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Local Politics
Developers, Citizen Action, Lawsuits, and Threats
The county commission listened to the people — what will happen next?
On Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2021, the Orange County [Florida] Commission rejected a request by Benge Development (the company’s president is Tony Benge) to build about 200 homes on a shuttered golf course in east Orange County.
Nearby residents have been vocal in their opposition to the plan.
Hal Kantor, the attorney representing Benge, told commissioners that if they listened to their constituents, his client would sue.
According to an Orlando Sentinel report, Kantor said:
“I would start off by telling you the potential cost to the county of not settling is about $20 million.”
Beyond that, Benge apparently intends to make nearby residents suffer. About the property, Kantor said:
“So we will continue to own it and we will maintain it in accordance with county standards, which is not what I think the [residents’] preference is but county standards allow grass to grow up to 12 inches and that’s what we intend to do. We have land available to resolve the stormwater [flooding] problem and had offered that but that won’t get done either — at least not…
