Deltona planning board backs citywide commercial design standards, recommends commission approval

The City of Deltona Planning and Zoning Board on June 18 voted to recommend that the City Commission approve Ordinance 24‑2025, creating Chapter 111 of the Land Development Code to establish architectural and building design standards for non‑residential development.

The amendment, presented by Alexis Crespo of RVI Planning and Landscape Architecture, applies only to non‑residential buildings — commercial, office, government and light industrial — citing a state law that prevents local governments from adopting local design standards for residential uses. "This amendment will only apply to non residential buildings," Crespo said. She told the board the standards are intended to improve visual quality without pricing out development: "This is a balancing act though where we don't wanna go overboard with these standards and limit or stop good development or redevelopment from happening by making it too costly to do so."

Board members and staff described how the draft code would work in practice. Key provisions include defining a primary façade (the side facing a public street) and higher standards for primary façades than for secondary façades; limiting the use and percentage of bold, brand colors on primary…