OVIEDO, Fla. — For those who live in many Central Florida towns and cities, the story of development and growth is a familiar one, with people moving to the Sunshine State in vast numbers.

The region is welcoming more than 1,000 new residents each week; people are not just visiting, but laying down roots, per Orlando Economic Partnership. 

And those new Floridians have to live somewhere.

That’s why the city of Oviedo is taking a proactive approach, according to Mayor Megan Sladek. On Monday, the city is sharing with residents a presentation about how density and intensity impact planning. Per Sladek, they are "dealing with facts,” explaining where the city now stands and what "smart development" will cost.

“It helps people understand for the long haul how we’re going to fund the way of life we’re used to in Oviedo,” she said. “What a lot of people don’t appreciate is that the property rights set up in Florida is such that pretty much 100% of everything in Florida is already entitled to be clear cut. How are we going to shift the balance to make developers choose not to do that? … Let them choose different density.”

Sladek said that the presentation is in conjunction with redoing the city’s comprehensive plan. She hopes it will spur conversations about how residents envision the future of the Seminole County city.

Meanwhile, Katrina Shadix knows exactly what she wants Oviedo to look like. Or, at least what color: green.

“I love this county because, at one point, it was a lot more green and a lot more natural than it is now,” she said. “I wake up every day fighting to save what’s left of our green spaces, of our forests. More and more people are now realizing that if we don’t have a healthy environment, we don’t have a healthy quality of life."

Although Shadix grew up in Chuluota — the fifth generation of her family in Seminole County — she spent years living in Oviedo. 

That is, until four weeks ago, when she moved to neighboring Geneva to leave behind the congestion and development.

Shadix wanted to be surrounded by more trees and "less impervious surfaces.”

She got a job checking on a number of horses at night and living above the stable during the day.

“Our (Seminole County) motto is the 'Natural Choice.' Right now, a lot of us citizens feel like it’s becoming the 'Developer’s Choice,' ” she said.

She, too, will be listening in on the public presentation.

“We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We know what smart growth is, we know what to do. They’re just not doing it,” Shadix said. “I hope that the future of Oviedo and future of development that is allowed is much more responsible, much more green, much more eco-friendly.”

A link to the city’s presentation is here: https://zoom.us/j/96917982130?pwd=akVpbVc2Q2pUTTVoVWllenA0NmFaUT09#success