- June 16, 2025
As the City of Ormond Beach continues to prepare the upcoming fiscal year's budget, city staff is planning for almost $35 million in capital improvement projects, with a focus on the maintenance and upgrade of existing facilities.
The Fortunato Park fishing pier, solar LED parking lot lights and the construction of a new ball field in the city are among the projects included in the city's Five-Year Capital Improvement Program funding for fiscal year 2025-2026, as outlined to the City Commission during a workshop on June 3. The CIP, which extends to fiscal year 2029-2030, includes over $218 million in projects.
One of the largest projects for next fiscal year is a $2.4 million facility hardening retrofit that will upgrade all openings — such as garage doors and vent openings — at City Hall, the police department, Fleet Operations and Public Works buildings and the Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center with hurricane-rated openings, according to a city staff report. The city received a hazard mitigation program grant from FEMA for this project, which will cover 75% of the cost. The city will use property tax dollars for the remainder of the cost.
The city previously hardened the windows in these buildings with FEMA dollars from Hurricane Matthew, said Assistant City Manager Shawn Finley.
"When we got done with those windows, they said to us, 'Well, you did a great job with that, but we want you to really, completely harden these,'" Finley said. "And so, what [FEMA] wanted in addition to the windows were all man doors, all the overhead doors, all vents — any exposure to the outdoors, they wanted to do."
Water and wastewater projects continue to account for the largest share of the overall five-year plan at over $95 million, followed by general improvements at almost $53 million.
The same rings true for next year's projects.
The city is planning for $4.7 million in annual recurring projects for water and wastewater system improvements. These include $175,000 for the citywide installation of fire hydrants and valves, $1 million for its force main replacement program, $1.3 million for lift station replacements and $150,000 to rehabilitate manholes.
"Manholes are notorious that they deteriorate over the years," Finley said.
The city is also budgeting for $13 million of non-recurring costs, including over $5.6 million for a new force main and reclaimed main across the Halifax River to maintain wastewater service to the beachside and reduce discharge of treated wastewater effluent.
Design on that project is concluding, Finley said, and the city expects to be ready for construction by early next year.
In addition to the facility hardening retrofit project, the city is also planning for a $35,000 network and security assessment project, $450,000 in improvements to Sanchez Park to pave two areas (the driveway to the boat launch and the driveway to the playground area), and the installation of solar LED parking lot lights at Ormond Beach Sports Complex and Nova Community Center, which will cost $215,000.
Commissioners agreed that the lights are a good idea to increase safety at both facilities.
"Until we get those done, we need to have those mobile lights out there when the baseball season is going because Nova Rec is extremely dark and so is the quads at night," Commissioner Travis Sargent said.
The city is also planning to purchase nine police vehicles ($470,000), as well as two Public Works vehicles, three Leisure Services vehicles and two engineering vehicles ($760,000).
The Fortunato Fishing Pier was deemed unsafe after Hurricane Milton, and the city is planning to use $450,000 of Community Redevelopment Area funds to redesign and rebuild it, as the park is in the city's downtown CRA.
Another fishing pier that will be replaced is the one at Riviera Park, which will also cost $450,000.
Initially, the city was planning to reconstruct the softball fields at the Sports Complex next fiscal year, but the $400,000 project has been delayed to 2026-2027 to allow the city to go after Volusia County ECHO grant funds.
For a new ball field, the city previously budgeted $100,000 to assess field one at Nova Rec, and potentially construct a new field elsewhere.
Sargent suggested that, instead of using a consultant, the city conduct a survey with citizens who utilize the facility today to see what the community wants. Commissioner Kristin Deaton agreed, suggesting also consulting with the city's Leisure Services Advisory Board.
But because field one at Nova Rec used to be a landfill, Finley said professionals will need to come in at some point to do soil and structural analyses.
Deaton added that a resident has approached the city with interest to create a batting facility.
"They would lease it from us and take care of the build-out," Deaton said. "Maybe a little bit of income, if we could not find a quick solution. I know that it would be utilized."
The City Commission will review its proposed budget for the next fiscal year at its next workshop, which is scheduled for July 22.
