ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County leaders are seeking input from residents regarding Vision 2050, a comprehensive plan that will shape the county's future growth.

Town hall meetings have been organized to gather public feedback on the plan, which spans more than 500 pages.

Staff predict that by 2050, the population of Orange County will grow by 48%, with more than 2 million people living in the area.

Kelly Semrad, an Orange County resident who thoroughly reviewed the plan, expressed her disappointment, stating, "The plan is largely generic, and its application to Orange County is not really explained."

Semrad attended a recent town hall meeting in the Goldenrod area to voice her concerns and ensure her feedback was recorded.

Semrad, vice chair of the organization Save Orange County, believes that the plan fails to address sustainable growth practices and resolve existing issues.

Spectrum News 13 spoke to her back in 2021 about growth in her rural community east of the Econ River.

She shared that now years later, this plan still does nothing to solve that. 

"There are a lot of growth and unsustainable practices that citizen advocates have been begging for," she said. "And it is concerning to see that those concerns are not reflected in the current draft."

District 5 Commissioner Emily Bonilla acknowledged the residents' frustrations, saying, "I don't feel that the draft we have right now fully represents what the people of at least east Orange County want."

She encouraged citizens to share their feedback, adding, "We can get to a place where they are being represented."

Bonilla stated that she would not support the current draft of Vision 2050 but expressed hope that more residents would make their voices heard, allowing for necessary amendments.

"We want their feedback to be implemented so that it becomes something that really belongs to the people that live here," she emphasized.

Despite her skepticism about the process, Semrad remains determined to have her concerns addressed.

She mentioned her worry that the staff might not listen to residents' input.

The next town hall meeting on Vision 2050 is scheduled for May 30 at the Audubon Park Church at 7 p.m.

Additionally, there will be 12 more town halls held across the county.

For those unable to attend in person, a virtual map of the project is available, allowing residents to submit their comments for review by county staff.