- March 18, 2025
Concerns about Walmart's aesthetics, security and transients in the area led the Ormond Beach Planning Board to table a request on Thursday, March 13, to allow a building expansion at the store's northeast corner.
Located at 1521 W. Granada Blvd, Walmart is seeking an amendment to its Planned Business Development to construct a 4,752-square-foot building at the store's northeast corner. The building is proposed to give Walmart more space for its online grocery pickup service area. As part of the project, Walmart would also repaint the entire store façade to "Gauntlet Gray," the current color on most of the exterior, and an aesthetic based on the big box store's "New Enterprise Brand," according to a staff report. The Ormond store would be one of the first to receive the brand update, the report states.
But with Walmart's location near the I-95 exit onto Granada Boulevard, the four Planning Board members in attendance felt the company could bring them a better project. Three board members were absent.
"You guys are our gateway on Granada," board member Mike Scudiero said. "And rest assured, you're not being held to any higher of a standard than every other gateway in this city, and there are some parcels that are primed for redevelopment at some point on other gateways, and when those come before us, I can promise you, this board is going to be very skeptical of anything that doesn't go way above and beyond to improve the situation."
Specifically, Scudiero mentioned the graffiti on the masonry wall facing the greenbelt buffer, saying it was "a little graffiti short of looking like the Berlin Wall." The project is proposing adding a 6-foot green vinyl coated chain link fence to limit trespassing into the greenbelt, which the board didn't agree with.
Scudiero said he wanted Walmart to come back with a proposal for an improved greenbelt, and, a stricter policy on transients on its property.
Ormond Beach Walmart store manager Mark Rogers said he brought the overgrown greenbelt issue before the city and was told not to touch it.
"They didn't want to see a Walmart, they didn't want to see any of that," Rogers said. "... This is a refreshing conversation that you're giving to me now — that you're in favor of getting that trimmed back, getting it cleaned out."
Residents who spoke at the meeting were in favor of general store improvements, mentioning them as a priority over the proposed expansion. Connie Colby said regular store shoppers have trouble navigating the narrow aisles as employees work on online pickup orders.
"Compared to other stores, the newer Walmarts, this store is outdated," resident Connie Colby said. "It needs to be updated. Ormond Beach deserves more than what they are having in this part of the world, and I would appreciate them considering the shoppers who frequent their stores all the time."
Volusia County Councilman Troy Kent, who participated in public comment, said he's a "fan of Walmart" — but that the greenbelt has been an "absolute failure."
"Walmart is one of the richest companies in the world," Kent said. "Why does Ormond Beach have one of the absolute ugliest in the nation?"
Mentioning the transient issue, Walmart has a responsibility to make sure shoppers are safe, he added.
"People don't feel safe when they see nonsense like that," Kent said. "It's frightening. It's scary."
Board Chair Doug Thomas said he's not "anti-Walmart."
"What am I is anti-what-we-have-there-now," Thomas said.
When discussing PBDs, Thomas said the board has a right to talk about aesthetics, and specifics regarding the buffer and masonry wall.
"I've been on this board 35 years," Thomas said. "There's no way that I'm going to vote for such an open ended thing, I'm just not."
Before Walmart brings the project back to the board, Thomas asked to sit down with company representatives to ensure the changes are in line with what the board requested.
