CITY WATCH

Amendments, zoning and signage: What's on the agenda for the upcoming Planning Board meeting?

Also in City Watch: CFOB to hold Candidates Forum on July 17.


Ormond Beach City Hall plaza. File photo by Jarleene Almenas
Ormond Beach City Hall plaza. File photo by Jarleene Almenas
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An amendment to Plantation Oak’s Planned Residential Development, a special exception for Lowe’s, the review of four zoning districts and electronic changeable copy signs are all on the agenda for the upcoming Planning Board meeting next week.

At 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 11, the board will consider a PRD amendment to allow a 12,500-square foot commercial building with indoor mini-rental storage units on a 1.58 acre of commercial property within the Plantation Oaks subdivision. Proposed to be located at 1730 Plantation Oaks Boulevard, the building would have a mixture of office, retail and restaurant uses on the first floor, with the storage unit rentals on the second floor. 

Currently, the parcel is permitted for a variety of commercial uses, including a bakery, barber shop, restaurant, medical office and child care center.

A neighborhood meeting was held at the Plantation Oaks Clubhouse on June 10 to discuss the amendment, and there were no objections raised, according to the city staff report. Staff is recommending the Planning Board approve the amendment.

Also on the agenda for the meeting is a special exception to expand Lowe’s outdoor activity use, which was previously approved by the City Commission in 2012.

At the time, according to a city staff report, the Planning Board was concerned that Lowe’s would not adhere to just having its outdoor display along the the front of the store. 

Now twelve years later, City Hall received a complaint in January that the store had gone beyond the approved outdoor display area limits. 

The special exception is aimed at bringing the property into compliance.

The board will additionally review the following zoning districts: Planned Residential Development, Planned Business Development, Planned Industrial Development, and Planned Mixed Use Development. This a continuation of the board’s review of all the city’s zoning districts. 

Lastly, city staff will seek direction from the board on how to proceed regarding electronic changeable copy signs in the city, and whether changes need to be made to the city’s code. Recommendations will then be made to the City Commission.

OBPD responds to ‘swatting’ call

A 65-year-old Ormond Beach resident was victim to a “swatting” call when police showed up to his house on June 25 after receiving a call about a shooting.

Police responded to the 100 block of Sunset Point Drive at 2:44 p.m. due to an unknown caller reporting that he had shot both of his parents after arguing over school, according to an incident report by Ormond Beach Police. 

Officers set up a perimeter around the house and spoke with neighbors, who informed them they had never seen any juveniles at the home, only the middle-aged couple who lived there. 

Police were able to make contact with the homeowner, who was inside and advised everything was OK. Officers then checked the home and confirmed that there was “no evidence of anybody bleeding or shot inside, nor was anyone else located inside,” the report states, adding that there have been numerous “swatting” calls in the area. 

“Swatting” is the term used by law enforcement when people make hoax calls to 911 to report serious crimes to make SWAT teams respond.

Chamber offers youth leadership program

Applications for the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Youth Leadership program are now open. 

The program aims to help youth “forge strong connections and earn community service hours,” applicable to Bright Futures Scholarships, according to a chamber newsletter. 

Applications are due on Aug. 22. Visit https://bit.ly/4bibRkG. 

CFOB to hold Candidates Forum

Citizens For Ormond Beach will host a Candidates Forum for those running in the primary election for Volusia County Council Chair, Volusia County School Board District 4, Ormond Beach mayor and Ormond Beach Zone 3 City Commissioner on Wednesday, July 17, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Ormond Beach Senior Center, located at 51 Andrews St.

CFOB, who is a nonprofit and nonpartisan civic organization, will be soliciting questions from the public prior to the forum, but no questions will come directly from the audience on the day of the event, which is free to attend. CFOB has been hosting a Candidates Forum for over 20 years.

A meet and greet will be held with the candidates from 5:30-6 p.m. The forum will begin at 6 p.m. and run through 8 p.m. 

“Our goal with this Candidates Forum is the education of our citizens,” CFOB stated in an email announcing the forum.

For more information, email [email protected].

 

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