In a recent meeting of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) held on September 10, 2024, officials discussed the ongoing development of the comprehensive land use plan for Orange County, targeting a completion date around 2050 to 2055. Senior Planner Tom Altieri and his consulting team provided updates on their outreach efforts, which are set to begin on September 18 and continue through early November.

The primary focus of the meeting was to present modeled land use alternatives that will be shared with the community for feedback. Altieri emphasized that these alternatives are not formal policy recommendations but rather tools for discussion to gauge community preferences regarding future land use. The board is currently in phase four of the planning process, which involves gathering public input before moving forward with policy development.

The alternatives presented include a baseline option that maintains current policies with some updates, a conservation-focused approach that enhances agricultural and environmental protections, a low-impact rural conservation neighborhood model, and a mixed-use center strategy aimed at promoting employment opportunities. Each alternative is designed to test different policy decisions and their potential impacts on the community.

The board is scheduled to reconvene on November 12 to review the feedback collected from the public engagement sessions. This input will be crucial in refining the goals and policies that will ultimately shape the future land use map for Orange County. The comprehensive plan is expected to be adopted by December 2025, marking a significant step in the county's long-term planning efforts.