UPDATE 7 pm: The Florida Senate passed SB 1604, the land use bill that the CFTOD seeks to nullify.
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board meeting was held on Wednesday, April 26th.
Several restaurant owners, including George Miliotes, owner of Wine Bar George and The Basket in Disney Springs, expressed concerns during the public comment time period at the start of the meeting. Miliotes asked that the District consider the 90 families that work for not only his restaurants, but also for all of the other restaurants and small businesses as well. Milatotes asked that the employees’ and their families’ best interests be kept in mind as any changes are made that could impact their businesses. Basin president and owner spoke about their family’s small business and how tax increases and adding tolls could affect their 89 employees in the 3 locations they run at Walt Disney World.
NEW BUSINESS 8.1
The CFTOD attorney declared that Disney’s Development Agreements are void because Reedy Creek did not have the power to dictate planning decisions inside the city limits of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista. He also stated that the Agreements were based on a comprehensive plan that was originally approved incorrectly.
The board unanimously approved the motion to void Disney’s Development Agreements with the former Reedy Creek Improvement District.
In addition, the board unanimously approved a motion to make it against the law for businesses to put any COVID-19 restrictions into place.
The final point brought up before the meeting went into a closed session was the need for a new administrator for the CFTOD which Glen Gilzean, an ally of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, is a front-runner.
