Twin Rivers Golf Course granted protections against future development

Oviedo’s Twin Rivers Golf Course has officially received future protections against development.

Following months of work, Oviedo’s City Council formally approved a declaration of restricted covenants, a proposed city law limiting how land can be used by property owners, at its April 20 meeting.

The course is framed on its north end by the confluence of the Little Econlockhatchee and Econlockhatchee rivers, giving it its namesake. 

While the course already had restrictive easements on multiple areas — one near the clubhouse and one on the course near holes 11 through 13 — the new declaration covers the entire course, limiting it to use as a golf course, conservation land or stormwater management. It also allows for an on-course restroom, which the course currently does not have.

The declaration prohibits residential, industrial and non-golf course-related commercial uses, as well as the development of hotels, motels, resorts and vacation rentals.

The city bought the course in 2017 for $5.5 million. 

“This is about nine years in the making,” Oviedo Mayor Megan Sladek said. “I am so grateful to all of you for being willing to make good on the promise we made when we bought this for the City of Oviedo, for the residents of Oviedo. We bought it saying it will stay mainly empty [of development] forever.”

UCF uses Twin Rivers as its golf team’s practice facility with a lease that runs through at least 2057 at $1 per year.

The declaration would only be able to be modified or terminated by the City Council unanimously approving a referendum, which would then need to be passed by a majority of voters.

Dwell at Oviedo self-storage plans move forward

An amendment allowing for a self-storage development to be added to the Dwell at Oviedo apartment project at 500 Sugar Mill Ave. was unanimously approved by the City Council.

While a public hearing was scheduled for the April 20 meeting, no one from the public spoke about the amendment, which would allow for 115,000 square feet of self-storage space. 

“It does seem like a pretty compatible use next to apartments, as people are in transition and looking to someday look into the homeownership situation,” Sladek said.