About Harmony

Located along Hwy 192 in eastern Osceola County approximately 10 miles east of St. Cloud, Harmony is an 11,030-acre master planned Development of Regional Impact (DRI) project, designed from the outset as a mixed-use community.

The Harmony CDD, established pursuant to Ordinance 00-05, as originally adopted by the Osceola County Board of Commissioners effective March 6, 2000, and as amended & supplemented by Ordinance 01-35, bounds a total land area of 1,020.2 acres within the greater DRI project area.

Click here to view Establishment Ordinances

Maps In Printable Form

• Harmony DRI Map
• District Boundary
• Community Plan
• Harmony Trails
• Street Names

Being a Traditional Neighborhood Development, the Community of Harmony features 70% open spaces, with nearly 1,000 acres of natural lakes known as Cat Lake and Buck Lake.  The overall development was configured for 7,200 residential units, plus 350,000 GSF of commercial, 500,000 GSF of office, 1,000,000 GSF of light industrial, and an 18-hole golf course.  The community also includes numerous community parks and village parks; an interconnected bikeway and pedestrian path system; a Town Center providing a mix of uses for the entire community; on-site water and wastewater facilities; large wetland preserves; upland preservation areas for gopher tortoises, sand hill cranes, and rare plant species; an interconnected water management system; and a wastewater reuse system to minimize consumption.

More Information About Harmony

District Boundary & Property Served

The District is surrounded by the balance of the Harmony DRI, including Harmony High School which is part of the Harmony DRI but is not included within the District boundary.  Hwy 192 runs along the southern boundary of the District.  Buck and Cat Lakes serve as the northern boundary of the District, and their contributory wetlands define the eastern and western boundaries of the District.    Click here for map of the District Boundary

District Infrastructure

Summary of Infrastructure Improvements

The infrastructure improvements of the District include the following:

• Roadways
• Alleys & Sidewalks
• Water, Wastewater, & Electrical Facilities
• Stormwater Management Facilities
• Landscape & Hardscape
• Recreation & Parks

Roadways

The roadways within the District consist of 4-lane divided, 2-lane divided, and 2-lane individual sections.  These roadways were designed as collector roadways serving the individual development tracts within the District.  The Developer constructed these roadways and conveyed the improvements to Osceola County from back of curb to back of curb.  The sidewalks and bikeways constructed adjacent to the roadways are conveyed to and owned by the District.

Roadways consist of a subgrade, limerock base, curbing, striping, and signage in conformance with the Land Development Regulations of Osceola County.  There were approximately 5 miles of collector roadways initially constructed in the District, with more added as other neighborhoods were developed.  Once conveyed, the County took ownership and is responsible for the perpetual care and maintenance of the roads.

Alleys & Sidewalks

In all but the newest neighborhoods, alleys are maintained by the District.  Sidewalk maintenance is a shared responsibility between homeowner and District.  Appearance maintenance of sidewalks along the front and side of a property is the responsibility of the owner.  For those walkways not adjacent to a residence, the District is responsible for appearance maintenance.  The District is also responsible for structural integrity maintenance of all sidewalks and walkways throughout the community.

Appearance maintenance consists of sweeping and mold & mildew removal (via power washing &/or chemical application).  Structural maintenance consists of elevated edge grinding, cracked edge or corner repair, and defective slab replacement, as needed.

Water, Wastewater, & Electrical Facilities

This infrastructure consists of potable water mains, wastewater gravity mains and forcemains, lift stations, effluent reuse & irrigation mains, and underground electrical cables.  These facilities were constructed in accordance with the Land Development Regulations of Osceola County, the (FDEP) Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), and applicable DRI Development Orders in effect at time of construction.

The potable water system includes all the necessary valving, fire hydrants, and individual services to serve individual lots and development parcels.  The system design provides for domestic demand plus a fire flow.  Approximately 5 miles of water mains were constructed initially, with more added as other neighborhood parcels are developed.

The wastewater infrastructure includes the gravity lines, forcemain, lift station, and individual lot services sufficient to serve all individual lots and development parcels in the District.  Approximately 3.7 miles of gravity lines, 3.2 miles of forcemain, and 3 lift stations were constructed initially.  More are added as each parcel is developed.

An effluent reuse system was constructed to serve as the primary irrigation system for the project.  Highly treated effluent is discharged from the wastewater plant into a hydropneumatic tank.  Over 5 miles of effluent reuse mains, including the valving and individual services to individual lots and development parcels, have been constructed.  Treated effluent is supplemented with Stormwater and groundwater to satisfy the irrigation demands throughout the District.

Once the construction for a parcel is completed, the water, wastewater, and effluent water systems are conveyed to the Toho Water Authority utility system for perpetual operation and maintenance.

Electrical cabling was constructed adjacent to all collector roadways sufficient for service to all individual lots and development parcels. Street lighting is also included along the collector roadways.  Areas north of Hwy 192 (encompassing entirety of the Harmony CDD) are located within Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) service region.  Areas south of Hwy 192 (which includes Harmony High School) are located within the service region of Duke Energy Florida (formerly known as Progress-Energy/Florida-Power Corporation).

Stormwater Management Facilities

A master stormwater system was constructed in accordance with the requirements of the SFWMD, Osceola County, and applicable DRI Development Orders.  This system consists of interconnected wetland retention/detention ponds, which were designed as unfenced project amenities.  Stormwater runoff from development parcels are routed via a secondary drainage system into the retention/detention ponds.  These ponds ultimately discharge into adjacent and nearby wetlands through the District.  Design criteria include meeting water quality and quantity criteria, as well as providing for compensating storage for any development within the 100-year floodplain areas.

The stormwater and drainage systems are overseen and maintained by the District.

Click here to view the Planned Master Drainage System Map.
Click here to view the Ponds & Drainage System Layout Map.
{High resolution graphics — zoom-in to see details.}

Landscape & Hardscape

Landscape & hardscape are provided along the project collector roadways, the project entrance on Hwy 192, throughout the Town Center, and within the park & recreation areas.  Xeriscape landscaping is emphasized throughout to minimize irrigation water demands and to maintain a natural look within the community.  Wherever possible, existing or other native vegetation is employed.

Recreation & Parks

The District provides and maintains parks throughout the various neighborhoods.  Notable among these are the dog park on Cat Brier Trail, Harmony Square Park, the Swim Club at Harmony Square, the Lakeshore Park along the tree line of Buck Lake, and Long Park along the edge of the front & back nine holes of the Harmony Golf Preserve.  These parks provide picnic facilities, passive recreation, and children's playgrounds.  The District owns & operates the boats that are available to Harmony residents at Buck Lake Park, and Harmony residents are able to enjoy Buck Lake and its lakeshore facilities pursuant to an agreement between the District and the lake owner.