- April 28, 2024
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The corridor should see changes in coming years.
North U.S. 1 will be an area to watch in the coming year, as changes will be visible to anyone who drives it. The medians will be beautified thanks to funding granted by the Florida Department of Transportation. The funds will be supplemented with money raised by the North U.S. 1 Coalition, a group of about 30 businesses and concerned citizens committed to improvement of the corridor.
Peggy Farmer, leader of the coalition, recently said that FDOT has increased their grants for the medians from $500,000 to $750,000. The work will begin at Interstate 95 and go south.
“The landscaping was going to stop at Hull Road and now it will go all the way to Airport Road,” Farmer said.
She said at Airport Road, the project can hook up with reuse water and save money on irrigation.
Also, the money will now be available in time for the work to begin in 2015. Previously, it was scheduled for 2016.
She expects the city to start drawing up plans for the medians in January.
“We’re excited that the DOT is getting on board with this project,” Farmer said. “We hope by the end of 2015, it will all be done.”
Last year, the coalition raised money among members and donated $20,000 toward the improvement to the medians. That was matched by the city of Ormond Beach and Volusia County, adding up to $60,000 that will be added to the FDOT grant.
Farmer said the corridor is important not only because it’s the gateway to the city, but because it could lead to the development of Ormond Crossings, a planned residential and business community that has yet to get started.
“That’s one of the main goals,” she said. “It’s been 11 years since the idea of a mixed-use business park first came up.”
She said development of Ormond Crossings could create a demand for consumer goods and retail stores.
“You might see a drug store, or a grocery store,” she said.
Other changes will appear gradually as an agreement between the city and county takes effect. The highway cuts through a patchwork of county and city land, but the two governmental agencies have agreed on the city applying its codes throughout the area.
Last year, Ormond Beach and Volusia County made an Interlocal Service Boundary Agreement, which will allow the city to apply its codes to businesses along the corridor. City staff is currently working on changes to the city’s comprehensive plan so they can take effect.
Residential areas in county jurisdictions will not be affected.
There is a separate section in the interlocal agreement for the undeveloped lots that sometimes have itinerant vendors during the motorcycle events. After five years, the itinerant vending will not be allowed on properties that do not have a permanent business.
Members of the North U.S. 1 Coalition have said they hope the landowners will build permanent businesses. Farmer said vacant land is sometimes not cared for, but if there is a business, it’s well maintained and landscaped.
Permanent, year-round businesses have been grandfathered in, and will be able to continue their current practices, including motorcycle events.
City documents state that the purpose of the interlocal agreement is to “encourage intergovernmental coordination in planning, service delivery, and boundary adjustments; reduce conflicts and litigation between local governments; promote sensible boundaries that reduce the costs; avoid duplicating local services, and increase political accountability.”
