The Volusia County Planning and Land Development Regulation Commission on Aug. 25 voted to continue a special-exception application for a nonexempt excavation on prime agricultural (A-1) land and its nine companion variance requests to the commission's Feb. 19, 2026 meeting.

The commission’s action followed a staff recommendation to forward the special-exception and variance applications to the county council with a recommendation of denial. Planning staff said the proposal as presented would excavate roughly 2,887,000 cubic yards from about 54 acres of a 154-acre parcel in five phases over 12 years and would disturb or adjoin approximately 42.8 acres of on-site wetlands.

Staff planner Steve Shams told the commission the application proposes two pits up to approximately 50 feet deep, a maximum operating schedule of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and a site layout that—without additional review or redesign—would reduce required setbacks and perimeter landscape buffers in multiple locations. Shams said the application lacked adequate data showing the excavation would not cause long-term wetland drawdown and that third-party review and mitigation requirements had not been satisfied. “Without proper screening and separation, this has a potential to adversely affect neighboring single-family residences,” Shams said.

Why it matters: The project lies adjacent to established rural residential areas and conservation lands. Staff cited potential adverse effects on nearby homes, incomplete traffic review with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), and the applicant’s requests to reduce statutory separation and landscape-buffer requirements as reasons for denial. Neighbors and multiple speakers told the commission they feared heavy truck traffic on Colony Road and State Road 415, noise, dust and harm to a local wildlife corridor.

What staff and the applicant said: Shams’ report said the excavation would generate roughly 160 daily dump-truck trips and 12 additional staff trips; several opponents and commissioners later characterized that as about 320 one-way truck movements per day (round trips) and stressed the traffic impacts on the narrow, county-maintained Colony Road. The applicant’s team — including attorney Anna Long, engineer James Golden of Grow Scientific and ecological consultant Shannon Ruby Julian — said the design avoids direct impacts to mapped wetlands, offers recharge measures and would submit required permits to the St. Johns River Water Management District and a traffic study to FDOT during site-plan review. “We are preserving 42 acres of wetlands on the property,” Golden said, and noted final design elements such as recharge ponds and perimeter berms to manage runoff and noise.

Public opposition and legal comments: Neighbors, civic commenters and an attorney representing multiple residents, Glenn Storch, urged denial. Storch argued the applicant had failed to meet any of the legal variance criteria and said the application sought commercial-scale excavation too close to homes and conservation areas. Several neighbors described Colony Road as narrow, used by horse riders and young drivers, and said repeated heavy truck traffic would be hazardous and disruptive. Susan Lear, a resident, told the commission: “This will increase traffic, dump truck after dump truck, and present more hazardous driving conditions.”

Commission discussion and outcome: Commissioners queried staff and the applicant about wetlands modeling, buffer locations, the existing utility easement for Lehi Landing Road (and an access drive that serves a cell-tower parcel), and whether a dedicated FDOT-approved turn lane from SR 415 could eliminate use of Colony Road. Commissioner Frank Costa moved to continue the special-exception case (S-25-003) and the companion variances (V-25-019) for six months to the Feb. 19, 2026 PLDRC meeting; Commissioner Shelley seconded. The motion passed 5–1, with Commissioner Bush recorded in opposition.

What happens next: Because staff recommended denial, the continuance gives the applicant time to coordinate with neighbors, revise the proposal, provide outstanding technical reviews (FDOT traffic, third-party wetland review and required water-management permitting) and return to the PLDRC. If the commission were to deny the variances in a future hearing, the special exception could not be granted as presented. The applicant and opponents both acknowledged appeals to the County Council would be possible following any final PLDRC recommendation.

Context: The site sits near Lake Ashby/ Lake Ashby Canal and abuts the Deep Creek Preserve conservation area; staff noted the eastern boundary contains a 60-foot utility ingress/egress easement associated with the Lehi Landing Road alignment. The proposal drew at least a dozen written letters of opposition and multiple speakers during the meeting.

Next steps: The applications will be re-noticed for the Feb. 19, 2026 PLDRC meeting. Staff and the applicant said they will work to provide the additional technical documentation requested by commissioners.