Ocoee leaders support unifying West Orange cities in county redistricting

The Ocoee City Commission unanimously voted at its Aug. 19 meeting to support a proposed Orange County redistricting map that would unify West Orange communities — Ocoee, Winter Garden and Oakland — and the city of Apopka into a single district. 

In November 2024, Orange County voters approved a charter amendment to expand the number of Orange County Commission districts from six to eight. To implement this change, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners undertook a redistricting process to establish new district boundaries and incorporate the two additional districts; part of that process was the establishment of the Orange County Redistricting Committee. This committee is tasked with proposing and ultimately submitting two maps for the County Commission to consider. 

During a presentation by Angel de la Portilla, Ocoee’s representative on the Orange County Redistricting Committee, the commission went over the various redistricting options proposed, discussed the key factors that mattered most to the city and ultimately voted to support the map proposed by committee member David Washington from District 4. 

“What (Washington) did was he created a district that isolates Horizon West (and) keeps Williamsburg, keeps Windermere and Dr. Phillips all in District 1,” de la Portilla said. “But it removes Winter Garden from District 1 (and) puts us with Oakland, Winter Garden and all of Apopka into District 2. … But this map also has Clarcona Ocoee away from District 2 (and) has Lockhart from District 2. … This is the map that had support from the West Orange Chamber (of Commerce); they sent a letter in support.”

This proposed map brings together the various West Orange communities. 

“We work well with Apopka and the city of Winter Garden,” de la Portilla said. “By the way, the city of Winter Garden has expressed interest in joining District 2. There was a joint letter sent by Mayor (Rusty) Johnson and Mayor John Rees from Winter Garden that stated that the cities want to stay together. As Commissioner Wilson (said), these are the sister cities. There’s a lot of history. So, there is a an argument that could be made to … sort of reunite Winter Garden and Ocoee.”

Along with supporting the proposal of joining forces with other West Orange communities, Johnson also expressed the importance of the city’s representative on the County Commission board. 

“To me, it all comes down to (who) the commissioners are for the districts (and) what they’re going to do to help the district,” Johnson said. “That’s what it’s all about in truth. … It’s all about who’s in that district (and how they are going) to help that district, right?”

The commission agreed with Johnson’s sentiment. For that reason, commissioners were against any proposed maps that would split the city of Ocoee among two districts. 

IN OTHER NEWS

• The Ocoee City Commission voted unanimously and without discussion to pass the 13-item consent agenda that included the reappointment of trustees to the General Employees’ Pension Board and the Police Officer’s/Firefighters’ Pension Board; the approval to opt-in the opioid litigation settlement; and approval of the certification of non-ad valorem assessment roll for stormwater inclusion and solid waste inclusion on the Orange County Tax Roll. 
• Among the consent agenda items, the commission also approved the ratification of the Police Officers and Sergeants Collective Bargaining Agreement. 
• The commission also approved the awarding of a $91,794.60 contract to Legacy Sports Surfacing for the removal the existing natural grass and installation of artificial turf at the Ocoee Action Sports Skate Park at Vandergrift Central Park.