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Walt wanted total control over the design and construction of his city and recreational facilities. This would not only enable his team to create and build whatever they wanted without going through local government approval, but could demonstrate how a completely self-sufficient city like EPCOT could run. However, they would have extreme difficulty under existing conditions. The property was in two different counties, each with separate building codes and zoning ordinances. EPCOT needed its own governing body that would oversee public services, such as fire protection and utility services, including environmental protection, and at the same time self-legislate and regulate its own building methods and the use of new technologies and materials for every project taking place inside the property.
The Disney company created a proposal for a self-controlled governing district with the assistance of Orange and Osceola county legislators. This proposal was presented to the Florida legislature and approved on May 12, 1967, forming the Reedy Creek Improvement District. Out of this district, two cities were established: Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake. Now Florida taxpayers would not have to spend public money on Disney construction, and the Disney company would not have to rely on state agencies for approval of anything it built.
Because Walt had so many plans for Disney World, the company decided to build it in phases. The ability to create a city of the future was still a long way from becoming reality. Phase One would consist of a theme park, two resort hotels called the "Tempo Bay Resort Hotel" and the "Polynesian Village Resort," and a campground. The theme park would be a larger version of the Disneyland Park, bringing the California park’s popular wonders to the East Coast. It and the two hotels would be situated around a large, man-made lagoon.
Actual construction began in April 1969. The first task for the Reedy Creek Improvement District was finding a way to drain areas of swampland for construction without damaging the environment. Since the whole Central Florida area basically floats on a body of fresh water, any depletion or damage to one part of this water supply would cause environmental devastation to the region’s entire supply.
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