They do not give up, that's for sure! The people behind the Orlando Thrill Park project are back, and this time, they want it to become a reality, for good. Read more, from the Orlando Sentinel:
Round 2: Orlando Thrill Park appeals city planning board's rejection
Round 2: Orlando Thrill Park appeals city planning board's rejection
Orlando's rejection of a thrill-ride park proposed for the north end of International Drive is being appealed by the developers behind the project, with a City Council appearance set to occur in less than two weeks.
Although city staff recommended approving most of the developers' planning and zoning requests, the Municipal Planning Board voted unanimously last month against Orlando Thrill Park, citing concerns about the project's effect on a residential area next door.
The project's backers want to erect as many as 15 roller coasters and other rides on 78 acres set between Festival Bay shopping mall and the Tangelo Park neighborhood.
The project's backers want to erect as many as 15 roller coasters and other rides on 78 acres set between Festival Bay shopping mall and the Tangelo Park neighborhood.
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| Rendering subject to the copyright of the Orlando Thrill Park. All rights reserved. |
A representative for I-Drive Investors LLC, one of two companies behind the thrill-ride park, said they are working with the city to determine how the appeal process will proceed, given that the project has requested multiple land-use and zoning changes that must be appealed through different channels.
"We're still of the opinion that it's an appropriate use of the property," said Neil Frazee, a consultant for I-Drive Investors LLC, the property owner.
Typically, the City Council would hear the appeal of a request to grant a property owner an amendment to the city's growth-management plan. If the growth-management plan is approved, the rejected zoning request would be appealed to a third-party hearing officer.
"Our attorneys are talking with the city attorney," Frazee said. "The next couple weeks are critical in terms of how do we address these issues, because they're so interconnected."
According to the city, the project is expected to come before council members on May 23. Frazee said that date could change, depending on how the city decides to juggle the project's multiple appeals.
Residents of Tangelo Park, the neighborhood closest to the proposed thrill park, are divided over the development. The board of the area's civic association has expressed unanimous support for the project, saying it will provide jobs and that the developers have enthusiastically sought residents' input. Other residents, however, have told the city they don't want the noise and traffic that might accompany the park.
Will it happen? Will it be built? Who knows. Let's just wait, and see!
