- April 25, 2024
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How many homes is too many?
A major amendment for Plantation Oaks, a residential development located between Old Dixie Highway and U.S. 1, came before the Planning Board on Thursday, April 14, seeking approval to add 291 single-family homes to the project. Plantation Oaks is already approved to build 1,577 homes, composed of both age-restricted manufactured homes and single-family lots. The additional requested lots by developer Parker Mynchenberg, manager of Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach LLC, were proposed to be split in three phases: 80 in phase 1 and 86 in phase 3 on what was previously slated to be a golf course for the subdivision, and 125 lots in a formerly designated school site.
The Planning Board members, like the several speakers from the public who voiced opposition to the project, were not excited about this new ask, the developer's second for the 1,033-acre project annexed into the city in 2019, and first approved by the Volusia County Council in 2002.
"[Plantation Oaks] was originally designed to be self-contained and it's kind of morphed into something different," Board member Lori Tolland said. "I think we really need to consider this request with caution. ... I think there's some room for discussion for the site where the school was to have some build-out, but I'm not really comfortable with all of that building on the golf course."
Tolland also expressed concern that, if Mynchenberg's request was approved without a lot reduction, the city would be rapidly approaching its maximum impact of development.
Plantation Oaks is part of the National Gardens Development of Regional Impact, which had its residential density limit reduced to 2,115 units in 2001. With another application within the DRI in the works for unincorporated Volusia County —a 144-unit residential subdivision called Dixie Ridge, which will be under county jurisdiction — if the Ormond Beach City Commission ultimately OKs the 291 proposed new units for Plantation Oaks, the total number of residential units in the DRI will be 2,012, which is 103 less than the DRI's density limit.
The Planning Board asked for concessions to be made.
"I want more open space," Board Chair Doug Thomas said. "I want less lots."
And in his last meeting as board chair, having served on the Planning Board for 32 years, Thomas wasn't timid about guiding his colleagues through the process, negotiating with Mynchenberg to add more recreational space for families and reducing the overall number of new proposed lots.
Instead of adding 80 lots in phase 1, they asked Mynchenberg for 40, and instead of 86 lots in phase 3, they requested 43. Mynchenberg acquiesced, not wanting to board to table his request and therefore delaying his hearing before the City Commission to July. The board voted 5-2 for the phase 1's lot reduction, with board members Tolland and Angeline Shull voting no; the vote for the lot reduction in phase 3 passed 4-3, with board members Tolland, Shull and Al Jorczak voting against.
Additionally, a motion to reduce the 125 proposed lots for the school site to 90 lots failed 4-3. Board members Tolland, Shull, Jorzak and Briley voted against. Mynchenberg wasn't willing to reduce the number and asked for the board to vote on his original proposal of 125 lots. This motion died for lack of a second, meaning a recommendation of denial from the Planning Board.
Mynchenberg's other requests — lifting the age restriction for phase 3, add public streets to phase 4 and remove the 33 acres bought by Volusia County for conservation from the development — were all approved unanimously.
He thanked the board for their time considering his requests during the almost four-hour meeting.
"I know this was not an easy decision for some of you," said Mynchenberg, referring to some of the board member's hesitation to recommend amendments to the commission without seeing a new plan. "I think you saw a willingness to compromise. I wish we could have gotten there on the school site, but I'll make my pitch at City Commission and see how I do."
At the end of the meeting, Thomas — who served on the Planning Board from the mid-80s to the mid-90s and again beginning in 2000 — told his fellow board members that he enjoyed his service on the board. In his closing comments, he announced he is resigning to take care of his wife. They will celebrate their 50th anniversary in the coming days.
"She's the most important thing in my life," he said. "... I have enjoyed being chairman, but there are higher priorities in my life."
