- April 16, 2024
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Residents came to the Planning Board meeting on Monday, Dec. 5, with an abundance of questions regarding the proposed hotel project at 264 S. Atlantic Ave.
Cobb Cole attorney Rob Merrell, who is representing the property owner, said he counted 44 questions from the public before proceeding to address them. More questions were later asked.
Building heights. Parking lot usage. Possibility of short-term rentals. Drainage issues. Seawalls. The lack of notice for neighbors who live more than 300 feet away from the project, the requisite distance for neighborhood meeting mailed letters. These were some of the concerns raised by citizens, the majority of whom didn't oppose the project, and after almost two hours of public comment and discussion with the team representing the property owner, Ormond Beach Holdings LLC, the Planning Board unanimously recommended approval for five items on the agenda pertaining to the hotel project.
"I think you heard a lot of positive comments from people who have legitimate questions," Board member Mike Scudiero said. "And that's sort of what makes our city unique. We'll come in with ideas, suggestions, questions, concerns, but in the end, I heard a lot of positive feedback and I think it's very telling."
The property owner aims to build a 137-room hotel, to be a Marriott Residence Inn, spanning 95,700 square feet on 2.19 acres of oceanfront land, with 108 parking spaces next to the hotel and 62 more spaces across the street on a portion of the former Florida Hospital Oceanside site. The owner also seeks to build a 15-home community in the remaining hospital land along Valencia Drive, to be known as "Tide's Edge at Ormond Beach."
The bulk of residents' questions revolved around the residential development.
Resident Rob Keeler said he was in favor of the project, in general, but was concerned with the city's 30-foot height limit, as technically, that could be higher than the standard two-story home. He also asked if there was going to be a wall separating the new development from the existing neighborhood, if short-term rentals would be allowed, and whether the traffic study was still accurate. His wife, Candace, also spoke at the meeting and raised concerns about not being notified for the September neighborhood meeting despite their proximity to the proposed residential development.
"We are heavily impacted by the property located next to our home, and I am not opposed in any way to the hotel being developed, but I am concerned about the residential homes that are going next to us," she said.
Planning Director Steven Spraker explained that the height of the residences was within the allowances under the R-3 Single-Family Medium Density, the rezoning the applicant sought for the residential project. No variances were sought for this part of the project. Short-term rentals won't be allowed, and while there will be a wall separating the parking lot from the new subdivision, a wall was not in the plans to separate the new homes from the existing homes on Valencia and Magnolia drives.
Planning Board Chair Doug Thomas, who was reelected for the position at the meeting, compared the project to the 29-story condominium high-rise recently proposed in Daytona Beach on A1A between Morningside and Brookline avenues.
"We are lucky we live in Ormond Beach, aren't we?" Thomas said. "... Marriott does bring a high-quality name to this area and it's going to help Ormond Beach with some first-class accommodations for our visitors."
Board member Al Jorczak highlighted the role hotels play in diversifying the local economy by providing accommodations for representatives of companies and industries visiting Ormond for business purposes.
"As many of you know, this whole area essentially has been a tourist area and a vacation spot area," Jorczak said. "One of the objectives of the city for a long period of time has been to try to change the economic mix, and to develop more light business activity, especially since some of the big companies pulled out of Daytona, and this is a critical element in general in terms of having a diversified economy."
Board member GG Galloway said that better redevelopment is needed in the beachside.
"This is an example that leads to the future of what investors and Wall Street people look at when they come into a community," Galloway said. "Are they going to invest into a good city that has good bones? Are they going to drive around and see empty beachfront property?"
