Daytona Beach panel upholds demolition order for 929 North Beach Street

A Daytona Beach hearing panel voted 3-0 to uphold a notice of condemnation and a demolition order for the building at 929 North Beach Street after city staff said the structure is dilapidated, in a floodplain and the owner had not completed required permit responses.

The decision came after staff presented dated photos and structural observations and urged the panel to maintain the demolition order issued in 2022. City project manager Kim Flaherty told the panel that the property has been condemned since 2022 and that the current owner took possession in 2023; she said the outstanding issue is the building—s finished-floor elevation relative to the base flood elevation and that the owner had not addressed staff comments on the pending permit application.

Why it matters: City officials said raising the building or otherwise meeting FEMA and local flood-elevation requirements would require extensive work and cost more than repairing the existing structure. Chief building official Glenn Urquhart said renovating would likely exceed 50% of the structure—s value under FEMA guidance, making demolition and rebuilding the more feasible option.

City presentation and staff recommendation John Cecil, rehabilitation building inspector, displayed photographs dated March 14, 2022, June 2024 and March 2025 that, he said, showed persistent dilapidation and water intrusion around the building exterior and interior mechanical areas. Kim Flaherty said staff had worked with the owner since 2023 and received a partially filed permit application in June 2024 that remained incomplete.

"That has to be addressed before the building can be usable, period," Flaherty said, and recommended the board uphold the demolition order.

Floodplain and structural concerns Glenn Urquhart, chief building official, told the panel the site is in an E flood zone and that the base flood elevation in the area is 4; the building—s finished floor is at the same elevation. Urquhart said the building would need to be raised roughly two feet to meet required finished elevations or be demolished and rebuilt. He also said repeated flooding deposits mud and debris inside buildings in that location during rain events.

"Renovations actually more expensive," Urquhart said, adding that for a small concrete-block structure it would likely be cheaper to demolish, raise the slab and rebuild.

Public speakers and owner requests A contractor, James Jones, who identified himself as a state-certified general contractor and member of Volusia County—s building trades examining board, asked the panel for a 90-day stay to allow time to engage engineers and complete plans. Jones said engineers had suggested options such as floodgates and that the owners were committed to saving the structure.

Owner Alama Shred (as named on the transcript) said she had encountered delays with contractors and engineers, described having received two elevation certificates with differing measurements, and asked for time to complete the work. "If you told me today to go paint it, I'll go paint it," she said, and added she would comply with whatever the city required to make the building safe.

Panel deliberation and vote After discussion, a motion to uphold the demolition order was made and seconded. The panel took a roll-call vote: Paul Culver — Aye; John Bailey — Aye; Jessica Lehi — Aye. The motion carried.

What happens next The demolition order was upheld by the panel. Staff recommended demolition given the building—s condition and floodplain constraints; the owner and a contractor requested more time to pursue repairs and elevation work but did not persuade the panel to delay enforcement. The transcript does not specify a timetable for demolition, permit reapplication, or appeal rights.

Notes on the record: the case was listed as BP2022-0004929 and referenced multiple inspection photographs and permit-review comments dating from 2022 through March 2025.