City Council Highlights – May 29, 2018
Last updated on May 29, 2018
GENERAL
Memorial Day
Monday, May 28, was Memorial Day and many residents took time to pause and recognize the meaning of the holiday. The men and women who lost their lives protecting the freedoms that we are able to enjoy each day are not forgotten. Thank you for your service.
June 12th
As the second year mark of the Pulse tragedy approaches on June 12th, keep our local resources available in mind for our staff and the community. Anyone who is seeking help should know they can reach out to our Orlando United Assistance Center (OUAC) 24 hours a day, 7 days week, at 407.500.HOPE. Our advocates and mental health providers are standing by ready to help.
As an update, the Prayer Ribbons will be returning in front of City Hall on June 11th. On June 12th, OnePulse Foundation is holding a Remembrance Ceremony at the Pulse Memorial at 7 p.m., which is open to the public, and the event will honor the 49 angels.
Law Enforcement Memorial
Earlier this month Mayor Buddy Dyer was honored to join Chief Mina, OPD officers, the Fraternal Order of Police Orlando Lodge 25 and the family of Lieutenant Debra Clayton in Washington, D.C., for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Lieutenant Clayton’s name was added to the memorial, as were three other officers from Central Florida. Our community values our law enforcement officers and will never forget these fallen heroes.
ITEMS OF NOTE
B # 7 – Orlando Urban Trail Gap and Extension Engineering Services
Council voted on an item that will further our efforts to ensure we provide transportation opportunities for everyone and expand our residents and visitors connection to jobs, opportunity and recreation.
Thanks to grant funding from the Florida Department of Transportation, we are moving forward the design of two biking and pedestrian projects that are key pieces to our network of “urban trails.”
These two projects will help to extend Gertrude’s walk to the south and further the completion of our Downtown beltway by closing the current trail gap in our North Quarter area from the Colonial Overpass to our existing Dinky Line Trail at Magnolia.
Together with our other planned projects, these will one day be a part of a trail system that connects our Downtown to the region’s trail system in Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties.
CRA # 4 – Ambassador Program
Our downtown continues to attract new businesses, residents and visitors to our urban core thanks to our city’s strategic investment and public-private partnerships over the years. As downtown continues to grow, so do the unique needs of our community.
To help further meet the wide-range and variety of these needs, and further elevate the downtown experience for everyone, council voted on an item that will help to create a downtown Ambassador Program, operated in partnership by Block by Block and our Community Redevelopment Agency.
The Ambassador Program will provide a direct, on-the-street connection seven days a week. Ambassadors will proactively engage in services from assisting as safety escorts for workers and residents, helping visitors navigate their way to one of our many venues for an event, connecting our most vulnerable individuals to critical social services or curbing aggressive panhandling.
This program further supports our Project DTO efforts as one of the recommendations included making the downtown experience easier and more satisfying by supporting additional downtown “clean and safe” programming.
The program aims to have Ambassadors on the streets of Downtown Orlando this fall.
Hearings # 1
City Council heard a proposed order rescinding the LeeVista DRI Development Order.
Hearings/Ordinances/2nd Read #4 – Fern Creek Annexations
Ordinance 2018-26, related to the Fern Creek Annexation, GMP amendment and initial zoning, has been requested for deferral by the applicant.
Because this ordinance has been advertised as a public hearing, this item needs to be opened and continued. Staff recommends continuing to the June 25th City Council meeting to allow time to work with the applicant on outstanding issues.