At its August 29, 2016, meeting, City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1640 calling for a referendum election to be held on November 8, 2016, for the purposes of proposing to the City’s electorate the financing of all or portion of public safety improvements through the issuance of general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $11,400,000 payable from the levy of ad valorem taxes to provide for the construction of a modern police station complex and related infrastructure and the renovation of the existing public safety complex. The referendum question was approved by the electorate by a vote of 57% for and 43% against.
The project that was the subject of Ordinance No. 1640 was generally known as the “21st Century Oviedo Hometown and Homeplace Security Project”. The project included the construction of a new 20,000 square foot police station, renovation of the existing public safety building for a different use, and construction of associated infrastructure.
A space needs analysis was conducted in 2017 as the first phase of the design process for the new police station. The analysis projected a City population of 50,000 by the year 2038 and concluded that the City would need 41,383 square feet to accommodate the projected 85 sworn officers and 105 total Police Department personnel needed to serve the projected population. The cost to construct the recommended square footage exceeded the approved $11,400,000 that had been approved by the referendum election. Therefore, the bonds for the $11,400,000 were not issued since the City could not construct the new police station with the approved funds.
At its April 24, 2023, work session, City Council directed staff to prepare cost estimates for constructing a new police station and renovation of the public safety building for consideration of a referendum question on the November 7, 2023, ballot. The City, using current population projections, forecast the future needs Oviedo Police Department, determining that a 47,000 square foot building would be required and the estimated price of the new Police Station would be $46,900,000. The City will need an additional $35,500,000 over the approved $11,400,000 to construct a modern public safety building and related infrastructure (Oviedo Public Safety Building Project) for a total estimated cost of $46,900,000.
On July 17, 2023 the Oviedo City Council approved Ordinance 1735 calling for a referendum election to issue bonds not exceeding $35,500,000, in addition to the $11,400,000 approved in 2016.
The question appearing on the November 7, 2023 will be:
Oviedo Public Safety Building Project; General Obligation Bonds. The Oviedo Public Safety Building project requires an estimated $46,900,000 to construct. Voters approved $11,400,000 for the project in 2016. Shall the City issue additional bonds not exceeding $35,500,000 bearing interest not exceeding maximum legal rates pledging the City’s full faith and credit for up to thirty years from date of issuance, payable from ad valorem taxes on all City taxable property, without limitation as to rate or amount, as provided in Ordinance No. 1735?
Yes - For Bonds [ ]
No - Against Bonds [ ]