Seminole County commissioners against land swap deal for development near conservation area

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Seminole County commissioners voted against a land swap deal with a local developer that would bring major development to an area devoted to conservation.

The vote keeps a federal lawsuit against the county going.

Seminole County commissioners spent Tuesday morning behind closed doors going over litigation with developer Chris Dorworth.

READ: Potential land swap in Seminole County draws debate

Dorworth has been trying to build his Rivercross development along the Little Econ River near Chuluota.

The latest proposal to end the federal lawsuit was a land swap. Dorworth would give up his hundreds of acres of land within the rural boundary in exchange for the 238 acres of the Econ Wilderness Area.

When commissioners came back into session, Commissioner Lee Constantine voted to keep fighting in court.

"I would like to move that we end discussions of potential swap of the Econ Wilderness Area and send the Rivercross case back to federal court,” he said.

There were no residents who called in to the virtual meeting in support of the land swap. All voiced opposition to the deal.

The commissioners voted four to one against the land swap and keep fighting the federal lawsuit.

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