- April 19, 2024
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Will the city of Ormond Beach issue special event permits for Biketoberfest?
That decision remains to be determined, as the City Commission voted 3-2 to continue its Aug. 18 discussion on the matter until its next meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
The city hasn’t issued a special event permit since March 16 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and city staff recommended this continue until the end of the year or until the governor moves forward with phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan.
However, as the 14-day positivity for COVID-19 is trending downward, some commissioners felt the city should issue permits for itinerant vending during Biketoberfest. City Commissioner Dwight Selby, who along with Commissioner Rob Littleton voted against postponing a decision until September, said he was concerned about the negative financial impacts on local businesses if permits aren’t issued. Their decision will likely not impact the attendance of Biketoberfest, he said, but it could impact businesses who are already struggling due to the pandemic.
“This could be the difference for a lot of families,” he said.
Three people called in to speak during the virtual meeting, all involved with Destination Daytona, which submitted a plan outlining the safety measures they plan to implement for the Oct. 15-18 event. Dean Pepe, the general counsel for Destination Daytona, said exceptions have been made for large gatherings at the Daytona bandshell and that revenue brought in by the 80-100 outside vendors are critical to the 15 businesses and about 500 employees and condo owners.
Mayor Bill Partington said he would rather wait to make a decision and see if the positivity rate falls at 5% or below for 14 consecutive days. Daytona Beach is planning to make a decision on Sept. 9. Partington said it sounds like a “bad idea” to issue permits in Ormond if Daytona doesn’t do the same.
Commissioner Susan Persis said that, while she doesn’t want to harm businesses, she also doesn’t want people to get sick during Biketoberfest.
"It’s very scary for a lot of people, and I think if we don’t stop now the spread of COVID-19, we’re never going to get back to normal," Persis said. "We’re not back to normal yet.”
The City Commission approved a resolution at its Aug. 18 meeting to name the Limitless Playground at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex after Rick Ferrito.
Ferrito is a longtime Ormond resident that coached T-ball and pitch league, as well as served as a commissioner of the Ormond Beach Youth Baseball/Softball Association.
The commission approved submitting a list of pandemic-related expenditures to the county for reimbursement under the Volusia’s CARES Acts municipal subrecipient program, which the county has designated up to $15 million for distribution.
Ormond’s share maxes out at just over $1.5 million, and the list of items to be purchased, dependent on county approval, include webcams for virtual meetings, hands-free soap dispensers and ultraviolet room sterilizers.
A neighborhood meeting will be held from 6-7 p.m. on Sept. 3 at the Plantation Oaks Clubhouse to discuss the Ormond Grande project at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Ormond Lakes Boulevard. The project seeks to construct a 3,600 square-foot industrial building with about 60 townhomes, the weekly staff report states.
