Voters in Horizon West and throughout Orange County have the decision to increase development protections on rural lands throughout the county. County Charter Amendment #9 will establish a rural boundary, with comprehensive plan amendments increasing density or intensity must be approved by a majority-plus-one vote of the entire member of the County Commission. Currently, changes to increase density only require a majority vote.
Orange County Charter Amendment Establishing Rural Boundary and Rural Area (“Area”)
Establishing a Rural Area (unincorporated lands located outside the County’s Urban Service Area, municipal joint planning areas, Growth Centers, Innovation Way Overlay, Horizon West Villages, and Boggy Creek Expansion Area on the effective date) where County comprehensive plan amendments increasing density or intensity, and ordinances removing lands from the Rural Area, must be approved by a majority-plus-one vote of the entire membership of the County Commission.
Enmienda a la Carta Orgánica del Condado de Orange estableciendo límites rurales y áreas rurales (“Área”)
Establecer un área rural (terrenos no incorporados ubicados fuera del área de servicio urbano del condado, áreas de planificación conjunta municipal, centros de crecimiento, superposición de Innovation Way, Horizon West Villages y área de expansión de Boggy Creek en la fecha de vigencia) donde las enmiendas al plan integral del condado que aumentan la densidad o intensidad y las ordenanzas que eliminan tierras del área rural deben ser aprobadas por una mayoría de votos más uno de todos los miembros de la Comisión del condado.
Included in the boundary are Lake Avalon Rural Settlement, Windermere Rural Settlement, Gotha Rural Settlement, along with several other areas immediately adjacent to the Horizon West border. While Horizon West is excluded, areas along Avalon Road south of Western Way, north of Flamingo Crossings, and along 535 would all receive tougher requirements for development.
To pass, the charter requires a simple majority of voters to vote yes. A “Yes” vote supports establishing a rural area along with requiring a majority-plus-one vote (5 – 2) by the county commission.
A “No” vote opposes establishing a rural area, and keeps requests to increase development density or intensity to receive only a majority vote (4 – 3).
Early voting will be open from October 21, 2024, through November 3, 2024, 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. daily, with several convenient locations in and close to Horizon West. Early voting locations can be found on the Orange County Supervisor of Elections website, and you can cast your ballot at any location in Orange County during the early voting period,
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