Merrywood lot split — 1020 Palmer Avenue
Description
Request to add Policy 1-5.1.8 to the Future Land Use Element so the 3.67-acre Merrywood lakefront lot can split into two 1.5-acre-plus lots, each with 150 feet of lake and street frontage and combined floor area capped at 40,000 square feet. P&Z recommended approval 4-2; the Commission holds a public hearing Wednesday.
Impact summary
If approved, two estate homes replace the historic Merrywood house — capping development at 40,000 square feet versus a possible 56,000-square-foot by-right mansion. The demolition of the Gamble Rogers home proceeds regardless.
Applicant
- Name
- Tara Tedrow
- Address
- 1020 Palmer Avenue, Winter Park, FL
At a glance
- Hearings
- 1
- Public comments
- 0
- Total mentions
- 1
Recorded in the meeting · City Commission
Last discussed Jun 22, 2026.
Meeting timeline (1)
Related issues (2)
Lakefront Lot Splits
Winter Park's Comprehensive Plan bans splitting lakefront estates to protect large lots and low density along the lakes. Critics warned that carving out an exception for a single property sets a precedent other owners will cite; supporters noted the criteria are so narrow no other property qualifies.
Merrywood Preservation
The fate of the historic Gamble Rogers-designed Merrywood home at 1020 Palmer Avenue is tied to a Comprehensive Plan amendment allowing lakefront lot splits. The house isn't designated historic and will be demolished either way, but the split would cap total home size at 40,000 square feet versus a possible 56,000-square-foot single mansion. The debate exposed bigger questions about how Winter Park preserves its history — and who pays for it.
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