A Vision for Mount Dora’s Future that Respects the Past
Mount Dora has a guidepost for its future. Above the daily fray of tending fire hydrants, passing budgets and replacing trees, it’s what city leaders use to help them focus on what needs to be done down the road.
September 4, 2015
It’s called Envision Mount Dora, and it’s available here on the city’s website for anyone to download and review. (Takes a few minutes to download.)
Back in 2011, the city was finally seeing signs of recovery from the Great Recession and was able to begin considering what lay ahead.
Mel DeMarco was city mayor at the time. “While the City was doing a good job with everyday business, I thought we needed to be looking at its greater potential for the future. What was the city’s next 100 years to be? Where are we headed? No business is successful without a business plan.”
The city of Tavares had recently taken a hard look at itself and determined through a vision planning process that it wanted to become more attractive to both visitors and residents. Considerable investment was made in the the city’s downtown business district, and its waterfront property was extensively renovated. “America’s Seaplane City” is an image that came out of vision planning, and as a result Tavares has an attractive new profile.
DeMarco proposed that the city engage its own outside planning consultant to facilitate the residents’ vision for their future blueprint. Council agreed, and the $100,000 expense was funded by educational impact fees from a local development.
Several hundred residents responded to the invitation to participate in a months-long visioning process that also included business owners, volunteer organizations, social clubs, council and city staff. Participants attended workshops and meetings, gathered information, and offered their insights, asking, what do we want to be and how do we grow from here?
Research into Mount Dora’s future growth opportunities involved an analysis of existing conditions, the regulatory environment, economic trends that influence “highest and best” uses for land. Some of the major players downtown were consulted to see how their business plans intended to play out.
Many concerns were voiced. The city was not keeping up with other, more aggressive neighboring cities in Lake County in attracting residents and jobs. There wasn’t much connection between the downtown and the waterfront. There wasn’t as much draw downtown for residents as tourists. With the new development on the east side of 441, there was concern that city resources like parks and recreation facilities were not being equitably offered. And it was felt that too much of the city’s economy was too dependent upon tourism and services, and would remain so until higher-paying jobs could be provided.
A number of existing planning documents were brought into the discussion, including the city’s Comprehensive Plan, the Land Development Code, the Parks and Open Space Master Plan, the Trails Master Plan, and the Mount Dora Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Master Plan. The goal was to unite these into a single master planning document that defines and connects various areas of downtown and the city as a whole.
The end document, called Envision Mount Dora, was approved by council in 2012 and is understood as the central planning document for the city.
The three pillars of the vision are:
- Economic vitality– A dynamic and attractive downtown; linkages between downtown and the lakefront; job and training opportunities; promotion and marketing of the community; development of partnerships.
- Historic community character–Small-town charm; great neighborhoods; quaint, authentic and inviting places; retain unique community icons; and celebrate natural and environmental treasures.
- Connectivity–Older and newer neighborhoods; walking, bicycling network; safe and connected streets; park and lakefront access, wayfinding and smooth transitions to destinations.
The city’s 3-year downtown construction project, now nearing completion, is one outgrowth of the Envision Plan, addressing crucial water flow and utility needs and giving the streets a top-side makeover. In the mid- to long-term, the city will look at ideas such as bringing in trolley service and expanding parking facilities.
“The streetscape projects provided the opportunity to improve the appearance of downtown and update the infrastructure for the future,” says Mayor Cathy Hoechst. “We can now handle rains that we have recently been having and not have significant residual concerns; a few years ago the residual probably would have been different. Simply but basic, we have a walkable downtown.”
Anticipating the Wekiva Parkway exit into Mount Dora and related development along US-441, the Envison Plan calls for gateway elements to be established at key intersections, pedestrian improvements such as enhanced crosswalks, and new buildings to be constructed on roads parallel to 441 so that traffic is drawn off the highway. Tree buffers will be planted, helping to maintain the city’s traditional look. An employment center to be built close to where SR-46 will intersect with the Wekiva Parkway, providing employment and educational uses in proximity to new housing.
“Everything we will be dealing with for the next 20 years will be the result of changes due to the Wekiva Parkway,” says city planning and development manager Mark Reggentin. “In the past, visitors had to work to get here. With the added linkage provided by the Parkway, it becomes a lot easier to pull people from downtown Orlando, even Disney. From a business standpoint, it’s the best of both worlds; unique and convenient. ”
“These kind of challenges we welcome,” he adds. “The added revenue will be significant.”
The city is also looking at development of the lakefront from Palm Island Park, Gilbert Park and Grantham Point on the south to Simpson Cove, Evans Park and Pineapple Point to the City docks at the east end of 4th Avenue. The idea is to encourage recreation opportunities and environmental resources that could appeal to a wide variety of users.
“Better connectivity to the lake front and use of the lakefront is a priority for me,” says Mayor Hoechst. “We have all this natural beauty that we need to take advantage of and provide opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy.”
One of the important connectivity goals from the Envision Plan is shown in current efforts to extend bike trails out from the city’s downtown corridor to the West Orange and Coast to Coast bike connectors, enabling Mount Dora to become a regional hub in a growing system of trails. The Lincoln Avenue Trail now stretches down to the Tremain Street Greenway to provide access for walkers and cyclists.
Improvements have been identified through the Envision Plan for the western entrance to the city from Golden Triangle, establishing a “sense of place” that better announces transition into the downtown while complementing the existing neighborhood makeup.
Along Highland Street, improvements would be made to provide a better gateway into the city, provide opportunities for a variety of uses, reserve space for shared use path. On Grandview Street, access for visitors coming into town from Limit and Lincoln Avenues would be improved, providing additional uses for business and residences, and creating neighborhood destinations.
Four years later, does the city still embrace the Envision Plan? According Mark Reggentin, it is still “the cornerstone” of policy. “Since we’re involved with just about every aspect of planning, we act as the Plan’s coordinating body.”
However, while the Envision Plan outlines many initiatives for the city, how Mount Dora gets there and when can change as circumstances change. In that sense, the Envision Plan is a guiding philosophy, not a work order.
What if the city has a change of leadership? Nick Girone is running for mayor in the fall and was on council in 2012. When asked about whether he would continue to support the plan, he said, “I voted to accept the Envision Mount Dora Report when it came before City Council. I always have an ear open to listen to citizens, and what they want for their city — today and tomorrow. A community working and thinking together is a winning situation.”
— David Cohea ([email protected])
Originally published at www.mountdoracitizen.com on September 4, 2015.
