Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has told the city of Winter Garden to strip its parks of signage that mentions firearms, calling the local prohibition "null and void" and giving officials until Aug. 15 to prove they have complied. The warning zeroes in on signs at Tucker Ranch Recreation and Nature Complex that his office says attempt to keep guns out of city parks. Uthmeier's notice threatens legal action if the city refuses to change the wording or stops short of halting any enforcement of firearm rules that conflict with state law.
In a release, Uthmeier wrote that "Florida law declares that the regulation of firearms, including possession, is entirely preempted by the State," and that "Winter Garden is not permitted to enforce any rule purporting to prohibit firearms in this way," according to ClickOrlando. The letter also flagged a prior Broward County measure that tried to keep "weapons" out of taxis as an example of a local rule wiped out by state preemption. The Attorney General's office gave the city the same Aug. 15 deadline to confirm the signs will be updated and that the disputed language will not be enforced.
State law behind the warning
Florida's firearm preemption rule is laid out in Section 790.33 of the Florida Senate, which says the Legislature "is occupying the whole field of regulation of firearms and ammunition" and that any local ordinances or regulations that touch firearms are void. The statute also lets affected parties seek declaratory and injunctive relief if a city or county puts conflicting rules on the books. Courts and attorneys routinely lean on Section 790.33 when they sort out showdowns between local governments and state law.
Signs at Tucker Ranch
The signs called out in the AG's letter are posted at Tucker Ranch Recreation and Nature Complex, a Winter Garden park at 100 Avalon Road. Public information and local coverage show Tucker Ranch has been a recent focus of city spending, including a 25.6-acre expansion that has been under construction along with partial reopening efforts. The park's history and amenities are detailed on the City of Winter Garden website, while coverage of its comeback after storm damage is outlined in reporting on post-hurricane restoration work.
What comes next
City officials now have until Aug. 15 to tell the Attorney General's office that the problematic signs will be changed and to confirm they are not enforcing any firearm regulations that conflict with state law, ClickOrlando reported. If Winter Garden does not fall in line, Uthmeier warned his office will pursue "appropriate legal action," which could include lawsuits or court orders that force compliance. Local leaders have a clearer, cheaper option in front of them: reword or remove the signs and sidestep a legal fight. The Attorney General's move signals that the state is ready to actively defend the preemption law rather than let it sit on the shelf.
Bigger picture
The clash in Winter Garden mirrors other fights across Florida where city and county rules have collided with the state's firearm preemption statute. Courts have often turned to the exact wording of Section 790.33 to settle those disputes, including a 2025 appeal that examined how far Dania Beach could go with its own firearm regulations. With the Attorney General now openly pressing the issue, other Florida cities weighing how to word their park rules are likely to watch Winter Garden's next move very closely.
