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Public safety is a top priority for Commissioner Boyd. He works closely with the Orange County Sheriff's Office to track crime statistics and trends as well as work toward solutions for public safety issues in the district and throughout Orange County.
One trend to be aware of in District 1 is late night auto burglaries. While the Sheriff's Office has stepped up its messaging to include reverse 911, mobile message signs, door hangers and foot patrols, a large portion of recent burglaries involve unlocked vehicle doors and valuables left in the vehicle.
What you can do to curb theft:
- Lock your vehicle
- Park your vehicle in the garage
- Keep outside lights on all night or install motion-sensor lighting
- Pay attention to barking dogs; please investigate by looking outside, not going outside
- If you observe anyone wandering your neighborhood in dark clothing late at night or suspicious vehicles, please call the Sheriff's Office at 407-836-HELP
 Another public safety measure trending in District 1 involves Home Owners Associations' use of security cameras to enhance neighborhood safety. A permitting process plan was presented at the Jan. 28 BCC meeting.
The BCC approved staff to move forward with developing a process to allow crime prevention cameras located in the public right-of-way as long as they meet established conditions, restrictions and permitting requirements.
The proposed plan is expected to come back before the BCC for review within the next couple of months.
We hope this is yet another positive step toward keeping our community safer!
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Commissioner Boyd and Aide Diana Garcia meet with attendees.
On January 21, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs
held her annual Economic Summit to discuss the expanding economy, business-related programs and the region's new branding initiative.
- Sean Snaith, Ph.D., director of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Economic Competitiveness, presented an informative economic snapshot, providing detailed insights and an analysis of our local, metro and state economy.
- A panel discussion and presentations by experts and leaders shared their insights about strengthening our economy, current resources avaiable as well as future projections.
- Mayor Jacobs
 and the EDC unveiled a new branding initiative called "Orlando. You don't know the half of it," which is designed to boost awareness of Central Florida's high-tech, innovation-driven community that provides economic opportunities well beyond our world-wide tourism and travel sector.
To view videos, presentations and photos from the event, visit the Economic Development web page.
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There are many ways for you to stay connected and engage with your local government. Check out a few of the ways below!
We love hearing from you, so don't hesitate to call or email us with questions about any District 1 topic.
- Sign up for our email list and tell us where you live so we can send you the latest on projects and community meetings that impact your neighborhood
- The County Calendar is a comprehensive list of searchable events complete with the ability set up reminders, calendar notifications and forward-to-a-friend capabilities
- Orange County's E-Agenda provides more in-depth information into the details of what each BCC meeting will entail. Know before you go!
- Don't forget to like us on our booming Facebook page. Each day we strive to post information that is interesting and helpful to you
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February is Black History Month and there are plenty of events in which to participate during the month.
On Jan. 28, Mayor Teresa Jacobs and the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) proclaimed February 2014 as Black History Month. We are excited to see the month-long African American Art Exhibit on display in the Orange County Administration Building at 201 S. Rosalind Avenue.
For more activities, visit the web pages of the Black History Committee of Orange County, the Orange County Library System and local news centers' calendar of events.
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Current Projects & New Developments
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Public Safety
On Feb. 11, the BCC will hold a work session on the Loud Noise Ordinance. This is an issue Commissioner Boyd has been working on since 2009 in conjunction with the Orange County Sheriff's Office, the County Attorney's office, County Administration, and the Environmental Protection Division (EPD), with the goal of exploring additional enforcement options for residential noise complaints. While the original ordinance is geared toward industrial noise, Commissioner Boyd's proposed amended version would provide recourse for noise disturbances more common to residential and business zones.
Notable changes in the proposed ordinance include:
- Shift from relying strictly on a decibel reading system to focusing on whether the noise is "plainly audible"
- Fee increases for violations
- Enforcement authority to include both EPD and the Sheriff's Office with provisions for notices, civil citations and criminal charges based on the number of times a violation occurs
During the work session, the BCC will review the proposed changes to the County Code. Any recommendations will be routed through the Environmental Protection Commission. The amended ordinance would then be brought back before the BCC as a public hearing, which provides citizens the opportunity to offer their input on the proposed changes.
Commissioner Boyd has championed this change for years and feels strongly that Orange County citizens should be able to feel safe, secure and undisturbed by noise that may diminish their quality of life.
Parks
On February 25, the real estate purchase agreement for a 19.5-acre tract on Ficquette Road will be on the BCC consent agenda for approval. In January 2013, this parcel, located between Overstreet Road and New Independence Parkway (outlined in red above), was the subject of a Land Use Plan Amendment request in which the applicant was seeking to place a Charter School on the property. This request was subsequently denied by the BCC.
Since that time, Commissioner Boyd -- along with staff from the Orange County Parks and Recreation Division and Real Estate Management Division -- have been working with the property owner to determine the best use of the property. As a result of this collaboration, an agreement was reached for Orange County to purchase the parcel as park property. Should this purchase agreement be approved by the BCC, the intent is to apply funding from the recently-approved venues package to develop the site with multi-use recreation fields.
Transportation
The Wildwood Area Road Network is a planned partnership project to construct a new four-lane divided urban roadway that connects International Drive and Palm Parkway. The new roadway is named Fenton Street and includes a 420-foot long bridge over Interstate 4. The project also features improvements such as an extension of Regency Village Drive to Fenton Street, two new signals at the intersections of International Drive and Palm Parkway, and sidewalks on both sides of the road.
The project broke ground on March 12, 2012, and is now in its final stages of completion. Substantial completion is scheduled for Feb. 24 with final completion expected March 26.
Commissioner Boyd and the project team are looking forward to a ribbon-cutting ceremony when the roadway is ready to open. We'll keep you posted!
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 Established in 1877, the Town of Oakland is one of the oldest municipalities in Orange County. It is a diverse and thriving small community noted for its laid-back lifestyle and majestic oak trees.
Located between Lake Apopka and John's Lake, Oakland has a rich history of railroads and agriculture. At one time, it was a shipping point on Lake Apopka for vegetables and oranges. In 1999, the Friends of Lake Apopka formed the Oakland Nature Preserve, which features 130 acres of wetlands and uplands that are being restored. It is free to the public for nature walks, self-guided tours, bird watching, and many formal and informal programs.
In 2003, the Town of Oakland created the Oakland Avenue Charter School, a K-5 elementary school with more than 500 students. The school has maintained an 'A' rating for several years.
The District 1 Office has enjoyed many opportunities to collaborate with the Town of Oakland for initiatives like the West Orange Habitat for Humanity's "Home at Last" program, which assists in providing residences for wounded military veterans.
In addition, Commissioner Boyd will be attending the Oakland Nature Preserve's Appreciation Day Open House on Feb. 22. Come out and enjoy a day of classes, hiking, food, music and art, and bring the whole family to explore this environmental gem in our District.
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The following meetings are scheduled through the end of February:
- BCC/Orange County Public Schools Joint Meeting regarding the Relief High School will be held on Feb. 18 at 5 p.m. at West Orange High School, 1625 Beulah Road, Winter Garden, FL 34787
- Mabel Bridge Phase 6 (Horizon West) - Planned Development Rezoning will be held Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. at Sunset Park Elementary Cafeteria, 12050 Overstreet Road, Windermere, FL 34786
- Avalon Traffic Calming (Avalon Rural Settlement) -Meeting will be held Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. at Korean Presbyterian Church, 16796 E. Davenport Road, Winter Garden, FL 34787
Official meeting notices will be sent via email and posted on Facebook as they become available.
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