OAKLAND, Fla. — A major new shopping and dining development is moving forward in Oakland, bringing 85,000 square feet of commercial space to a community experiencing rapid growth.

Oakland Village is planned along State Road 50 next to existing commercial properties on more than 14 acres.

The project is expected to include shops, restaurants and services, giving residents more options closer to home.

Oakland is one of the fastest-growing communities in western Orange County, with its population jumping roughly 60% since 2020 — substantially faster than Orange County overall, which grew about 6.9%.

Town Manager Elise Hui says the growth is continuing to reshape the community.

“It continues to grow. People want to be here,” Hui said. “You know, people are outgrowing Winter Garden and Clermont, so we’re kind of the next place.”

Town leaders have approved Oakland Village, which will have a vibe like the successful Winter Park Village.

Oakland Mayor Shane Taylor says residents have been asking for more places to spend time locally.

“And it’s something that our residents really, really want where they can have a place where they can shop local, eat local, and hang out locally,” Taylor said.

The development could also play a role in Oakland’s future tax base as Florida considers changes to property taxes under Amendment 3.

Property taxes provide nearly 60% of Oakland’s general fund revenue.

Taylor says the town needs to expand its economic base with Amendment 3 on the ballot and in the hands of voters.

Oakland’s general tax base is dominated by residential property.

“It creates an economic base that this town so sorely needs,” Taylor said. “For the majority of this town, it’s a residential base.”

Developer Alex Reece says the project is designed for the highway corridor and won’t require the kind of major road changes that could affect the town’s character.

“Highway 50 was built for this,” Reece said. “So it’s not like we’re going inside of Oakland trying to put a big town center and trying to think about, okay, we’ve got to take a two-lane road and move it to a four-lane road.”

The $35 million project is expected to begin construction in 2027.

The town has already given the project its major approvals, with permitting and final site work still ahead.