From Staff Reports
In Summary:
The Apopka City Council will convene on January 7 at 1:30 pm in the Apopka City Hall Council Chambers for a meeting focused on infrastructure, growth, and governance. Key agenda items include a proposed interlocal agreement with Orange County to transfer control of Golden Gem Road, presentations on the city’s draft strategic plan and the Opportunity Apopka Business Expo, and several major land-use decisions. The meeting will be live-streamed on the City of Apopka’s YouTube channel.
*****
As Apopka continues to wrestle with how it grows, how it moves, and who that growth ultimately serves, the Apopka City Council will gather Wednesday afternoon with an agenda that reflects those questions in real time. From long-range strategic planning and economic development to a pivotal decision over control of Golden Gem Road and several high-impact rezonings, the January 7 meeting is poised to shape the city’s next chapter in ways both visible and quietly consequential.
Related: Apopka's MLK parade highlights Development Review Committee agenda on Wednesday.
The council will meet on Wednesday at 1:30 pm in the Apopka City Hall Council Chambers.
Council members will open the meeting with a presentation from BerryDunn outlining Apopka’s draft strategic plan, which is expected to frame long-term priorities for growth, infrastructure, and governance. The agenda also includes a presentation on the Opportunity Apopka Business Expo, a city-led initiative that connects entrepreneurs, small business owners, and aspiring startups with more than 50 regional, state, and national resource providers. The free expo is scheduled for Friday, January 9, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Apopka Community Center.
Several routine and administrative matters appear on the consent agenda, which is voted on as a single item unless a council member requests discussion. These include approval of road closures for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade, law enforcement agreements related to criminal justice information sharing and child abduction response, and administrative actions such as the retirement of police canines, awarding of a duty weapon, and authorization of select piggyback contracts.
One of the most consequential items before the council is a proposed interlocal agreement with Orange County to transfer jurisdiction of Golden Gem Road from Kelly Park Road to Capital Reef Way to the City of Apopka. City staff describe the roadway as a critical corridor within the Kelly Park Interchange area, where traffic demands and development pressure are expected to increase.
According to a detailed staff report, the City has pursued local control of this segment to ensure roadway reconstruction and future improvements align with Apopka’s adopted planning standards, including the Kelly Park Interchange Form-Based Code. Orange County previously proposed extending the transfer farther south to the Parkview Preserve boundary—adding an estimated $2.8 million in construction costs—but the City Council unanimously rejected that expansion in August 2025. The current agreement returns to the original limits and includes a revised county contribution of $585,000. Council approval is required before the agreement can be placed on a future Orange County Board of County Commissioners agenda.
The council will also appoint alternate members to the canvassing board for the upcoming special election, discuss filling a vacancy on the Apopka Community Redevelopment Agency board, and consider a response to a notice of default involving Main Street Apopka.
Land-use issues dominate the latter portion of the agenda. Council members will take up the second reading of Ordinance 3117, which would rezone nearly 197 acres at the northwest corner of Ondich Road and State Road 429 for the Ondich North planned development. Additional items include proposed changes to platting and expedited permitting procedures, future land use and zoning amendments for property on East Sandpiper Street, and the first reading of the Paulucci Acres planned development, a large residential proposal in northwest Apopka.
The agenda also includes first readings of amendments to the city’s general employees’ retirement system, revisions to water and sewer pretreatment regulations, and a resolution establishing fines for utility meter tampering.
Why it matters
With major rezonings, infrastructure jurisdiction decisions, and long-range policy choices on the table, the January 7 meeting is expected to play a defining role in Apopka’s growth trajectory. Residents interested in development, transportation, economic opportunity, and city governance can attend or watch the meeting online on the City's YouTube Channel.
Key Points:
-
The council will consider an interlocal agreement to transfer jurisdiction of Golden Gem Road from Orange County to the City of Apopka.
-
BerryDunn will present a draft strategic plan outlining long-term priorities for the city.
-
Council members will receive an update on the Opportunity Apopka Business Expo scheduled for January 9.
-
Several large-scale development and zoning ordinances, including the Ondich North and Paulucci Acres projects, are on the agenda.
-
Additional actions include special election appointments, CRA board discussion, and proposed policy and utility-related ordinances.
