The Orange County Commission is going to make another decision on Split Oak tomorrow, February 6th.

We need your emails today opposing the land swap and standing firm on protections for Split Oak and conservation land throughout the state.

What to do

Email list (copy and paste these emails below into your BCC field, put your own email in the to: field, you can also BCC us - hello@friendsofsplitoak.org, or you can send individual emails to each commissioner and the mayor if you’d like to take a bit more time)

Cheryl.Gillespie@ocfl.net, District1@ocfl.net, aaron.cort@ocfl.net, andrew.dietzen@ocfl.net, Cami.Riviezzo@ocfl.net, Nicole.Wilson@ocfl.net, District2@ocf.net, Christine.Moore@ocfl.net, atherine.Marsh@ocfl.net, Daniel.Moran@ocfl.net, District3@ocfl.net, Mayra.Uribe@ocfl.net, John.Gameiro@ocfl.net, Mariapaz.Moreno@ocfl.net, Lauran.Rosado@ocfl.net, District4@ocfl.net, Maribel.GomezCordero@ocfl.net, Phillip.deToledo@ocfl.net, Rafiq.RaoRuiz@ocfl.net, District5@ocfl.net, Emily.Bonilla@ocfl.net, Alexis.Albino@ocfl.net, District6@ocfl.net, Michael.scott@ocfl.net, Kenyatta.Chukes@ocfl.net, Raeshaun.Coonce@ocfl.net, Vashti.scott@ocfl.net, Mayor@ocfl.net, Awilda.Morales@ocfl.net, Roseann.Harrington@ocfl.net, Jane.Watrel@ocfl.net, Kelly.Finkelstein@ocfl.net

Here is a sample letter, please don’t just copy and paste it:

I oppose the 1,550 acre land swap deal.

Split Oak is a valuable piece of property both ecologically and recreationally. The same cannot be said for the property being offered in exchange. It is not a wildlife corridor and contains only some land of good ecological value. The 1,550 acres literally doesn’t connect Moss Park, Isle of Pines, and Moss Park to any other conservation land.

Split Oak, Moss Park and Isle of Pines Preserve should be buffered from development, but it is not a fair or valuable trade off to have a road built through Split Oak in exchange for not having development on the border of these conservation areas. This deal is like exchanging watching a multi-car wreck happening around you but not getting hurt for getting T-boned by a semi while sitting in a geo metro.

The developers are trying to sell you this deal by greenwashing it with support from nearby homeowner groups and “conservation” groups with questionable ethics.

I ask you to oppose this deal and instead stand strong in supporting protections for existing conservation land. I implore you to not horse-trade with the value of our conservation land.

I'm also asking you to rescind the request made by Byron Brooks on May 8th 2020 to the Florida Communities Trust (pdf) and the 2019 Resolution supporting the alignment of the Osceola Parkway through Split Oak (pdf).

Thank you,

Your name and address (and your district if you live in Orange County)

More details

Here is the Briefing Sheet that was sent to the commissioners & here is what will be on the agenda for tomorrow