- April 18, 2024
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The Volusia County Council is considering changes to wetland protection rules, including how close a structure can be to wetlands or a waterway.
The Ormond Beach City Commission, at its Feb. 2 meeting, directed city staff to send a letter to the County Council, asking them to drop their wetlands regulations, and go by the regulations of St. Johns River Water Management, stating that additional wetlands regulations may inhibit future economic development.
In 2010, the city of Ormond Beach dropped its own wetland regulations and went with SJRWM rules.
The County has asked cities to adopt the new wetland rules by January, 2017, according to documents at the City Commission meeting. There was uncertainty at the meeting as to whether the County will require cities to adopt the rules or if they are requesting adoption.
The County’s Environmental Management Division has set public meetings in the near future on the proposed changes, prior to a vote by the County Council.
Information, including an interactive map, can be found at Volusia.org/wetlands.
Mayor Ed Kelley said he didn’t like the stipulation that the proposed wetland rules would stay with land even after being annexed.
City Commissioner James Stowers said new regulations would be a burden for homeowners to see if they are impacted. He said it should be left to St. Johns River Water Management, because “that’s what they do.”
Ginger Adair, director of environmental management for the county, said the most significant change is the creation of three review areas. In “Basic” review areas, only state wetland rules would apply. “Intermediate” and “Priority” review areas would continue to require local government permitting, with varying levels of wetland protection and upland buffer requirements.
Priority areas are Outstanding Florida Waters or County priority waterways. Intermediate areas are in unincorporated land not designated priority, and Basic areas are generally urban.
In Ormond Beach, the Priority areas would be the Tomoka River basin areas, Halifax River and some vacant land in Tomoka State Park. According to city documents, there are only three commercial properties in Priority areas, a restaurant at 950 N. U.S. 1, an office building at 200 Booth Road and vacant land at 1003 and 1005 N. U.S. 1.
Intermediate areas would be parts of Halifax Plantation and Ormond-by-the-Sea. The rest of the city, including the industrial areas along North U.S. 1, Airport Road and Hull Road, would be in the Basic area.
