The Roots of the Past
the Fruit of the Future
2020 saw many of us pivoting to new opportunities,
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but it wasn't the first time the people of
Horizon West have adjusted to sudden changes.
Thirty years earlier, the citrus growers who owned the land on
which Horizon West now sits were dealing with a shocking
freeze that devastated the local industry. It was the third of a
succession of major freezes throughout the 1980s, leaving
growers with no time to recover. Packinghouses and juice
processors closed their doors permanently as the industry was
forced to move further south. It was the end of an era, with
many families having been in the industry for generations.
Jerry Chicone, Jr. had been a citrus grower in west
Orange County all his life; his family owned grove land
for 60 years by that time. He led the effort to replant after
the 1985 freeze, and the 1989-90 crop was going to be the
industry's savior. But following shocking, below-freezing
temperatures on Christmas weekend in 1989, he told the
Orlando Sentinel, "I don't need to prove my love for the citrus
industry to anyone. I've invested too much money and
effort into replanting after the last freeze... I'm not rushing
out to develop my land, but after three freezes in seven
years I'm going to take off my white hat and put on my
developer's hat." After the 1989 freeze, he started talking
about forming an association of west Orange County
growers to unite them in a push for development so their
land could still be fruitful for their families, but in a new way.
Change had been coming for decades already, and
with it came the increasing pressure to build and
develop the rural area. With Walt Disney World®
Series of freezes put most
citrus growers out of business
in west Orange County.
Lake Avalon Rural Settlement opted out of
master-planned area, dropping it to just
under 21,000 acres - still over 32 sq miles,
just 10 less than Walt Disney World® Resort.
S i ff t t
1989 1992 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2004 2005
First village began to take
shape - Lakeside Village with
three neighborhoods and a
village center on 5,194 acres.
Horizon West Inc. was
formed to create the
first Sector Plan for the
State of Florida (Master
Site Plan) in partnership
with Orange County.
Orange County approved the
framework for Horizon West with an
original design of 6 Villages and a Town Center
across 28,000 acres – now 5 Villages and a Town Center.
Village of Bridgewater was
established on 4,022 acres
with 3 neighborhoods and
Summerport Village center.
County Transportation Needs Study took place to plan
connections to adjacent Lake County including examining
what new urban roadways and improvements would be needed.
by Amanda Galloway
Engineering studies began for roadways in Village of Bridgewater to assess options for widening,
realignment, signalization, sidewalks, multi-use trails, and drainage and lighting enhancements.
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Worried grove owners
met over coffee to
discuss how to pivot
so their land would
“be fruitful” again.
Become ots o
ruit of
C t d th