Both the public and the Eatonville town council have spoken. With regard to the Hungerford land, the developer wishes to alter the overall concept by having more residential construction and less commercial construction. The second reading was unsuccessful.
“By approving this proposal the town is knowingly allowing hundreds of houses to be unavailable because they are unaffordable to current residents of the town,” said NY Nathiri, PEC executive director.
The Hungerford property, a 100-acre site in the oldest Black municipality in the nation, is being considered for development. On Tuesday night, the Eatonville town council heard from locals who expressed their worries.
According to John Beacham of the Land Back Committee, the new construction will result in higher taxes and the relocating of individuals of African descent. He has a strategy he claims is best for the community.
“I want development but I want smart development. A destination because of its historical value,” Beacham said.
The Robert Hungerford School was the first school for Black students in Central Florida when it was established in 1889, and it once stood on the Hungerford property.
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350 residential apartments, office space, retail space, open areas, and a civics and artistic area are all part of the developer Hungerford Park LLC’s Winter Park development plans.
Residents claim that the developer’s design is in opposition to the town’s 2018 comprehensive plan, which asks for more residential than commercial space. Eddie Cole, a former mayor, claims that Eatonville needs additional stores.
“I would love to still see more commercial, less residential. I want it so that our community don’t have to leave Eatonville for anything. So if they want to go to the grocery store or whatever we’ll have the commercial and the retail to be able to do that,” Cole said.
The final vote was 4 to 1 when it was cast. The second reading was unsuccessful. The current mayor of Eatonville claims that she also voted against it and that the people have spoken.
“I genuinely believe that the citizens’ voices being heard made a difference. They showed up in large numbers, so you can’t ignore that, and we stand in for them, said Mayor Angie Gardner.
The developer has two options: either they proceed with the entitlements that come with purchasing the land or they back out of the agreement.
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The land will be sold by Orange County Public Schools to Hungerford Park LLC under an existing arrangement. By the end of March, the sale is anticipated to be finalized. The school system will make $10 million if the transaction closes. Eatonville will receive $4 million right away.
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