Development News for Orange City, Florida

Local Church Seeks Support for Child Care Facility Repairs and Upgrades

Patrick Murphy, chair of the trustees for the Orange City United Methodist Church, spoke about the need to support community child care services and critical facility repairs for these services. The church operates a child care center providing safe, affordable, and reliable care. The facility requires repairs to ensure safety, accessibility, and sustainability, addressing a shortage of quality child care options for local families. The center offers services including early childhood education, after-school programs, nutritional meals, specialized care, and support for working families. Murphy highlighted that the education building, housing the daycare, lacks sprinklers, which are now a necessity for preschools as of 2023. The church's youth building also needs sprinklers, a new parking lot, external repairs, and a new playground. They are seeking community support for these facility improvements.

Historic Board Advances 'Connecticut Corner' Designation

Daryl Victor informed the council that the historic board met and unanimously voted to advance the designation of the area between East Graves and University, known as Levit Avenue, as 'Connecticut Corner.' He noted that the council might have to wait for Mr. Ruiz to bring this matter before them for a vote. Victor provided handouts with historical information, maps, and pictures related to 'Connecticut Corner,' emphasizing its historical significance.

Orange City Fire Department Outlines FY 2026-27 Budget Needs, Including New EMS Captain and Training Prop

The Orange City Fire Department presented its budget request for fiscal year 2026-27, totaling just under $4 million, with $350,000 allocated to the operating budget, an increase of approximately $30,000. Key expenses in the operating budget include $60,000 for service on life packs and $23,000 for five sets of structural firefighting gear to replace aging equipment. Capital requests include computer workstations, $13,000 for Station 68 improvements (cabinet replacement), $16,000 for two sets of stabilizer struts for vehicle accidents, and $25,000 for a modular training prop that can be used by both fire and police departments. A pickup truck replacement is also requested for $141,000. The department is requesting one new position: an EMS Captain, with a total cost of $230,000 (potentially shared with DeLand), to manage EMS inventory, conduct quality assurance reviews, ensure compliance, and assist with paramedic training. The department handled approximately 10,000 unit responses in 2025, a 3% increase from 2024.

Orange City Adopts 2026 Reclaimed Water Master Plan to Expand Service and Conserve Potable Water

The city council adopted Resolution 434-26, approving the 2026 Reclaimed Water Master Plan by Jones Edmonds and Associates. The plan addresses existing and future demands for reclaimed water, including new development, and aims to create a hydraulic model of the system to identify and recommend improvements. The primary purpose of the plan is to encourage irrigation with reclaimed water to reduce the use of potable drinking water, thereby increasing the supply of drinking water. It also addresses pressure concerns in the system and provides a framework for future development to connect to reclaimed water for irrigation. Proposed projects include addressing current pressure concerns along Harley Avenue by looping the reclaim line during road improvements, extending reclaimed water service to Veteran Memorial Parkway to serve properties like Del Door, Trim, and Monastery Village, considering a storage tank on Kentucky Avenue, and expanding service along Levit Avenue and Graves Avenue.