EATONVILLE, Fla. – As Orange County Public Schools prepares to sell more than 100 acres of land in Eatonville to Dr. Phillips Charities, the town council met Thursday to discuss the plan.
Settled by newly-freed slaves and incorporated in 1887, Eatonville is the oldest Black-incorporated municipality in the U.S.
Orange County’s school board acquired the Robert L. Hungerford Normal and Industrial School there in 1951. Recent attempts by the school board to sell or develop the land have fallen through, as town advocates have called for the land to be returned to Eatonville.
[PAST COVERAGE: Eatonville residents win battle over Hungerford Prep, Orange Schools terminates agreement]
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Now, though, Eatonville Mayor Angie Gardner says she supports an agreement that would transfer 117 acres of the Hungerford land from OCPS to Dr. Phillips Charities.
News 6’s Ginger Gadsden spoke with Gardner earlier this month, who called the deal “bigger than big” and said it would mark a turning point for a community fighting to preserve its history.
“This is going to restore hope and bring about change. A necessary change and a growth period for our town and its residents,” Gardner said.
OCPS is scheduled to vote on the agreement Tuesday, Sept. 30.
[WATCH: Ginger Gadsden interviews Eatonville Mayor Angie Gardner]
Days ahead of the vote, the Eatonville Town Council met Thursday to discuss the agreement and to get some questions answered.
The agreement promises such things as $1 million paid up front to OCPS from Dr. Phillips Charities upon transferal of the property deed. After this, the remaining balance is said to be forgiven upon the achievement of certain milestones; a green space is to be developed by the end of year two, an early-learning center by year three, a community hub and/or health care facility by year four, and so on.
Dr. Phillips Charities would partner directly with the town to see the plan come to life and transition parts of the parcel back to the Town of Eatonville following development.
Eatonville Town Council 6:30 p.m. Sept. 25 2025 meeting cover sheet - "Summary" (excerpt)
The meeting’s agenda packet contains this agreement, though it’s a version covered in notes. Many of the notes are questions, such as “Is this legal?” to the proposition that town residents, school board employees, and local first responders should be given priority for affordable single-family housing if/when the town develops a housing strategy for any of the Hungerford land that’s transitioned back to Eatonville.
Overarching concerns:
1) How much of the land we be available for tax generating projects that are critical to the Town’s (long) term survival? It appears much of the land will already be spoken for with projects that do nothing for the tax base.
2) Perception of being on the sidelines of a deal between OCPS and DPC, rather than having a real “seat at the table” regarding this historical property. This is a big deal, since the Board expressed almost unanimous support for transferring the property directly to the Town if it could be done legally, and the Town demonstrated beyond any doubt that it could be.
Note left by Cliff Shepard on Memorandum of Understanding
You can read the meeting’s agenda packet in the media viewer below, though the notes (highlighted) may not be viewable without first downloading the document and opening it with a PDF viewer:
The Eatonville Town Council met at 6:30 p.m. at Denton Johnson Community Center to discuss the agreement.
Gardner told the council she recognizes some members felt left out of the process but argued the sale would align with the town’s long-term goals.
“The best part is that the plan we already know in the master plan will be the guiding document,” Gardner said. “We don’t have to guess about it. In the past, developers have come and we’ve waited.”
According to Gardner, the town’s master plan for the site calls for green space, a pavilion and an early learning center.
Still, a majority of the council expressed frustration. Council Member Tarus Mack said it was “unbelievable” when he learned of the proposal and questioned whether the deal was in the best interest of residents.
The council voted 4-1 to recommend OCPS reject the agreement.
“I have a great deal of respect for everybody that sits on that board,” Mack said. “But I feel like they got a bad deal, and I think they’ll do the right thing.”
The Orange County School Board is scheduled to vote on the land sale on Tuesday.