Mormon ranch annexation could grow Orlando city footprint by 60%

Orlando City Hall

The Mormon Church wants to annex 52,450 acres into the city of Orlando before a November ballot initiative on blocking annexations in Orange County. Now, Orlando city officials must move faster to make a decision, a spokeswoman said.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ investment arm filed to voluntarily annex Orange County-based Deseret Ranch into the city.

“Farmland Reserve has been a landowner in Central Florida for more than 70 years and has consistently demonstrated its commitment to environmental stewardship and long-range planning,” the organization said in a press release.

Orlando’s footprint is currently 87,888 acres, so if approved, the annexation would increase the city’s acreage by 60%.

Orange County is asking voters for the ability to veto land annexations to help the government manage growth.

Orlando spokeswoman Ashley Papagni responded to the county’s push.

“One of the unintended consequences of the County’s decision to proceed with a functional ban on voluntary annexations is that landowners and residents are now confronted with expediting planning efforts that they may have undertaken over the next several years into the next couple of months to avail themselves of rights that the proposed annexation charter amendment may foreclose,” she said.

“We would prefer not to have these decisions made in such compressed timeframes, but given the circumstances imposed by the County and our obligation to protect the best interest of our taxpayers and residents, we must review these applications and make a decision on them before a County charter amendment might go into effect.”

Farmland Reserve has owned most of the land since the 1950s, using it for cattle ranching, as well as for growing citrus and crops.

The organization stressed its environmentalism in both the ranch’s daily operations and its long-range planning, according to the press release.

“Building on our track record of working with local, regional, and state agencies to conserve land, water, wildlife, and wildlife habitats and corridors, we look forward to planning with Orlando for the growth that will come to ranch lands in the decades ahead,” said Clint Richardson, General Manager of Deseret Ranch.

City staff must next review the application to make sure it is complete before the issue is brought to the Orlando City Council.

Papagni added that the annexation had not been sought out by the city, but landowners and residents have the right to ask cities for annexation under state law.

“Owners and residents may do this for a variety of reasons — better public services, more reliable government partnerships, less bureaucracy, more forthright and transparent government, more sustainable patterns of development, or the simple sense of place and pride that comes with being part of a community,” she said.