- April 18, 2024
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Volusia County is planning to rezone about 1,900 homes in Ormond-by-the-Sea from an urban single-family residential R-4 zoning to urban single-family residential R-5 — a slight administrative change meant to help put the homes in compliance with dimensional requirements.
Clay Ervin, county director of Growth and Resource Management, said at a workshop on Tuesday, April 2, that 90% of the homes east of John Anderson Drive, west of Ocean Shore Boulevard, north of Sandcastle Drive and south of Michael Crotty Bicentennial Park do not comply with the current zoning dimensions. R-5 requires a minimum lot width of 75 feet and lot area of 7,500 square feet; Ervin said most homes in that area are in smaller lots already. R-5 also requires a minimum of 8 feet for side yard setbacks, and R-4 only requires 5 feet, which is what Ervin said the majority of the homes abide by.
Why does this matter when some of these homes have been there since the 1950s?
Because residents seeking permits to make changes to their homes cannot do so without obtaining a variance. If something were to happen to the homes, they could not be rebuilt as they were, Ervin said. The point of rezoning the properties is to fix the zoning to what it should be, he explained.
“Trust me, we don’t want to aggravate anyone living up here," Ervin said.
Many residents at the workshop were wary. They asked whether this would increase the density in the peninsula in allowing someone to come in and build three houses on what used to be two lots. Ervin said this wouldn't be possible, as the existing lot sizes don't allow for this.
One resident asked if this would benefit a developer wanting to come in and build many homes in a new subdivision. Ervin said no land is available for this purpose, and that should a developer want to do this, he'd have to buy enough adjoining residents' properties. A developer can't just take your property, he said, and there is no one interested in doing this.
"This is not being done for private development," Ervin said. "It's being done because we are torturing you with variances, and making it harder for you all to get building permits."
Converting to Ormond Beach sewer from septic was also brought. Some residents questioned whether this rezoning could have something to do with that, along with the possibility of annexing into the city of Ormond Beach.
“We are not trying to force annexation," Ervin said. "We are not trying to force sewers.”
Several residents then raised their hands and said, "I want sewer."
Volusia County Councilwoman Heather Post, who was present at the workshop, reassured residents that she also questioned why the county wanted to do this, at first. There county has been addressing a lot of its areas, and one of them is code enforcement, she said. The current zoning isn't working for the residents, she explained.
“There truly is no underlying theme,” Post said.
She added that this is happening because the county is focusing more on Ormond-by-the-Sea and staff is trying to figure out ways to become more efficient.
“If you said it, I believe you," a resident said to Post.
The rezoning will be discussed again at the county's Planning and Land Development Regulation Commission on May 16, before coming before the County Council on July 2 and Aug. 6.
