Oviedo Mayor Seeks Public Input, Proposes No-Build Easement, Audit for Twin Rivers

Oviedo mayor Megan Sladek asked residents for input on the future of the city-owned Twin Rivers Golf Club and proposed a legal "no build" easement to remove development rights from the majority of the property. The move aims to lock in the open-space intent behind the city's 2017 purchase, when officials stepped in after developers threatened to convert the land into housing.

Sladek held a public conversation at the Twin Rivers clubhouse Friday at 4 p.m. to explain the proposal and hear neighborhood concerns. The mayor said the original purpose of buying the course was preservation, and the proposed easement would formalize that goal by preventing future construction across most of the site. City officials presented the measure as a way to protect greenspace, recreation, and the environmental functions the property provides.

Alongside the easement proposal, Sladek told residents the city is exploring an audit of the company that manages the course. The review would examine contract transparency and confirm that residents who faced higher stormwater fees are receiving promised long-term protections tied to the property. Stormwater investments and maintenance obligations have been central to community conversations about the municipal purchase and ongoing operating costs.

The Twin Rivers purchase in 2017 shifted the property from private ownership to a city asset after potential development plans alarmed nearby homeowners. For many neighbors, the current discussion touches on property values, local flood control, and day-to-day quality of life. Preserving mature trees, wetlands, and turf that help with stormwater attenuation is a practical concern for homeowners who have seen fee changes tied to regional drainage improvements.

Formalizing a no-build easement would require legal steps by the city to define the restricted area and secure enforceable protections. An audit of the management contract could produce recommendations for clearer reporting, cost accountability, and stronger guarantees that maintenance and stormwater functions will be preserved long term. Both measures aim to translate the 2017 preservation intent into binding, transparent policies.

For Oviedo residents, the immediate implications are concrete: potential limits on future development at Twin Rivers and a push for greater oversight of how the course is managed and funded. Watch for next actions from City Hall, including any formal council agenda items to approve easement language or commission the audit. The decisions will determine whether Twin Rivers remains the green buffer many neighbors fought to save in 2017 and how the city guarantees those protections for years to come.