Rainy weather has delayed pouring the concrete for Orange’s new skate park, but the project is still on track at Sunset Park on 16th Street. The Orange City Council Tuesday approved buying $85,411 worth of equipment.
The features will include quarter pipes, bank ramps, grind ramps and other equipment skaters know. The 14 features are being bought through a public buy board with competitive bidding prices from Sk8Parks International and Power Play LT.
The area for the 50-foot by 90-foot concrete pad at the park has been laid out and is surrounded by orange plastic construction fences. On Thursday and Friday, the bed of sand was being laid. However, rain in the forecast for the next few days could delay the pour for the cement.
Sunset Park won’t be the only city park getting a new feature. The Little Cypress Lions Club is donating $8,000 for an ADA-approved swing set at Northway Park on Clark Lane. The new swing set will accommodate special needs children. Public Works Director Jim Wolf said it will be installed in the area with the other playground equipment.
The council and the board of directors of the city’s economic development corporation approved a $22,500 economic development grant for a new business. WaterTree Orange will be using the grant for infrastructure improvements. The business will be in Suite A of 3720 North 16th Street, across from Northway Shopping Center.
The city and EDC board also agreed to an adjustment to payments from International Paper. The company last year asked the city to annex the mill. The economic development agreement with the annexation has the company paying a specified amount to the city each year. The city will reimburse property taxes and sales taxes that are more than the agreed amount. The city agreed to let the company make one payment instead of two payments.
The council also approved on first reading a change in zoning from Commercial 1 to Commercial 2 for land at 1709 Lutcher Drive and 1801 Lutcher Drive, which is the Interstate 10 frontage road. Modica Brothers Tires, at the southwest corner of 16th Street and Lutcher Drive, will expand onto the vacant lands adjacent to its current business.
Neighbors in the Lincoln Heights subdivision said they would have no problem with the zone change. Modica Brothers will install a privacy fence between the houses and the commercial lot. Modica Brothers will use the property for employee and customer parking.
Tuesday’s meeting was the last of the year for the Orange City Council. The meeting after Christmas has been canceled.
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