From Staff Reports
At its November 20th meeting, the Apopka City Council approved Vice Mayor Diane Velazquez's appointment as the second Lake Apopka Natural Gas District Board of Directors member with a 5-0 vote. Velazquez will replace former Apopka Vice Mayor Bill Arrowsmith, who served as LANGD's Board President for the past three years and has been a member since 2018.
"I thoroughly enjoyed serving on the Board and the friendships I developed during those years," Arrowsmith said. "My main goal was to have an Ordinance in place requiring Developers to put the infrastructure in during construction for natural gas to be available to all new home buyers. That was achieved this year through the leadership of Brent Haywood, our new CEO."
In August, the Council unanimously passed Ordinance No. 3070, better known as the “Energy Choice Ordinance,” mandating the installation of natural gas infrastructure in future real estate developments. Specifically, the ordinance requires developers to include natural gas installation in all new subdivision developments of five lots or more.
Before his 2018-2024 term, Arrowsmith served on the LANGD Board from 2012-2016.
According to the City website, Velazquez was born and educated in the borough of Manhattan, New York, graduating from Central Commercial High School. Soon after that, she attended the New York City Police Academy and, after completion, was officially sworn in as a police officer in New York State. The educational value of the police academy is equivalent to 32 college credits. She continued her in-house education, attained the rank of Detective 2nd grade as a criminal and insurance fraud investigator, and retired from the police department after 21 years of service.
Velazquez held Seat #2 from 2014-2018. She was appointed Commissioner of Planning and Zoning, District 2, Orange County from 2018-2020. She returned to the Apopka City Council in 2020 and was named Vice Mayor in 2024.
"Two weeks ago, I attended a ceremony at LANGD," she said. "It was then I learned former Vice Mayor Arrowsmith had resigned his position to enjoy a full retirement. I was asked by their staff (which I knew from my previous appointment in 2014-2018) if I was returning to occupy the vacancy. The energy industry is growing, and this is an opportunity to learn more and gain knowledge. Apopka owns shares in the Lake Apopka Natural Gas District. It’s an honor and privilege to have this opportunity to return and expand my knowledge."
The LANGD Board of Directors is comprised of two representatives from Apopka, two members from Winter Garden, and one from Clermont.
Commissioner Alexander Smith is the second Apopka member.
