Orange County begins ‘conflict resolution’ process to fight Orlando annexation of Sunbridge
A day after Orlando moved ahead with a second annexation of Tavistock’s Sunbridge development, Orange County commissioners voted Tuesday to initiate a state-authorized procedure — hoping to at least have a say in the first one.
The discussion and unanimous vote took less than 10 minutes — another sign of county frustration with the annexations.
The procedure known as intergovernmental “conflict resolution” will include meetings between city and county staff, a joint session of the Orlando City Council and Orange County commissioners — and possibly mediation — before the county could file a court challenge.
Commissioner Nicole Wilson said the city seems to only want the county as a regional decision-making partner when it needs county-controlled, tourist-development-tax revenue to fund improvements to Camping World Stadium, KIA Center or other city venues.
Wilson said the first annexation — involving about 6,300 acres in unincorporated Orange County — is “the biggest indication the partnership is only good for when they want money not for when the county’s concerns about growth management and protecting our residents … ”
County staff invested more than a decade of work with Suburban Land Reserve, the real estate arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — owner of the land Tavistock plans to develop into 7,370 homes and millions of square feet of office and industrial space.
“This project could have been a great opportunity to work together to ensure the best for existing and future residents of both Orange County and the city of Orlando,” Deputy County Administrator Jon Weiss said earlier this month to the City Council before the annexation vote.
Orlando brushes off Orange County concerns, annexes Sunbridge
The city delivered a formal response Monday to the county’s annexation objections and dispatched Roy Payne, chief assistant city attorney, to the County Commission meeting to ensure the document was received. The letter rebuffed the county’s arguments.
The two annexations would account for roughly 11,600 acres — similar in size to Lake Nona, which the city annexed in 1994. Lake Nona also was developed by Tavistock.
Orlando’s first annexation includes the Stanton Energy Center, a plant that provides electrical power to the Orlando Utilities Commission — which is owned by the city — and a business park known as the International Corporate Park. With 3.1 million square feet of industrial use it accounts for a taxable value of $276 million.
The commission vote authorized County Administrator Byron Brooks to arrange actions to complete the resolution process.
