Orange Says No To Housing Near Ucf

Neighbors' Complaints Bout Noise And Crime Help Kill A 630-apartment Expansion Of The Quadrangle Development.

March 24, 1999|By Kevin Spear of The Sentinel Staff

Homeowners near the University of Central Florida and developers were stunned Tuesday when Orange County commissioners denied requests to build more than 600 apartments near the college.

The construction was opposed by neighbors who complained of noise, crime and unruly behavior at several hundred apartments built in recent years.

In unanimous votes, commissioners rejected proposals to add 630 apartments to the existing 750 at the Quadrangle, a development of business, offices and apartments just outside UCF.

``I can't believe it - I'm absolutely floored,'' said Sue Eberle, who lives near the Quadrangle and helped lead opposition to apartment expansion. ``I always had hope, but this is beyond anything I had hoped for.''

Part of the shock stemmed from the fact that many of the proposed apartments had already met key zoning requirements. Those apartments needed construction approvals, a relatively minor hurdle.

And privately owned apartments are crucial for housing students at UCF, which projects growth from 30,000 students to more than 40,000 in five years.

Yet county commissioners focused on issues of crime - ranging from false fire alarms to assaults - at the Quadrangle's student housing.

``I think the crime problem in the area ... constitutes what I would consider an emergency situation,'' said County Chairman Mel Martinez.

Along with denying new apartments, commissioners launched a battle plan to stem crime and unruly behavior. Steps will include patrols by off-duty deputies and nighttime roadblocks in the apartment complexes.

Martinez and commissioners had listened to several residents of nearby subdivisions say they were fed up with squealing tires, loud music and even the sound of gunshots.

Several more residents were prepared to speak when Martinez made his motion to deny more apartment-building, catching one of the developers by surprise.

``They've [commissioners) stepped way over their bounds,'' said Stephan M. Davis of Davis and Sons Construction Co. in Gainesville. ``I'm in a state of shock right now.''

Several commissioners also raised technical doubts about whether the current apartments, called Knight's Krossing, were being counted correctly.

The apartments have four bedrooms, with each bedroom occupied under an individual lease.

Apartment opponents argued that each apartment should be counted as four dwelling units, raising the total number of units far above the allowed limit.

Martinez said the decision wasn't a message that Orange has closed the door on construction of privately owned student housing.

Martinez said he wouldn't be surprised if the developers came back in a year with newplans.

``Students must have housing as UCF grows,'' Martinez said. ``We're just not going to add to a problem.''