The meeting’s most significant portion centered on revising the comprehensive plan, a foundational document guiding the city’s development through 2045. The comprehensive plan aims to reflect Ocoee’s growth and evolving needs since it was last adopted in 2002. The city manager emphasized the need to address previously announced projects that were not advertised, necessitating a resend of notices. The comprehensive plan includes chapters on land use, housing, transportation, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability, offering a long-term perspective for city development.

The city’s projected population growth, expected to reach approximately 74,000 residents, necessitates adjustments in residential density categories to align with neighboring jurisdictions and promote sustainable development practices. Innovative development strategies were proposed, focusing on low-impact and pedestrian-friendly environments. The plan aims to phase out incompatible land uses while promoting mixed-use developments to create vibrant community spaces.

A notable proposal was the “live here, grow here” program, designed to make Ocoee an attractive city for young people to stay and thrive. The program emphasizes housing located near jobs, shopping, entertainment, and schools. The plan also highlights the importance of housing diversity, moving beyond single-family homes to include a range of options, ensuring affordable housing, and creating resources and opportunities for vulnerable groups and seniors.

In terms of parks and recreation, city staff were praised for their extensive inventory of parks, detailing aspects such as parking spaces, courts, and fields. The goal is to ensure accessible, comprehensive, and inclusive parks, particularly for children and special needs populations. The current level of service for parks was found to be below the recommended benchmark, prompting a plan to adopt a more realistic standard and strive for higher service levels in the future.

Mobility was framed as creating connected systems for moving people and goods efficiently, rather than focusing solely on car travel. The plan aims to establish context-sensitive standards, considering the surrounding land uses. Community resiliency was also emphasized, aiming to protect natural resources through preservation and rehabilitation, minimizing development impacts, and safeguarding water quality and wetlands.

The meeting also included a detailed training session on the Sunshine Law and public records act, provided by the city attorney, Rick Geller. He emphasized the law’s foundation in the Florida Constitution, requiring public notice of meetings, open attendance, and minute-taking. Geller cautioned against informal discussions among commissioners outside of public meetings, explaining that such discussions constitute a meeting under the law. He highlighted the consequences of violating the Sunshine Law, ranging from fines to potential criminal charges, referencing past incidents where commissioners faced legal action.

Geller also discussed public records, reiterating the constitutional right to inspect or copy public records associated with official business. He clarified that public records encompass all documents, including electronic records, and advised caution regarding transitory records like emails or voicemails. The attorney provided examples of public records violations and the importance of preserving records according to established retention requirements.

The meeting also covered the ethics of voting and conflicts of interest. Board members should vote on all matters unless there is a clear conflict of interest, as stipulated in Florida statute 286.012. A conflict arises when a vote would lead to a special private gain or loss for a board member. Context matters in determining conflicts, and members must file form 8B with the city clerk if they abstain from a vote due to a conflict. Public officials were also cautioned against accepting gifts that may influence their official actions and against using their roles to secure special privileges.

Urban development density was another focal point, with discussions on maximizing resources to create a vibrant and active downtown atmosphere. A planner emphasized the need for increased density in certain areas, particularly where infrastructure investments have been made, advocating for compact development to maintain open spaces and greenery. The concept of the “Live Here Grow Here” initiative was also addressed, aiming to make Ocoee a desirable destination for residents, including younger generations and older residents seeking to remain in the community.

Several ongoing development projects were reported, including the Regency project, a warehouse on Blueford, and a Hampton Inn on State Road 50. Anticipation was expressed for the commencement of construction on a Cambria Hotel in the Community Redevelopment Area (CRA). The city’s ordinance on high-density residential developments was clarified.