Board backs rezoning and comp-plan amendment to allow 344-unit multifamily at Tomoka Farms Road

The Daytona Beach Planning Board recommended approval of a small-scale comprehensive plan amendment and plan-development general (PDG) rezoning to allow a multifamily development on a 30.8-acre site on Tomoka Farms Road.

Staff said the applicant seeks to change the future land use from Volusia County activity center and environmental systems corridor to City-level 2 residential with a potential environmentally significant overlay. The proposed neighborhood policy would cap the development at 344 units, require shared ingress/egress with an adjacent parcel to reduce access points on Tomoka Farms Road, and keep additional environmental protections in place where the property abuts the Tomoka River corridor.

Staff reported potable water and wastewater capacity is sufficient; the theoretical net impacts were small compared with the prior county-allowable uses (a reported reduction in maximum allowed trips under the current county designation). The PDG rezoning materials show proposed dimensional standards, a maximum building height of 75 feet, a resulting density of about 11.2 dwelling units per acre, and the requested signage modification to permit monument signs up to 40 square feet (32 square feet is the current PD standard).

The applicant’s representative said the project underwent neighborhood meetings and coordination with staff, and that the developer had purchased adjacent land to provide access on Tomoka Farms Road and ISB after staff raised driveway-count concerns. He also said the design includes compensating storage, stormwater attenuation and riparian protection measures for the Tomoka River-side areas; staff reiterated that detailed stormwater calculations and flood mitigation would be reviewed at site-plan/engineering review and are not part of the rezoning.

Board members questioned the proposed sign size, flooding and the potential for affordable units. The applicant said affordability is under discussion but not required by the current submittal, and that incentives may be used to secure an affordable component at site-plan stage. Members asked staff to review signs and consider code updates to reduce frequent waivers.

The board approved both the small-scale comprehensive plan amendment (Item 4c) and the PDG rezoning (Item 4d) by voice vote and forwarded them to the City Commission for hearings (first reading scheduled May 7 and second reading/public hearing May 21).