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 not immediately pursue broader revisions until the legislature or courts change the legal landscape.

Most substantive votes moved housekeeping and direction to staff rather than new county rules. NRAC instructed staff to handle formatting and compliance cleanups for flood-hazard material, asked staff to reconcile wetlands-related code with state mitigation methods, and authorized staff to draft modernized language for the county’s pollution-control standard. The committee also voted not to pursue changes on wetland alteration permits and habitat protections at this time and agreed to temporarily set aside two other topics (referred to in the meeting as items 5 and 6) for the committee’s future agenda unless the state law changes.

Quotes and outcomes were grounded in motions taken at the meeting. "I will make a motion that with regard to flood hazard management, the suggested changes as shown on the PowerPoint slide should be handled by staff in their sole consideration and not by NRAC," said Ms. Morrissey before the committee approved that motion. Morgan Swank, a staff member, and other staff answered procedural questions during debate about enforcement and the limits of NRAC’s authority.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes from the July 2 meeting: motion by John Geronimo, seconded by Bob Fitzsimmons; outcome: approved. - Flood hazard management: motion by Ms. Morrissey, seconded by Ms. Bliss Jamieson; outcome: approved; direction: staff to handle suggested edits rather than NRAC. - Wetland alteration permits: motion by Ms. Morrissey, seconded by Mr. Lights; outcome: NRAC will not move forward on the committee’s prior suggestions at this time. - Items 5 and 6 (coastal-related and class-2/Indian River Lagoon items): motion by Tyler to disregard items 5 and 6 as committee actions, seconded by Sara Lee; outcome: approved (committee will not pursue those changes as NRAC actions now). - Habitat protection topic: motion by Jessica Gough, seconded by Michelle Wittig; outcome: NRAC will not take on habitat protection as a separate ordinance item now. - Pollution control minimum standard review: motion by Wendy Anderson, seconded by Jessica Gough; outcome: approved; direction: staff to modernize the county pollution-control language and report back to NRAC. - Meeting schedule and scope: motion by Jessica Gough to reconvene in September to finish trees and then pause most regular work until state action; outcome: approved.

Discussion vs. decision: The committee repeatedly distinguished discussion-only items from formal action. Staff repeatedly told members that enforcement practices are generally outside NRAC’s ordinance-writing remit: Morgan Swank said enforcement commentary is largely a staff/administrative responsibility and not the committee’s core ordinance-drafting charge. NRAC members, however, asked staff to note enforcement concerns for internal follow-up.

Next steps: NRAC members directed staff to circulate the tree-ordinance materials in advance of the September meeting so members can focus on a single topic then; staff will also circulate draft language for the flood-hazard housekeeping and the pollution-control update. The committee’s broader set of substantive proposals will remain on hold unless SB 180’s legal effect changes.

Ending: The committee adjourned after agreeing to a September meeting date (the Wednesday after Labor Day) to finalize the tree-ordinance items before pausing the broader work plan pending state action.