Osceola commissioners approve two Kissimmee Park Road rezonings after residents warn of traffic and safety risks

The Osceola Board of County Commissioners voted March 17 to approve two rezoning requests affecting parcels on Kissimmee Park Road as part of a consent public hearing covering items 24–39.

The rezonings were approved during a single consent vote; the motion to approve the consent public hearing package carried unanimously. The vote encompasses agenda items 26 and 27, which residents told the board would add hundreds of homes and thousands of daily vehicle trips on a largely two-lane road.

Why it matters: Residents and community groups told the board the immediate issue is public safety — they said emergency responders already face slow response times on Kissimmee Park Road and nearby connectors, and further development will worsen congestion. Staff and developers said they have signed transportation agreements and county plans to extend and upgrade Cross Prairie Parkway, Nolte Road interchange work is underway with an anticipated opening in late 2028–early 2029, and the county aims to build a missing Cross Prairie link by 2027.

Residents pressed the board to delay approvals until the road network is in place. “This is not just about development, it's about the public safety,” said Neli Hernandez, who identified herself as representing the Osceola Action Committee. Hernandez told commissioners…