer politically cannot get enough density to make the numbers work is that “he or she” will cover the site with 4 and 5 story pentagon type buildings and cheapen the building materials to make the numbers work. That is something I will not do nor will I be party to that type of development that panders to fear.

I will fight for the most density that makes our Downtown a guaranteed success and a quality project (built for next 100 years) no matter how unpopular that may be with some residents. Doing the right thing for future generations may never be popular at the time. I was raised by the selfless generation of WWII and furthermore by great Florida Pioneers before him (Brossier’s and Reese’s). This is my legacy project. This is your legacy project.

Downtown developments are extremely complex projects to underwrite. I know personally because I have been underwriting them my entire professional life. I have underwritten well over $2 Billion in LBO’s, IRB’s and corporate REIT deals. I also taught senior credit classes for NCNB and wrote my own cases at the age of 25. I was promoted to Vice President in Corporate in a Real Estate Banking Group by the time I was 27. I was hand picked by Chairman Hugh McCall before I graduated and my only other counter part Tim Laney is now the President of B of A in Florida.

My resume’ has been questioned by Bob Brown and Ron Swiger (therefore) I will stack myself against anyone in the United States in an open one on one debate on how these projects are structured, programmed, closed and constructed.

I promise the citizens of Maitland that I will do everything possible to see that THIS deal finally is financed and built. I will fight for it like nothing the citizens have ever seen before in the history of Maitland.

Thank you again.

Robert B. Reese, Jr.
Brossier Company
222 W. Comstock Ave., Suite 115
Winter Park, FL 32789

ELECTION Vote Count for City Council 3/12/2007

3/16/2007 11:33:52 A.M., in an email Eklectika writes:

Good Morning Maitland !

Today I'm sharing the "count and the amount" from our recent election. Yes, we all know who was and was not elected but as you'll see the votes cast were way close to being 50/50 !

What must we be doing now in order to secure the downtown development our city needs ? Petitions or Prayer or Picketing or What ?

Please let me know your thoughts and ideas.

Ann *smiles*

(NOTE: To view vote count, please *click* on link below)

http://www.ocfelections.com/Public%20Records/2007%20Municipal%20Elections/2007%20Municipal%20Results.htm

COMMUTER RAIL picks up speed

Commuter rail picks up speed
Jay Hamburg, Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer

Posted March 15, 2007

When Winter Park voters said yes to a commuter-rail station, the vote signaled the first official public endorsement for the major mass-transit system and delivered momentum to a project that's ready for the design boards.

Within the next two months, Central Florida's elected officials are poised to formalize their pledges to pay for a portion of the $600 million rail system that will run from DeBary to Poinciana. And on Monday, federal officials, who are contributing half of the project's cost, gave Florida transportation engineers the nod to begin preliminary designs of the 61-mile route.

Tuesday's voter approval to build a station possibly off Park Avenue was yet another piece of the rail puzzle to fall into place. But it also marked a vast change in a region that has been lukewarm to previous attempts to get rail projects moving during the past several decades.

"People in Winter Park bought into being part of a regional transportation system," said Orange County Commissioner Bill Segal, whose district includes the Winter Park and Maitland areas. "It's a new day now. We might look back on this as one of the big milestones when our community grew up."

The first phase from DeBary to Orlando should be carrying commuters by the end of 2009. Among the next steps:

Local governments must sign agreements that formally pledge their $150.5 million in contributions for operating, maintaining and building the system. That's expected by the end of March or early April.

The Florida Department of Transportation is continuing its environmental studies, which will look for possible contamination along the tracks. So far, no project-stopping problems have been reported, and the study should be completed this summer.

The FDOT will begin preliminary engineering and design for the stations and tracks to be finished this fall. The agency also will develop a project schedule.

The state and CSX Transportation must complete a deal for the state to take over ownership of the tracks.

Details of the deal with CSX still must be worked out, including insurance issues and the rate that CSX will pay for use of its former tracks. Freight trains still will use the tracks, but will be limited so commuter rail will have priority during the day.

Tawny Olore, FDOT's commuter-rail project manager, said those questions should be smoothed out by this summer.

"We just keep moving forward," Olore said.

Costs for the $600 million project -- including stations, rail cars and signal system -- will be split among local, state and federal governments. The state will pay for the first seven years of operation and maintenance.

The price recently jumped by about $40 million because Volusia County wanted to build a short spur from DeLand to DeBary during the second phase of the project to be completed in 2013.

And whether Maitland will get a stop remains up in the air. The city is considering a pledge to build a station with the ability to opt out of paying for operating and maintenance costs in the future if the city can't find enough money. In that case, Orange County, which has pledged to pay 30 percent of those costs already, would have to pick up the rest of the tab.

The arrangement is similar to what Winter Park has proposed.

Maitland Mayor Doug Kinson said he hoped to hear soon from Orange County whether that scenario would be acceptable.

If Orange County gives the green light, then Kinson would try to get the issue on the city's agenda before the end of the month. Orange County Commissioner Linda Stewart, who recently voted against allowing the county to pay more than 30 percent of Maitland and Winter Park's rail costs, said she is willing to revisit the issue.

"I'm willing to work with them on the funding again," said Stewart, who also chairs MetroPlan Orlando, the transportation-planning agency that covers Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties.

Stewart, who celebrated the rail system's victory in Winter Park, said there was no rush to change the city's funding arrangement, but "we need to keep the dialogue going."

Tuesday's vote is a significant step in Central Florida's transportation history. Decades of attempts to bring a rail system to Central Florida met with failure. In 2003, voters rejected Mobility 20/20, which would have used a half-cent increase in the sales tax to fund several transportation initiatives, including light rail.

Winter Park Commissioner John Eckbert said voters indicated growth management is vital and that "we need to be a part of the leadership, and commuter rail is a critical part of the solution."

"It's significant," U.S. Rep. John Mica said of his home city's vote. Mica has championed rail transit for years.

"I don't recall a similar question ever being on the ballot," said Mica, who is the ranking Republican member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. "It holds exciting potential for everyone in Central Florida."

Christopher Sherman of the Sentinel staff contributed to this story.
Jay Hamburg can be reached at 407-420-5673 or jhamburg@orlandosentinel.com


http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-rail1507mar15,0,887724.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-orange

DOWNTOWN Development ?

Bring it on
Opinion Reader Views - Orlando Sentinel

Posted March 14, 2007

I read with interest the opinions of Vanessa M. Blakeslee and Will Graves regarding development in Sunday's "Reader Views." Both made valid points.

I have lived in Maitland since the 1960s and remember my anger when they decided to widen Maitland Avenue. I attended meetings and protested, but, of course, the powers that be won the battle. You really can't fight City Hall. I'm still mourning the loss of Goodings.

Growth, albeit slow, has continued since then, and I am sure will be ongoing for a long time. I don't particularly like the fact that a large office building has sprung up behind my home and I can no longer watch the sunset. That said, I've come to the conclusion that the older generation -- many of whom won't be around for the completion and will have to contend with the annoyance of the perpetual construction -- has to stop being self-centered and instead think about our children's and grandchildren's futures.

We all realize something has to be done about the traffic, other than adding more lanes to Interstate 4. I have lived with commuter rail and other modes of transportation. Once people become accustomed to it, they will enjoy the many benefits. People too young to drive, too old and those not able to afford their own transportation will take advantage of it.

I say stop procrastinating and bring it on.

Fay Harger

Maitland

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-le14_407mar14,0,7540016.story?coll=orl-opinion-headlines

DOWNTOWN Issues Growing

Development Issues Growing in Maitland, Winter Park
Opinion Reader Views - Orlando Sentinel

Posted March 11, 2007

I am an English professor at the University of Central Florida and Rollins and have lived in Maitland since 2002. After watching several years of ineffective negotiations and stalled projects for downtown development in Maitland, I am losing patience.

I want to make clear a dangerous fact that has been overlooked in many recent Maitland meetings regarding downtown development: If Maitland continues to not offer anything for my generation -- the young professionals in their 20s and 30s -- and if our downtown fails to provide for our needs and the needs of our children, Maitland will lose us to communities that offer a far better social dynamic, income-producing opportunities and revenue-generating support.

I talk to my neighbors, and especially the other young professionals. Usually because of career demands, we have a difficult time making it to such town meetings -- and we're all in favor of a downtown now. But I see this election as a vital tipping point in the battle against those people who don't speak for my generation's interests at all, despite their loud claims to the contrary.

Maitland ought to have individuals like myself fighting to move here in droves -- but we don't, nor will we in the future unless Maitland steps up and offers what we need to thrive. Those people making noise don't represent us or our best interests -- not by a long shot.

The "obstructionists" are not the future of Maitland. I am the future of Maitland. And those people, the obstructionists, who claim to act with the intent of protecting Maitland's future, will end up sabotaging my generation instead.

Vanessa M. Blakeslee, Maitland Resident

DOWNTOWN Passion

Seize the Opportunity
Maitland Passionate about Our New Downtown

Posted March 5, 2007 - via email

An Open Letter to the Citizens of Maitland,

For years our city has been struggling with the development of a new downtown. As a City of Maitland resident for the past twenty-two years, I agree that up until our present downtown development opportunity I, like many of you (my fellow citizens), have been dissatisfied with what we have been offered. However, Bob Reese of the Brossier Company is offering us something that I feel is to good to pass up and if we don't seize this opportunity now we may never have such an opportunity like this again.

The following reasons are why I feel this way. These reasons have been discussed at the workshops and developer meetings, however, let me briefly state them again:


1. No Cost to the Citizens of Maitland ­
Because of the CRA and CDD taxing districts, there is no costs associated with this project to the citizens of Maitland. The developer assumes all the liability. We can get a beautiful new downtown and have to pay nothing for it.

2. Land Assemblage ­
As a developer myself, I know the difficulty in assembling land. It has taken the developer two years to achieve this assemblage. He has purchased the Winn Dixie and Royal Plaza properties and has full contracts with firm purchase dates rapidly approaching on the balance of the needed land (with the exception of the city owned land) for creation of the new downtown. It would be very difficult and time consuming for another developer to come in and start the assemblage process all over again. Time is something we don't have the luxury of anymore with the present traffic situation on 17-92.

3. Traffic Capacity of 17-92 ­
If we don't develop our new downtown soon,17-92 will reach its maximum capacity from non-Maitland generated traffic. The city ofMaitland does not have a TCEA (Traffic Concurrency Exception Area) so we will not be allowed to develop any downtown at all as there will be no traffic capacity left for our new downtown. There is no question that 17-92 will reach its maximum capacity in the near future whether we develop our new downtown or not. We need to act quickly to ensure the creation of our new downtown instead of letting outsiders passing through take the remaining traffic capacity leaving us with no chance to develop our new townsquare.


As for the present developers new downtown design, this design has evolved from countless workshops and meetings over the past 18 months. The plan has changed substantially from the original concept due to the input of manyMaitland citizens and the developer wanting to do the best he can, within his economic constraints, to give the Maitland citizens what they want for anew downtown. I believe that this evolved design is very creative and would give us a wonderful and vibrant downtown. For the proposed Central Park design concept, I believe that the even if a central park design was economically feasible, (which through the many meetings and workshops it has proven not to be), the present design, creating four separate park areas ungulating throughout the new proposed downtown area totaling approximately four acres, is more interesting and pleasing to the eye when walking through the new downtown area then having one Central Park totaling approximately two acres. Furthermore, these separate parks can be used simultaneously for many different functions creating more events for Maitland citizens and patrons.

The new proposed downtown design also includes incorporating Lake Lily Parkat the south end of our new downtown. Lake Lily Park in my opinion is presently Maitland's "Gem" which will become part of our new proposed downtown when Phase 2 is completed. The southern most park that the developer is proposing in Phase 2 opens up and creates a wonderful gateway to Lake Lily Park. The new Phase 2 park can be used to expand Lake Lily Park for major events such as art festivals or be used separately for other events. Even Winter Park does not have such a beautiful feature in it's downtown.

In addressing our historic heritage, the developer has incorporated in his design, saving a major portion of our historic city owned Central Park including most of the beautiful oak trees. As for the present city hall,fire and police stations, these are not historic buildings and need not be preserved. The historic buildings that were originally located on the site (Packwood Hall and the Maitland Train Depot) are long gone. My suggestion for keeping the history alive at our present Central Park is to create an area in the park dedicated to showcasing the history of Maitland. This would be a great way of preserving Maitland's history by educating our fellow citizens, Orlandoan's and tourists who would be coming to experience our beautiful new downtown.

What about our future history? What are we going to leave for our children and their children? Lets create a new history going forward for our downtown. A warm, inviting and vibrant history for the future generations to come, not a distressed town that everyone passes through to go to other vibrant town squares.If we don't go forward now with our proposed new downtown, below are some disturbing consequences:


1. 17-92 would reach its capacity and eliminate the possibility of a newdowntown.

2. The properties presently owned by the developer would probably be divided into smaller parcels and developed as fast food restaurants and banks.

3. Businesses in the area would continue to struggle, many going out ofbusiness from lack of interest from patrons in visiting our present virtually non-existent downtown area.

4. Property taxes would escalate from a lack of revenue as our present struggling downtown area would continue to decline.

5. The citizens of Maitland would be deprived of a wonderful and vibrant downtown having to continue to go to Winter Park and other town squares for the majority of their dining, entertainment and shopping.


There are still many issues to be resolved in the developer¹s agreement before we can go forward with the new downtown including and most importantly the relocation of the fire and police stations as well as city hall. However, we should embrace the present evolved design of the new downtown and concentrate on resolving all the other issues so that our new proposed downtown can become a reality.

Sincerely, Howard Schieferdecker
HASchief@aol.com


TO MY FELLOW MAITLAND CITIZENS: This is the future of your downtown. Please get involved in anyway that you can either through attending the meetings or writing letters to your fellow citizens or the Mayor expressing your opinions and concerns. To contact the Mayor @ City Hall please call (407)539-6250 or Email the Mayor @ dkinson@itsmymaitland.com.