Orlando’s city limits could expand by more than 52,000 acres, if officials ultimately approve a new annexation request from Farmland Reserve, Inc., a nonprofit based in Utah and affiliated with the Mormon Church.
Farmland Reserve owns Deseret Ranches, a 300,000-acre ranching operation sprawling across Brevard, Orange and Osceola counties. Plans to transform the ranchland into a massive development were already brewing for years before August 23, when the City of Orlando received Farmland’s application for voluntary annexation.
That initial application is just the first step in what will be a long-term, formal review process, with specific plans not expected to materialize for several years, according to a city spokesperson.
“Living outside our water means”
When considering any new development or expansion, St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman said it’s critical to evaluate how the proposed development could impact that community’s supply of natural resources — like water.
“The state of Florida has already identified that Central Florida is living outside our water means, meaning there's not enough water supply to fulfill the current obligations, much less an expansion of development on this size,” Rinaman said.
Although groundwater sources in the region are limited, current and future water demands could be met through 2040 while sustaining water resources and related natural systems, according to the Central Florida Water Initiative’s 2020 comprehensive regional water supply plan.
That CFWI plan mentions four potential surface water supply projects that could benefit the St. Johns River watershed, including the newly-approved Grove Land Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area, for which $400 million was set aside earlier this year.
Rinaman and other advocates have expressed concern that, as currently designed, the Grove Land project could negatively impact the region’s water resources.
“You have to look at water quantity as well as water quality. And they go hand in hand in the state of Florida,” Rinaman said. “It’s critically important that we don't undermine the health of the St. Johns [River], and ensure that any development … focuses on providing an ecological lift, not only for those that live in the area, but for those downstream.”
Annexing context
Farmland Reserve’s request to annex 52,450 acres into Orlando comes on the heels of other, nearby county land annexations approved by the city earlier this year.
Earlier this month, Orange County commissioners advanced a proposed charter amendment to establish a rural boundary, one of eight amendments county voters will get to decide on November 5.
Additionally, Orange County voters will decide whether or not to beef up the county’s current oversight of voluntary annexations, with a ballot item that would grant veto power to county commissioners, among other things.
For its part, the City of Orlando didn’t seek out Farmland Reserve’s proposed annexation, according to a written statement shared by a city spokesperson, which reads in part:
“One of the unintended consequences of the County’s decision to proceed with a functional ban on voluntary annexations is that landowners and residents are now confronted with expediting planning efforts that they may have undertaken over the next several years into the next couple of months to avail themselves of rights that the proposed annexation charter amendment may foreclose.”
“We would prefer not to have these decisions made in such compressed timeframes, but given the circumstances imposed by the County and our obligation to protect the best interest of our taxpayers and residents, we must review these applications and make a decision on them before a County charter amendment might go into effect.”
In a statement shared Monday Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings expressed appreciation for Farmland Reserve and Deseret Ranch’s management team, saying they’ve been “responsible landowners” during their “lengthy harmonious relationship” with the county.
That statement went on to read in part:
“We recognize that this may cause some property owners concern if the ballot initiative passes by the voters. However, I want our residents to know that if property owners have the right balance in protecting the environment and responsibly managing growth in a sustainable way that works for everyone, they should not fear Orange County’s vision for growth management.”
