Orange County redistricting panel hears Pine Hills residents urge single-district representation; accepts late map for review

ORLANDO — The Orange County Mid Decennial Redistricting Advisory Committee on April 10 accepted a late map submission for review and heard repeated public pleas from Pine Hills residents who urged the committee to keep the neighborhood whole within a single county commission district.

The meeting, held at the Multicultural Center in Orlando, combined public comment with administrative business including a vote to deem Member Mark Arias’s map timely submitted so staff and the county’s mapping consultant can review it before it is placed on the committee agenda for discussion in a following meeting.

Why it matters: Orange County voters approved adding two new commission districts, expanding the county commission from seven to nine seats. The advisory committee’s work to redraw district lines will determine how communities such as Pine Hills are represented when the new districts take effect after the maps are finalized and certified.

Public comments focused on Pine Hills, a densely populated unincorporated area. Anthony Jackson, identifying himself as a Pine Hills resident, said the community “should be a part of 1 district,” adding that having two commissioners has diluted attention: “I feel like she’s neglecting it,” Jackson said, referring to perceived uneven engagement by one…