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HomeMy WebLinkAboutVoting on the Mall-1995 Oviedo all takes By Robert Perez and Will Wellons Disputed plan gains OF THE SENTINEL STAFF Disputed 1- J The vote recommends the changes to Oviedo Cross- SANFORD—A southeast Seminole County mall pro- ing be adopted in the county's growth blueprint. ject,which has pitted the interests of Oviedo and Win- Representatives of The Viera Company, which owns ter Springs,won unanimous approval in its first public the property, and the Rouse Company, which plans to hearing Wednesday. build The Marketplace at Oviedo Crossing,said the pro- The 7-0 vote by the county's Planning and Zoning ject will bring much-needed tax dollars and jobs to one Commission is only a recommendation, but it repre- of the fastest-growing areas in the state. sents the first step toward approving the redrawn "We are bringing needed services to the area," said Oviedo Crossing development,which one day could in- Tom McCarthy,Viera project manager. dude a regional mall, a medical complex, restaurants The project includes 435 acres along Red Bug Lake and offices. Road adjacent to the Central Florida GreeneWay. The step toward reality favor with Seminole The association battled the original Oviedo Crossing project,which did not include the mall. The reason for Wednesdays hearing is to begin a process to re-evaluate centerpiece is the 1.2 million-square-foot mall. the projects impact with the mall and medical complex Also,Winter Park Memorial Hospital plans to build a Oviedo Crossing touches Winter Springs and Oviedo, medical complex there to include doctors' offices, a di- which have sued each other over the mall. Oviedo, agnostic center, emergency room and an out-patient ment. Winter Springs opposes a critical entrance road surgical center. Detractors from Winter Springs continued to call the they say will bring cut-through traffic to Tuscawilla. proposed project too intense for the area. Seminole County,though,has the final say on the re- "What we're telling you is that this project is way, vised Oviedo Crossing Project. The project must be re- way out of place, even more now than it was five years viewed by state and regional authorities before the ago," said Modi Khemlani, president of the Tuscawilla County Commission has a final vote,which could come Homeowners Association. as early as May. � 5'o 3 0 vote opens way for mall near Oviedo ❑Winter Springs residents said The Rouse Co. and The Viera Co.plan Council was approving the deal at a sap=. commissioners sold out the to build a 150-shop mall with five anchor ante meeting Monday night.The agree-. stores. ment gives Oviedo more assurances that Tuscawilla community by Residents told the Winter Springs City Rouse and Viera will allow the site to be accepting a$1 million "bribe." Commission that the agreement shat- annexed into the city. tered their confidence in city govern- The settlement ends lawsuits between By Will Wellons ment and was a bad deal besides. the neighboring towns.Oviedo had sued "I cannot believe you put a price on Winter Springs for permission to cross Of THE SIMNEL STAFF our neighborhood or our children," said the easement with the access road,while Tuscawilla resident Kelly Smallwood. Winter Springs had sued Oviedo.to WINTER SPRINGS — In the face of "Is $1 million worth losing our peace block annexing the mall. angry homeowners, city commissioners and well-being?" Managers in both cities had expressed Monday worries that legal fees in the dispute voted unanimously ay night to The deal, which includes Winter would add up to the hundreds of thop- make a deal with developers that clears Springs annexing about 20 acres near a major hurdle for a mall planned just the mall,gives developers permission to sands of dollars. Under the deal, Rooso outside the city. build an entrance road at Winter and Viera will pay each city up to More than 200 Tuscawilla residents Springs Boulevard, the main thorough- $50 000 to Grover Groats so far. "It is expensive," Rouse executive packed the commission chambers.Many fare in the Tuscawilla community. said Winter Springs would be selling out The city previously refused to allow take Bryant said h of the deal. "If best their neighborhood if it took the $1 mil- the developer to cross a conservation take a step hark, though, it's the best lion the developer offered in return for easement that runs along Tuscawilla's deal for everybody." the city dropping its opposition to The southern edge. Bitterness ran through much of the Marketplace at Oviedo Crossing. A few miles away, the Oviedo City Please see MALL,C-5 g503AI City rejected connector road in June MALL from C-1 public comments Monday night in Winter Springs. Tuscawilla resident Jim Martin called the deal nothing less than a bribe, asking mmmnis- sioners, "Since when is Winter Springs in the retail business?" Homeowners association presi- dent Moti Khemlani said that if commissioners were wonted.abort the legal costs of fighting the mall developers, "deed the conservatioe. easement to us and, by God, let us defend it." Despite the heavy opposition at the meeting, not all the speakers complained that the planned mall north of Red Bug Lake Road would ruin Tuscawilla and increase traffic on their streets. - Harold Scott was booed when he said he thought a majority of Tuscawilla residents favored the project He said the commission de- served"a gold star for standing up that chance." - - to the people." Tuscawil la residents we expected Monday's 5-0 vote contrasted with to renew their objections when the the commission's position last June, Project goes before Seminole Coun- when members faced another room- ty commissioners next week ful of mall opponents.Then, the Shoppers from Seminole and board unanimously rejected a con eastern Orange counties are expect- nector road.But faced with loathing ed to be drawn to the mall, which legal bills and concessions from the will be near the Central Florida developers, commissioners agreed GreeneWay. Monday it was time to make a deal. However, the agreement is in- Commissioner John Ferring told tended to ensure that few shoppers the group that the deal had too are likely to drive through many benefits not to take,consider- Tuscawilla.The mall's back-door en- ing the risks of fighting the project trance will be designed to prohibit in court "If you w?pyyou're a hero. Wffic from Tuscawilla heading east If you lose, you lbib everything," 8R Winter Springs BoulevaM from Fening said. "I didn't want to take turning into the center. 9563zi "ai to E av E E1° }, 3 . o "vmi- ' 3.2r 0 . u dym.60 w' et 09 qFm ' mmxF W 'c as 0 .:aob pcpgvc •� ma 'a' oa mU- 3yc. O y E oy.. a g'i on.^;E.a, aE am E o yx 60..'''� ro3 aU pt v ta al U F 3 ro y .% w c l X o y'O .a 3F a a s :: bon v. c °a O U u a V L U CD t a«vwoo'21.. > aE Cw ,03xxa« o « a f a TA fi-' E 3 on a y_, w a O 30 2 wt-ko. b Cl) U y timro'� ` w m « N oa , 0 ;rc) c 3 ca ; .0 OELI 0...a av ro v y� n �°F Va ' o ° �L U o c'C) .00 oc G tu E w Ev Qy.... cc)'jU o E Oa v ire, v E O F ca.at: aw > oa �0 " • 2mayo a7mO c v yc ro'd ro-0 E°. - ax E Ya V vs co w t m4 c.,F L�yu� F 9F ° 0 « wQEg ' ro w Aa c ■ •� a"ESA 30� $ tG°_ �ri al ro o ° P. c3.- v O coo v co °a '3w O a 7 N a w O a.° G"1 w . 3.a3 EEmE aO.4 a �. S;,.° a Cr • iE.E o.�. va 12 >U > uwa U�" `oo awoa / my 0Ec e` E cgsaab« 'Q y wO y , m` 0 « w m'° c..- 0-°� r o o ao� NL G g yp P'U61C`'JN ] DAW v3�c.9EW140 6 .. a 03za, d«cCa.v RS to cis '5 N 715 a T C y d y a L .C2x .,C�« y gi o y ■-+ C C7 s Cm a o D e C ° y L C u. G CO c DI el 3 = 1 � @ A F, E � .1 c € 1 ii Decd a, ❑ U o o U R1 0 Commissioners say No to mall 1 Rejecting plan, they will reconsider and vote again April 25 By Di itRN i L JOHNSON At issue on Tuesd:n teas a zmt_ The cities of Winter Springs and Sun il EPOR IL II 0 F llrn 017E/X)VowE Oviedo had worked hard to reach an ing change I nom transitional dcvcl- SeminoleCrnumCommissioners opulent to core dew clopment The only agreement settling the connector road rejected WCproposd Oviedo regional real difference between the two is that issue. That agreement was passed shopping mall Tuesday night but they the transitional designation would not unanimously by both cities within the left door open to reconsider the allow a regional mall to be built. past week. halting lawsuits by both issue next mouth. The rezoning_ if approved for municipalities. transmittal. would hate been sent to 'This is not a large crowd.-Win- The 3-2 tole against transmitting IcrS nn s a eomprchensite plan amendment to la ll uhassee Co r inspection bt the P g Mayor John Bush joked. Tallahassee was a stinging blow to state Department of Community referring to the crowd which had proponents of the Marketplace at Affairs office. From there it would spilled into the lobby of his City Hall Oviedo Crossings.An nlli rnuntito wale have returned to the count) for ulli_ a week earlier. could hat e paved the way for all fu- male approval.probably in flan. He said he was fully aware that The Rouse Co.and the Vicra Co_. not all residents of the city agtee.that lure negotiations on the malt the issue has pitted neighbor against In Noting the amendment d w own. dm eloper and la for the neighbor The Winter Springs Com- I however. the Commission also toted project. respectiyelc presented their in issi on had toted on what the) ; to hear arguments from both sides case first.followed by public comment thought was best for the city_ :main at its April 25 meeting_at dnich by e,tiuns. Oviedo resident Seth Lawton time it will make its final decision Oviedo Mayor Judy Green said pointed out that his great-grandla- u hot lie,o F ot to ri'is Iii it lie a lien d- that many people had contacted City thormmed here in1888to grow pine- mcnt. Hall urging appmyal of the project. apples. He bought Inc acres of land The marathon session. which "We belie e we've conic to a conclu- way away from town on a lake called ended after 1311 Wdnesdat morning, sion that's right for all of us.' she Eola. Change is reknit c.- saw an almost equal number of citi- added. Change was not desired by the zoos{moduli and opposing the plan. CAIN Manager Gene Williford other side. however Anti-mall adto- which included a control crsial con- told commissioners. "I realize you care Moti Khemla ii. president of the hector road around the null between have a ien difficult decision ahead Tuskaw ilia Homeowners Association. Red Bug Lake Road and Winter of you • introduced Toni Ross. the attorney Springs Boulotnrd Continued on Page 3 CI 50c.336 Commission rejects mall Continued from Page 1 —They would like to sec a sec- handling the HOA't suit against Win- and viable option to the access road. ter Springs.Oviedo.Rouse and Viera —They want some guarantee for to stop the mall road. the Chelsea Woods subdivision,which County Commission Chairman may not be adequately protected by Randy Morris asked Khemlani if he the road design. would prefer a northern access road —They want to see a long-range if the mall was built or no road at all, traffic study.Current studies show fig- "I think it's a hypothetical ques- ures for the next few years, but not lion." Khemlani answered. and I into the next century. refuse to answer it." The issue was added to the April Commissioners Pat Warren and 25 meeting agenda. by which time Dick VanDerWeide moved to accept some answers to commissioners.con- the transmittal to the state's capitol. cents should be forthcoming. Should but the other three were bothered by the mall plan be approve9 at that several items. meeting. it would proceed as sated- In the end they rejected the move, uled to the DCA for consideration am' pending answers to three questions: possible approval. 9 30330 Mall in limbo BY DARRELL JOHNSON STAFF REPORTER OF THE OVIEDO VOICE When Seminole County Com- missioners rejected a comprehensive plan amendment that would have al- loved construction of the Marketplace at Oviedo Crossing last week,propo- nents of the mall were stunned. This week,after evaluating all of the issues. optimism is returning. Commissioners will vote again.after hearing arguments from mall devel- oper The Rouse Co.,at their April 25 meeting. At 1:30 on the morning of March 29. commissioners Dick Van Der Weide and Pat Warren voted to ap- prove sending the amendment to Tal- lahassee for evaluation by the state as Winter Springs Boulevard. By the for road. Also named in the suit are Department of Community Affairs. time the mall opens. currently pro- Rouse. Viera and Richland Chairman Randy Morris was joined jetted for the fall of 1997. both Tuskawilla. Inc.. owner of the prop- by commissioners Win Adams and Tuskawilla and Red Bug Lake Roads erty containing the easement. Daryl McLain in opposing the move. will have been widened and will be Rouse has offered. and Winter At issue is the controversial ac- able to absorb the increased traffic Springs has accepted.SI million and ing road around the mall, connect- Bow: other perks if the city would vacate ing Red Bug Lake Road with Winter County engineers. in recom- the easement.Action to do so by Win- Springs Boulevard. Tuskawilla resi- mending approval of the mall project. ter Springs Commissioners could dents are afraid the road will bring agreed with the findings of Jackson. conic as early as Monday evening. unwanted cut-through traffic into The fly in the ointment was Steve Chairman Morris is not as con- their neighborhoods. Godfrey. a traffic engineer hired by cerned over cut-through traffic as he An innovative intersection plan. the Tuskawilla Homeowners Associa- is with the overall impact on area allowing cars to enter the mall only tion.who predicted as many as 7.000 roads.He and the other two who voted from the east and exit only to the east, cut-through vehicles a day on Winter against the measure last week ex- in addition to a`closed community" Springs, Northern Way and Seneca pressed the fear that local highways look for the Tuskawilla area, has re- Boulevard. would not be able to handle the Row suited in traffic studies which show The Tuskawilla Homeowners As- Tom Morgan, a spokesman for only minimal cut-through traffic. sociation and its president. Moti the Viera Co.. owner of the 435 acre Traffic consultant Tim Jackson Khemlani,have sued the city of Win- site on which the mall would be built, said most mall traffic will shy away ter Springs over the city's agreement pointed out that both the Seminole from residential streets.especially one to vacate a conservation easement County traffic engineers and the as notorious for strict speed control blocking construction of the connec- Continued on Page'11 9 Soyo� .... . ..,..,,,,,,,:t5., . ,, .., ,., „, ..r..., Ati. , , ,, , lir -:04„,. . : . � R =s z ;xa_ r a .e .�,t:.*, . ;., t . ,.- , ',-.:' ,';',:.--' ,„,....'' " '' ''' t',:.''''''‘':4,,'z,',';',°°:.",;,•:'',,.-t.1-,,,,,,/ ' i ' ' ' 'it.''''"liIlllihittllil:\4-- ' s ,,..44,,,isie;N::,,,,.,774ttik,404,:fic:..oitte,r ro r . `"F� '""a' .� a j;x / �;+; "aY � 3TJ� '3ss ,g sl'. 1y „t',�,��,f t �,� �t�t «� eY. � .,' , , „ ,.. ,,,,,,,4, ',I, ,'t.,,:;7"),..itc.H; ' :� - John Clementson,Jr/The Oviedo Voice Pulte Homes Corp. is building this 44 home subdivision, Chestnut Estates, on the south side of Winter Springs Boulevard just west of where the road would connect with the mall entrance road. Seneca Bend on the north side and another Pulte development will add even more traffic to the busy Oviedo-Winter Springs thoroughfare. Mall Continued front age 1 e s . Florida Department of Transportation r sz have given the go-ahead on the m. project. In addition. he said. ' concurrency laws would stop con- ., 'Yt struction instantly if projections is showed a higher than tolerable vol- nine. "If it Jthe ntallj is rejected, I want ' , to know N‘hy," said Morgan.`'Not in `v terms of how Inany angels cot. d 8 dance on the head of a pin in I91t1, �g - bttt hard facts; in writing. ,, ),-,,rcpw,,F r '' ;'' & a„fir �:fiS• S.A..._ .. , ,--Q `- e k. T w Sp he rings Boulevard connector ould between meet Winter the Oviedo city limits sign and the Greeneway. View looks east. Other Voices aY `j/Ll9s Si reduced An open letter to Randy Morris , Commission Chairman BY MARYANN D. FIALA standing of the monumental impor- stanual increases in the future. 1 can SPACIAL 70 ruE 01 IEDO VOICE tance this project carries.not only for How they voted only wonder w h. you would seek to An open letter to Randall Morns. the city of Os iedo.but for all of Semi- roadblock des elopment by such a fine chairman of the Seminole County hole County For the mall: Pat Warren, Richard Van Der Wiede trio of companies. I would imagine Commission I attended that meeting and was other des elopers and businesses may I want to express my sincere appalled at the decision rendered by Against: Randy Morris, Win Adams, Daryl McLain hale the same questions as I. I won- thanks to Commissioners Warren and you and Commissioners Adams and der how many businesses will be hesi- Van Der Wiede for their votes on McLain I was dumbfounded by your tans to consider Seminole Count as Monday night to transmit the ON iedo reasons.If I understood you correctly ethics and community-minded con- ply for a transmittal of the project to a location as a result of the action,or Crossing project to Tallahassee for sir,sour vote in opposition to moving cern For a Commissioner to ask a Tallahassee for a review by the De- inaction,of Monday night. comments Commissioners Warren the project forward to Tallahassee, comnpam of this calibre to supply ad- partment of Community Affairs You I would urge you and Commis- ' and Van Der Wiede has e an under- was motivated by concerns of traffic ditional traffic statistics.which for all and the other commissioners would sioners Adams and McLain to rethink • _. - on Red Bug Lake Road and State Road intents and purposes. can only be have had ample time to address any your position.As Commissioner War- 426. Again. If 1 heard you correctly. about as accurate as looking into a remaining concerns after the project ren rightly stated on Monday night, you stated that you believed that the Instal ball.boggles my mind came back from Tallahassee during there are mechanisms in place,i.e.the concerns of the Tuscaw illa residents At this stage. A Duda& Sons. the three Public Hearings needed for penny-tai and the counts•commission regarding cut through traffic have the Vmerra Company & the Rouse the project before its final approval itself. to present the problems you been addressed by the des eloper.You Company hale supplied more infor- As a taxpayer in Seminole feared on Red Bug Lake Road and further stated that you wanted the de- matron. allowed more scrutiny and County and Oh iedo. I must sa■ that State Road 426. What w e don't has e N eloper to supply traffic statistics for met virtually es cry condition placed your vote and the s ote of Commission- is a replacement for the Os iedo Cross- beyond the year 2000 upon them to a lesel abose and be- ers Adams and McLain greatly dis- ing project. The land ow ner could has e sold yond w hat is needed at this stage This tressed me.My city property tax rose this property off in small parcels and is es idenced by the 38-0 Note from the 23%last)ear This project.aside from 11.+ Fiala lives in Riverside Es- possibly avoided the DRI process. I East Central Florida Regional Plan- bringing desperately needed shopping roles She Is the southeast regional believe that the fact that they did not. rung Council The'otc by the County and medical facilities to the area.may manager for a consulting firm in clearly indicates a high standard of Commission Monday night was sim- have prevented the need for such sub- .ifaidand 6— el yo �, O ,Oaponente: Oviedo mall Many issues finally left unresolved MALL from C-1 � county s OK about the ability of this area to handle a mall of this size," he said. The original mall plan had called for an entrance road at Win- o Matly more details will and west of the Central Florida Ier Springs Boulevard, which has GreeneWay. bad residents of the Tuscawilla have to be worked out But commissioners said they community worried about cut- before Oviedo Crossing were pleased by the developers' through traffic. The bridge option gets final approval. proposal to provide access to the would put the entrance about mall with a bridge over the 1,300 feet south of Winter S GreeneWay — avoiding the need B Springs By Mike Berry for a northern access road. is far no g which aw developers to discourage said The bridge option would cost al- is far enough�away to disrnurage OF ME SENTINEL STAFF cut-through traffic. most $7.3 million, with the over- Still, Moti Khemlani, president pass alone costing$5 million.The of the Tuscawilla Homeowner's Seminole County commission- developers, The Rouse Co. and Association, was not appeased by ers gave their first approval of a The Viera Co., previously had re- the bridge plan. regional mall near Oviedo just be- jected a bridge as too expensive. - "I I think think it's improve- fore midnight Tuesday. The bridge would begin at State Arent.. I think this just a way the Before hundreds of citizens Road 426 and Douglas Avenue, trlevelopers]found to the get their both favoring and opposing the crossing over the GreeneWay into mall, commissioners voted 4-1 to the heart of the mall property. wagon lani unstuck from the mud." pl" send the Oviedo Crossing project "It addresses almost issue 4 unresolved said there still plenty every - unresolved issues. to tails must for review.Many tor,an a been brought up," Hal Kan- l "aid.is like a basketball d game," details must Ire resolved before tor,an attorney for the developers, 5e said."We've just warted." the mall is finally approved. told commissioners. • One issue is how the bridge A month ago, commissioners County Commissioner Wm Ad- had voted 3-2 against sending the ams was alone in voting rlorheaprot proposal on jeopardize Spa' g agwnaf . The prnposal coon jeedgedito project to the state, citing traffic the project. Winter than $1 million pledged to. concerns. The 435-acre Crossing "I still have serious reservations Winter Springs by developers.They includes a 1.2-million-square-foot mall north of Red Bug Lake Road Please see MALL,C-4 agreed to an agreement em city the money as Part s rod at Wrote to build a mall access rand at Winter conservation Bob- levard and across a rnnservation easement. But the bridge option would eliminate the need to close the easement Oviedo has said it plans to annex. the mall site after final county ap- poval, which would have to come after the state Department of Com- fiunity Affairs agrees to the project • Under intense questioning by County Commission Chaimran Ran- dy Morris, Kantor said developers would commit to the bridge even 9 CO /a. /^ after the project is annexed into the 7 f a Burdines, Dillards, Gayfers and. two other department stores are ex-. pected to anchor the mall Second time is `..Vi R f• li L RE, y t N �YES! . ' ar���- " w WANT orrx ,. t ,...»T .MU�?y S . N+F W '' 0 Mil' VtAA'tk' w 4 iiil— ,,, 1 1� 4 • t Ai..'... Allr AP' ,w./41/ O'UR MA[[! I WANT MY MAW (7JIEtO)CRc,s ni ,. `S'ill 741-77` .-41".S.,. ;as. t..___ Stephen M.Combs/The Oviedo Voice lit County commission chambers had an overflow crowd Tuesday night, atAlmost of them to stand in support or opposition to the proposed Oviedo mall. Win Adams (left) cast the only negative vote. charm for mall Morris, McLain provide the margin; next stop : Tallahassee BY DARRELL JOHNSON fic increases,cut-through driving and I. Traffic engineers used proper STAFF REPORTER OF THE Onset Votes related problems. technology and methods,but thecom- In a room packed with 200 citi- As many as 90,000 vehicle trips mittee questioned engineers' Winter zens and 50 more standing outside, are expected to pass Oviedo Crossing Springs Boulevard cut-through esti- Seminole County Commissioners by the year 2010,with possibly 50,000 mates. granted first approval Tuesday to the of them on Red Bug Lake Road. 2. The committee rejected any controversial regional shopping mall However, Viera designed a new access directly to Winter Springs Bon- slated to be built at the Oviedo Cross- northern exit road that would cross levard, fearing a bottleneck of cars ing. the GreeneWay via an overpass and squeezing through a small span of Commissioners voted 4-I to send connect with SR 426, south of Win- highway while trying to turn onto the the project to state planners at the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) in Tallahassee, the first step Opponent Moti Khemlani in getting Marketplace at Oviedo Crossing off the ground. doesn 't fret. "This will be In reversing themselves,commis- sioners rescued the mall from their own death sentence they had imposed settled in court, " he predicts March 28, when they voted, 3-2 to reject the proposed mall.Then,Com- ter Springs Boulevard. mall property. The committee also mission Chairman Randall C.Morris In an emergency meeting Tues- expressed concern about potential and commissioners Dail McLain and day, Oviedo City Council members motorists making illegal U-turns near Win Adams voted against the plan. decided not to offer input to the county the Publix store in the area. This time, Adams was the only dis- to avoid initiating any new concerns 3. The committee was satisfied senter that would require study and cause with current roadway capacities,with In rejecting the mall plan earlier, another delay planned improvements to handle traf- commissioners said they were con- Oviedo Councilman Mike fic flow safely. The state sets limits cemed about potential traffic increases Ragsdale said,"the DCA doesn't cam that prohibit development that could and congestion in the Winter Springs about roads. They want to see land increase excessive traffic. The draw- Boulevard area. They requested that use changes. There was no reason to back, according to the committee, is property owners, the Viera Co., pro- refuse to transmit the plan(four weeks the possibility of halting new indus- duce more specifics about the poten- ago)based on road access." try,if traffic allotments are-used up." tial traffic issues. Council Chairman Tom Hagood 4.The group compared roadways The mall would be built on a 435- added, "I don't think they're serious near the Altamonte Mall with those acre site north of Red Bug Lake road about transmitting this.I think they're in the area of Oviedo Crossing. The and west of the Central Florida serious about delaying it." malls are similar Maize and customer GreeneWay. Originally, mall plans Meanwhile, Larry Dale, chair- base but, the committee noted,many called for a road leading to the mall man of an ad hoc Traffic Impact Re- of the regulations protecting the and which would be built at Winter view Committee, explained to cum- Oviedo Crossing site from overuse Springs Boulevard. Residents of the missioners his group's findings in were not in place when the Altamonte Tuscawilla area objected fearing traf- evaluating previous traffic studies: Continued on Page 3 95© al Mall wins OK second time around Continued from Page 1 Mall was built. Both Vera and the Tuskawilla Homeowners Association were repre- sented by traffic experts and attorneys. Hal Kantor, representing Viera, said comparing the Altamonte and Oviedo Crossing malls is like com- paring apples and oranges. Harry Stewart of the Tuskawilla homeowners countered, "No, we're comparing lemons to lemons." Residents were urged to under stand the definition of cut-through' traffic. Many -.some said most - of the vehicles travelling through Tuskawilla belong to residents,not to outsiders seeking a shortcut. Currently 95,000 vehicles go by the Altamonte Mall each day,but the' majority of those are passing on their way from one point to another and can' not be considered mall traffic. Dissenter Win Adams, who cast the only negative vote, could not shake his apprehension over poten- tial traffic problems. "I still have se- rious reservations about the ability of that area to handle the impact of a, mall this size," he said. Despite the approval,the mall is far from being built. The process is just beginning. And opposition re- mains strong. Before the commission meeting Moti Khemlani, president of the Tuskawilla Homeowners Association, warned, "This is just the beginning of the beginning..." Referring to the March 28 vote when commissioners rejected the plan,"they didn't lose,we didn't win. This will be settled in court" CisoVal County approves �;a . .. . ..., ,., .. gin,) r 0 . . ,.....00.- r s s4K yl* 41:S.4-:11. ' x. A . —. .' ' 10' t .•III• y ,. . „.., ..fiito 44, .. . +s. �! , . . , SS" sie 4114. . elek•• Ilb■illk"1/4104. ilk `x.1 1 Y IDarrell johnson/The Oviedo Voice The crowd was smaller, the signs were less menacing, but the rhetoric nga just as the forceful as ahead nllghmeetings in the Seminole County Commission chambers. Marketplace at Oviedo 9.Co 9i4 ; Oviedo mall ' BY DARRELL JOHNSON vious denial for approval by the commission. The long wait may be almost over for Proponents say it will keep traffic off of Win- those dreaming of a major shopping mall in ter Springs Boulevard.Opponents say it will Oviedo. In the eyes of the mall's opponents, simply reroute cars onto SR 426, creating however,the nightmare is just beginning. congestion never before seen in Oviedo. Seminole County Commissioners ap- The connection will be made about half proved a plan amendment, a development way between Red Bug Road and Winter order and a major change in the county's Springs Boulevard,just north of where the master plan Tuesday night in a marathon ses- abandoned CSX railroad crosses 426. sion that did not quite set a record for lengthy In addition to wages and taxes generated mall meetings. during the construction process,the completed On April 25, 1995, the debate over mall and ancillary facilities are expected to whether to transmit the proposal for state supply more than 2,800 new jobs and gener- evaluation ended at 1:36 a.m.Tuesday's fes- ate just under$100 million in payroll. tivities only went until 12:55 Wednesday The main complex will house five major morning. department stores, including Gayfers, Hal Kantor,representing The Viera Com- Burdines and Dillards,and countless specialty pany(a subsidiary of A.Duda and Sons,owner shops. of the property on which the Marketplace at Speaking for the opposing side,attorney Oviedo Crossing will be built), Rouse-Or- Tom Ross, representing the Tuscawilla lando,Inc.(mall developer)and Winter Park Homeowners Association,asked commission Memorial Hospital(part of the proposed com- chairman Randy Morris for permission to plex) opened the session with a recap of the cross examine Tim Jackson,the traffic engi- project. neer who has been doing research for the mall The plan includes three phases.The first, developers. already partially completed,includes the Tar- Morris told him that he was in a govern- get store and other businesses in the area mental meeting,not a court of law. fronting Red Bug Lake Road just west of the Ross replied, "May I take that as a re- Greeneway. fusal?" Phase two will include the 1.2 million Later he asked Morris to swear in the man square foot mall itself, other small facilities who completed traffic studies for the oppos- and the first part of the hospital campus, ing factor, and was again told that the com- mainly offices for all disciplines of medicine. mission had no procedure for doing so. The third phase will include retail and Kantor later accused Ross of setting the office space,as well as the hospital's ambula- proceedings up to produce grounds for an tory surgery center and therapy division. appeal.Ross was"setting up a lawsuit by ques- The concerns of Tuscawilla residents, tioning the procedures of the board,"he said. who fear an influx of through-traffic when, Ross'traffic expert predicted serious traf- the mall opens its doors and shoppers from fic problems if the mall is built, saying that northwest of Winter Springs begin looking the intersection of SR 434 and SR 426 in for shortcuts,were addressed.A road will be Oviedo will "fail." When the intersection built joining the mall access route with SR reaches the failing point,he said,everything 426 via a"flyover"across the Greeneway. will stop. The flyover idea was the result of a pre- ^ `O 1 Oviedo Crossing Mall continued from page 1 He also predicted avenge speeds agenda items. of20 MPH on SR 426,with some sec- She added an amendment to the tions averaging less than 5 MPH. master plan which will allow no adult • Rosa summed up the problems in entertainment or stand-alone bars in -three steps. the northwest corner of the complex, First,he said,"Tuscawilla hasn't which abuts Tuscawilla residential changed, the road system hasn't areas.She also called for street lamps changed. What has changed is roof- in the parking lot which will not shine tops,"adding that civilian population into people's homes. has outgrown the land available for Stores in that section will be re- commerce and roads. quired to close by 9 p.m.each night, Second,the flyover will increase except between Nov. 15 and Dec.31, through-traffic in Tuscawilla,not re- when closing time will be 10 p.m. duce it,he said. Restaurants will also not be allowed Last,"SR 426 will be a disaster." to stay open past 10. It will make SR 436 look like a Sun- All three parts of the proposal day drive, he said, adding that "434 were approved with a 4-1 vote. Win and 426 will blow up on day one." Adams, who lives near Altamonte Pat Warren,in whose district the Springs Mall and is concerned that mall property is located,had the honor heavy traffic will overwhelm Oviedo, of moving to vote on each of the three dissented. 9So9it/