Winter Park aims to ‘level the playing field’ among businesses for scarce parking spaces

Winter Park city commissioners approved changes this week to the city’s land development code aimed at curbing downtown parking problems.

The ordinance eliminates a grandfather clause enacted in 2003 that allowed retail owners to convert building space into a restaurant without providing extra parking spots.

At the time, the city wanted to boost foot traffic downtown and compete with the restaurants popping up at Winter Park Village, planning and zoning manager Jeff Briggs said.

Since then, 17 new restaurants have opened in the Park Avenue district with 1,471 seats, upping the demand to more than 200 more parking spaces, according to a report by consultant Kimley-Horn requested by the city.

“As we struggled to continue to find spaces and manage our inventory better, it seemed like an appropriate time to call a halt to this conversion and also to level the playing field” among all businesses in the city, Briggs said at Monday’s meeting.

The changes affect future businesses built along Park Avenue, the New England Avenue portion of Hannibal Square, the central business district and the Orange Avenue corridor. The ordinance includes extending off site-parking requirements from being within 300 feet of the business to 750 feet.

Commissioner Carolyn Cooper said she was worried about preserving the character and ambiance of Park Avenue and unsuccessfully tried to amend the ordinance with an exemption for the popular shopping and dining district.

“These are very important minute details because as we start to tinker with the parking code, we are weakening the protection of the very corridor that distinguishes us from other communities and bring economic value to Winter Park,” Cooper said.

Although other commissioners shared her concerns, they agreed change was necessary.

“This, as far as parking goes, needs to happen,” Commissioner Sarah Sprinkel said. “That doesn’t mean we’re selling out Park Ave, — what it means is that we’re constantly looking at what is the best for this community.”

The new parking ordinance is the latest attempt by the city to free up more space in areas that attract residents and visitors.

The city previously added a five-level parking garage on West Canton Avenue, opened about 100 new spaces behind City Hall and operates an employee parking program to free up street parking.

Earlier this month, parking enforcement officers began using new software and technology that helps monitor vehicles parked in the downtown district and issue citations to anyone who goes over the posted time limit.