- April 23, 2024
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At the July 17 meeting, City Commissioners signed an inter-local service agreement with Volusia County for the north U.S. 1 corridor. Some areas along the corridor are in the city and some are in the county. Many public officials and business leaders see this roadway as an important entrance to the city, and have been seeking ways to improve its appearance.
All Volusia County lands in the agreement will be subject to the Ormond Beach city charter, code of ordinances, comprehensive land use plan, land development code, ordinances, resolutions, regulations and the Florida Building Code. The agreement requires coordination between Volusia County and Ormond Beach on comprehensive plan amendments and site plans. Residential areas are not affected.
The agreement also gives the city jurisdiction over itinerant vendor and outdoor entertainment activities. Rep. David Hood was at the meeting representing the Iron Horse. He said he wanted to make sure his client would be grandfathered in with the current events and activities at the business. He was assured that existing itinerant vendors on improved lots would be receive grandfather status.
The agreement is not final. City attorney Randy Hayes said it still needs to go through approval processes with the Volusia Council of Governments, and it may be complete by the end of the year.
Old hospital site. The city amended the comprehensive plan for 13.7 acres on Sterthaus Drive, the previous location of Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center, at the request of the owner, Ernest V. LaCour of Ormond King Center LLC. It was changed from “Public Institutional” to “Office Professional.”
The entire property is 27.6 acres, but only 13.7 acres required the land use change. The owner indicated a desire for multi-family housing, according to city records. At a meeting with city staff, he showed a concept plan with 11 buildings, each five stories high, with a total of 286 units. The plan also included a 4,000-square-foot house of worship. However, a variety of options will be available to a developer. Any site plan or construction would need to be approved by the city, and neighborhood meetings would also be held.
Fee increased. In a first reading, the commissioners approved increasing the annual registration fee for an abandoned house from $150 to $250. In 2010, the fee was established in the Abandoned Real Property ordinance, which requires that institutions notify the city when a property under foreclosure becomes abandoned, so that code enforcement is alerted.
Rita Press, president of Citizens for Ormond Beach, said the organization was “delighted” to see the increase in fees. She told the commission she hopes the money is used to follow up on the vacant houses.
Going green. Citing the fact that many of the trees that once lined city roadways have been lost to age, storm damage, construction damage, disease and development, the capital improvement plans contains money for reforestation. The commission voted to spend $56,925 to install 23 cathedral oaks, 12 elms and 35 crepe myrtles along Wilmette Avenue, east of U.S. 1, the west side of Andrews Street and both sides of Wilmette circle.
Security concerns. The city is going to spend $46,520 to improve the fencing around the southern parking lot at the Police Department. Currently, the gates are only blocked by paddle gates, and pedestrians have access to the patrol cars and the building which houses the gun range and mechanical equipment. Security fencing, gates and automatic openers will be installed.
