ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A fight is brewing in Central Florida as state lawmakers push forward legislation that could eliminate Orange and Seminole county's rural boundaries — despite overwhelming voter support to keep them.

Grassroots organizations Save Rural Orange and Save Rural Seminole have started a petition, urging residents to take action before it’s too late.

Less than six months ago, 73% of Orange County residents voted to create a rural boundary, while 83% of Seminole County residents voted to reinforce theirs. These boundaries help prevent urban sprawl, protect rural areas and limit public infrastructure costs.

But new bills in Tallahassee, Senate Bill 1118 and House Bill 1209, could undo those efforts.

If passed, the bills would eliminate Orange County’s rural boundary and weaken Seminole County’s voter-approved protections. Developers would no longer need county approval for land-use changes. Instead, they could go straight to a state agency in Tallahassee, bypassing local officials and removing public input from the process.

Residents say this would put taxpayer dollars toward expensive new developments instead of improving existing communities.

“This would invalidate what voters put in place just last November," said Tom Narut of Save Rural Orange County. "We’re talking roughly six, eight months ago.” 

Advocacy groups say they won’t back down. They are calling on residents to sign the petition, contact local representatives, and attend town hall meetings to show support for rural protections.