Seminole County, Florida
Encyclopedia
Seminole County is a county
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...

 in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

. Located between Orlando
Orlando
Orlando is a major city in the U.S. state of Florida.Orlando may also refer to-Places:* in Florida** Orlando, a major city** Greater Orlando, the 27th-largest metropolitan area in the United States...

 to the south and Deland
DeLand, Florida
DeLand is the county seat of Volusia County, Florida. In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population to be 24,375. It is part of the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 436,575 in 2006...

 and Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...

 to the north, it is part of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

 and largest city is Sanford
Sanford, Florida
Sanford is a city in, and the county seat of, Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 38,291 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 50,998...

. As of the 2010 Census, Seminole County's population was 422,718, a 15.75% increase from 2000.

History

On July 21, 1821, there were two counties that formed Florida: Escambia
Escambia County, Florida
Escambia County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Florida. The 2010 population was 297,619. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 296,772. Its county seat is Pensacola.- History :...

 to the west and St. Johns
St. Johns County, Florida
St. Johns County is a county located in northeastern Florida. As of the 2010 census, the population was 190,039. The county seat is St. Augustine. Due to the inclusion of Ponte Vedra Beach, it is one of the highest-income counties in the United States....

 to the east. In 1824, the area to the south of St. Johns County was designated Mosquito County, with its seat at Enterprise
Enterprise, Florida
Enterprise is an unincorporated community in Volusia County, in the U.S. state of Florida, and its former county seat. Situated on the northern shore of Lake Monroe, it is flanked by the cities of DeBary and Deltona. Enterprise was once the head of navigation on the St. Johns River and at various...

. The county's name was changed to Orange County
Orange County, Florida
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 1,145,956....

 in 1845 when Florida became a state, and over the next 70 years several other counties were created. Seminole County was one of the last to split.

Seminole County was created on April 25, 1913 out of part of the northern portion of Orange County by the Florida Legislature
Florida Legislature
The Florida State Legislature is the term often used to refer to the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Florida Constitution states that "The legislative power of the state shall be vested in a legislature of the State of Florida," composed of a Senate...

. It was named for the Seminole
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...

 people who historically lived throughout the area. The name "Seminole" is thought to be derived from the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...

 word cimarron, meaning "wild" or "runaway."

Government

The government currently operates under a County Charter originally adopted in 1989 and amended in November, 1994. Policymaking and the legislative authority are vested in the Board of County Commissioners, a five-member board elected to four-year terms in partisan, countywide elections and from single member districts. The Board adopts the County budget, levies property taxes and other fees, and hires the County Manager and County Attorney. In addition to the Board there are five Constitutional Officers who are elected to partisan, four-year terms in accordance with the constitution of the State of Florida.

The Constitutional Officers, Clerk of the Circuit
Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
The Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida is composed of Brevard and Seminole Counties. The Chief Judge is J. Preston Silvernail.There is over between the courthouse in Viera and the Criminal Justice Center in Sanford...

 and County Courts, Sheriff, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, and Supervisor of Elections, maintain separate accounting records and budgets. The Board funds a portion or, in certain instances, all of the operating budgets of the County's Constitutional Officers.

The County provides a full range of services; the construction and maintenance of the County's infrastructure, public safety, recreation, health and human services, and development and protection of the physical and economic environment.

In addition to the County Government described above, there are other political entities which are controlled by the County, but have their own appointed boards; the Seminole County Expressway Authority, the Seminole County Port Authority, the Fred R. Wilson Memorial Law Library and the US 17-92 Community Redevelopment Agency

Principal Officials

The following officers are elected except as indicated:
  • Commissioner, District I - Bob Dallari
  • Commissioner, District II - John Horan
  • Commissioner, District III - Dick Van Der Weide
  • Commissioner, District IV - Carlton D. Henley
  • Commissioner, District V - Brenda Carey
  • Clerk of the Circuit Court - Maryanne Morse
  • Sheriff - Donald F. Eslinger
  • Tax Collector - Ray Valdes
  • Property Appraiser - David Johnson
  • Supervisor of Elections - Michael Ertel

  • County Manager (appointed) - Jim Hartmann
  • County Attorney (appointed) - A.Bryant Applegate

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 344.87 square miles (893.2 km²), of which 308.2 square miles (798.2 km²) (or 89.37%) is land and 36.67 square miles (95 km²) (or 10.63%) is water.

Seminole County's location between Volusia County
Volusia County, Florida
Volusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 official county's population was 494,593 . Its county seat is DeLand, and its most populous city is currently Deltona....

 and Orange County
Orange County, Florida
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 1,145,956....

 has made it one of the fastest growing counties in Florida. The Greater Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...

 Metropolitan District which includes Seminole, Osceola
Osceola County, Florida
Osceola County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 172,493. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 244,045, making it the 17th fastest-growing county in the United States. Its county seat is Kissimmee.- History :Osceola County was...

, and the surrounding counties of Lake
Lake County, Florida
Lake County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 307,243. Its county seat is Tavares...

 and Orange counties, together with neighboring Volusia and Brevard
Brevard County, Florida
Brevard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the population is 536,521, making it the 10th most populous county in the state. Influenced by the presence of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard...

 counties create a viable, progressive and diverse setting for economic growth and residential development.

Adjacent counties

  • Brevard County, Florida
    Brevard County, Florida
    Brevard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the population is 536,521, making it the 10th most populous county in the state. Influenced by the presence of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard...

     - southeast
  • Volusia County, Florida
    Volusia County, Florida
    Volusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 official county's population was 494,593 . Its county seat is DeLand, and its most populous city is currently Deltona....

     - north/east
  • Orange County, Florida
    Orange County, Florida
    Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 1,145,956....

     - west/south
  • Lake County, Florida
    Lake County, Florida
    Lake County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 307,243. Its county seat is Tavares...

     - west

Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 365,196 people, 139,572 households, and 97,281 families residing in the county. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the population of the County has grown to 394,878 by 2003. Current 2008 estimates put the population at more than 407,000. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 1,185 people per square mile (458/km²). There were 147,079 housing units at an average density of 477 per square mile (184/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.41% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 9.52% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.30% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 2.50% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.04% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 3.06% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 2.18% from two or more races. 11.15% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 of any race.

There were 139,572 households out of which 33.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.07. The Department of Education states that in 2003, school enrollment was approximately 72,630. As of 2006, the Seminole County School District was the 52nd largest in the nation.

Population was distributed with 25.40% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 32.00% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $49,326, and the median income for a family was $56,895. Males had a median income of $40,001 versus $28,217 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the county was $24,591. About 5.10% of families and 7.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.60% of those under age 18 and 6.60% of those age 65 or over. As of March 2009, according to Workforce Central Florida
Workforce Central Florida
Workforce Central Florida is the Central Florida region’s workforce board, responsible for workforce planning, programs, and the labor market for five Florida counties including Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Sumter counties...

, the unemployment rate for Seminole County is 9.2 percent.

Infrastructure

Because of the massive urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...

 in the area and outdated and unplanned transit infrastructure, traffic congestion is a growing concern. Fundamentally, the lack of east-west mobility in the area creates severe traffic issues every weekday. Many residents of Seminole County work in Orange County
Orange County, Florida
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 1,145,956....

, and those in northern Volusia County commute through Seminole County daily to Orange County.

Economy

Ruth's Hospitality Group has its headquarters in Heathrow
Heathrow, Florida
Heathrow is a census-designated place and an unincorporated suburban community in Seminole County, Florida, United States. Heathrow is located on the I-4 Corridor in Central Florida, 19 miles Northeast of Orlando and 38 miles Southwest of Daytona Beach...

, unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...

 Seminole County.

Principal Taxpayers

Taxpayer Type of Business Assessed Valuation Percent of Total Taxable Valuation
Colonial Realty LP Property Management / Development $ 217,597,511 1.18%
Progress Energy
Progress Energy Inc
Progress Energy , headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., is a Fortune 500 energy company with more than 21,000 megawatts of generation capacity and $9 billion in annual revenues. Progress Energy includes two major electric utilities that serve approximately 3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and...

 Florida, Inc.
Electric Utility 162,934,377 .88%
BellSouth
BellSouth
BellSouth Corporation is an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. BellSouth was one of the seven original Regional Bell Operating Companies after the U.S...

 Telecommunications
Communications 91,591,862 .50%
Seminole Towne Centre LP Shopping Mall 87,867,747 .48%
Altamonte Mall
Altamonte Mall
Altamonte Mall is a super-regional shopping mall located in Altamonte Springs, Florida, United States, a suburb of Orlando. One of the larger malls in the area, the mall has around 160 stores and four anchors. The mall was built in 1974, and renovated in 1989 and 2003-2004.Notable tenants are...

 A Jt. Venture
Shopping Mall 86,903,276 .47%
Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel Corporation is an American telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas. The company owns and operates Sprint, the third largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, with 53.4 million customers, behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility...

 Corp.
Communications 83,090,520 .45%
Convergys
Convergys
Convergys Corporation is a corporation based in Cincinnati, Ohio that provides solutions in customer management and information management. Customer management solutions include agent assisted, self-service and proactive care solutions tailored to the communications, financial services,...

Call Center Outsourcing 68,774,402 .37%
United Dominion Realty Tr Property Management / Development 61,467,400 .33%
Rouse-Orlando Inc. Shopping Mall 60,318,083 .33%

Per Capita Income and Unemployment Rate

Incorporated

  1. City of Altamonte Springs
    Altamonte Springs, Florida
    Altamonte Springs is a city in Seminole county in the U.S. state of Florida, which had a population of 41,496 at the 2010 census. Located primarily in Seminole County, the city is in the northern suburbs of the Orlando–Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the United States...

  2. City of Casselberry
    Casselberry, Florida
    Casselberry is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 22,629 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2009, the city had a population of 24,792...

  3. City of Lake Mary
    Lake Mary, Florida
    Lake Mary is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,456 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 15,230...

  4. City of Longwood
    Longwood, Florida
    Longwood is a city in Seminole County, Florida, USA. The population was 13,745 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 13,491. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area....

  5. City of Oviedo
    Oviedo, Florida
    Oviedo is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,316 as of the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 32,961...

  6. City of Sanford
    Sanford, Florida
    Sanford is a city in, and the county seat of, Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 38,291 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 50,998...

  7. City of Winter Springs
    Winter Springs, Florida
    Winter Springs is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 31,666 at the 2000 census. According to the 2009 Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 32,727...


City districts and neighborhoods

  • Forest City
    Forest City, Florida
    Forest City is a census-designated place and an area in Seminole County, Florida, United States. Its historic center is now in the City of Altamonte Springs. Data in this article deals only with the unincorporated part. The population was 12,612 at the 2000 census...

     (partly within the City of Altamonte Springs
    Altamonte Springs, Florida
    Altamonte Springs is a city in Seminole county in the U.S. state of Florida, which had a population of 41,496 at the 2010 census. Located primarily in Seminole County, the city is in the northern suburbs of the Orlando–Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the United States...

    )
  • Heathrow
    Heathrow, Florida
    Heathrow is a census-designated place and an unincorporated suburban community in Seminole County, Florida, United States. Heathrow is located on the I-4 Corridor in Central Florida, 19 miles Northeast of Orlando and 38 miles Southwest of Daytona Beach...

     (partly within the City of Lake Mary
    Lake Mary, Florida
    Lake Mary is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,456 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 15,230...

    )
  • Tuskawilla (partly within the City of Winter Springs
    Winter Springs, Florida
    Winter Springs is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 31,666 at the 2000 census. According to the 2009 Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 32,727...

    )

Unincorporated

  • Chuluota
    Chuluota, Florida
    Chuluota is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,483 at the 2010 Census...

  • Fern Park
    Fern Park, Florida
    Fern Park is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 8,318 at the 2000 census...

  • Geneva
    Geneva, Florida
    Geneva is a community, census-designated place, and an unincorporated area in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,940 at the 2010 Census...

  • Midway
    Midway, Seminole County, Florida
    Midway is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,714 at the 2000 census...

  • Wekiwa Springs
    Wekiwa Springs, Florida
    Wekiwa Springs is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 23,169 at the 2000 census...

  • an unincorporated area of Winter Park
    Winter Park, Florida
    Winter Park is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,090 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 28,083. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...


See also

  • Little-Big Econ State Forest
    Little-Big Econ State Forest
    The Little Big Econ State Forest is in the U.S. state of Florida. The forest is located in Central Florida, near Oviedo. It also includes a 12 mile singletrack bike trail.-References and external links:*...

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Seminole County, Florida

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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