Volusia County Council kills proposed moratorium on new development

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Published  January 15, 2025 12:17am EST
FOX 35 Orlando
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Volusia County Council kills development moratorium

Volusia County Council nixed a proposed development moratorium at a special meeting Tuesday night. County Chair Jeff Brower proposed the development pause, and it drew fervent reaction from residents both for and against the idea.

The Brief

    • Volusia County Council rejected a proposed development moratorium, opting instead to explore alternative solutions to address flooding concerns, including stricter wetland protections and canal clearing.
    • Public comment at the meeting was divided, with some residents supporting the moratorium to prevent flooding and others opposing it, citing potential harm to businesses.
    • The council will revisit proposed solutions, including Councilman Troy Kent's ideas, at a special meeting on February 11.

DELAND, Fla. - Volusia County Council nixed a proposed development moratorium at a special meeting Tuesday night.

What we know:

County Chair Jeff Brower proposed the development pause, and it drew fervent reaction from residents both for and against the idea. Ninety-two speakers signed up to speak during public comment. Although many left before it was their turn, public comment lasted more than three hours of the meeting.

What they're saying:

"Development has had a significant impact on the flooding," one man said in favor of the moratorium.

"While a moratorium on new developments may seem like a solution, it is critical to recognize that growth is inevitable," one woman said as she spoke against the idea.

"Every single time it rains, I get anxiety," another woman said as she spoke in favor of the proposal and recounted her experience during Hurricane Milton.

"I’m a no to a moratorium, but I bring solutions that I think this County should adapt and implement," Dist. 4 Councilman Troy Kent said before he proposed several potential solutions instead.

Possible alternative plans:

Dist. 4 Councilman Troy Kent's proposals include:

  • No more building on any wetlands
  • No more paying into the wetland mitigation bank
  • Your water on your property must stay on your property
  • All county and city canals must be cleared
  • Volusia County needs an aggressive, realistic plan to buy low-lying homes and low-lying lands that consistently flood
  • Volusia County needs to have serious discussions about county-owned land near flooded areas where water can go into a retention pond
  • Volusia County needs to have better, healthier conversations with cities about apartment complexes

"Every day that we delay, and more development is approved, we risk flooding out more of our constituents," County Chair Jeff Brower said.

Flooding after Hurricane Milton thrust the debate into the spotlight. Just last week, the City of Edgewater went through with its own year-long moratorium. Brower said he helped put that plan together.

Bella Schwartz, a 16-year-old student at DeLand High School, supported the moratorium and started an online petition.

"I shared it with everyone I knew and spread it through my high school," Schwartz said at the meeting.

As of Tuesday night, she had collected more than 2,000 signatures. She said most of them were from fellow classmates.

"Teens especially care about the environment, and they should, because it’s their future," Schwartz told FOX 35 News before the meeting. "I want teens to know they’re not powerless."

On the other side, several people in orange shirts reading, "solutions not moratoriums," said a moratorium could hurt business.

"Rather than halting growth, we should focus on developing and implementing solutions to make our community more resilient, safe, and prepared for the challenges ahead," one man said while speaking against the proposal.

The meeting began with a lengthy presentation from county staff about the purpose and scope of any potential moratorium. Staff explained the county could do it but cautioned against a moratorium longer than one year in length to avoid legal challenges.

What's next:

Before the end of the more than 7-hour long meeting, Volusia County Council approved a motion to move forward with Councilman Kent's proposed solutions. The vote meant council will receive more information about Kent's proposals at another special meeting on Feb. 11.

Council members also approved a motion directing staff to review Brower's idea to not allow infill for new developments.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Volusia County Council and attendees of the Volusia County Council meeting on Jan. 14, 2025.

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