State OK d bill preventing local government from placing greater restrictions on home-based business
State lawmakers approved a bill banning cities and counties from regulating the sale of firearms
With the Florida Legislature s regular session over, the state s counties, cities and towns have found themselves in a familiar situation.
Lawmakers in the Florida Senate and House this year continued to chip away at the power of local governments to control everything from home-based businesses to cruise ships. There was a lot of disappointment this session, said Cragin Mosteller, director of external affairs for the Florida Association of Counties, in discussing the home rule issue. I felt that this year was a lot of mosquito bites.
Many people would like to hit the brakes hard. The pendulum has swung the other way, Volusia County Chair Jeff Brower told News-Journal Business Editor Clayton Park recently. Now, it s at the point where people daily are telling me, Stop all growth. We can t stop all growth, but what we could do is try to slow things down. It s like we ve been on a sprint.
Here are some facts: Nearly all of the growth that has occurred in west Daytona Beach has been on land already zoned for commercial or residential development. Volusia and Flagler counties, and Florida, suffered through a Great Recession that stymied growth from 2007 to about 2013. The rapid growth we re experiencing now is partly a result of pent-up demand, on land already approved for development.
May 22, 2021 | 1:23 PM
DeLeon Springs, FL – Residents and visitors in West Volusia now have another trail to enjoy as Volusia County adds another segment to a trail connecting the county’s springs. This new segment adds 1.7 miles to the now 21 mile long Spring-to-Spring Trail; which will be just over 27.2 miles when completed, stretching from DeLeon Springs State Park to Green Springs Park. The Spring-to-Spring trail is also just one part of the partially completed 260-mile St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop, which currently travels through the counties of Volusia, Flagler, Brevard, St. Johns and Putnam. And to District 1 councilwoman Barbara Girtman, this goes beyond just connecting trails. It’s connecting counties and bringing in ECHO tourism for bicycling, for walking, and for sightseeing, Girtman said to News Daytona Beach. There’s a lot of people over 60 that are using the trails for exercise, just to get out, said County Chair Jeff Brower. It’s bringing pe
May 18, 2021 | 6:06 PM
DeLand, FL - Five months of debating Volusia County’s ordinance against short-term rental properties ends with council members voting to do nothing with the ban. Council members voted 5-2 on Tuesday (May 17), with County Chair Jeff Brower and District 4 Representative Heather Post being the only dissenting votes, to continue with the county’s ordinance. During an hours long period of public comments, residents from unincorporated areas of Volusia, such as Ormond-By-The-Sea and Bethune Beach, offered their opinion on the matter. While some were in favor with keeping the ban in place, others, including the Vacation Rental Home Alliance of Volusia, were fighting to have the ordinance changed. One argument made by homeowners was not wanting to turn residential neighborhoods into commercial zones by allowing short-term rentals. Others said they do not want the possibility of parties, parking issues, and litter affecting their neighborhood. At-Large R