"Local news worth reading" — The New York Times
SUBSCRIBE
The independent voice for West Orange County news
The Orange County Mid-Decennial Redistricting Advisory Committee chose two maps to present to the County Board of Commissioners — Map 1 and Map 7A.
In a three-hour meeting Thursday, the committee chose two similar maps that altered the makeup of Districts 6, 3 and 4 while largely maintaining West Orange County communities within their original districts.
Community representatives from Winter Garden, Ocoee, Tildenville and Horizon West, together with the West Orange Chamber of Commerce had lobbied hard for Map 2, which would have grouped Ocoee, Winter Garden, Oakland and Apopka together in District 2 and maintained Horizon West in District 1. Indeed, Ocoee Mayor Rusty Johnson and Winter Garden Mayor John Rees had sent joint letters to the committee requesting that the two cities be grouped together in the same district because their interests are aligned.
But Map 2 was voted down in favor of Map 1 (the former Auffant-1) and Map 7A (the former Henry-2A). Both will keep Ocoee within District 2, while Winter Garden, Oakland, Tildenville, Windermere and Horizon West remain in District 1.
Orlando is the only municipality that is split in both maps. Map 7A splits one community of interest, Holden Lakes, and 17 voting precincts. Map 1 splits no communities of interest and 11 voting precincts. The Supervisor of Elections had requested that mapmakers avoid splitting voting precincts to avoid the costs of reprinting voting cards.
Both maps have a minor amendment, proposed by committee member Bobby Olszewski, one of the representatives for District 1, which redrew the Woodlands of Windermere and Woodlands Village neighborhoods to put them back into District 1.
“I think we've got two great maps to give the county commission,” committee co-chair Tico Perez said. “I think we've done a good job for the community.”
The committee has been charged with carving eight districts from the county's existing six, following a November ballot measure mandating additional representation on the Board of County Commissioners.
The committee will officially adopt its map recommendations at its final meeting on Sept. 3, before presenting them to the Board of County Commissioners Sept. 16.
“We will make sure to have everything ready,” Perez said. “We will be talking with our legal staff about our findings of fact, and all of the decisions and recommendations will be finalized.”
The Sept. 3 meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Orange County Administration Building, 201 S. Rosalind Ave., Orlando.
