Winter Park is four acres larger because of the annexation of a property on US Highway 40 and Village Drive known as the Rogers Parcel.

On Tuesday, town council completed the annexation process for the Rogers Parcel, zoning the land as “destination center district” despite concerns from neighbors in Snowblaze and Beaver Village condos about the distinction allowing too much development in the area.

“We’re asking you to reconsider the destination center district zoning that has been requested and instead assign zoning to the property based on its current use … a single-family residence,” said Tom Cummins, president of Beaver Village Recreation Association.

Community Development Director James Shockey said the zoning aligns with the town’s Three Mile Plan and its Imagine Winter Park Master Plan. He added that the neighboring Snowblaze Condos are also zoned as destination center district.

Under the zoning, properties are allowed to build up to 28 units per acre of land. However, the Annexation, Zoning, Development and Vested Rights Agreement for the Rogers Parcel limits development to 22 units per acre.

Mayor pro-tem Mike Periolat was impressed at the developer’s willingness to reduce the number of units to better fit with the character of the neighborhood.

“I don’t remember many, especially smaller parcels, voluntarily reducing their density,” Periolat said. “It certainly shows to me good upfront communication, working with the town and the surrounding property owners.”

In addition to density, neighbors worried about sharing access with any future development on Village Drive, which Cummins said is a private road solely maintained by Beaver Village.

Currently, there is no development planned for the parcel. Shockey explained that neighbors would be able to contest density, access and other details of any specific development plans once they’re submitted to the town’s planning commission and town council.

“Access to the property is something the council would really review whenever a developer came in to actually plat the property and build units,” he said.

A representative of the owners of the Rogers Parcel said their legal research showed the property likely has a right to use Village Drive, but added that they plan to work in partnership with Snowblaze and Beaver Village on access and development plans.

“However, we also recognize that development of this site will create additional needs for road maintenance and traffic mitigation efforts, and it’s only reasonable that future development would participate in those costs,” he said.

In other business:

• Council opened and continued a public hearing for the annexation of 53 acres known as Cooper Creek Village, south of town hall and boarded by the Idlewild Subdivision, Beaver Village Condos and Hideaway Village South.

• A lottery process similar to the one the town uses for workforce housing was approved to select random applicants for phase one of distributing Winter Park’s three marijuana licenses.

• A liquor license for the A-Frame Hotel in Old Town Winter Park was amended to a hotel and restaurant license.