*** IMPORTANT *** If you are a Winter Garden resident, please be sure your Change.org profile information reflects your Winter Garden (or nearby) address when signing this petition. YOUR INFORMATION MUST REFLECT THAT YOU ARE A WINTER GARDEN (or nearby) RESIDENT IN ORDER FOR YOUR SIGNATURE TO “COUNT.” 
 
The City of Winter Garden, Florida, is exploring the possibility of a gas station and convenience store on the Northwest corner of Avalon Road and Marsh Road – a heavily residential area.
 
Although the land is currently zoned for commercial use, it is NOT zoned for a gas station. For that reason, a "Special Exception" request was made to the City of Winter Garden to build a gas station in this location. The "Special Exception" request is still pending approval. 
 
This project is NOT YET FINALIZED and there is still time for residents to voice their opinions. PREVIOUS EFFORTS TO BUILD A GAS STATION IN THIS LOCATION HAVE DRAWN STRONG OPPOSITION FROM THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES AND ULTIMATELY HAVE NOT MOVED FORWARD. YOUR VOICE MATTERS!
 
Residents in surrounding neighborhoods are opposed to this gas station for reasons including, but not limited to:

• Additional traffic at an intersection that is already struggling to accommodate the number of cars coming through – This raises the potential for car accidents, increased difficulty turning out of many surrounding neighborhoods during peak travel times and longer commutes overall. A traffic study conducted by the city in 2018 estimated that a gas station in this location would increase traffic by at least 900 cars / day. Because the surrounding areas have continued to develop significantly since 2018, that estimate is now likely even higher. Additionally, any new traffic study conducted during the pandemic, when routines are altered, will not accurately predict long-term traffic impacts. 
• Safety concerns – Children in the area who walk/bike to school would need to cross over gas station driveways during busy peak travel times in the morning and afternoon, as this location is in an extremely close proximity to Zion Lutheran Church & School, Ladybird Academy of Winter Garden and Whispering Oak Elementary School. Additionally, a 24-hour gas station operation would raise concerns about loitering and crime.
• Increased pollution – This includes environmental and health concerns associated with living in close proximity to a gas station (odors and air quality), an increase in trash and litter, and 24-hour light pollution.
• Increased noise – With a 24-hour operation, vehicles would come in at all hours of the day and night, including tankers and dumpster pickup. 
• Extremely close proximity to residential areas – The homes backing up to the gas station would be just a few hundred feet from the gas pumps and convenience store. This is extremely unfair to those who purchased their nearby homes under the guise that a gas station could not be built on this particular piece of land.  
• Long-term impacts – Over time, a gas station in close proximity could negatively impact property values in nearby communities. Additionally, the construction of a gas station will impact the landscape for generations, as gas stations are not easily converted into other uses. 
• Aesthetic concerns – Many gas stations in the area are not well taken care of and quickly look run-down when they are not well-maintained. 

Again, the decision for a gas station in this location is STILL PENDING, and THERE IS STILL TIME to express your concerns. PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION as a means of urging the City of Winter Garden to explore other possible locations for gas stations in the area, and other uses for this land that DO NOT include a 24-hour gas station and convenience store in such close proximity to residential areas. 
 
Thank you for your support!