The Apopka City Council recently unanimously passed Ordinance No. 3070, better known as the “Energy Choice Ordinance,” mandating the installation of natural gas infrastructure in future real estate developments.
Specifically, the ordinance establishes a requirement for developers to include natural gas installation in all new subdivision developments of five lots or more.
With the passage of this ordinance, residents will now benefit from access to a popular, clean and cost-effective energy choice, granting them the ability to choose the energy source that best suits their personal needs and budget.
“This is fantastic news for the residents of Apopka,” said Brent E. Haywood, general manager and CEO of Lake Apopka Natural Gas District, which provides natural gas service in Apopka, Winter Garden, Clermont and surrounding communities. “For too long, communities have been deprived of basic energy choice in developments that limited homebuyers to an all-electric model, but the passage of this ordinance will finally return energy choice to the people of Apopka.
“Today, the City of Apopka has taken a significant step toward delivering residents energy choice, and I am hopeful that our neighboring municipalities will soon realize this critical need for energy choice by following Apopka’s lead.”
In Apopka, Clermont, Winter Garden, and surrounding communities combined, families have been losing an average of over $127 million in annual fuel costs due to a previous lack of energy choice.
Ordinance No. 3070 addresses this issue by allowing Apopka residents to avoid the extra costs of adding gas infrastructure to their homes after the initial construction. By offering natural gas in new developments, families will now have the ability to save over $1,100 per year in energy savings with clean, affordable and reliable natural gas.
Lake Apopka Natural Gas District is working with neighboring municipalities to implement similar ordinances and increase energy choice for its customers across Central Florida.
Since 1959, Lake Apopka Natural Gas District (LANGD) has provided clean, efficient and economical natural gas services to residential, commercial and industrial customers in Orange County and Lake County.