Vision 2050

As Orange County prepares for the next 25 years, it must change the way it manages growth. This strategy for the future is laid out in the County's new long term comprehensive plan called Vision 2050.

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High priority NOTICE: Upcoming Orange Code & VISION 2050 may affect Zoning and Building permits, Variances and Special Exceptions Applications. Learn How

Building and Zoning Permits

Please note Orange County intends to adopt a new comprehensive plan (“Vision 2050”) and updated regulations, including zoning, signage, landscaping, arbor, urban design and subdivision regulations among others (“Orange Code”), which are expected to become effective in early to mid-July, 2025. Please be aware that the requirements of Vision 2050 and Orange Code may impact any land development permit application submitted after the adoption date. In order to ensure a project is evaluated under the County’s current zoning regulations, a permit application must be submitted and deemed sufficient before the effective date of Vision 2050 and Orange Code. Any application submitted after the effective date of Vision 2050 and Orange Code will be reviewed consistent with the County’s newly adopted regulations. Special exception or variance requests allowed under current regulations may no longer be allowed upon the effectiveness of Orange Code and should be reviewed carefully.

Vision 2050 and Orange Code are draft documents that have not yet been approved by the Board of County Commissioners. Currently, the final adoption public hearing for both is scheduled for Tuesday, June 3, 2025. Following their adoption, the ordinances will become effective following state review and consistent with Chapter 163, Florida Statutes. For more information, including an up-to-date schedule on the ordinances related to Vision 2050 and Orange Code, please visit www.ocfl.net/vision2050.

Permits that do not require review under the zoning regulations and are only subject to the Florida Building Code are not affected by this notice. Examples may include, but are not limited to permits for windows, doors, roofing, etc.

Variances and Special Exceptions

Please note, while Variance applications continue to be accepted at this time, Orange County intends to adopt a new comprehensive plan (“Vision 2050”) and updated regulations, including zoning, signage, landscaping, arbor, urban design and subdivision regulations among others (“Orange Code”) that will become effective in late mid-July 2025. Please be aware that the requirements of Vision 2050 and Orange Code may impact any variance or special exception granted under the current zoning regulations. Variances or special exceptions granted prior to the adoption of Orange Code could fail to meet the requirements of Orange Code and preclude an applicant from complying with Orange Code’s requirements for the issuance of a building permit or other development permit.

While your case planner may provide some information about how your application fits into the proposed Orange Code, your case planner cannot predict whether any granted variance or special exception will ultimately be required to comply with the requirements of Orange Code. Applications for variances and special exceptions are subject to a lengthy process of review and approvals; and applicants apply for building permits and other development permits are varying points in time. In addition, Vision 2050 and Orange Code are draft documents that have not been approved by the Board of County Commissioners. Case planners do not have advance knowledge of which provisions of Orange Code the Board of County Commissioners will select to become a part of the new zoning regulations.

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What's the difference between
Vision 2050 and Orange Code?

Vision 2050 lays out the blueprint for Orange County's growth over the next three decades, while Orange Code establishes the development guidelines needed to bring this vision to life. Together, Vision 2050 and Orange Code will shape a smarter, more sustainable future for Orange County by:

Explore Guiding
Principles

Apartment buildings behind lake with foutain

Encouraging Affordable Housing

Amid an affordable housing shortage, it’s important for Orange County to encourage greater diversity in housing types while removing barriers in the process.

Vision 2050 will accommodate a broader and more affordable range of housing opportunities consisting of single-family homes, apartments, and everything in between.

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Preserving Rural Spaces
& Natural Places

Preserving Rural Spaces & Natural Places

Vision 2050 directs development towards existing communities already served by infrastructure while conserving open space, protecting animal and plant habitats, and places of natural beauty.

Preservation of open space benefits the environment by combating air pollution, attenuating noise, controlling wind, providing erosion control, and moderating temperatures.

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Outdoor shopping area with people walking

Promoting Walkability
& Mixed Land Uses

Promoting Walkability & Mixed Land Uses

A community with a mix of uses —shops, housing units, restaurants, offices and more all in one place — can enhance the vitality of an area by increasing the activity of people on the street, revitalizing community life.

Streets and sidewalks that are built to balance multiple forms of transportation have the basic community framework for greater social interaction, improved personal and environmental health, and expanded consumer choice.

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Neighborhood street with houses on each side

Protecting Established Neighborhoods

Growth will happen through infill or redevelopment, but the character of established communities is not expected to change significantly.

Guided by a vision of how and where to grow, Orange County will be able to identify and utilize opportunities to make new development meet our residents’ priorities and desires for their community.

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What areas of Orange County are best suited for new growth?

A key element of Vision 2050 is to direct growth to the right places.

That means preserving established suburban neighborhoods, rural places and natural spaces. It also means directing most new development to the urban sector, which is where 44% of the future population growth in Orange County is expected to go. These Targeted sectors include high population centers in unincorporated Orange County, such as areas around the I Drive tourism corridor, near UCF, along Semoran Blvd. and near downtown Orlando.

Explore Sectors

Will Vision 2050 promote density everywhere?

It does not promote urban density everywhere.

The Vision 2050 framework will steer sustainable growth across the county, ensuring that new development aligns with the community’s values and the region's long-term needs.

A guiding principle in the Vision 2050 plan is to protect and strengthen existing neighborhoods while creating healthy and sustainable new communities. This can only be achieved by locating a mix of residential, commercial, and recreational uses close to employment centers.

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Why is Orange County changing its development rules?

Orange County is one of the fastest growing regions in the U.S.

Since the 1950’s, Orange County has managed development based on how land is used. This outdated practice has kept things like homes, shops, offices, and restaurants separate from each other. This separation of uses has created sprawling communities, and it’s why it feels like you can’t do anything without a car! Hello, traffic jams.

With Orange County’s population expected to increase by 500,000 people by 2050, the County must change its rules governing growth. These new development rules are called Orange Code.

Learn how your zoning will change