For a Winter Park lot, the answer is yes: permeable resin-bound surfacing can hold rain on site when it's built over Rock Crete or another permeable base and an open-graded stone reservoir that an engineer designs for the lot's sandy soil and groundwater. Over an existing concrete drive it's a finish change, because water passing through the resin-bound layer still runs off the slab below.

Here the stakes are the lakes. The City's own lake profiles name stormwater runoff as the main influence on water quality in most of its lakes, from Bell and Berry to Knowles and Mizell, and a major one on the Chain of Lakes. Every driveway that sends less water and sediment to the street drains takes a little load off the Chain of Lakes and the smaller lakes around it.

Winter Park's stormwater permits and the per-square-foot assessment

The City's Stormwater Division, within Public Works and Transportation, runs the stormwater management program funded by the stormwater utility, and it reviews and issues stormwater permits for development. The City's Land Development Code sets its own on-site retention rules (Secs. 58-162 to 58-168). New nonresidential and multifamily projects, and projects costing more than half the assessed value of the existing buildings, must retain the first inch of runoff in surface facilities such as swales or ponds. Central business district sites can retain the first half inch or pay a fee in lieu, new homes on vacant or cleared single-family lots need some on-site retention, and retention areas must drain by the third day. Larger projects also go through the St. Johns River Water Management District, whose Applicant's Handbook Volume II names pervious concrete with a continuous curb among retention examples and requires retention storage to recover within 72 hours, with a safety factor of at least two (for example, a 36-hour design drawdown). Resin-bound isn't named, so whether a resin-bound section counts as retention is up to the reviewer. For systems that discharge to lakes with no outlet and more than one owner, the District limits post-development runoff volume for a 25-year, 96-hour storm.

Since October 1, 2023, Winter Park has billed stormwater as an assessment on the property tax bill, at a flat rate per square foot of impervious surface regardless of how the property is used. Impervious area comes from building permit data and aerial imagery, and owners can review their parcel and request a correction through the City's online stormwater audit map. Whether an engineered permeable drive is treated differently from concrete is for the City to decide; don't assume it.

Chain of Lakes hydrology and what it means for the base

The City's lakes page profiles 19 lakes and a pond. The main chain runs from Lake Sue through Mead Garden to Lake Virginia, then by the Fern and Venetian canals to Lake Osceola and Lake Maitland, with the Genius Canal linking Lake Mizell. Other lakes stand apart: Lake Bell has no permanent surface inflow, and Lake Knowles drops sharply in droughts. Several, including Killarney, Forest, Spier and Mendsen, have drainage wells.

For a permeable section, the engineer will look at soil borings, the seasonal high water table and recovery time. Lakefront lots often have less vertical room above groundwater than lots on higher ground a few blocks back. The City also sets standards for underground stormwater systems (Sec. 58-168): two inches of storage, a bottom at least one foot above the estimated high groundwater, and gravel or river rock media, not limestone-based or crushed-concrete media. Ask the Stormwater Division early whether they apply to your base and stone reservoir.

Mature oaks are the other factor. The City's tree code bars removing or adding more than three inches of soil inside a protected tree's drip line and keeps all hardscape at least ten feet from the trunk, so a stone base near big oaks may need a shallower section or a different layout. Bring in an arborist and confirm it with the City. Oak litter also calls for a regular cleaning routine.

Winter Park properties that suit permeable resin-bound

Lakefront homes on Virginia, Osceola, Maitland and Killarney: driveways, motor courts and paths down to the dock that send less runoff toward the water.
Park Avenue and Hannibal Square: courtyards, rear alleys and restaurant patios on small, tight lots.
Older neighborhoods with brick streets and big oaks: replacement driveways where a natural stone finish suits the setting.
Campuses, churches and schools: walkways and low-speed parking on sites with room to spread storage across several areas.

Working through Winter Park review

Start with a survey and a civil engineer. The Stormwater Division issues the City's stormwater permit for development, and SJRWMD handles environmental resource permits where thresholds apply. Lakefront projects also need lakefront review (Sec. 58-87), by the Planning and Zoning Board for new buildings, additions over 500 square feet and significant changes, or by planning staff for patios and hardscape, and must retain the first inch of runoff on the lot with no piped discharge to the lake. The engineer should bring soil borings, the seasonal high water table, infiltration rates, storage and recovery calculations for the City's rules (plus the District's safety factor where a District permit applies), and a maintenance plan. The City decides whether the permeable area changes the property's stormwater assessment.

Resin Rock is a Sarasota-based manufacturer-supplier. We provide the resin binder, stone blends, trims and Rock Crete permeable sub-base, with technical data sheets for the permit file, and we train and approve installers. Winter Park owners can request an approved installer through find an installer.

Before you specify permeable resin-bound in Winter Park

Look up your parcel's measured impervious area on the City's stormwater audit map.
Confirm whether the lot drains to a lake with no outlet.
Get the seasonal high water table, especially on lakefront lots.
Have an arborist check the layout against the City's tree protection rules.
Ask the Stormwater Division whether Sec. 58-168 applies to your base and reservoir stone.
Plan a cleaning routine for leaf litter under oak canopy.

Common questions about permeable resin-bound in Winter Park

How is Winter Park's stormwater assessment calculated?

Since October 2023 it has been a non-ad valorem assessment on the property tax bill, charged at a flat rate per square foot of impervious surface. The City measured impervious area from building permit records and aerial photos, and you can check your parcel and ask for a review through the City's stormwater audit map.

Will replacing my concrete driveway with permeable resin-bound reduce that assessment?

Probably not. The assessment follows impervious square footage, the City's code counts paved, graveled or compacted areas as impervious, and stormwater credits aren't allowed for homes. You can still ask the City to review your parcel through the appeal link on the stormwater audit map, with as-built drawings and maintenance records. A resin-bound overlay on existing concrete wouldn't qualify, because the slab stays.

Why do Winter Park's lakes depend on what happens on my lot?

Most of the City's lakes receive street drainage, and the City's lake profiles identify stormwater runoff as the main influence on their water quality. Winter Park uses baffle boxes, leaf traps and, at several lakes, drainage wells to manage that flow. Less runoff and sediment leaving each property means less reaching the lakes.

Official sources for Winter Park

Local rules change. We last checked these sources in October 2026. Confirm current requirements with the reviewing agency before you design, and treat this page as a starting point, not engineering or permitting advice.

Permeable Resin-Bound Surfacing in Winter Park, FL