Orange City Council adopts comprehensive-plan amendments, extends planning horizon to 2050
May 13, 2026 | City of Orange City, Volusia County, Florida
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The City of Orange City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 696 on second and final reading on May 12, approving year‑based amendments to the city’s comprehensive plan, including an extension of the planning horizon to 2050.
Joe Ruiz, the city’s development services director, told the council the changes were largely technical and made to comply with state review. “When we sent it out to the state, they did come back and kick it back because now in 2026, it's a 19 year, right window. So what we ended up doing is, we extended it out to 2050,” Ruiz said, summarizing revisions that also included updates to the future land use map series and additional policy language for substations, floating solar facilities and resiliency features.
Ruiz said staff and the city’s consultant worked through state comments from Florida Commerce and the Volusia County Growth Management Commission, and that the updates addressed the state’s recommendations. The presentation noted updated population and housing projections: the city’s 2050 permanent and seasonal population projection rose from 19,956 to about 20,640, an increase of roughly 700 residents, and the consultant estimated an additional 1,822 housing units would be needed by 2050 while the city has room to accommodate more than 5,200 residential units under current allocations.
On a motion to adopt the ordinance and authorize staff to transmit the adopted amendments to the Florida Department of Commerce, the council voted yes with all present members in favor; Council member Tomsen was recorded earlier as absent. Mayor Kelly Marks said staff will transmit the adoption to the state within 10 days; the adopted plan is subject to a 45‑day period for potential challenge and the city will follow up by updating its land development code within one year to align with any plan changes.
The ordinance was read into the record by City Attorney Mr. Waters and supported in presentation by Development Services Director Joe Ruiz. No public comment was offered for the item at the hearing.
The council’s action completes the local adoption step required under state law and triggers the administrative transmissions and code updates noted by staff.
Joe Ruiz, the city’s development services director, told the council the changes were largely technical and made to comply with state review. “When we sent it out to the state, they did come back and kick it back because now in 2026, it's a 19 year, right window. So what we ended up doing is, we extended it out to 2050,” Ruiz said, summarizing revisions that also included updates to the future land use map series and additional policy language for substations, floating solar facilities and resiliency features.
Ruiz said staff and the city’s consultant worked through state comments from Florida Commerce and the Volusia County Growth Management Commission, and that the updates addressed the state’s recommendations. The presentation noted updated population and housing projections: the city’s 2050 permanent and seasonal population projection rose from 19,956 to about 20,640, an increase of roughly 700 residents, and the consultant estimated an additional 1,822 housing units would be needed by 2050 while the city has room to accommodate more than 5,200 residential units under current allocations.
On a motion to adopt the ordinance and authorize staff to transmit the adopted amendments to the Florida Department of Commerce, the council voted yes with all present members in favor; Council member Tomsen was recorded earlier as absent. Mayor Kelly Marks said staff will transmit the adoption to the state within 10 days; the adopted plan is subject to a 45‑day period for potential challenge and the city will follow up by updating its land development code within one year to align with any plan changes.
The ordinance was read into the record by City Attorney Mr. Waters and supported in presentation by Development Services Director Joe Ruiz. No public comment was offered for the item at the hearing.
The council’s action completes the local adoption step required under state law and triggers the administrative transmissions and code updates noted by staff.
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