ORLANDO, Fla. — A new law in Florida is paving the path for developers to build new neighborhoods in areas where they may not have been able to before. Senate Bill 686 allows a new type of zoning called an agricultural enclave, which allows developers to build a neighborhood in rural areas if the proposal meets the law’s rules.
The first agricultural enclave being proposed in Orange County is on a large tract of land next to Lake Pickett Road near the Seminole County line.
Tom Narut has lived a quiet lifestyle along North Pickett Road for 17 years and says he does not want to see new homes built near the two-lane road which carries lots of traffic toward State Road 50 and into Orlando. That is why he opposes the proposed Lake Pickett North Sustanee project for more than 1,500 houses.
“We can four-lane this, but that doesn’t even come close to compensating for the density that you’re putting here,” Narut said.
The law states that in order to create an agricultural enclave in a rural area, at least 75% of the land’s perimeter must be bordered by industrial, commercial or residential development.
Developer Yog Melwani with Align Commercial Real Estate explains why lawmakers passed it.
“One reason is because of housing shortage, whether it be affordable, workforce or market rate. So, the law is there as a shot in the arm to streamline the process for rezoning and future land use changes,” Melwani said.
Orange County Commissioner Kelly Semrad represents District 5, including east Orange County. She says Columnar Investments’ request to convert 1,250 acres into an agricultural enclave is the first one to go before the county under the new law. Semrad says many of her constituents have made it clear they do not want urban sprawl in their rural area.
Semrad believes Senate Bill 686 bypasses Orange County’s zoning rules and efforts to protect the county’s rural boundary.
“Senate Bill 686 is the facilitator and the machine for endless, reckless, irresponsible, urban sprawl-style growth across the entire state of Florida,” she said
Columnar Investments’ request will go before Orange County Commissioners at their Aug. 25 meeting. Opponents hope that they will reject it.
“Our hopeful request is a flat-out no because something doesn’t qualify,” Narut said.
Because Senate Bill 686 is a state law, the commissioners’ role at the Aug. 25 hearing will be to check if the application for an agricultural enclave meets the law’s clear criteria.
Spectrum News 13 reached out Thursday to Columnar Investments and to several Florida lawmakers who voted to pass Senate Bill 686 to get their comments. We have not heard back from any of them as of Thursday evening.
The Senate Bill 686 law is scheduled to sunset in 2028.