A proposed apartment community in east Orlando unanimously won approval from the city’s planning board, despite an avalanche of criticisms from neighbors in Storey Park.
In all, the city received around 500 emails in opposition, a city planner said, including at least 388 in the lead-up to Tuesday’s vote and another 100-plus prior to the hearing, which began around 11 a.m. About 20 addressed board members in person and on Zoom calls.
Epoch Residential’s plans call for a 325-unit complex spread across eight buildings, ranging from three to five stories tall. The half-moon-shaped lot abutting Dowden Road is about 14 acres.
“Today we’re not here on a popularity contest or vote,” said Rebecca Wilson, a Lowndes attorney representing the builder, who argued the project is consistent with the city’s Growth Management Plan.
Before construction can begin, the decision will be reviewed by the city council, which must OK Tuesday’s meeting minutes. Then the project needs building permits.
Neighbors who live near the planned complex worried that the new apartments — which would be the first in Storey Park, a neighborhood off State Road 417 near Lake Nona — would further clog roads, overcrowd schools and degrade streets maintained by Storey Park’s Community Development District, which homeowners pay into.
Orange County Public Schools provided a letter declaring area schools have adequate space for any new students.
Others complained that traffic would be on Biography Way instead of Dowden Street, but Wilson said a gas easement prevents the complex from having cars come and go from Dowden.
Others also said that when they purchased their homes, Lennar told them the land would be used to build a town center with retail options. However, in 2019 Lennar sold the acreage for $2.75 million, property records show.
“We were promised a community center, not apartment buildings,” said Louis Hernandez, who lives nearby. “It’s not something we expected, it’s not something we want.”
John Matteson, a Storey Park resident, submitted his opposition in writing.
“One of the reasons we moved to this area was that we were told this area was set aside for retail which would have added much-needed shopping and stores to the area,” he wrote. “Apartments will add more congestion, noise and safety concerns to a quiet, family neighborhood.”
In a previous interview with GrowthSpotter, Justin Sand, president of Epoch Residential, acknowledged the marketing material citing the town center, but noted that Lennar doesn’t own the land anymore.
“There’s a brand new Publix shopping center within walking distance, so we feel like we’ll complement each other,” Sand said at the time.
Municipal Planning Board members noted that the apartments would contribute to addressing a shortage in the housing stock, which has led to much higher rents and purchase prices throughout the state.
“We need more housing and we need more housing of all types,” Board Chairman Anthony Drury said, before casting a vote in support.
Morgan Lea, a board member, also voted for it, but noted she wished there were some units slated to be affordable.
“I am a little bit saddened that there is no affordable housing component in this project,” she said. “There is going to be a need for it.”
rygillespie@orlandosentinel.com
