By Johnny Duncan

As the great inventor, Charles Kettering once said, “My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there.” As we turn the corner and leave 2007 behind, there is much to look forward to in Orange County. East Orlando has an exciting future on the horizon with new roadways, new development, new industries, and environment saving initiatives, all coming to town at the same time.

In his 2007 State of the County address, titled Taking Orange County To the Next Level of Greatness, Mayor Richard Crotty stated: “I dare say our vision to brand and build Innovation Way will, in the not to distant future, create a high-tech bridge from our great University of Central Florida through research parks, village-style neighborhoods and a medical city all the way to our world class airport. The bottom line is: Vision leads to milestone decisions that lift Orange County to the next level of greatness.”

Mayor Crotty went on to explain that Forbes magazine reported that someday, when people talk about Silicon Valley or the Research Triangle, and they mention cities such as Boston and Austin, Texas, you would also bring up Innovation Way in Orange County. “The building blocks of Innovation Way are already in place in east Orange County. One cornerstone is UCF, America’s 6th largest university. What’s important about UCF isn’t just the fact that it’s a big institution but the fact that as it matures into the future, you will see research grants and research opportunities emerge that will someday match the state’s older institutions such as the University of Florida, which boasts a great number of research grants.”

Innovation Way is not the only important initiative that our County Government has in store. Mayor Crotty stated that this fall, Orange County led the way in Central Florida, becoming the first local government to unanimously approve funding and operating agreements for a new, four-county commuter rail system. This is of course, the controversial commuter rail project that is expected to span over 60 miles linking Volusia, Seminole, Orange, and Osceola counties. Service is expected to begin in 2010.

Other road improvement projects ($250 million worth!) are expected to begin in ’08 and these projects will help transport employees, students, and patients to participate in new medical research. In his speech, Mayor Crotty prophesied that a medical city will be located in Lake Nona in the next few years. This “city” will include UCF’s medical school, the Burnham Institute, the privately funded Nemours children’s hospital, and the Veteran’s hospital.

Along with Orange County Commissioners, Mayor Crotty is setting goals to keep their pledge to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. “Our first goal is a 15% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2010. Then we plan to reduce them by 28% by 2015. Our final goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2020. If you factor growth into the equation, this is a 61% reduction in greenhouse gases from our 2005 levels.” They have also agreed to build the county’s first LEED certified building (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) – a new Medical Examiners Office. LEED is a rigorous rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.

With these exciting goals on the horizon, Orange County is in for some major developments that will not only change the landscape of East Orlando, but offer profitable opportunities for employees and business owners alike. Families, neighborhoods, and communities will benefit from the progress to be made when these goals are reached.