News Disney World Earmarks 80 Acres for Affordable Housing

[LAKid53]

I love how the excuse is always infrastructure, traffic & school crowding.

Like when you moved to that place didn't they have to expand services for new residents like yourself?

And then people wonder why we have a housing shortage in this country: it's because it's too easy to prevent great projects like this from happening.

Zoning laws are a mess everywhere in America. It's hard to believe our GDP can even grow as much as it does albeit with ever-increasing inequality.

You are completely missing the point those of us who live in the area are concerned about. It has absolutely nothing to do with the purpose of the project and I'm frankly offended people think that's why residents in the area are upset.

It's because we know how a 1410 unit housing development will affect that area, an area that already suffers from infrastructure deficiencies. And to dismiss such valid concerns is frankly insulting. Why not place the much needed affordable housing in a better location that already has what residents of that development will require?

 

[MaryJaneP]

Why not place the much needed affordable housing in a better location that already has what residents of that development will require?

So if the authorities (CFTOD) were to fix the inadequacies, would you be in support of this project?

 

[DisneyFanatic12]

So if the authorities (CFTOD) were to fix the inadequacies, would you be in support of this project?

Full heartedly.

Although, the issues would have to be solved through both Orange County and CFTOD. If the issues were solved, and infrastructure in place, I, and I’m sure @LAKid53 as well, would have no issue with this development.

 

[LAKid53]

I love how the excuse is always infrastructure, traffic & school crowding.

Like when you moved to that place didn't they have to expand services for new residents like yourself?

And then people wonder why we have a housing shortage in this country: it's because it's too easy to prevent great projects like this from happening.

Zoning laws are a mess everywhere in America. It's hard to believe our GDP can even grow as much as it does albeit with ever-increasing inequality.

No. Because development of that corridor has been in the works for years and included in the county's comprehensive plan.

There's an elementary school being built 100 yards from my driveway. I haven't seen the zoning for it yet to see if it will include not just Waterleigh but communities north and south on Avalon. I can tell you that this 1410 unit complex will impact the enrollment of that school. Construction of OCPS Site 47 began at the end of summer last year. The school is slated to be completed by the opening of the 2024-25 school year. So nearly a year to BUILD the school.

If half of the residents have 1 or 2 school aged kids, that's adding 700 to 1400 new students. Can existing schools handle the increased capacity on top of the developments already being built that have already been calculated into school capacity?

 

[Lilofan]

No. Because development of that corridor has been in the works for years and included in the county's comprehensive plan.

There's an elementary school being built 100 yards from my driveway. I haven't seen the zoning for it yet to see if it will include not just Waterleigh but communities north and south on Avalon. I can tell you that this 1410 unit complex will impact the enrollment of that school. Construction of OCPS Site 47 began at the end of summer last year. The school is slated to be completed by the opening of the 2024-25 school year. So nearly a year to BUILD the school.

If half of the residents have 1 or 2 school aged kids, that's adding 700 to 1400 new students. Can existing schools handle the increased capacity on top of the developments already being built that have already been calculated into school capacity?

Is your street going to lined up with hundreds of cars where moms or dads picking up their kids when school ends in the mid afternoon? If that is the case I feel sorry for you.

 

[LAKid53]

So if the authorities (CFTOD) were to fix the inadequacies, would you be in support of this project?

I'm really insulted you think I'm not in support of affordable housing in the area. I have repeatedly stated my concerns have nothing to do with the purpose of the project but its location in an area that can't meet the infrastructure requirements of existing developments.

Is CFTOD going to build more public schools? No. Is it going to build more retail? No. Is it going to widen Hartzog from the Marriot to just past the bend before the road intersects with Avalon? No...it can't. There are several apartment complexes that prevent widening the road. Plus there are right of way issues with 429.

Could the project be moved to Flamingo Crossing which already has existing infrastructure to handle a 1410 unit development? Probably.

 

[LAKid53]

Is your street going to lined up with hundreds of cars where moms or dads picking up their kids when school ends in the mid afternoon? If that is the case I feel sorry for you.

I'm hoping that many of the kids will walk or bike to the school...we've got nice wide roads and sidewalks. But the walk from Phase 1 may be too far for their parents' comfort. So yes, I'm expecting a long line of cars each morning and afternoon on Atwater Bay.

 

[LAKid53]

Full heartedly.

Although, the issues would have to be solved through both Orange County and CFTOD. If the issues were solved, and infrastructure in place, I, and I’m sure @LAKid53 as well, would have no issue with this development.

Bingo

 

[Lilofan]

I'm hoping that many of the kids will walk or bike to the school...we've got nice wide roads and sidewalks. But the walk from Phase 1 may be too far for their parents' comfort. So yes, I'm expecting a long line of cars each morning and afternoon on Atwater Bay.

The afternoon walk to go home in the blistering heat and humidity in Sept Oct May and June would be a bit much for the kids.

 

[lazyboy97o]

You are completely missing the point those of us who live in the area are concerned about. It has absolutely nothing to do with the purpose of the project and I'm frankly offended people think that's why residents in the area are upset.

It's because we know how a 1410 unit housing development will affect that area, an area that already suffers from infrastructure deficiencies. And to dismiss such valid concerns is frankly insulting. Why not place the much needed affordable housing in a better location that already has what residents of that development will require?

The area was designed to be deficient. That’s a key feature to allow residents to oppose denser developments.

 

[LAKid53]

The afternoon walk to go home in the blistering heat and humidity in Sept Oct May and June would be a bit much for the kids.

Lots of the kids in my phase ride bikes or scooters to and from school. But they look like middle and high school kids.

 

[TheEPCOTHistorian]

As more and more homes forego landlines, cellular capacity is critical. And this area doesn't have sufficient coverage for those of us who live here now.

This. I can’t even take a phone call without it dropping numerous times, and texts will not send. All this on an AT&T Unlimited 5G plan.

This all sounds like such a noble plan by Disney, unless you live here. The infrastructure is abysmal but the cost of living is absurd. This is a nightmare waiting to happen.

 

[TalkingHead]

That entire area bounded by 429, 27, and 192 is poised to be a long-term nightmare of land development. The new road that just opened in Lake County connecting 27 and 429 is two lanes, has 90 deg turns, one which is easy to miss at night, and has acres and acres of neighborhoods going up. It’s going to be overwhelmed with use in no time.

 

[Lilofan]

That entire area bounded by 429, 27, and 192 is poised to be a long-term nightmare of land development. The new road that just opened in Lake County connecting 27 and 429 is two lanes, has 90 deg turns, one which is easy to miss at night, and has acres and acres of neighborhoods going up. It’s going to be overwhelmed with use in no time.

I've passed roads while in Central FL visiting with white crosses on the side of the road. This will only add up with more crosses.

 

[peter11435]

This. I can’t even take a phone call without it dropping numerous times, and texts will not send. All this on an AT&T Unlimited 5G plan.

This all sounds like such a noble plan by Disney, unless you live here. The infrastructure is abysmal but the cost of living is absurd. This is a nightmare waiting to happen.

The answer to your problem is not fighting against Disneys proposal to build much needed affordable housing.

The answer is to fight AT&T and other providers to install much needed enhanced cellular infrastructure.

 

[Lilofan]

When we lost power for 6 hours on Monday, I also lost the ability to make phone calls because of the lack of cellular service in the area. Not just in my neighborhood, but all along the Avalon/Hartzog corridor, including Flamingo Crossing.

As more and more homes forego landlines, cellular capacity is critical. And this area doesn't have sufficient coverage for those of us who live here now.

Another case in point how would homeowners react when they just find out - BTW , a monstrous cell tower will be constructed / placed adjacent to your residence backyard and swimming pool?

 

[flynnibus]

As more and more homes forego landlines, cellular capacity is critical. And this area doesn't have sufficient coverage for those of us who live here now.

How many more private businesses are you going to cite as gating things to decide land development strategies...

Pubix, Cell companies, gas stations, etc...

 

[flynnibus]

I love how the excuse is always infrastructure, traffic & school crowding.

Like when you moved to that place didn't they have to expand services for new residents like yourself?

They are relevant discussions when talking about WHAT goes in... and the balance of what you have. Some types of development stress some services more than others, with less contributions, etc. Too much residential, without any commercial base means high service costs with less tax revenue... apartments bring more kids per acre than SFH development increasing school demand where there may not already be capacity, etc.

They are valid topics - but the conversation is much more than a singular Y/N in isolation.

And why so many proposals include proffers to help offset new loads. Be it donating land, funding transportation improvements, etc.

 

[peter11435]

How many more private businesses are you going to cite as gating things to decide land development strategies...

Pubix, Cell companies, gas stations, etc...

They would fight a Publix, or Walmart, or gas station being built too close to them too.

 

[maxairmike]

This is where, as much as I typically agree with @LAKid53 and others, I have to go the opposite direction on this. I sit on Western Way every day on my commute home, and on the way in when I don’t leave early enough. I know they’re generally well behind where they should be (I love seeing timelines keep slipping back and a year getting tacked on, or just not updating them) on the roads back here to handle the previously master planned capacity (and the counties need to do everything they can to force the developers to play ball on connecting Sawgrass with Fleming, even though that brings a ton of the Avalon traffic down my route). The schools seem overwhelmed despite the expansions in students and capacity having been planned. All of the infrastructure gripes and concerns are 100% valid, and I don’t disagree with them. Where I disagree is that the entire region has pretty much nowhere that can truthfully adequately handle this kind of addition. Putting the entrance on Western Way just shifts the traffic burden a little bit, it doesn’t make it go away. There may be little pockets where the immediate, small scale impact can be absorbed, but the overall impact on the larger scale is the same, the way I see it.

This housing is needed. If we were to wait until the infrastructure is ready to handle it, it would never happen because additional projects and things that require additional capacity of the infrastructure will keep popping up. Is it gonna be painful for those of us that live around it? Yep, and that would be the case no matter where in the greater metro area it goes. There’s no good solution, there’s no good timing, and the housing stock is needed. The best we can hope for is that pointing out and voicing our concerns can get money pushed from multiple parties to try and get the needed infrastructure projects to ease the pain done faster.

Also, switching to Verizon improved my signal back here drastically. I get 5GUW in my house when I was lucky to get 1 bar of LTE with AT&T. But maybe don’t switch so you don’t crowd my service out.