By Christine Moore, Orange County Commissioner
In November of 2024, Orange County voters approved a charter amendment, greenlighting a consulting firm, nationally known for its keen fiscal analysis, to determine the viability of new suburban projects and the financial performance of existing communities. When counties or municipalities are not financially sound, they defer water, sewer, and road infrastructure maintenance. To correct this, Urban 3 was hired to complete a countywide analysis.
According to Urban 3’s analysis, large lot communities generally do not produce enough tax revenue per acre to cover the maintenance of roads, utilities, and services. Oddly enough, older, denser areas, while producing sufficient revenue, become blighted. This situation seems counterintuitive.
Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore.
Urban3 also produced a report called, “The Economics of Development in Florida”. Urban 3 lays out the premise that tighter-knit communities produce much more value per acre. Why? They pack more people into less space. Compact communities ease the urge to pave over Florida’s conservation and farmlands. Sure, rural areas and farmlands do not pay much in taxes, but they also do not require much in infrastructure. Remember, they generally utilize wells and unpaved streets.
I currently live in a suburban area, and I certainly want suburban neighborhoods to thrive. However, the long-term fiscal health of our suburban areas is in the hands of higher density, downtown areas. Thus, we must all care about the maintenance and future of our urban areas.
The report chronicles the roots of suburban sprawl back to federal policies in the early-to-mid 20th century. During this time, they fueled infrastructure expansion and mortgage financing, making low-density growth artificially affordable. For decades, this suburban model thrived, masking true long-term liabilities. But as aging infrastructure requires costly repairs or replacements, the fiscal insolvency of suburban sprawl has come into focus. Urban3’s findings reveal that many Florida counties struggle to fund essential services under this suburban paradigm. They claim we are locked into a cycle of short-term thinking.
Urban 3 and the 1000 Friends of Florida report there is a better way. They advocate that through revitalizing walkable, bikeable mixed-use development in denser areas, we can make our cities and counties financially sound. It is not just about tax dollars. Good urbanism with environmental concern reduces waste and saves land.
Urban 3 and the 1000 Friends of Florida believe we should ditch the suburban sprawl method and replace it with incremental urban area improvements and protect natural lands.
What do you think? I would love to hear your feedback.
