Volusia County NRAC pauses major code changes pending state action, directs staff on selected items

The Natural Resources Advisory Committee (NRAC) of Volusia County on Aug. 5 agreed to narrow its work program and pause most proposed ordinance changes that could be constrained by recent state legislation known as Senate Bill 180. Committee members voted to leave several technical or housekeeping updates to staff and scheduled a follow-up meeting in September to finish work on tree ordinance language.

The decision followed a presentation by staff on options NRAC could still pursue under SB 180. "The direction that council made on Senate Bill 180…to clarify the intention of the bill to relate only to structures damaged by a hurricane in that event," said Jessica Gough, committee member, as she framed how the committee should consider its next steps. Staff told the committee many previously proposed substantive changes were now outside the committee’s authority unless the state law is amended.

Why it matters: NRAC is the volunteer advisory body that prepared a 2025 work plan of nine environmental and land-development topics. SB 180 narrowed the committee’s ability to advance some regulatory changes; the committee’s decision means the county will…