CANDO 2 stands firm, pickets outside City Commission chambers

CANDO 2 continues to wait for city response regarding six month moratorium on all commercial development.

By Jarleene Almenas
| 12:00 a.m. June 6, 2018

CANDO 2 members Stacy Atkins, Kelly Spiess and Pat Zeitlin sit outside the City Commission chambers with signs on Tuesday, June 5. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Signs lay on the ground during CANDO 2's peaceful protest on Tuesday, June 5. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

City Commission candidate Sandy Kauffman speaks with CANDO 2 member Suzanne Scheiber during CANDO 2'S peaceful protest on Tuesday, June 5. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

CANDO 2 members protest across West Granada Boulevard on Tuesday, June 5. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

CANDO 2 members Suzanne and Tim Scheiber hold up signs during CANDO 2's peaceful protest on Tuesday, June 5. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Ormond Beach Observer
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Due to the lack of response from city staff and the Ormond Beach City Commission regarding a six-month ban on commercial development and restoration of wetland rules, citizen group CANDO 2 organized a peaceful protest to show they are standing firm and united for responsible development at the intersection of West Granada Boulevard and Beach Street before the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, June 5.

Split vote over forgiving Ormond Beach Housing Authority outstanding taxes

The City Commission voted 3-2 to not cancel $47,149.90 in outstanding taxes from the Ormond Beach Housing Authority for the last five years at the meeting on Tuesday, June 5.

City Commissioners Rob Littleton, Troy Kent and Rick Boehm voted against the resolution, which was pulled from the meeting's consent agenda. City Commissioner Dwight Selby and Mayor Bill Partington voted in favor.

"If a resident asked us to waive fees for about six years so they can do some type of improvements to their property, we wouldn't do it," Littleton said.

City staff recently reccomended $54,000 of its Community Development Block Grant for 2018-2019 be allocated to the Ormond Beach Housing Authority. In November of 2016, the City Commission unanimously voted to waive $26,578.69 in previous taxes due by the housing authority. At that time, Kent said he might not vote in favor of another waiver if it came up again.

CANDO 2, which stands for Citizens and Neighbors Dedicated to Ormond Beach, submitted the moratorium request on commercial development on April 17. Julie and Ken Sipes wrote in an emailed statement that based on the estimated 50 picketers combined with the number of "honks and thumbs-up" from people in passing cars, they believe many members of the community agree with CANDO 2's concerns.

"For the last few months, we've had many people ask us about picketing," the Sipeses wrote. "Our members wanted to show their displeasure with the over-development trend in Ormond Beach."

Sandy Kauffman, who has announced she will run for City Commission to represent Zone 3 in November, said when she heard there would be a peaceful protest, she told herself she needed to stand up at the City Commission chambers and thank the people who participated.

"It takes courage to stand up for what you believe in when others might not share the same beliefs," Kauffman said.

She recognized both CANDO 2 and representatives from the Sons of the Beach in her remarks.

The City Commissioners did not address the protest during the meeting.

When asked, Partington pointed to the upcoming civic engagement meetings that will take place over the next six months, starting June 28.

"The civic engagement process is their opportunity to be heard, along with everybody else," Partington said. "That's kicking off soon and so, any of their ideas or suggestions or thoughts, that's going to be the place to bring all that up."

Partington said the City Commission will then take the input and use it to update the master plan for the city.