Council approves donation of unsold infill lots for affordable housing, directs staff to study pocket-park uses for a small number of parcels

The Volusia County Council voted 5–1 on June 17 to put a group of unsold, tax-deeded infill parcels into an affordable housing program and to award development parcels to nonprofit builders, after a lengthy discussion that included park-use proposals from one council member.

“Most of these are infill properties — vacant lots within established neighborhoods,” staff member Brad told the council while presenting the results of a request for proposals the county issued to comply with a statutory requirement to catalog and offer buildable tax-deeded parcels for affordable housing. Two Habitat for Humanity affiliates and Bridal Community Trust emerged as selected recipients for specific parcels, staff said.

Council discussion split along planning and policy lines. Councilman Don Dempsey pushed to hold lots for pocket parks in parts of West Volusia with limited outdoor play space, arguing such small passive parks would help neighborhood children and reduce incentives for new development in flood-prone areas. Parks and Recreation Director Tim Bailey said converting a typical quarter-acre wooded lot to a maintained neighborhood pocket park would cost roughly $24,248 in start-up (clearing, sod and basic furnishings) and about $5,189 per year in operations, including contracted mowing and a part-time staff cost.

Council members debated keeping most parcels in the affordable-housing pipeline while reserving a small number for park uses. “I like the concept,” Councilman Danny Santiago said of pocket parks, but added that he did not want to remove all lots from housing use. Council staff proposed a compromise: approve as presented but withhold two parcels for further staff study of viability as pocket parks. Councilman Robbins moved to approve the staff recommendation; the motion was seconded by Councilman Johansson. The motion, with the two-parcel carve-out proposed by Santiago and backed by staff study, carried 5–1. Councilman Don Dempsey cast the lone no vote, saying the West Side remains vulnerable to flooding and he did not favor additional development in that area.

Council members and nonprofit representatives stressed that the selected lots are generally small (about a quarter-acre on average, with one closer to half an acre) and most are wooded; nonprofit builders said they can and would invest significant private funds in site development. “We will take that property and we will spend at least $8 for every dollar that you're giving us,” Lori Gillooly, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Volusia County, told the council, describing volunteer labor and additional private investment the nonprofit expects to bring to projects.

A representative from West Volusia Habitat for Humanity said the organization is building homes on similar infill streets and has a two-year waiting list of local applicants. Council members and staff noted that state law requires proceeds from sales of tax-deeded parcels designated for affordable housing to be used for affordable housing and that parcels had been offered at auction twice with no buyers.

Why this matters: the council is using existing county-owned infill lots to meet an affordable-housing objective intended to reduce greenfield development and place new units inside established neighborhoods. The decision also highlights ongoing tension between housing production and neighborhood open-space needs, and the council directed staff to develop criteria and cost estimates for pocket-park conversions for future similar parcels.

Actions taken: motion to approve the donation/award of parcels for affordable housing, moved by Councilman Robbins, seconded by Councilman Johansson; outcome approved 5–1. The council also gave staff direction to withhold two parcels for further analysis of pocket-park feasibility and budget impacts, and to bring back findings to council. Staff will report the two-parcel analysis and proposed operational costs before final conversion decisions are made.

Next steps: staff to return with feasibility, budget and maintenance cost estimates for the two held parcels and a set of recommended criteria for evaluating future parcels for pocket-park use; nonprofits to advance planning and site-preparation work for awarded parcels.