The Winter Park Town Council at its Oct. 22 meeting approved Anthony “Jack” DiCola to serve on the Winter Park Urban Renewal Authority Board of Commissioners. DiCola, who was nominated by Mayor Nick Kutrumbos, is the 11th and final member to be appointed to the board.

With this vote, the council allowed the Colorado Department of Local Affairs to continue with the next steps for the formation of the renewal authority. Initially approved at the council’s Sept. 17 meeting, the renewal authority will provide planning and funding for infrastructure projects in areas needing revitalization. The authority’s board of commissioners consists of the town council members, mayoral appointee Dicola, and three additional appointed members.

Also at the Oct. 22 meeting, the council unanimously approved a resolution that authorizes the town’s continued efforts to acquire easements needed for its Connect Winter Park Project, including eminent domain. This project hopes to build a new gondola between downtown and Winter Park Resort.

Eminent domain refers to the right of a governmental authority, in this case the town of Winter Park, to take private property and convert it for public use. While the town intends to acquire the necessary easements through negotiations, this resolution will allow Winter Park to obtain the land needed to complete the gondola project.

“…Resolution 2186 declares the easements as needed for a public purpose and authorizes the
Town Manager to comply with the procedural requirements to use eminent domain if
necessary to acquire the easements,” stated a memo from Winter Park Town Manager Keith Riesberg. “Even if the Town and the property owners are able to come to an agreed price, we do anticipate proceeding with a condemnation action for the Beaver Village easements to ensure clear title to the easements.”

Other business:

• Several owners of Winter Park breweries expressed frustration that their businesses were being targeted by the town’s wastewater plant for damages they were not responsible for. The plant is demanding the breweries dispose of their wastewater off-site, citing issues of “overloading the system,” which would place a burden on the breweries that they feel is not theirs to bear. The council resolved to look into the matter further before taking action.

For more information, the full agenda for the Winter Park Town Council’s Oct. 22 meeting can be found on the town’s website.