Title:
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Wekiva Island Winter Wonderland Special Event Permit - Consider a Special Event Permit for Wekiva Island Winter Wonderland from November 29, 2026 to December 23, 2026, located at 1000 - 1014 Miami Springs Drive; (Mary Sue Weinaug, Authorized Agent) District3 - Constantine (Mike Rhodes, Development Services Director)
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Division:
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Development Services
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Authorized By:
Mike Rhodes, Development Services Director
Contact/Phone Number:
Angi Gates/407-665-7465
Background:
The Applicant is requesting approval of a Special Event Permit for the Wekiva Island Winter Wonderland. The Wekiva Island Winter Wonderland will include a variety of events scheduled each day during the Special Event.
The Board previously approved this event, and the applicant is requesting approval to conduct the same event. Consistent with the prior approval, the applicant is requesting authorization to extend hours of operation, increase the number of attendees, and amplified sound for outdoor family friendly movies.
The Applicant has requested a maximum of 450 attendees each day and extended operating hours, Sunday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Amplified sound is proposed for November 29th, December 6th, 13th and 20th, 2026 for family friendly movies.
This is the fourth Special Event of the calendar year for Wekiva Island. Per Development Order #17-20500038 Section (3) t., four (4) Special Events are allowed per year, not to exceed a total of sixty (60) days. The Wekiva Paint Out Special Event was twelve (12) days, the Springs & Strings Summer Kick-Off was (1) day, the Fall Fest is seven (7) days, and the Winter Wonderland request is twenty-five (25) days. After this approval, there are fifteen (15) remaining days for Special Events at this location; however, The Winter Wonderland Special Event will be the last Special Event permissible for the year 2026.
Security and traffic control will be provided by off-duty Seminole County Sheriff’s deputies. The applicant has met all the requirements of Ordinance 2024-21 with regard to site plan, certificate of insurance and security plan which was reviewed and approved by the Seminole County Sheriff’s office.
An updated Certificate of Insurance must be submitted prior to the Special Event as the current Certificate expires on September 29th, 2026, and must be renewed prior to the Event.
The Event is within the Urban Bear Management area. Special Events occurring outside must be kept free from accumulated waste. The refuse must be collected and secured within a structure, a bear resistant container or removed to a disposal site.
Pursuant to Section 30.6.4.2 of the Seminole County Land Development Code (“LDC”), in approving a Special Event, the Board shall make a determination that the proposed event is reasonably compatible with the nearby existing development and does not pose an unreasonable safety or health risk for patrons or neighbors.
Staff finds that the application submitted for this request meets the requirements of Section 30.6.4.2.a.(4), LDC, and due to the limited and temporary nature of the event, the security being provided, and the conditions imposed by the Special Event permit, the proposed event is reasonably compatible with surrounding uses and does not pose an unreasonable safety or health risk to patrons.
Requested Action:
Staff requests the Board of County Commissioners approve the Wekiva Island Winter Wonderland Special Event Permit for November 29, 2026 to December 23, 2026, subject to Staff’s recommendations included in the attached Special Event Permit.
Note: The Special Event Permit Conditions of Approval (i.e., full details of the above conditions) are contained in the Special Event Permit in this Agenda Memorandum to be issued by Seminole County, if approved by the Board of County Commissioners.