Winter Springs adds special meeting next week to talk possible stormwater rate increase

The Winter Springs City Commission will hold a special meeting next week to discuss a list of stormwater projects in the city – the first step toward another possible rate increase. 

In May, Winter Springs doubled its stormwater fee from $5 to $10 per month, the first time the fee had been increased in 20 years. Since then, the city and its consultants have been studying the stormwater infrastructure to see what projects are needed.

Winter Springs Mayor Kevin McCann said “hundreds” of city residents had their homes flooded because of stormwater issues during hurricanes. He said the city must tackle the projects because so much of Seminole County’s water flows through the city into Lake Jesup.

“That’s the first job of public safety,” McCann said. “It’s gonna be tough. It’s an election year.”

Matt Brosman, an engineer and the Surface Water Project Manager for the city’s consultant Kimley-Horn, said the meeting on Dec. 18 will present and adopt the stormwater master plan. The meeting will be at 9 a.m.

He said one factor on the rates is how fast the city wants to get the projects done.

“If we choose to implement over five years versus 20 years, what does that do to the rate?” Brosman said. “As well as things like alternative funding approaches. What do grants do to that rate? Or if we consider things like financing, the timeline implementation of the program – all of those things have an impact on the rate.”

As of press deadline, the actual list of stormwater projects was not out. But the presentation to commissioners Monday said there are 12 capital improvement plan projects identified. Additionally, the Winter Springs City Commission will have to meet in January to determine a policy on what to do with retention ponds, which can be public, private or a hybrid. The city is currently suing Tuskawilla Crossings’ homeowner’s association because a stormwater pond failed, costing an estimated $1.5 to $2 million to repair.  

This year, Oviedo approved increasing its $11.72 monthly stormwater fee by $3 per year, going up to $27.85 by 2029. The city is looking to use Raftelis Financial Consultants to do a rate study. Raftelis was the firm that recommended Winter Springs’ drinking water and wastewater rate increases in 2023, and has also recommended stormwater fee increases for the city of Orlando.

McCann said personally, he’d like to see the city lock in smaller increases over a longer time. 

“I’d like to see some slow, gradual increases – just lock in, like, a $2 a year increase for 10 years, off the top of my head.” 

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Arbor fee policy updated, 7 Brew coffee shop approved and more

The city finalized a new policy on how tree bank money can be spent. The money, which is collected from developers when trees are removed, now cannot be used to purchase equipment. The tree bank money can be used for “planting and maintaining desirable trees on public lands or for meeting Tree City USA Standards as published by the Arbor Day Foundation.”

Arbor fees became a hot-button issue in Winter Springs earlier this year when a developer argued that it had already paid $227,000 in arbor fees for a development in the Winter Springs Town Center. The commission initially agreed, but then changed its vote, requiring the developer to pay the fee. The discussion was initiated by Commissioner Victoria Bruce.

Last year, Winter Springs spent $190,000 to buy a grapple truck using tree funds. That truck would get used for trimming and debris cleanup after storms. 

Commissioners approved buying the truck using arbor funds – but Bruce said it wasn’t clear in the budget that was where the money was coming from. In the future, that kind of purchase won’t be allowed. 

Overall, Bruce said the city spends too much of its tree funds on tree trimming and maintenance. That would still be allowed under the updated policy.

“We need to get back to offsetting, replacing what is gone,” Bruce said. “You take down one tree, another tree gets established. I also think it needs to be in closer proximity (to the trees cut down).”

7 Brews Coffee

The Winter Springs City Commission has also approved a new coffee shop coming to the Winter Springs Town Center. 

Winter Springs has seen multiple drive-thru coffee shops come in as of late. Winter Springs Mayor Kevin McCann said his only issue with the 7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee was that it doesn’t have any seating.  

“Our Town Center is supposed to be walkable,” McCann said. “There’s no walkup window. There’s just cars going around. It just concerns me. I know there’s not a whole lot of land left to be developed in the Town Center with Ace and everything else coming in.”

Staff recommended approval of the 7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee, located at 1248 E. S.R. 434. It’s at the northeast corner of the intersection of S.R. 434 and Michael Blake Boulevard, in the same development as The Learning Center, a planned daycare, and a possible 82-townhome development known as The Sea Hawk Cove. 

The value of the development, according to an impact statement, would be $2.2 million, including land value. Ultimately, the coffee shop is expected to generate $1.4 million in sales annually; combined, it would generate $13,187 in tax revenue from property taxes and sales.

“We’re gonna have some very caffeinated residents in this city,” Commissioner Mark Caruso said.

Nonprofit rent cuts and sidewalk repairs

The city also gave first approval to cutting fees in half for Winter Springs nonprofits renting city facilities. The nonprofits must have a “clear and measurable community benefit.” 

That policy change came after the Wesley Seth Foundation asked for a fee waiver last month. 

Additionally, the city approved spending $230,000 to improve sidewalks in the Oak Forest neighborhood. The improvements are coming along Chokecherry Drive and Turkey Hollow Circle. 

Sunshine Law lesson

Caruso emailed commissioners before the meeting.

“I spent some time inspecting the trucks to be replaced,” Caruso wrote, before describing the differences between the current vehicles and the new ones. 

Commissioner Diaz said the email was a violation of Sunshine Law. City Attorney Anthony Garganese said that since there previously budgeted items, it wouldn’t stop the commission from moving forward with the purchases. 

“If there was no dialogue or deliberations by commissioners outside of this publicly advertised meeting regarding these two purchases, it’s unlikely it would rise to the level of a legal impediment for the commission to vote on these two pre-ordained budgeted items,” Garganese said. “But in other cases, other matters, it may matter a whole lot more than it does for these two items.”

Update: This story was updated to add more information about the city’s use of arbor fund money.