VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Site plans for a proposed fuel terminal just outside of Ormond Beach will now have to be reviewed and processed by Volusia County staff.
On Tuesday, the county council voted to turn down a heavy industrial moratorium, which is something residents had been fighting for in an effort to stop the terminals from being built.
The majority of the council members voted against this moratorium and said they would rather the county process Belvedere Terminals’ site plans and determine that way if it is an okay fit for the community.
“The site plan process is a very vigorous process. It’s going to have a lot of intense requirements that are going to have to be met if they’re willing to meet them,” said council member David Santiago.
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Santiago was one of the five council members to vote against it. Now, the county staff will process the plans Belvedere submitted for the site off Hull Road just outside of Ormond Beach city lines in unincorporated Volusia County.
The heavy industrial moratorium would have temporarily stopped the project and given the county at least nine months to review its land development codes.
“We understand there are concerns. We’d be happy to address them in a context that is fact/evidence based and discussed with staff on site plan process,” said Nick Dancaescu, a GrayRobinson attorney representing Belvedere Terminals.
The company had already filed a lawsuit against Volusia County to try and force them to process the site plans.
Council Chairman Jeff Brower was one of two to still vote for the moratorium.
“I think the fear of the lawsuit very much had something to do with it and I think that’s a real shame. What’s more important? The county’s money, which is taxpayer money, or the county’s taxpayer money and their lives,” he said.
Hundreds of Ormond Beach homes, a sports complex and businesses surround the site and many residents worry about the large amount of fuel that would be stored there.
“I’m very emotional, the citizens of Ormond Beach and Volusia County have been battling this for six months and we’ve had loud voices,” said resident Robin Magleora.
Brower said it will take several months for the county staff to process the site plans.
Belvedere Terminals sent News 6 the following statement following the vote:
“Belvedere is pleased that the Council saw fit to reject the proposed moratorium, which would have hurt private property rights in all of Volusia County. Belvedere will continue to act with complete transparency. We welcome the opportunity to sit down and discuss concerns with anyone interested in learning about the facts regarding this project, which is an invitation we have extended to even our most vocal opponents. We are also open to attending public meetings – including town halls - to facilitate this open dialogue, if it is helpful. It is important to note that Belvedere’s system is a safer, cleaner, more reliable and lower cost way to bring vital fuel products to Floridians.”
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