DeBary reviews 2045 comprehensive plan; council questions development-suitability map

City of DeBary staff presented the data-and-analysis portion of the city’s draft 2045 comprehensive plan at a June 18 council workshop and showed a development-suitability map that council members said needs closer review because several parcels marked as developable appear to be conservation land or wetland.

Stephen Bap, growth management director, told the City Council that “Tonight is our fourth workshop in a series of workshop with the end goal of having a new and refreshed comprehensive plan, which is a requirement to refresh by, Florida statute.” He said the presentation finished Volume 1 (data and analysis) and began Volume 2 (general provisions, vision and the property-rights element).

The draft map uses green to indicate parcels judged suitable for development, yellow for potentially suitable but with issues to resolve, and red for unsuitable parcels. Bap said the suitability analysis considered soil hydraulic ratings, floodplains, wetlands, presence of threatened or endangered species, nonconforming lots, easements such as power transmission…