- April 25, 2024
-
-
Loading
Loading
Wayne Grant
News Editor
The City Commission gave approval on how to spend Community Development Block Grant funds for the next fiscal year at its regular meeting on June 23. These Housing and Urban Development funds are received each year and are administered by Volusia County Community Assistance.
The amount this year is $141,624. The Neighborhood Improvement Advisory Board held a mandatory public hearing on April 23 for citizen input and to hear from applicants requesting the funding.
The funds are designated for an area of the city where census figures show there is low to moderate income. However, the money can also be spent on improvements in any part of the city that meet the Americans with Disabilities Act, or for nonprofit groups that help those in need.
Last year, the City Commission used the money to fund Sports Complex T-ball ADA improvements, Ormond Beach Housing Authority public housing roof replacement, Volusia/Flagler Coalition for the Homeless, Great Kids Explorer Club and Halifax Urban Ministries for a total allocation of $94,333.
This year, $25,000 went to the neighborhood designated by the census figures, thanks to the efforts of two residents of the area, Terry Mercer and Juliann Blanford, who approached the Neighborhood Improvement Advisory Board with suggestions for Melrose Park, a pocket park on the river.
The money will be allotted as follows:
Melrose Park 401 N. Beach St. Shell parking area with one ADA concrete parking stall and sidewalk; picnic table with pad; park identification sign; and necessary landscaping. $25,000
Central Park ADA Kayak/Canoe Launch. $30,000.
Cassen Park ADA Kayak/Canoe Launch. $30,000
Hospital Gardens Park Complete renovation of the existing irrigation system, provide landscaping and hardscape improvements. (Located at the tip where Old Kings Road meets Nova Road.) $25,000.
Ormond Beach Housing Authority Roof Replacement for Ramsey Terrace Public Housing Units $17,274.
Great Kids Explorer Club, Inc. $5,250.
Halifax Urban Ministries $5,600.
Volusia/Flagler Coalition for the Homeless $3,500.
Mercer appeared at the City Commission meeting to thank the board for its cooperation in designating funds for the neighborhood, and also encourage more funds to be spent there in the future. However, she was not able to speak because it was a consent item. Members of the audience can only speak to consent items if they are pulled from the consent agenda, and no commissioner pulled the item.
After the meeting, Mercer said she and other residents of the designated area will have more suggestions next year.
The area designated by census figures contains an area east of the railroad tracks from Division Avenue north to Wilmette Avenue. West of the tracks, it goes from West Granada Boulevard north to U.S. 1, bounded on the west by Nova Road. It also covers an area from Hand Avenue north to Tomoka Avenue in the area west of South Nova Road.
Riptides gets OK for music.
In other action, the commission gave approval to Riptides Bar and Grill, 869 S. Atlantic Ave., to have music until 10 p.m. on weeknights, rather than stopping at 8 p.m.
They can have live music until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and this was not changed.
The commissioners said they will handle requests from restaurants on a case-by-case basis on this type of decision.
