- January 31, 2025
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River Bend Management Group of Florida LLC has less than two weeks to pay the city about $25,000 in late rent to prevent a termination of its lease on the River Bend Golf Club property.
In total, the management group owes the city $64,000 in rent, according to a city memo. The city’s desire to cut ties with the management group isn’t unexpected, seeing as it has been in a legal dispute with Volusia County since 2018 over what now totals $230,000 in unpaid taxes since 2013. The property was considered tax-exempt until 2013 when the county property appraiser began to assess taxes. It is his opinion that, should the management group fail to pay back the owed taxes, the burden will fall on the city, a position City Attorney Randy Hayes vehemently opposes.
Now, seeing as the golf course’s golf cart lease is set to expire, and the owed taxes make it “impossible” for the management group to secure another golf cart lease, the city determined it is unlikely the group will be able to meet its rent obligation.
“Based on recent information that the city manager has received, and that my office has received, we believe it’s unlikely that the lessee will cure the default by the Dec. 29 cure period,” Hayes said.
Thus, the City Commission voted unanimously at its Dec. 15 meeting to terminate the agreement should the management group fail to pay back the rent it owes. It was a last-minute addition to the agenda.
With a termination date set prior to Jan. 1, the city will avoid more taxes assessed to the golf club property, whose management group told the News-Journal will close the golf course by the end of the day on Dec. 31.
What will happen to the golf club property afterward? That’s a bridge the city will have to cross come the New Year. Wes Norwood, on behalf of the management group, declined to comment.
The Ormond Beach City Commission voted 4-1 to direct staff to bring back information regarding the creation of a new citizen advisory committee to help the commission identify, review and prioritize land near the Loop and other areas in the city that could be conserved for environmental or recreational purposes, according to a city memo.
This comes after a request by citizen Suzanne Scheiber for the city to buy 76 lots within Plantation Oaks to expand the development’s existing buffer. The committee would likely include a citizen appointed by each commissioner and two at-large appointments.
Commissioner Dwight Selby, who voted in favor the item, voiced concerns about the committee appearing to be a “top-down” initiative, rather than a request from citizens. However, Mayor Bill Partington said he believed this would create a fair process to protect land. Commissioner Troy Kent voted against.
Despite a 3-2 approval of a comprehensive land use map amendment related to the Tymber Creek Apartments project, planned for west of I-95, the commissioners were wary about the project. Several said a yes vote on this item didn’t guarantee they would approve the development down the road.
Commissioners Kent and Susan Persis voted no.
“I think you’ve got a real, uphill battle on doing something as intense as you want to do with the access that you have," Commissioner Dwight Selby said.
