- February 26, 2025
The City Commission got back to business on July 29 after several weeks without a meeting and had several items on their agenda.
The officials approved the interlocal agreement with the county for a joint planning and municipal service area for North U.S. 1, which has pockets of city and county land. This was the first reading so a final vote at a later commission meeting will be needed.
One of the features of the agreement is that the city will have more control over vendors who set up shop during special events. A speaker from the audience, Bill Kurras, who said he has owned property on U.S. 1 since the 1970s, spoke against the agreement.
“We don’t need more regulation,” he said. “We survived Volusia County control and want to stay that way.”
Another property owner echoed his sentiments.
“I’m against the city going up there and trying to get rid of vendors,” he said. “The bikers will go elsewhere and you’ll eliminate a lot of money in the area.”
Many businesses along U.S. 1 have been grandfather in for their special events activities.
Rep. David Hood was at the meeting as a representative of the Iron Horse Saloon, and he said the business fully supports the agreement, calling it “fair.”
Also supporting the agreement was Peggy Farmer, representing a coalition of 30 businesses along the corridor.
“We desire to have beautification and code enforcement,” she said.
In other action, the commission honored Korean War veterans. The chamber was standing room only as veterans, along with family, attended the meeting. Mayor Ed Kelley read a proclamation naming July 29, 2014 as a day to honor them for their service. Each veteran who attended received a copy of the proclamation. A plaque, with the names of about 70 Ormond Beach veterans, will hang in City Hall along with a plaque that honors World War II vets.
The commissioners also solved a problem for some condo residents who said they had trouble selling their property.
Tomoka Oakwood North Condominium, 640 N. Nova Road, was constructed in 1971, when the allowed height in that area was 75 feet.
In 1978, the city changed the height requirement to not more than 30 feet, which made the property nonconforming. The code stated it could not be reconstructed if damaged more than 50%.
The condo owners found out last year that new federal rules prevented a buyer from getting a loan backed by Freddy Mac or Fanny Mae, if a building could not be reconstructed. This problem made it difficult for buyers to get a loan.
At the commission meeting, the officials voted to increase the building height requirement to 75 feet to solve the problem.
The commission also approved travel plans for 2014. Commissioner Bill Partington will attend the 2014 National League of Cities University Leadership Summit Aug. 13-16, in Santa Clara, California; Commissioner James Stowers will attend the Daytona Regional Chamber Intercity Trip to Greenville, South Carolina Oct. 21-23; and City Manager Joyce Shanahan will attend the 2014 Florida Ethics Conference and Attorney General’s Sunshine Summit Sept. 24-26 in Orlando.
