Port Orange council approves Catfish Commons land-use, PCD and related incentive; developer outlines marina plans

Port Orange city council approved two first-reading ordinances to change future land use and rezone the Catfish Commons site and recommended approval of a related economic incentive agreement for Commons 4075, LLC.

The actions clear the way for a planned mixed-use redevelopment of the Catfish Commons area that would allow retail on the first floor and up to eight residential units above, site-specific setbacks, angled on-street parking along Halifax Drive and a 12-slip marina. City planning staff recommended approval of the amendments and codified deviations for side-yard and rear-yard setbacks and a reduced landscape buffer to allow an “entertainment yard” on the waterfront.

Tim Berman, community development, described the two items on first reading as paired: a future land-use map amendment (ordinance 2025‑O9) to change about 1.2 acres from commercial to mixed-use center and a rezoning/restate of the Catfish Commons Planned Commercial Development (ordinance 2025‑10). He told council the PCD restatement would allow retaining and adding on to an existing building with a 4-foot side setback (5 feet if rebuilt), a 0-foot rear setback internal to the PCD, angled on‑street parking for better marina access, and a reduced front landscape buffer to expand an activity area along the waterfront.

Brandon Gabbard, developer and property owner, thanked council for support of the earlier economic incentive and said permitting for the marina is nearly complete. “We just, a week or two ago, we got approval,” he said, describing that the state required identification of a spoil site for dredging and that he expects a 21‑day notification period before finishing state permitting and moving to construction drawings.

Resident Robert Ryan Hagen urged clarification on how proposed on‑street parking would be allocated. He questioned whether public parking would become reserved for marina use and asked how residential units planned above commercial space would be served. Staff and the applicant said parking would be “common” and preserved as shared spaces, with some tandem spaces reserved for employees; the PCD language and subsequent site plan approvals would govern final parking layouts.

Council voted 5‑0 on first readings for ordinances 2025‑O9 and 2025‑O10. Earlier in the meeting the Port Orange Town Center Community Redevelopment Agency recommended approval of an economic incentive agreement with Commons 4075, LLC and authorized agency execution of the agreement; the CRA roll call recorded unanimous “yes” votes.

Planning staff and the applicant told council the PCD includes conditions — additional architectural treatments, interior garage doors rather than exterior, screening for boat storage, and buffer requirements — and that any future development on the affected lots would require full site‑plan review for transportation, stormwater and utilities. Council and the developer agreed that the project will return for additional approvals and site drawings as required.

The ordinances will return for second reading and final adoption according to the usual public hearing schedule.