The Volusia County Natural Resources Advisory Committee voted to pause most proposed ordinance changes on the grounds that recent state legislation, Senate Bill 180, constrains the committee's authority to impose development-related requirements.

Committee members approved a set of limited actions they said fall within the narrower scope allowed under SB 180: staff will handle proposed flood-hazard housekeeping changes and return findings, and staff was asked to draft modern updates to the county's pollution-control standard for committee review. The committee also agreed to meet next month to finish work on tree-protection language and to pause further meetings until the committee has direction from county council or state law changes.

The committee opened discussion with a warning from Jessica Gao, NRAC member, about the legislative backdrop. "So I will not summarize, but I think the key thing that I want to keep in mind as we discuss today, is the direction that counsel made on Senate Bill 180, which was proposing amendments to the bill as stated, to clarify the intention of the bill to relate only to structures damaged by a hurricane in that event," Gao said. Members repeatedly referenced a likely special legislative session in November as the probable next opportunity for change.

On specific motions, Miss Morrissey moved, and the committee approved, that suggested flood-hazard-management edits shown on staff slides be returned to staff to handle without additional NRAC action. Miss Morrissey later moved and the group approved a motion that NRAC not move forward on proposed wetland-alteration code changes at this time; the committee voted the same way on a motion proposed by Jessica Gao not to take up habitat-protection ordinance changes. Wendy Anderson moved, and the committee approved, that staff prepare proposed updates to the county's pollution-control minimum standard (Chapter 50) and share them with the committee for review.

Members also voted to "toll" the committee's active work: they will meet in September to complete the tree-ordinance items already in progress and then pause subsequent meetings until there is clarity from the legislature or direction from county council. Tyler, an NRAC member who spoke during the meeting, urged a pause unless the special session produces an amendment: "I otherwise don't see a way that our committee can provide any beneficial... use of continuing to meet unless special session makes an amendment," he said.

Committee members highlighted enforcement concerns in several topic areas. Multiple members said that enforcement of existing ordinances is uneven and suggested the committee could flag that concern to council even if NRAC cannot itself impose new, more restrictive rules under SB 180. The group did not adopt a formal enforcement program; members and staff noted enforcement requires resources and that some longstanding requirements are difficult to track or sustain over time.

The committee emphasized the limited nature of the work it will pursue while SB 180 remains in effect. Staff repeatedly described the remaining items as largely housekeeping: correcting formatting and statutory references, aligning county definitions to state guidance where possible, and making code text clearer for applicants. The committee recorded its motions and asked staff to return specific draft language at the next meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of July 2 meeting minutes: Motion by John Geronimo, second by Bob Fitzsimmons; outcome: approved.
- Flood-hazard management housekeeping to be handled by staff: Motion by Miss Morrissey, second by Bliss Jamieson; outcome: approved; NRAC delegates the draft edits to staff.
- Do not move forward on wetland-alteration permit revisions at this time: Motion by Miss Morrissey, second by Bill Leitz; outcome: approved.
- Do not take on habitat-protection ordinance changes at this time: Motion by Jessica Gao, second by Michelle Wittig; outcome: approved.
- Staff to update pollution-control minimum standard (Chapter 50) and share drafts with NRAC: Motion by Wendy Anderson, second by Jessica Gao; outcome: approved.
- Committee to meet in September to finish tree-ordinance items and then pause further meetings until legislative or council action: motion carried.

The committee asked staff to prepare the specific draft language and bring that material to the September meeting so members can finalize tree-related items they had previously discussed. Staff said they would also check with council leadership about the committee's next steps and whether council wants NRAC to pursue the two non-chapter-50 proposals members raised (voluntary programs such as transfer-of-development-rights and conservation-cluster provisions). The meeting closed with the group setting a September meeting date to complete the tree discussion and with the understanding that further work will be limited while SB 180 remains operative.

Ending

NRAC members framed the meeting outcomes as narrowly scoped follow-ups rather than new policy launches. Staff will return proposed language on the pollution-control standard and the flood-hazard housekeeping edits; members will reconvene on trees in September and await either council direction or changes to state law before resuming broader work.