- April 28, 2024
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Dear Editor:
In my opinion, the two greatest tragedies for Ormond Beach were losing our hospital and losing to Daytona Beach the 2,000 acres across Granada Boulevard from Breakaway Trails. As a result of this, we will have over 8,000 homeowners entering Ormond Beach via Granada Boulevard as Margaritaville and other Daytona Beach residential developments prosper.
We will have no regulatory control of the developments, nor will we receive one penny of property tax, utility taxes, impact fees or sales tax revenues, yet we will get the traffic. Wasn’t it former commissioner Jeff Boyle and two other former commissions who refused to work with property owners by being inflexible with the wetland rules in Ormond Beach, which were the toughest in the county at that time? The same inflexibility regarding having to keep even small, isolated wetlands on-site or adjacent to the site was one reason our hospital moved to Daytona Beach, and the rest is history.
This background information is summarized as here we are in 2018 with the reality that we could go back to these types of inflexible rules. Fortunately, after numerous public hearings before various boards, Ormond’s wetland rules were brought in line with the rest of Volusia County and the St. Johns River Water Management District, with added elements to protect the Tomoka and the Halifax Rivers.
Also, all projects in Volusia that include wetlands must be approved by the Water Management District professionals. It makes me wonder if the CANDO 2 folks realize that these two huge losses to our city were due in part to the unreasonable wetland rules that they are now advocating for.
In closing, I feel that it would be detrimental for Ormond Beach to once again allow CANDO 2 and its slate of candidates to take our wonderful community backwards. We have had controlled, quality growth in recent years, and many support continuing this path to be a successful, thriving community. We cannot shut down commercial development to please a few.
I hope you agree that we are the silent majority. We love Ormond Beach, and we are needed!
Peggy Farmer
Ormond Beach
Dear Editor:
When political groups have no ideas or vision, they resort to attacking their opponents. The same old negative ad tactics. How cheesy!
Using black-and-white unflattering photos of your opponents while you are in color, smiling in your expensive suits and newly coiffed hair. Please don't insult our intelligence.
Connecting a totally unrelated lawsuit to a year-long moratorium of commercial building in Ponce Inlet is typical tactics of political groups using scare tactics to cling to their positions of power. In fact, Ponce Inlet officials were responding to a referendum that over 60% of voters approved of. Imagine: Elected officials responding to voters.
Rather than using scare tactics, why don't you tell us what has happened on your watch that makes you so "proud"? The destruction of wetlands and ancient trees to bring an oversized gas station to town (funny, it seems to be the only developer-owned commercial property on Granada Boulevard totally missing your campaign signs, even though you approved the eyesore), a Zaxby’s, an Aldi, another strip mall, when storefronts stand vacant at The Trails?
What about traffic jams, a crime rate above that of Florida and the nation? Why are you accepting so many thousand-dollar campaign contributions from land owners and developers?
Ormond Beach is broken. As Colin Powell said, "If you break it, you own it.” Own it, Ormond Proud. You broke a special place.
By the way, do you wonder why there are so many Partington, Selby, Kent, and Persis signs on Granada? The landowners decide whose signs are on their property. Guess who landowners and developers want in office?
Vote for what you want Ormond Beach to be like. Don't be swayed by ads and signs paid for by developers’ dollars.
Paul Nachtigal
Ormond Beach
Dear Editor:
Developer Paul Holub continues to complain about public negativity towards him and his Granada Pointe project. After clear-cutting 2,061 trees, what did he expect? Tons of people are still heartbroken over missing forests bulldozed for money.
After decades of living and doing business in Ormond Beach, Mr. Holub is still unaware of citizens’ priorities? Again and again, we have demanded protections for trees, the environment and priceless historic sites. What is it that he doesn’t get?
The current administration in the Ormond Beach mayor and City Commission have his back, which is why all of their donations are from him and the other local developers. I get it. I know how it works. I’m just hopeful that this transparency opens the eyes of all the voters on Nov. 6 and they get out and vote.
Speaking of elections, look at the nasty ads they’re putting in your paper! Instead of being positive about themselves, they’re being negative about their opponents. That should say something about them right there: They deserve each other – perhaps in another town, preferably in another state.
Lori Bennett
Ormond Beach
Dear Editor:
I’ve been reading the past few months about this new development, Granada Pointe. One group seems to be against it and even has a list of people running for city offices on their platform beliefs. As a nearby business and property owner, I often wonder why people go after the developers and city on these projects.
I can see people getting upset when outside developers come in and start building projects that turn out to be not an asset to the community, but Paul Holub lives, eats, shops and does many other things in the same town as all of us. He drives up and down the same roads as we do and sees all that we see. I am very impressed with his developments and when I ride up and down Granada, I feel a since of pride in how our city looks.
Having also been involved with the city of Ormond Beach for all these years in a few personal building projects myself, I was very impressed on how they always want to see something that will enhance our city, not the opposite. The process is time consuming, with many layers of approval to see that what is being proposed meets the needs of our communities.
I do not see how a “moratorium” would be productive at all — just the opposite. The mere use of that word is a roadblock for growth. Developers don’t get to just “push” things through.
I’m not related to Mr. Holub, and I propose that, on the opening day of that project, we should proclaim it Paul Holub Day.
I’m thankful to all our local developers for their vision and willingness to make our city look great.
Rick Rivers
Ormond Beach
Upon finding out that David Romeo was running for City Commission, Zone 4, I wondered how much more this man could give. And then I realized that civic involvement, and the need to be an asset for others, is what drives David.
David and I grew up together in a small town in Upstate New York called Massena. It's on the border of Canada. I have had the pleasure of knowing him for 40 years. He is ethical, hard working and successful. So many people have become the beneficiaries of David's involvements.
I know, without a doubt, that David is the man for the job. I've discussed his platform, and community goals; he knows what he wants for the city that he loves. He wants what is best for the whole, and not just a select few. David's ethical foundation will not let him be tugged by special interest groups. He will stand strong in the face of adversity, and will do all that he can to make Ormond Beach all that it can be.
When I mentioned that David is successful, you will never hear it from him. He is as humble as he is hard working. He measures his success by the people he has touched in his life.
When I think of David, the first thing that resonates is his closeness to family. He lives for his family, and his boys couldn't have been more fortunate to have such a caring, loving father. To see David with his family, one can truly see the meaning of commitment. It's this kind of commitment that the community of Ormond Beach can expect from such a man.
It is truly an honor and a pleasure to endorse David Romeo for the position of Commissioner of Zone 4.
Michael Violi
Massena, New York
