Orange County receives regional diamond award after updating wetlands code; county touts strengthened protections

Orange County officials and staff accepted a 2025 Diamond Award from the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council on March 11, recognizing the county’s recent update to its wetland and surface‑water protection ordinance.

What county officials said Tim Hall, environmental programs administrator, told the Board of County Commissioners the revised ordinance replaced a 35‑year‑old code and incorporated scientific studies and stakeholder input gathered over nearly three years. Hall described key provisions including a tiered permitting system, new mitigation monitoring and “a 100‑foot upland buffer on preserved wetlands and water bodies.” He said the code was designed to reduce wetland loss, support water quality and advance sustainability while balancing development and property rights.

Why it matters County leaders framed the update as a measurable strengthening of local environmental protections and a multi‑year, cross‑discipline effort that responds to regional water‑resource concerns. The updated code will affect permitting for projects near regulated wetlands and will require revised mitigation and monitoring plans where impacts are approved.

Award and context Mayor Jerry L. Demings and commissioners joined staff in accepting the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council Diamond Award in the Conservation and Countryside category. The award citation specifically recognized the county’s work updating the wetlands code and the Environmental Protection Division’s leadership on the project.

Next steps County staff said office‑level rulemaking, training for reviewers and continued stakeholder outreach will follow to ensure consistent application of the new code.