- January 16, 2026
The Ormond Beach Planning Board has recommended the City Commission deny a special exception for outdoor sales of merchandise at the future Circle K gas station at 699 S. Nova Road.
The gas station and convenience store will be constructed at the northeast corner of Hand Avenue and Nova Road, replacing the former Bank of America. The site plan was approved last year, with the commission upholding city staff's decision following a citizen's appeal. Because a gas station is an allowed use on the property due to its B-8 Commercial zoning designation, the project didn't need the City Commission's approval.
But, a special exception does.
According to a city staff report, Sun State Petrol I, LLC, is seeking allowance from the city to have outdoor areas displaying merchandise such as propane cages, ice machines and seasonal/bulk retail items. Despite city staff recommending approval, Planning Board members felt this would negatively impact the nearby neighborhoods of Central Park.
"It's a special location to me, and it should just be as quiet as we can keep it for the neighborhood," Board member Angeline Shull said at the meeting on Thursday, Jan. 15. "When they moved there, they didn't expect this to happen."
Several residents spoke against the gas station project at the meeting. They raised concerns about outdoor merchandise increasing petty theft crimes in the area, and, that existing stores in the area already sell propane tanks.
"We're just taking business from our local stores that are there now and giving to a corporate store," said Bobby Cleveland.
Resident Amber Bobak was also among the speakers. Last year, she filed an appeal against the project's site plan approval, citing public health and safety hazards, environmental risks and stormwater contamination, lighting requirements, incompatibility with the city's Comprehensive Plan and a lack of community support and procedural oversight.
In regard to the special exception, Bobak said that allowing outdoor sales would create "an increase of operational intensity and additional safety and nuisance impacts closer to existing homes."
"These impacts are directly related to the concerns residents have raised throughout the review of this project," Bobak said, adding that since the neighborhood meeting, she requested Circle K consider reducing or reconfiguring the number of fuel pumps and incorporating enhanced stormwater measures to limit neighborhood impacts.
Zoe Fernandez, 14, said she was concerned that the gas station was being constructed less than 300 feet from her home. She cited health and safety concerns, impacting the 11 children in her neighborhood and the many more within 1,000 feet of the property, including her sister, who has asthma.
"Gas stations generate fine matter that will settle deep into the lungs and are associated with heart diseases, strokes and developmental issues," Zoe said. "Circle K has a history of pipe leakages containing all these chemicals, as well as gasoline, poisoning the groundwater and soil in the area. Not only is there a lake right down the road, but there are people on the street with gardens and children who play outside."
Speaking on behalf of the project, Kimley-Horn Civil Engineer Jared Stubbs said that their goal is to be a "good neighbor" and that they understand the concern of having a gas station near their neighborhood.
"There is no goal or objective that we have to be a hindrance to the neighborhood," Stubbs said.
Stubbs also added that the special exception application wasn't filed alongside the site plan because they did not know outdoor storage needed separate approval. Housing ice machines outside gas stations, he explained during the meeting, is a standard practice.
Board members weren't convinced. The vote to deny was 5-0. Board member Troy Railsback was absent.
"I don't see the improvement by having this for the regular citizens, and I see it as a huge detriment to the neighbors, because it's just going to have more traffic," Board Chair Doug Thomas said. "You're going to have ice machine ice trucks delivering ice at night."
The special exception is tentatively set to go before the City Commission at its Feb. 17 meeting.
