HORIZON WEST, Fla. — Disney’s affordable housing project is one step closer to reality after the Orange County Planning and Zoning Commission voted four to three Thursday to allow the company to move forward with a property on Hartzog Road in Horizon West.

Disney is looking to build up to 1,400 apartment units — more than 1,000 of them reserved as affordable units — on approximately 80 acres of land, but some community members say they are concerned about the proposed location.

Kelly Vanarsdall said she fell in love with Horizon West when she moved into the Waterleigh community in 2018.

“Looking at this, you just feel that calm and that tranquility when you walk in, when you drive in,” said Vanarsdall.

She said she wanted to be in the suburbs and appreciated the zoning codes that were put in place here for the area in the 1990s. 

“There was specific plans for each village, which was very nice," she said. "It took into account the environment, the planned use of space and also making sure that is accounted for just the lifestyle that we were looking for here."

But with the proposed zoning changes and Disney's planned Hartzog Road Attainable Housing Community, she said she worried that the quality of life in her community is at risk.

“Everybody here believes and agrees there is a need for attainable housing, so I don't think that part of it is ever part of the process here," said Vanarsdall. "It really comes down to, as it is now during peak times of day, we have four schools in this area you just can't move, so there is a concern for pedestrian safety, there's a concern for roadway structure and the livelihood of those who live here.”

She brought up those concerns at Thursday’s Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, but members voted to move the project forward to the Board of County Commissioners for final approval. 

District One Commissioner Nicole Wilson, who has been vocal about protecting the quality of life and green space in the area, said the project is also a concern for her.

“People are feeling the pressure, they are really frustrated with construction vehicles and traffic congestion and overcrowded classrooms, so they have legitimate concerns," she said. "This isn't about them being biased against affordable housing. But the issue really came down to: We did do a community meeting, I gave the Disney project people a chance to provide details to my community, and there really wasn't any detail." 

Spectrum News spoke with representatives from Disney who disputed Wilson's claim, saying they have provided details, and pointed to a website featuring a rendering and information about the project. Construction is expected to break ground this year and open in phases starting in 2026. 

Disney also released this statement about the project: "Community leaders have identified affordable housing as one of the biggest needs in our region, and our plan can contribute to the solution. We are working very thoughtfully alongside a prominent developer to create a place that strengthens the surrounding area while making a real difference in people’s lives for years to come.”

Company representatives also said that information about the project was discussed at a community meeting in September.

Vanarsdall, though, said the communication has dropped off since then.

“It's been a struggle to find information, for sure," she said. "We did have one community meeting. There was some follow-up from that meeting, but we never heard anything back after that. I think it was a surprise to everybody that the zoning meeting was happening today, just due to the fact that there was nothing in between."

Wilson said she also wanted to see more details about the project.

“The hope was that they would come forward and say, 'Yeah, we are going to come up with, and then provide a solution,'" she said. "'We are going to be doing busing for people who work in these corridors. We will provide a charter school site.' Whatever it is, there are so many things that they could have brought and said, 'Here is the benefit to the community,' and I have yet to hear those details.”

During Thursday’s meeting, project representatives agreed to hold another community meeting in Horizon West before going before the County Commission, which was something Wilson was pushing for. 

“I think the most important thing that they do now is to listen to the public, listen to the community, be a good neighbor,” she said.

As for Vanarsdall, she thinks as neighbors, Disney should look somewhere else. 

“My ideal solution would be that there is still an opportunity for this to be built, just not in this area," she said.

A Disney representative said the location for the project was chosen because it is near where the jobs are. They added that the company has been in contact with the county, and officials from Orange County Public Schools have told them there would be enough capacity available for students by the time the units are expected to open.