Orange County commissioners in Florida voted 4-3 to approve the Tuscana land-use plan on Wednesday. The decision reverses a unanimous rejection of the same project 16 months earlier. The approval allows more than 4,800 apartments and about 1,000 hotel rooms to be built across nearly 230 acres in the Shingle Creek Basin.
The shift in stance followed a review by an independent Special Magistrate. The magistrate found the county's earlier rejection lacked competent, substantial evidence under state land-use rules. Several commissioners cited financial risks of potential lawsuits from landowners as a primary driver for the reversal.
The site spans nearly 230 acres between Central Florida Parkway and State Road 417. It includes nearly 59 acres of sensitive wetlands in the headwaters of the Florida Everglades system. Attorney S. William "Bill" Moore of Moore, Bowman & Reese stated that 176 individual property owners had spent years in public review for land previously designated for high-density use.
Neighbors reacted with immediate hostility. One resident told WKMG ClickOrlando that the area's large deer population was the main reason they bought their home. Another described the vote as alarming, warning that losing the natural basin would erase a key part of the community's identity. Opponents fear the high-density project will cause serious flooding and destroy wildlife habitats.
Supporters, including Shingle Creek Co-Owners LLC and Geyer Development LLC, argue the project will add more than $600 million annually to the local economy and create thousands of jobs. The approved plans include larger wetland buffers and raised access roads to mitigate drainage issues. Lee Perry of Protect Shingle Creek said community groups are now meeting with candidates for upcoming local elections, aiming to have a new commission legally reverse the decision before construction begins.