Orange County updates process for selling county‑owned property, adds Economic Development consultation

The Board reviewed and adopted a revised process for advertising and selling Orange County‑owned real property through an upset‑bid process. The package of changes requires greater public outreach: staff will post legal notices in The Herald Sun, advertise on county social media and the Community Relations newsletter, list properties on a local MLS, post signs at properties, update the Asset Management Services webpage with links to official bids, and obtain formal appraisals.

Staff also told the Board that an interested buyer will be informed up front that they will be responsible for administrative costs if they win the upset bid process, with staff estimating legal advertising costs between $200 and $3,500, an MLS listing fee of $500 and a professional appraisal fee of approximately $1,200. Asset Management Director Alan Dorman said his team is coordinating with Planning to review roughly 170 county‑owned properties to identify surplus properties. Vice‑Chair Amy Fowler moved (seconded by Commissioner Sally Greene) to adopt the recommended process with the addition that Economic Development be consulted; the motion passed unanimously.