ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – Ormond Beach commissioners Tuesday night unanimously voted against a request by developer, Triumph Oaks of Ormond Beach LLC, that Tomoka Oaks residents said would have threatened their quality of life.
Dozens of the residents were sporting red Tomoka Oaks T-shirts at the commission meeting.
Darla Widnall, a resident who also opposes the developers plan, was selling them to people on their way in.
“We thought we would look more united if we came in wearing red shirts,” Widnall said.
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News 6 reporter Treasure Roberts listened as the developer and city planning board argued their positions to commissioners.
“The only question for you to consider is are you going to approve our request to change the label on that map so that we actual have developer rights?,” the developer said.
The developer wanted the commission to amend the current zoning map for Tomoka Oaks.
Their request was that it be changed from a planned residential development to R-2, which is a single family low density zone, but the city planning board said it wouldn’t be appropriate for the area.
If the zoning changed, residents feared hundreds of houses would come to their back yard, which is currently a closed golf course.
Nearly 30 people put their names in the hat to speak on the hot topic.
“The applicant’s plan is not the right fit, it’ll change the character of the neighborhood,” one resident said.
People who live there value the open space and greenery.
“I would prefer to not have somebody in my backyard,” a resident said during public comment.
They said more developments will put natural wildlife in jeopardy, decrease property values and increase flooding.
At the end of the night commissioners sided with the residents. Some of them said they didn’t like the developer’s approach during the meeting. They said he provided materials about the request at the last minute and attempted to threaten them.
The commission added the developer failed to listen to what the residents actually wanted.
“The residents of Ormond beach deserve better than this and I just can’t go along with this,” Zone 1 Commissioner Travis Sargent said.
Once the commission denied the developer’s request residents began stand, clap and cheer.
News 6′s Treasure Roberts checked back in with Darla Widnall after the meeting, who said commissioners made the right decision.
“We’re really happy that it turned out this way,” Widnall said.
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