County panel OKs SeaWorld water park
By Christopher Boyd | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted August 11, 2005
SeaWorld's plan to build a new water theme park effectively won approval from Orange County government Wednesday, all but clearing the way for ground breaking this fall.
The county Design Review Committee recommended several small changes to SeaWorld's plan for the still unnamed park. The committee plans to take final action later this month, with final approval nearly certain.
The committee unanimously approved the plan after rejecting a call from the leader of a community group for a detailed study of the park's effect on nearby streets. The 58-acre tract, which is adjacent to SeaWorld, is on the east side of International Drive, south of Sea Harbor Drive.
"We will have no less than 10,000 more vehicles on the roads every day," said Jerry Pastore, who lives in Williamsburg, a subdivision near the proposed attraction. "All those cars would put people, especially the senior residents, who live here at risk of life and limb."
The design committee's review was limited in scope. The planned park was approved in the late 1980s. The committee needed to find whether the current plan conforms to the project approved 17 years ago.
Committee Chairman David Heath said his board had no authority to put the project on hold to conduct a traffic study.
"The fact is that this was approved in 1988," Heath said. "This is a development plan that doesn't require a public hearing."
Last month, SeaWorld met with the Williamsburg community. On Wednesday, SeaWorld told planners it wouldn't make fireworks -- which Williamsburg residents opposed -- a feature of the new park.
SeaWorld expects to open the park in 2007. It will add about 1,000 employees to the current work force of 5,000.
"The process is moving forward as expected," SeaWorld spokeswoman Becca Bides said. "We are pleased with the decision and look forward to ground breaking."
The new park will give visitors a chance to come in close contact with marine life. One of its signature elements will be a series of clear acrylic flume slides that will propel customers through a lagoon that contains South American dolphins.
A 15-day appeal period will follow formal approval of the project. Pastore said he will appeal, though he said he doesn't expect to succeed. He said there should be a limit on the amount of time that can elapse between approval of a development plan and ground breaking.
"Residents of Orange County need a wake-up call," Pastore said. "They need to tell elected officials that there should be a three-year cap on approvals. A plan approved in 1988 shouldn't still be valid."
Christopher Boyd can be reached at cboyd@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5723.
By Christopher Boyd | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted August 11, 2005
SeaWorld's plan to build a new water theme park effectively won approval from Orange County government Wednesday, all but clearing the way for ground breaking this fall.
The county Design Review Committee recommended several small changes to SeaWorld's plan for the still unnamed park. The committee plans to take final action later this month, with final approval nearly certain.
The committee unanimously approved the plan after rejecting a call from the leader of a community group for a detailed study of the park's effect on nearby streets. The 58-acre tract, which is adjacent to SeaWorld, is on the east side of International Drive, south of Sea Harbor Drive.
"We will have no less than 10,000 more vehicles on the roads every day," said Jerry Pastore, who lives in Williamsburg, a subdivision near the proposed attraction. "All those cars would put people, especially the senior residents, who live here at risk of life and limb."
The design committee's review was limited in scope. The planned park was approved in the late 1980s. The committee needed to find whether the current plan conforms to the project approved 17 years ago.
Committee Chairman David Heath said his board had no authority to put the project on hold to conduct a traffic study.
"The fact is that this was approved in 1988," Heath said. "This is a development plan that doesn't require a public hearing."
Last month, SeaWorld met with the Williamsburg community. On Wednesday, SeaWorld told planners it wouldn't make fireworks -- which Williamsburg residents opposed -- a feature of the new park.
SeaWorld expects to open the park in 2007. It will add about 1,000 employees to the current work force of 5,000.
"The process is moving forward as expected," SeaWorld spokeswoman Becca Bides said. "We are pleased with the decision and look forward to ground breaking."
The new park will give visitors a chance to come in close contact with marine life. One of its signature elements will be a series of clear acrylic flume slides that will propel customers through a lagoon that contains South American dolphins.
A 15-day appeal period will follow formal approval of the project. Pastore said he will appeal, though he said he doesn't expect to succeed. He said there should be a limit on the amount of time that can elapse between approval of a development plan and ground breaking.
"Residents of Orange County need a wake-up call," Pastore said. "They need to tell elected officials that there should be a three-year cap on approvals. A plan approved in 1988 shouldn't still be valid."
Christopher Boyd can be reached at cboyd@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5723.
