The Deltona City Commission voted unanimously to approve Resolution No. 2020-548, establishing a 120‑day zoning‑in‑progress called the Keep Deltona Wild Overlay District and directing staff to subdivide the subsequent comprehensive plan amendments into three subareas: Collins Road, Reed Ellis and Fishhawk.

Supporters said the zoning‑in‑progress is an opening step to protect environmentally sensitive lands, preserve biodiversity and encourage agritourism and low‑impact residential development. Commissioner Lully, the item’s sponsor, told the commission, “We are not removing entitlements,” and emphasized the measure would not retroactively strip rights from applications already deemed complete.

The measure prompted detailed questions about scope and timing. Planning staff and the city attorney told the commission the zoning‑in‑progress runs for 120 days and can be extended, but warned extensions should generally not exceed six months to avoid the appearance of a moratorium. Staff confirmed that any development applications already deemed complete would continue to be reviewed under the current regulations; only new or resubmitted applications would be subject to rules adopted through the subsequent amendments.

Commissioners and residents debated whether the single resolution should cover all three areas or be split. Several commissioners—including the mayor and Vice Mayor Herriot—asked for the areas to be treated separately in the land‑use amendments so that issues unique to each area would not hold up the others. In response the commission amended the motion: Commissioner Lully moved to approve the zoning‑in‑progress and to “direct staff to subdivide the comprehensive plan amendments by the three areas, and bring that back for consideration at future meetings, workshops, and public meetings.” The amended motion passed 7‑0.

Planning staff identified the three subareas as follows: Collins Road (agricultural/rural character and farm uses), Reed Ellis (natural resource protection and conservation), and Fishhawk (low‑impact residential development concerns and flood‑prone parcels). Staff also told commissioners there are three pending rezoning applications in the identified area—Vineland Reserve, Pine Ridge G.D., and Raintree—and that applications already deemed complete would not be halted by the zoning‑in‑progress.

Public comment was strongly supportive of immediate action from residents of Collins Road, Reed Ellis and Fishhawk, who cited flooding, existing borrow pits and a desire to preserve rural character. Attorneys for property owners opposed by the overlay also spoke at length, warning of potential legal claims if property owners’ expectations were changed without due process.

Next steps: staff will draft the three separate comprehensive‑plan amendment packages and hold workshops and public hearings during the zoning‑in‑progress window. The zoning‑in‑progress itself does not adopt the comprehensive plan changes; it provides notice that applications filed after the effective date may be subject to forthcoming changes.