QC
CITY SPOTLIGHT
PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT GELESKE PHOTOGRAPHY
Mount Dora’s historic downtown.
PLANNING
Mount Dora Looks to Future Growth strategies including retaining historic charm by Vershurn Ford City of Mount Dora
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esidents of the City of Mount Dora love their history and their local landmarks. The City was settled in the 1880s and was incorporated in 1910. The landmarks include the lighthouse on Lake Dora, which is the only registered inland freshwater lighthouse in Florida. They also include the Lakeside Inn, which was established in 1883 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Even with a rich past and a traditional, historic downtown, Mount Dora leaders and residents are always looking toward the future. They are creating services, infrastructure and programs that position the City for sustainable growth. Current and planned investments put the City in a unique position to promote stable developed areas along with newer residential and commercial development that appeal to residents, commuters and visitors. The adoption of the Wolf Branch Innovation District (WBID) plan by the City and Lake County creates an employment center
12 QUALITY CITIES | SECOND QUARTER 2022
MOUNT DORA Lake County Pop. 16,341
that is designed to build a more diverse economic base. The plan established a framework to support future investment by the private sector in the District. The City’s development of transportation infrastructure to complement the WBID includes: ▸ Advancement of several roadway and trail projects within and surrounding the WBID area. ▸ Vista Ridge Drive and Innovation Boulevard proposed as the new City collector roads. ▸ The extension of the Wekiva Trail to connect riders from the regional trail system and the WBID to the historic downtown area. With Mount Dora’s proximity to Orange and Seminole counties, the WBID will be attractive to many industries. Those in-
dustries include medical, research and development, medical and treatment institutes, technology and others that want to relocate to the area or expand.
