- October 2, 2024
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The Volusia County Council remains largely torn on whether the county should amend its existing "Heavy Industrial" I-2 zoned properties, but council members do believe some change in the zoning district is needed.
The County Council voted 3-2 at its meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 1, to acknowledge that staff had accurately summarized the council's decision regarding the zoning at a workshop held earlier this year in late July. At that workshop, the majority of the council were worried that changing the existing I-2 zoning district— which would impact five properties, all located north of Hull Road near the city of Ormond Beach — would lead to legal challenges. As such, four out of the seven councilmen were against changing the I-2 zoning regulations for existing properties.
However, they did agree that some changes should be looked at for new property that may be zoned I-2 in the future. Staff stated in its action report that it will review the zoning classification and recommend changes.
The July workshop came after the county discovered last year that its I-2 zoning district was overly broad, described by staff as a "catch-all" for all industrial uses, following the reveal of a fuel farm proposal by Belvedere Terminals for 874 Hull Road.
At the council's meeting on Oct. 1, Councilman Troy Kent and Chair Jeff Brower voted against the motion, made by Councilman David Santiago, as both wished to look at changes for existing I-2 zoned properties, including that for the proposed fuel farm.
"If we're never willing to look at that particular property and reduce, put some safeguards in the zoning there, I think that's a dereliction of duty," Brower said.
The county has not been in recent communication with Belvedere Terminals, despite having acquired a $10 million allocation to help relocate the fuel farm project to a new site in Volusia, Flagler or Brevard County. On Aug. 30, the county manager sent the company's CEO a letter inquiring about their intentions, as posted on the county's dedicated fuel farm project information website. No further updates have been listed.
Brower said he was OK with letting the issue play out regarding the relocation, but that he didn't trust the company to propose "something worse."
"They've already proven they don't care about that neighborhood," he said.
Deputy County Manager Suzanne Konchan said that some of the council did suggest that staff speak with the impacted property owners and work with them on amending the zoning district, but again, that the majority of the council didn't want to make changes to properties that already were zoned I-2.
County Attorney Mike Dyer said staff put together the report based on council's direction.
"You may have disagreed with it, you may have agreed with it, but this is a reflection of what council did, and it gives opportunity for the public to give input on this as well," Dyer said.
