Orange County staff will update commissioners Tuesday on efforts to bring the county’s new comprehensive plan, Vision 2050, into compliance with a controversial state law that restricts local government planning.
Neither Vision 2050 nor its corresponding set of new zoning rules known as the Orange Code are currently in effect. Commissioners approved both in June of last year, following eight years and tens of thousands of hours of work by county staff. But last July, a letter from the Florida Department of Commerce informed Orange County its new planning framework was in conflict with state law — and, therefore, “null and void.”
The county then began meeting with state officials to discuss how to bring Vision 2050 into compliance.
RELATED: Orange County says it’s working with the state to revise Vision 2050
Orange County also joined about two dozen other local governments in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Senate Bill 180, the law that state officials say nullifies Vision 2050.
At Tuesday’s work session, staff will cover several different ways Orange County could re-adopt Vision 2050 without coming into conflict with state law, and present a proposed amendment for commissioners’ consideration.
“The proposed amendment would not modify the Vision 2050 development framework or its adopted goals, objectives, and policies,” reads a staff memo attached to Tuesday’s agenda. “Rather, it would amend the prior adoption ordinance to address the compliance issues identified by [the state] while preserving the Board’s previously adopted Comprehensive Plan.”
Staff will ultimately recommend an approach the county could take to “support an orderly transition to the Vision 2050 framework following re-adoption.” A proposed re-adoption schedule would launch public hearings next month, with a target effective date sometime in December.
Commissioners aren’t being asked to vote on a proposal Tuesday.
The controversial state law
SB 180 became law in June 2025 — and quickly came under fire. It began as an emergency management bill, but language added toward the end of last year’s legislative session effectively restricts local governments’ home rule power, the ability to self-govern, in a range of ways.
SB 180 has blocked local governments from enacting policies to enhance flooding protection, affordable housing, wildlife habitat and more. It blocks local governments from adopting “more restrictive or burdensome” planning measures — without defining what that clause means — until at least Oct. 1, 2027. It also applies retroactively, affecting planning measures adopted as of Aug. 1, 2024.
“[The] law was presented as a measure to help communities and individuals recover from disasters, but it included damaging provisions that shut down local planning in critical policy areas that have nothing to do with disaster recovery, like environmental protection, community resilience and paying for infrastructure,” 1000 Friends of Florida Executive Director Paul Owens said at a press conference earlier this year.
Vision 2050, Orange Code and SB 180
For Orange County, SB 180 has created several challenges, including for Vision 2050, an overarching vision for the county’s future growth. The Orange Code is the implementing arm of that vision, according to PEDS Director Tanya Wilson.
“If the comprehensive plan has been deemed null and void, then, in essence, you can't implement Orange Code without that overarching visionary document being in place,” Wilson said.
If re-adopted, the Orange Code would be the county’s first entirely new zoning code since 1957. It would be a form-based code: a type of development code focused on buildings’ look, shape and architecture, instead of what they’re used for.
“This will create more walkable destinations where people can live, work, play and learn. In some instances, using cars may become an option rather than a necessity,” according to a fact sheet from the county.
The commerce department’s letter to Orange County last year outlined 10 specific policies within Vision 2050 that violate SB 180 because they are “more restrictive or burdensome” than the county’s previous comprehensive plan. Another four Vision 2050 policies were deemed “potentially more restrictive or burdensome,” including one that directs bicycle paths to be separated from roadways whenever possible.
Not all the policies cited by the state are new, however, Wilson said last year. “Quite honestly, some of these policies were in the comprehensive plan before [Vision 2050].”
A message on the county’s website reads: “SB180 has effectively invalidated Vision 2050 in its entirety, undermining years of collaborative community planning, hours of public input, and actions of the Board of County Commissioners.”
