- April 25, 2024
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Dear Editor:
Volusia County has projected $792 million in Expenses for projects over the next 20 years. Economic projections should include the other side of the equation which would be the expected increase in Revenue from new developments and impact fees. We have not seen this side of the equation. My projection is an increase of $9 million a year from Latitude Margaritaville alone. There should be another increase from the Renaissance Condominiums where the old Florida Hospital stood. What about Daytona One, Tanger Outlets, Tomoka Town Center and the new Sam’s Club. Those are just the new developments that I am aware of. There are many more throughout the County. Can the County Council give us the 20-year projection on these increases in Revenue, before we vote on a tax increase?
Mike Stevenson
Ormond Beach
Dear Editor:
I attended the City Commission meeting on 3/21/19. It was troubling and inappropriate for Mayor Partington to characterize as “disingenuous” those of us who opposed the carwash on the grounds that it violates the city’s Comprehensive Plan.
The Mayor then went on to justify his vote for the carwash by explaining he was basing his decision on impact to the neighboring residents. (By the way, a carwash and a fast-food restaurant are both wrong for this area.) Using the mayor’s logic, then he is “disingenuous” with his previous approval of a gas station/convenience store. Below is a quote of a friend who lives in Philadelphia — the hometown of Wawa:
“Wawas are a scourge for anyone living nearby. Twenty-four-hour noise, traffic problems, trash, all-night lighting, noise … I live in Wawa land and don't see the attraction … I avoid them like the plague.”
Stacy Atkins
Ormond Beach
Dear Editor:
Ed Kolaska writes that every commission decision ends with commissioners taking as much time as they need to make a decision and then they make one. He says this keeps him from getting the last word. He must really want that last word, particularly on the issue of a carwash. Given a choice, I suspect most people want city commissioners to take time to make decisions after hearing from constituents. I do.
As for Mr. Kolaska’s accusation that the mayor is a narcissist because he used the term “disingenuous” to describe arguments raised by those speaking against the carwash, I just had to look up “narcissist,” because Mr. Kolaska’s application of the term did not seem to fit the situation. Narcissist: “noun 1 a person who is overly self-involved, and often vain and selfish. 2 Psychoanalysis: a person who suffers from narcissism, deriving erotic gratification from admiration of his or her own physical or mental attributes.” Dictionary.com. The Mayor describing opposing arguments as “disingenuous” during a contentious meeting is not narcissistic behavior.
I work in the Public Defender’s office alongside the mayor, who made a choice years ago to represent poor people in need, something few, if any, narcissists would ever want to do. I dispute Mr. Kolaska’s description of the mayor as narcissistic, because I know better. I cannot prove that Mr. Kolaska looked up the term before he cast it out for all to read, but I suspect he did not. If he did not look it up, he should have. If he looked it up and chose to cast out the term anyway, shame on him for wrongfully attempting to slur the mayor’s reputation for reasons of personal revenge.
Raymond M. Warren
Office of the Public Defender
Dear Editor:
Just before the final vote approving the carwash at Granada Pointe, our mayor accused the stream of residents who spoke against this project of being disingenuous. This word would be more appropriate for the commissioners who had already decided to vote in favor of this. There was no listening occurring.
A site building plan for the carwash was submitted in August 2018, months before it was brought to the planning board. Who goes to the big expense of having complete site plans drawn up without some assurance that this will be approved?
The Planning Board denied the car wash. A commissioner says that he talked to some members of the Planning Board after and they really wanted to say yes. There was no reason they couldn't have said yes.
The planning director explained that a free-standing carwash was not permitted at that location. That was ignored. The LDC and the Comp Plan 2025 both say NO. The developer attempted to pass the carwash off as a personal service. When that didn't work, he attempted to pass it off as a retail store. Apparently, our commissioners didn't listen when the planning director gave definitions of these. The developer stated that carwashes were allowed in other local towns under such designations. We chose Ormond Beach for its uniqueness.
Mr. Partington cites car washes and oil change businesses a few blocks away and there have been no complaints about them. Surely, he knows that the area around U.S. 1/Granada is in a B5 Commercial Zone and the proposed car wash is in a B9 Business/Professional/Retail Zone. How disingenuous is that? Both Mr. Partington and the developer mentioned multiple times of Cloud 10 moving into Florida and their business in Naples as to impress us. The Cloud 10 Car Wash in Naples was originally a Berkshire Car Wash that Cloud 10 purchased in Nov. 2018, an existing car wash, no city reviews necessary, the only Cloud 10 business in Florida and in no way resembles what has occurred in Ormond Beach. Regarding more traffic if there would be a drive-thru restaurant there, did anyone worry about that when an Arby's and a Taco Bell were located on corners a block away? Mr. Littleton said the Planning Board voted against the car wash because the "commission has not yet updated the Comprehensive Plan" (dated 2025). In other words, it is against the Comp Plan, Mr. Littleton. Your job is to see that the Comprehensive Plan is utilized. He also stated that people expect a carwash next to a gas station. That is definitely a good reason to do something not permitted! As for the one person who spoke in favor of the carwash as being useful for the apartments going up on Williamson, I would remind him of the huge new carwash nearly completed on LPGA at Clyde-Morris. Why would anyone from Williamson drive through Granada traffic to get their car washed?
This is the same commission that now wants us to trust them with money from a new county tax to use for, so far, an undefined list of projects to be monitored by an oversight committee. One can only guess the make-up of that committee.
Connie Colby
Ormond Beach
On any given day trying to enter Sparkle-N-Shine carwash from Tomoka Avenue is a struggle. Cars are often backed up on Tomoka, sometimes ten deep. Cars attempting to get to U.S. 1 must use the left lane at the same time north bound traffic on U.S. 1 is making a right turn onto Tomoka. This type of logjam is an accident waiting to happen.
It is apparent to me a city the size of Ormond Beach definitely needs a second carwash in the area. It will make getting your car washed less time consuming and safer for all of us.
Scott Edwards
Ormond Beach
