- May 10, 2024
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In 2000, voters approved a referendum to tax themselves 0.2 mills over 20 years for Volusia Forever. Voters renewed the environmental land acquisition program for another 20 years in 2020.
So when it came to trimming the budget, and Volusia Forever’s millage rate — which, while still at 0.2 mills was 10.1% above rollback due to rising property values — citizens asked the Volusia County Council at its final budget hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 19, to move forward with the established millage rate. The same went for the 0.2 mills for ECHO, also reapproved by voters in 2020.
“Both of these initiatives were passed or reauthorized in 2020 by overwhelming majorities of the voters in Volusia County,” said David Hargrove, past president of the Halifax River Audubon. “None of us are asking you to protect us from ourselves. We knew what we were voting for.”
Councilman David Santiago had been interested in pursuing the rollback rate (the rate that would generate the same amount of property tax revenue as last year’s rate) for Volusia Forever, saying that while he thought it was a great program, the 75% of voters who passed the tax referendum in 2020 didn’t know the impact inflation would have on citizens today. Going to rollback for Volusia Forever would have meant a $5 monthly tax cut for the average citizen.
“Many people are starting to look at, ‘How do I afford to live?” Santiago said. “... Five dollars a month can mean a lot to someone else so we have to take that into account. Decisions can’t be born out of who spoke in front of us as a council.”
Several of the speakers at the council meeting belonged to civic and environmental organizations, including the League of Women Voters of Volusia County and the Sierra Club.
Since Volusia Forever was created in 2000, about 38,000 acres of environmentally-sensitive, water resource protection and outdoor recreation lands have been purchased by the county. The rollback rate would have brought in $962,894 less in ad valorem tax revenue to the program, going from an estimated $5.1 million to $4.6 million.
Councilman Troy Kent agreed with Santiago that there are a lot of people struggling financially in Volusia, but that he supported adopting the 0.2 mills for Volusia Forever and ECHO, which provides grant funds to finance acquisition, restoration, construction or improvement of projects to be used for environmental, cultural, historical and outdoor recreational purposes.
“I am of the belief that many of our voters want us to purchase as much environmentally-sensitive land so that places like the Loop and future Loops are truly there for future generations to enjoy,” Kent said.
County Council Chair Jeff Brower said that a lot of the land that is purchased using Volusia Forever funds includes wetlands, making them some of the most important property in the county.
“This is an inexpensive way to protect those lands and help them to recover,” Brower said.
The County Council unanimously adopted a general fund millage rate of 3.958, which is 23.16% below rollback, mainly due to the separation of 1.4541 mills in the newly-created Public Safety fund. If added together, the millage rate for both of these funds is the same as last year’s general fund millage of 4.8499.
In addition to Volusia Forever and ECHO, two other funds — the Mosquito Control and Fire Rescue District — went adopted above rollback.
The council also unanimously adopted a total budget of approximately $1.4 billion.
The next ReGrow the Loop workshop will be held from 10-11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30, at the Ormond Beach Regional Library, at 30 S. Beach St.
The free workshop is titled, “Edible Landscaping and Plants in History” and will feature Reid Farm owner Lonnie Reid. The workshop will focus on how to create Florida-friendly edible landscaping and highlight the history of plants that have played a significant role in the area’s past, according to a news release by Dream Green Volusia.
The workshop will also feature Tomoka Basin Parks Ranger Mark Adams, who will speak about the history of the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail as told by its plants. He will focus on the era of plantations and the Seminole War.
Dream Green Volusia Founder Suzanne Scheiber said her organization is appreciative for the resources and partners that have joined the campaign.
“With so many new residents, the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail is one of a kind and deserves the educational focus for the public,” Scheiber said.
The Ormond Beach Planning Board approved a preliminary plat on Thursday, Sept. 14, for a 12 single-family lots on 26.17 acres, a subdivision to be known as Enclave of Timber Creek.
The subdivision proposed for 475 N. Tymber Creek Road will be made up of lots ranging from 1.7 acres to 2.75 acres with a width of 125 feet along North Tymber Creek Road, according to the Planning Board agenda documents. A previous 2006 development proposal rezoned the property to a Planned Residential Development. At that time, the commission approved a 35-lot subdivision for the property.
The Enclave subdivision will connect to city water but use septic systems for wastewater services.
The Ormond Beach Police Department is hosting its National Night Out event from 5-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at Rockefeller Gardens, located at 25 Riverside Drive.
The family-friendly event will feature bounce houses, a petting zoo, vendors, giveaways, live music and free hot dogs.
